How do I Change Brakes on a 1995 Toyota Tercel?

The 1995 Tercel -- Toyota's subcompact vehicle -- was first sold in the United States in 1980. The 1995 Tercel was the first year of the fifth and last generation, as the Echo was being release in just a few years. The 1995 Tercel featured new exterior with sharper lines than before. It also boasted a brand new 1.5-liter engine producing 93 horsepower, up from 83 horsepower the previous year. The 1995 Tercel has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. Over time, the front brake pads on the vehicle will wear out -- typically every 25,000 to 30,000 miles -- and require replacement.

Instructions

1

Open the hood of the Tercel and locate the master cylinder fluid container, near the rear driver's side of the vehicle. Remove the lid from the container and remove half of the fluid, using the turkey baster. This prevents spillage when you retract the caliper pistons.

2

Loosen the front lug nuts -- with the ratchet and socket -- from the wheels, but do not remove them at this time.

3

Place the floor jack beneath the vehicle and raise the wheels from the ground. Make certain the jack is lifting a solid piece of the vehicle's undercarriage.

4

Place the jack stands beneath the vehicle to secure it in the event the floor jack collapses.

5

Remove the lug nuts from the vehicle's front wheels and pull the wheels off.

6

Loosen and remove both caliper bolts from the rear of the caliper with the ratchet and socket.

7

Grab the brake caliper and pull it upward, removing it from the caliper bracket. Attach it to a suspension or frame component, using the bungee strap. Never allow the caliper to hang by its rubber hose. Notice the brake pads remain in the caliper bracket after the caliper is removed.

8

Grab the brake pads and pull them from the caliper bracket. Take note of their exact positions, as the new pads must be installed in the same position.

9

Place a C-clamp over the brake caliper. Position the fixed portion of the clamp so it is contacting the rear of the caliper's body and that the screw portion is positioned directly above the caliper's internal piston -- the metal cylinder inside the caliper. Place an old brake pad between the C-clamp's screw and the caliper's piston, to prevent damage to the piston. Tighten the C-clamp to retract the piston into the caliper. Stop tightening after the piston has fully pressed into the caliper. Loosen the C-clamp and remove it and the old brake pad.

10

Loosen and remove the two caliper bracket bolts, using the wrench and socket. Lift the bracket away from the hub.

11

Grab the rotor -- the metal disc -- and remove it by pulling it toward you. Close the jaws of the micrometer and press the "Zero" or "Reset" button to calibrate the machine. Place the jaws of the micrometer over the disc portion of the rotor and close the jaws to measure its thickness. If the rotor falls below .669 inches, a new rotor is required. If it is above .669 inches, have the rotor resurfaced by a machine shop or repair facility.

12

Place the new or resurfaced rotor on the vehicle, just as it was removed. Place the caliper bracket over the rotor and tighten the bracket bolts to 65 to 70 foot-pounds, using the torque wrench and socket.

13

Slide the new pads onto the caliper bracket. Grooves in the bracket help guide the pads into place.

14

Remove the caliper from the bungee cord and place it back on the caliper bracket. Hand-tighten the caliper bolts.

15

Tighten the caliper bolts to 65 to 70 foot-pounds, using the torque wrench and socket.

16

Repeat steps 6 through 16 for the brake pads on the opposite side of the Tercel.

17

Place the front wheel on the Tercel and hand-tighten the lug nuts.

18

Remove the jack stands from under the vehicle and carefully lower the vehicle to the ground.

19

Tighten the lug nuts, in a cross-pattern, to 80 foot-pounds, with the torque wrench and a socket.

20

Fill the brake master cylinder container, with DOT 3 brake fluid, until the level is between the "Min" and "Max" lines. Replace the lid on the master cylinder container and close the hood.

21

Press and release the Tercel's brake pedal until it feels firm.