How do you install front brake pads on a 1996 Nissan Maxima SE?

Answer 1

I did the brakes on my friend's 98 Maxima tonight. It took approx 20 minutes. Very simple to do.

1. Jack the car up and make sure it is stable. Apply your parking brake.

2. Remove the wheel.

3. On the brake caliper, remove the two bolts with a 14mm wrench. The are easy to get to and shouldn't be too tight.

4. With the caliper bolts removed, lift the caliper off the brake pads and rotor. It might be stuck a little. Pry it with a screwdriver and it will come off. Do not let it hang by the rubber brake line. Use a piece of hanger wire to hang it from the strut spring.

5. Remove the two small "v" springs from the pads. Watch how they come out. It's very simple to do. Just use your fingers. They are not tight.

6. Remove the brake pads by pulling them out of the metal clips. The metal clips will stay attached to the car. Note how the pads come out. One pad has the wear clip on it. Note its position. (It's the pad closest to the motor and the wear clip goes on the top.)

7. Slide the new pads into the metal clips. They should go in easy, with no real effort required. Put the little "v" clips back on.

8. Use a c-clamp to compress the brake caliper piston. This will increase the level of the brake fluid in your reservoir. If your reservoir was full, it might overflow. Watch out for that because brake fluid is corrosive. Use some paper towels to catch the overflow.

9. Once the caliper piston is pushed in, slide the caliper over the brake pads and put the two bolts back in (the ones from step 3).

10. Make sure your parking brake is set. Start the car and pump the brakes. At first, the brake pedal may go to the floor. You do not want to be driving if this happens. Pump the brakes up and you are finished.

11. Before driving, you should put the wheel back on and remove the jack from under the car. :) Do the same thing for the other side.

This really is a very simple procedure and should not take long to do. Your hands will get dirty, so using rubber gloves is a good idea. If the rotors are scarred, take them in for inspection. They can be turned (shaved smooth) for about $10 each.