Your pickup truck is a large, valuable machine that may cost a lot to upkeep. You can save money by learning to perform some regular maintenance yourself. Replacing your brake pads, for example, is a chore that seems a lot more complicated than it really is. This guide will walk you through replacing your brake pads from beginning to end.
To access your brake pads, you'll need to remove your tires. The initial half of this procedure should be familiar if you've ever changed a flat tire. First, remove the lug nuts on the wheels where you'll be changing the brake pads using your tire iron. Before you move the pickup truck, you'll need to release the lug nuts because your wheels would spin in the air.
Your rotor and brake calliper assembly should be visible at this stage. The calliper assembly serves as a clamp, pushing your brake pads against your rotors, slowing your wheels down, and preventing you from colliding with deer or walls. Remove the bolts on the rear of the caliper assembly using a socket wrench.
Remove the calliper assembly from the rotor by sliding it off. It's worth noting that the assembly will remain connected to the brake line. The calliper should not be hung from the brake line. Set calliper gently on top of the rotor or suspend it from the wheel with a piece of wire. Before going forward, double-check that it is supported and will not fall. If the calliper falls, the brake line may be snapped, which is far more costly to repair.
You may now install the new brake pads after removing the old ones. Apply brake oil to the backs of the pads first. The calliper piston will push against the backs of your brake pads when you use the brakes, causing an irritating squeaking sound. This brake oil aids in the reduction of noise. Keep oil away from the front of the brake pads and the rotors. Your brakes rely on friction between the pads and rotors to slow your pickup truck. Grease getting between these two sections defeats the purpose and may cause your brakes not to work properly..
After installing your new brake pads, you'll need to repair your calliper assembly. It's possible that the assembly no longer fits over your brake pads, and this is because the piston within the calliper assembly will adapt to the lower diameter of your brake pads as they wear down. To correct this, you'll need to utilize your brake tool.
Before you change your tire:
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