How to Install Dodge Brake Pads

The brakes in your Dodge are a critical safety component. The pads sit in a device called a caliper, which wraps around the brake rotor (a disc). Hydraulic fluid is forced through solid steel pipes and activates a piston in the brake caliper, which pushes against the brake pad. Over time, this creates a lot of friction and wears down the pads and rotors. When your brakes are 1/8 inch thick, it's time to replace the pads.

Instructions

1

Place the tire wrench over the lug nuts and turn 1/8 to 1/4 degrees to loosen.

2

Put the car in first gear (if your Dodge is a five-speed). Make sure the emergency brake is on.

3

Jack the car off the ground using the front jack point on your Dodge. This will be an extension of the frame under the vehicle near the radiator. This is the only solid point on your Dodge where it is safe to jack up the vehicle.

4

Place a jack stand under each of the pinch welds in the front of the vehicle. Your Dodge has pinch welds located underneath the driver and passenger side doors. Then, lower the vehicle onto the jack stands.

5

Finish loosening the lug nuts and remove the wheels/tires from the vehicle.

6

Unbolt the caliper mounting bracket using the socket wrench. Dodges use two bolts on the caliper mounting bracket: one at the top and one at the bottom. Lift up on the caliper to remove it from the rotor. Secure it to the springs above the brake assembly.

7

Push the old pads out. You may or may not need to tap the pads with a hammer to break them loose from the caliper. Place the flat end of the old brake pad against the piston of the caliper. Use a C-clamp to compress the piston back into the caliper. It should fold into the caliper like an accordion.

8

Install the new brake pads and reassemble the caliper. Installation is the reverse of removal. Put a dab of thread locker on the threads of the caliper bolts before tightening them. Check your vehicle's service manual on the torque specifications for the caliper mounting bolts on your Dodge make/model.

9

Put the wheel back on and tighten the lug nuts.

10

Lower the car to the ground and torque the lug nuts to 100 foot lbs.

11

Pump the brake pedal to restore brake pressure to the system.