Bleed the brakes after pads?

Usually no if you never opened a bleeder. If the pedal is spongy after, then yes — or stop driving and get help.

Never. Always both sides of the axle or the car will pull.

Measure thickness against the min stamp on the hat. Grooves + below spec = new rotors, not hope.

Brake Pad Replacement

Front pads on a typical sedan — from jack stands to the bed-in drive

1h 30m8 photographed stepsIntermediate

This is one complete front-axle pad job: confirm the pads are actually worn, lift the car safely, replace both sides, torque the wheels, and bed the pads in so they don't squeal. If the rotors are too thin, you will know to stop and replace those too.

What you'll learn

How to tell pads vs rotors
How to lift and support the car so it cannot drop
How to compress the piston without tearing the boot
The bed-in drive that makes new pads work

Inside this course

Confirm the job and stay aliveIf the car is not on stands, you do not get under it. If the pads are not the problem, you do not throw parts at it.
Caliper off, pads outHang the caliper. Never let it dangle on the hose.
Compress, install, torqueOpen the master cylinder cap so fluid can rise. Do not let it overflow onto paint.
Pedal, bed-in, recheckThe first pump of the pedal after a pad job is not optional. The pistons have to reach the new pads.

Full step-by-step lessons with photos unlock with a subscription.

Free preview

First steps from Confirm the job and stay alive

See how every step looks — photo, checklist, and pro tips included.

You are looking at friction material thickness, not the steel backing plate.

01Read remaining pad material

Look through the caliper window or pull a wheel. Friction material under 3 mm is due. A metal wear indicator squeal is due. If the rotor has a huge lip at the outer edge or blue heat spots, budget rotors too.

Match the pad set to year, engine, and whether you have sport calipers. 'Fits my model' is how people buy the wrong pad.

Jack stands carry the car. The jack is backup, not the plan.

02Lift points, chocks, stands

Park in gear or park, parking brake on, rear wheels chocked. Jack at the factory pinch weld or marked point — never the plastic undertray. Stands under the approved support points. Shake the car. If it moves, it is not safe.

Loosen lug nuts a quarter turn while the wheel is still on the ground, then lift.

Pro tip. The emergency scissor jack is for a tire on the roadside, not a brake job.

Full library access