How to Change Brake Pads on a 96 Corsica

The mid-sized Chevy Corsica was introduced in 1987 and stopped production in 1996. It featured front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. The front brakes compensated up to 80 percent braking capacity for the front-drive sedan. Since it was relatively easy for the rear drum brakes to become unadjusted, the front brakes would take the brunt of the load and overwork. This would cause premature wear on the front brake pads.

Instructions

1

Suck half of the brake fluid from the master cylinder using a brake fluid suction baster and discard the fluid. Replace the master cylinder cap.

2

Remove the hubcaps. Loosen the lug nuts slightly with a lug nut removal tool.

3

Hoist the front of the Corsica and support it onto jack stands by the front frame rails. Remove the lug nuts and wheels.

4

Place the 6-inch C-clamp over the caliper so the screw-drive is placed on the outboard pad plate and the top of the clamp is on the caliper housing. Tighten the clamp enough to press the caliper piston inward and allow the hydraulic tension on the caliper to slacken.

5

Remove the upper and lower caliper bolts using the 3/8-inch Allen wrench. Remove the caliper and pad assembly from the rotor and hang it onto the strut with a metal S-hook.

6

Pry the outboard pad retaining tabs off of the caliper housing using a screwdriver. Pull the inboard pad shoe spring out of the caliper piston. Place the 6-inch clamp back onto the caliper with the screw-drive into the caliper piston and tighten slowly until the piston is fully seated into the bore. Lift the rubber caliper boot on any location where it does not collapse properly with the piston. This will allow trapped air to escape and collapse the boot so no damage occurs to it after the pad replacement.

7

Inspect the rotors and caliper bolt bushings for damage and replace if necessary. To replace the rotors, the caliper bracket would have to be removed. Apply lubricant (supplied in the replacement pad set) to the caliper bracket where the pads contact the bracket. Apply lubricant to the smooth surface of the caliper bolts.

8

Install the inboard pad first by pressing the shoe spring into the caliper piston. Apply the outboard pad next and use the screwdriver to help convince the clips onto the caliper housing. Place the caliper over the rotor and then align the caliper bolts into the holes until they thread into the knuckle by hand. Tighten the caliper bolts with the Allen wrench. Repeat the procedure for the other side.

9

Tighten the lug nuts onto the wheels snugly and then lower the Corsica. Retighten the lug nuts using the torque wrench and 19-mm or 3/4-inch socket. Pump the foot brake pedal four to five times until the pedal feels firm. That will confirm the pads have seated to the rotors by the caliper pistons. Recheck the brake fluid and add only clean DOT 3 brake fluid before test driving.