How do you change brake pads on a 1991 Nissan 240sx?

Answer 1

If you are Replacing both front and rear brake pads, make sure you break loose the lug nuts prior to jacking the vehicle up and PLACING THE CAR ON JACK STANDS.

...You will need the following tools...(It is best if you can use 6 point wrenches and sockets because they "bite" better)...A 21 MM 1/2" Drive socket and ratchet or Breaker bar or a 4-way tire tool. 12 MM & 14 MM combo wrenches (open end and box end). 12 & 14MM 3/8" Drive socket and ratchet. Very large Channel Locks (tongue and groove type pliers). 17 & 19 MM wrenches. 17 & 19 MM 3/8" Drive Sockets. 3/8" Drive 2" extension bar. Rear caliper piston reset socket. (some are round, some are universal and block/cube like).

You will also need a tube or a packet or two of Brake quiet paste. A dab of high temp. grease and a bit of anti seize compound.


Before jacking the vehicle up and placing it on jack stands, loosen the lug nuts just enough to make them be able to spin them off with ease.

Remove wheels and turn the front wheels so that the caliper is closest to you. Remove the bottom slide bolt from the caliper to flip the caliper up.

remove one of the old brake pads and place it over the piston. Use the channel locks to squeeze the piston back into the caliper as far as it will go...(This is a good time to look at the rotors to see if they have grooves in them). Pull the caliper inboard towards the car to remove it. Put a dab of high temp. grease on the slide bolts to the calipers to insure that the caliper slides smoothly on the bolts. Re-insert the top slider bolt back into the boot and Install the new brake pads on bracket. Swing caliper down over pads and reinstall lubed slider bolt. "Good and tight" is OK. Don't under tighten them, but don't gorilla tighten them either.

NOTE: It would be best to take all of the rotors to a local parts house to have them turned (machined smooth again) That way they will be measured prior to machining and you will know if your rotors are still above the minimum legal thickness or if they need to be replaced at this time.

Repeat for all rotors... **(mark passenger from driver side and mark which hole and stud the rotor was matched to for realignment...This is just a precaution for balance issues)**

For the rear, remove wheels (if you have not already). Remove both caliper slide bolts and remove the caliper. Use the tool to press and rotate the piston back into the caliper until it stops (usually clockwise rotation). Install new pads on caliper brackets and reinstall calipers

Repeat the same process for the other side.

Before re-installing the wheels, dab a bit of anti-seize compound near the tips of all the studs so the lug nuts don't rust themselves in place. Install wheels and tighten all the lugs. pump brakes after wheels are in place.

**IMPORTANT NOTE**

MAKE SURE YOU PUMP YOUR BRAKES 3-5 TIMES TO INSURE ALL THE FLUID HAS RETURNED TO THE CALIPERS AND YOUR SERVICE BRAKES ARE OPERATIONAL BEFORE YOU REMOVE THE VEHICLE FROM THE JACK STANDS.

That way you don't run the risk of not having brake fluid in the calipers and therefore no brakes.

Your parking brake should also only go up 4-8 clicks until it is tight enough to not go any higher.

After setting the parking brake, remove the jack stands and put the vehicle is back on the ground, go around to all of the wheels and recheck the lugs to make sure they are tight (If you have a torque wrench, proper spec. is 85 lb. ft.) again, not finger tight and not gorilla tight.