Installing Front Baer Rotors and Brake Pads

Purpose

Decrease stopping distance.

Tools Required

• 15mm Socket
• 15mm Deep Socket
• 15mm Boxed End Wrench
• 18mm Open End Wrench
• 19mm Socket
• 1/2" Breaker Bar
• 1/2" Torque Wrench (capable to go up to 125lb ft)
• C Clamp
• Jack - 2 Ton (with small lift plate)
• Jack - 3 Ton (with big lift plate)
• Jack Stands (for safety)
• Wire brush or coarse steel wool pads

Parts

Installation - Front Rotors & Brakes Pads
Installation below shows the front right rotor & pads. Installation of the front left rotor and pads the same.

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1. Jack Up The Front of Your Car
Loosen the lug nuts on both front wheels using a 19mm socket (just crack them loose, DO NOT REMOVE THE LUGS ALL THE WAY WHEN THE CAR IS STILL ON THE GROUND. Now, get a small jack and partially jack up one side of the car a few inches to allow enough clearance in the front so you can slip your heavy duty jack under the car. Local the center jacking point and jack the car up. Place two safety stands under there for extra protection.

2. Remove Your Front Wheel.
Hopefully you already cracked your lug nuts loose before jacking up the front of your car. Just remove the wheel and put it aside.

3. Compress Caliper Pistons.
Depending on how much wear is on your current brake pads and rotors, you might want to compress the pistons on the caliper with a C Clamp before continuing. This will make for an easier installation later.

4. Remove Brake Caliper (Optional).
Removing the brake caliper is optional. It just makes accessing the brake pads and the bracket bolts easier. On back of the caliper, the top and bottom has a 15mm bolt and a 18mm glide pin. You'll have to use an open end 18mm wrench on the inner glide pin and a 15mm box wrench on the outer bolt (or you can use a 15mm socket and ratchet). Hold the glide pin while you loosen the bolt. Once the outer bolt is loosen, the caliper will drop backwards. NOTE: There is no need to pull out the glide pin!.

If you are changing your brake pads only, then all you have to do is swing the caliper down and hang it with a metal hanger. This is necessary so you don't put stress on the brake line.

The brake pads will just slide out. If you are going to reuse these pads, then put them aside for later. NOTE For Brake Pad Changes Only: If all you are doing is changing your brake pads, then this is the time to swap them out. If you are replacing the pads w/ OEM style pads that has wear indicators on it, make sure you place the wear marker facing upwards and make sure it is the inner pad. Once done swapping, just swing the caliper up again the tighten the outer bolt to the glide pin. Torque it down to 23 lb ft (50Nm). (ref. 2002 Service Manual page 5-71) and you are done. No need to continue further as the next few steps documents how to replace the rotors.

Now with the pads out of the way, remove the bottom caliper bolt from the bottom glide pin using the same method as the top bolt/glide pin. (Using the 15mm box wrench and 18mm open end wrench). Once done, take the caliper and lay it flat on the control arm. Make sure you lay it down where it doesn't put any stress on the brake line.

5. Remove The Brake Caliper Bracket.
This is the hard part. You'll need to get a nice heavy duty 1/2" breaker bar and a 13/16" Socket. You must undo the two bolts as pictured below. I found that if you hit the breaker bar a few times with your palm, it will crack it loose. (If you have weak hands, this will definitely hurt). Once you have it removed, place the bracket aside.

6. Remove The Retaining Washers.
My rotors had retaining washers on them to keep the rotor in place. Not sure if you car will have them as well. If you do, I found that using a 15mm deep socket will allow me to undo the washer without having to damage it. Loosen it until you can grab it with your hands and twist it off. (I suggest wearing good gloves or your might cut your fingers). If you don't want the washers anymore (not really necessary) then you can simply clip it off.

7. Out With The Old and In With The New (Rotor that is).
With those retaining washers out of the way, you can simply pull off the old rotor. Clean the wheel bearing flange and the brake rotor mating surfaces of any rust of contaminants with a wire brush or steel wool. Once cleaned, put the new rotor in place.

8. Reinstall Brake Caliper Mounting Bracket.
If you took the caliper and bracket off as one assembly, then replace the pads first then slip the whole unit in and bolt it down. GM recommends that the original bracket bolt are not reused (ref. 2002 Service Manual page 5-81). New caliper mounting bracket bolts will have an adhesive already applied to the threads to prevent the bolts from backing out. If you already took off the bolts and don't have replacements, you can get away with reinstalling the bolts this time around. Just make sure you put a dab of thread lock on the threads. If this is your second or more time removing the same bolts, replace them! Tighten the top and bottom bolts to 125 lb ft (175Nm). (ref 2002 Service Manual page 5.81).

9. Reinstall Brake Pads (Only if Caliper was removed in step 4).
Take your new pads and slip them into the brackets. If your pads have wear indicators on it, make sure you place the wear marker facing upwards and make sure it is the inner pad.

10. Reinstall Brake Caliper (Only if Caliper was removed in step 4).
Slip the brake caliper over the brake pads and into the bracket. Finger tighten the top caliper bolt to the top glide pin to hold the caliper in place. Now finger tighten the bottom caliper bolt to the bottom glide pin. Using the 18mm open end wrench you used earlier, hold the top glide pin while the caliper bolt is tighten with a 15mm socket on a torque wrench. Torque the caliper bolt to 23 lb ft (31Nm) (ref. 2002 Service Manual page 5-71).

11. Remount Wheel.
Lug nuts should be torqued in a criss/cross pattern to 100 lb ft. (140Nm). (ref. 2002 Service Manual page 3-97)

12. Season New Rotors and Bed New Pads (Burnishing).
Follow these steps to Season the new Rotors and Bed the new pads. Click Here