How to Replace Brake Pads in a 2001 Chevy Silverado

Chevy designed the 2001 Silverado -ton pickup with four-wheel disc brakes for improved brake system performance over earlier disc/drum brake combinations. The self-adjusting brake calipers vastly improve the brake-lining service life. However, disc brake pads still wear out over time as part of their design functionality and require replacement. Inspect the brakes at every tire rotation interval and replace them immediately if they're less than 3 mm thick. If you're someone with basic auto-repair experience, you can perform this job yourself in about four hours.

Instructions

1

Turn the Silverado's front lug nuts counterclockwise until they're hand tight. Chock one of the rear wheels to prevent the Chevy from rolling.

2

Lift the Silverado's front end with a floor jack and support it on jack stands, positioned under the frame as far forward as possible.

3

Remove the Chevy's front lug nuts and wheels by hand to expose the front disc brakes.

4

Put the drop pan under the left-front brakes and wash the brake dust off the rotor and caliper with brake cleaner. Unbolt the Silverado's left-front brake caliper with your socket set. Pull the caliper out of the mount and remove the old brake pads by hand.

5

Clean the caliper pistons and slide pins with brake cleaner to remove the road dirt and brake dust. Force the pistons back into the caliper with the caliper tool.

6

Insert the new brake pads by hand. Lower the caliper into the mount by hand. Bolt it in with the socket set.

7

Scoot over to the Silverado's right-front and repeat steps 4 through 6. Put the wheels back on by hand. Reinstall the lug nuts manually.

8

Lower the Silverado off the jack stands, move the wheel chocks to one of the front wheels and then perform steps 1 through 7 on the rear of the Chevy.

9

Put the Silverado back on the ground with the floor jack. Tighten the front and rear lug nuts to 140 foot-pounds using a torque wrench.