Figure it's about time this was thoroughly documented...
Materials: New pads, pint of brake fluid, optional Nissan brake hardware kit (new springs and shims), 14mm wrench/socket, 17mm open-end wrench, lug wrench, 10 mm wrench/socket, jack, jackstand(s), can of brake cleaner, hi-temp disc brake caliper grease, brake anti-squeal grease/compound (small packets are all you need), large C-clamp or brake piston return tool.
- Jack up and secure the front end with jackstands.
- Remove the wheel.
- Inspect both sides of rotor for uneven wear, grooves, etc. and determine if it needs resurfacing before proceeding.
- Remove the lower slider pin bolt.
- Swing caliper open around other slider pin.
- Pop out old pads.
- Remove other slider pin bolt and place caliper securely on top of the upper control arm.
- Pull slider pins out of the caliper body, they will "pop" out with their rubber boots.
- Remove rubber boots from slider pins. The pin with the rubber sleeve goes on the bottom. Wipe old grease from pins and inside of boots. Apply fresh hi-temp brake caliper grease, and place boots back on pins.
- Reinstall pins on caliper body, working out any air trapped within the hole, then secure the boots back to the caliper body to seal.
- Optional: Remove old pad retainer springs and replace with new ones from Nissan brake hardware kit. They should be good for at least 2 sets of pads and you can probably get away with never swapping them, but FYI.
- Re-attach caliper using only the top slider pin bolt - 20 ft-lbs.
- Place a basin of some sort under caliper to catch brake fluid.
- Remove rubber cap from the caliper bleeder valve and open valve <1 turn. Sending old dirty fluid back up the lines can mess up the ABS hardware.
- Use old pad to bridge both caliper pistons at once and press pistons back into caliper using a large C-clamp or inexpensive tool made for just this task. A couple of ounces of brake fluid will come out of the bleeder.
- Close bleeder valve snugly, only 5 ft-lbs, and replace rubber cap.
- Spray caliper etc. down with brake cleaner, allow to dry.
- Apply a thin coat of anti-squeal grease/compound to back of new pads.
- Remove old shims from the old pads, or use new shims from the hardware kit and put them on the backs of the new pads.
- Apply more anti-sqeal to backs of shims.
- Insert pads into caliper body. Put the one with the squeal tab on the inside of the right caliper. OEM replacement pads have only 1 pad with a squeal tab, don't know why, but the inside right pad is well-known to wear fastest for some reason so use it there.
- Close caliper and replace the other slider pin bolt - 20 ft-lbs.
- Replace wheel. (duh)
- After doing both sides, open brake fluid reservior and top off the fluid to "max" with fresh fluid. DO NOT touch the brake pedal yet.
- Start engine and check fluid level. Add to "max" if it has dropped.
- Depress brake pedal 2-3 times, it will have NO pressure, and check fluid level again, add if necessary.
- Continue to depress pedal repeatedly until pressure is restored.
- Check fluid level once more and add if necessary. Replace reservior cap.
- Drive vehicle and perform a series of several moderately quick stops from 30 MPH about 1 minute apart to bed in the pads properly.
- That's all folks!
Brent
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