How to Install Brake Pads on a 2002 Miata

The Miata was introduced in 1989 as a 1990 model by Mazda, a Japanese company. The Miata is a small two-seater sports car with a fold-down convertible top and is still being produced by Mazda, as of 2010, with only minor changes from the original. The Miata comes with a four-cylinder engine, manual transmission and power disc brakes. The disc brake pads on your 2002 Miata will wear out over time, and you must replace them to restore full braking power.

Instructions

1

Raise your Miata with a hydraulic jack, and place a jack stand under each of the four corners of the frame. Lower the hydraulic jack. Remove the wheels by loosening and removing the lug nuts with a lug wrench turned in a counterclockwise direction. Set the wheels and nuts aside.

2

Remove the front brake caliper from the brake rotor by loosening and removing the two holding bolts in a counterclockwise direction (use a 17 mm wrench for the top bolt and a 14 mm wrench for the bottom bolt). Lay the caliper on the lower suspension control arm. Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose, or it could be damaged.

3

Pry the springs that hold the brake pads into the caliper out, using a flat-head screwdriver. Slide the two brake pads out of the caliper and discard them. Remove the glazed finish from the brake rotor by sanding it lightly on both sides with 150-grit sandpaper.

4

Slide two new brake pads into the caliper, keeping the linings of the pads facing each other. Slide the spring back until it snaps into place. Slide the caliper back over the rotor. Replace the two holding bolts tightened with a 17 mm wrench for the top bolt and a 14 mm wrench for the bottom bolt. Repeat this procedure for the other front brake caliper.

5

Remove the forward caliper bolt from the rear caliper, using the 14 mm wrench turned in a counterclockwise direction. Swing the caliper upward. Remove and replace the pads using the same procedure as with the front brake pads. Swing the caliper back down, and replace and tighten the 14 mm bolt. Repeat this procedure for the other rear brake caliper.

6

Replace the wheels and tighten the lug nuts in a clockwise direction with a lug wrench. Raise the Miata with a hydraulic jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the hydraulic jack and remove it from under your Miata.