Instructions To

Replace Front Breaks

On A
2005 Toyota Corolla
At Home

By:
1/C Tim Olson
1/C Jon McCartney
 Table of Contents
A) Information Page

1. Purpose...................................................................................
1
2. Required Tools……………………………………………………
1
3. Required Supplies……………………………………………...... 2
4. Terminology……………………………………………………..... 2

B) Phases

Car Placement
1. Car Placement…………………………………………………….

Remove Tire
1. Loosen Lug Nuts………………………………………………….. 3
2. Jack Placement……………………………...……………………. 4
3. Remove Tire……………………………………………………….5

Remove Brakes
1. Inspect Brake Pads..................................................................
5
2. Remove/Loosen Caliper…………………………………………. 6
3. Remove Old Pads…………………………………………………

6
4. Clean Rotor and Caliper........................................................... 7

Install Brakes
1. Install New Pads………………………………………………….. 7
2. Open Caliper………………………………………………………. 8
3. Re-install Caliper………………………………………………….. 8

Replace Tire
1. Install Tire………………………………………………………….. 9
2. Tighten Lug Nuts………………………………………………….. 9
3. Lower Jack………………………………………………………… 10
4. Torque Lug Nuts………………………………………………….. 10
A) Information

1. Purpose
a. The purpose of this instruction is to save you money by replacing
your own car breaks at your home.
b. Depending on the mechanic shop you may go to, you will save from
$80 to $120 by changing your own breaks with this instruction.

2. Required Tools

a. Car Jack
b. Tire Iron
c. 14mm wrench
d. C-Clamp

Car Jack Tire Iron

 14mm Wrench C-Clamp

3. Required Supplies
a. Can of Compressed Air
b. New Front Break Pads for ‘05 Toyota Corolla

Can of Compressed Air New Front Break Pads

4. Terminology
a. Lug Nut- The type of nut that holds the tire onto the vehicle. (most
vehicles have 4-6 lug nuts per tire)
b. C-Clamp- A type of clamp in the shape of a “C” which will be used
to compress the caliper.
c. Caliper- The cylinder device that compresses the break pads onto
the rotor when you press the break pedal in your vehicle.
d. Car Jack- A lifting device used to lift vehicles off the ground
enabling you to fit underneath the required part of the vehicle.
 e. Break Pads “Pads”- Made of composite metal, they are forced
against the rotor by the caliper and cause high friction which
causes the vehicle to stop.
f. “meat”- The composite ceramic that makes up the break pad. As
the breaks are used the “meat” is worn away.
g. Tire Iron- The “L” shaped piece of metal containing a socket at the
end which fits the lug nuts and is used to loosen them.
h. “Break the seal”- An action using the Tire Iron where the lug nuts
are just loosened approximately 2 turns.
i. Load bearing member- A part of the underneath of the vehicle that
supports most of the weight of the vehicle and is made of thick
steel. An example of load bearing members are the frame rails.

B) Phases
Car Placement
1. Car Placement
Place car in a flat clear area.

*Caution*- If you do not have any flat ground around your home you must
go to a location that is flat. You should never jack up a vehicle on any
ground that is not flat and even. Lifting a car up with a jack is dangerous and
can potentially cause harm to the individual working on the car if safety
precautions are not taken. Safety precautions include but are not limited to:
ensure ground is flat, ensure car is in park, and place bricks or other big
objects in front and behind both back tires to prevent the vehicle from rolling
off the car jack.
Remove Tire
1. Loosen Lug Nuts
 Take the tire iron and remove the hub cap. Use flat end and place it around
the outer edge of the hub cap. Pry the hub cap open with tire iron and
remove it with hands. Take tire iron and “break the seal” of all lug nuts on
that tire.

Hub Cap

Lug Nut

Remove hub cap “brake the seal”

*Note*- The reason of “breaking the seal” before the tire is lifted up is
because it will take a good amount of force to break the seal and it cannot
be done if the tire off the ground.

2. Jack Placement
Place jack under front frame rail.

Frame Rail

Release mechanism

*Caution*-Placement of the jack is important. It must be on a load bearing

member.
 *Note*-Make sure that the releasing mechanism is twisted tightly to the right
to prevent the jack from inadvertently lowering.

Raise the jack by pumping the handle. Continue raising the jack until the tire
is about a ½ in off the ground.

*Caution*- Never place the jack on joints or on the engine. This can result in
damaging your vehicle. The best location is on the main frame of the car or
frame rail itself.

3. Remove Tire
Remove the lug nuts by hand. Remove the tire and set is aside.

*Note*-They should be loose from the initial loosening, but if they are not,
then use the tire iron.

Remove Brakes
1. Inspect Brake Pads
Inspect brake pads.
Rotor
Brake pads

*Note*- Inspect brake pads to determine if replacement is needed.

Inspection includes determining how much meat is left on the pads and if
any other parts are in need of repair. If the meat is less than 1/8 in thick the
pads should be replaced.

2. Remove/Loosen Caliper
Take 14mm wrench and loosen the caliper bottom bolt. Remove the top
caliper bolt.

Top bolt
Top bolt

Bottom bolt
Bottom bolt

*Note*- The purpose of loosening the bottom bolt and removing the top bolt
is so the caliper will rotate. This allows you to rotate the caliper out of the
way and remove the pads without completely removing the caliper.

3. Remove Old Pads

Move caliper out of the way by pushing it out towards the front of the
vehicle.
 Caliper

Brake pad

Pull off the old pads by hand.

meat
Brake Pad removed

4. Clean Rotor and Caliper

Clean rotor and caliper with compressed air.
 *Note*- Cleaning the area from old dust helps the break pads work better
and prevents squeaking.

Install Brakes
1. Install New Pads
Take new brake pads and place in location of old pads.

Aligns up

*Note*- The brake pads have a slight curve to them to fit the circular rotor.
Make sure the pad curves around the rotor. The top of the rotor and the pad
should align up.

2. Open Caliper
Take C-Clamp and compress the caliper.
 *Note*- Compressing the caliper causes the caliper to have more depth thus
allowing the larger new brake pads to fit.

3. Re-install Caliper
Lift up caliper back to original position. Reinstall upper bolt and tighten both
bolts.

Install Tire
1. Install Tire
Lift tire onto bolts.
2. Tighten Lug Nuts
Tighten lug nuts by hand.

Tighten lug nuts with tire iron. Follow a 5 part star pattern and repeat 4
times.
 1
4
3
2
5

3. Lower Jack
Place jack handle in jack release mechanism and slowly rotate counter-
clockwise.

Release Mechanism

*Caution*- Rotating the release mechanism too quickly can cause the
vehicle to come down too rapidly and could cause damage to the vehicle or
injury to the person operating the jack.

4. Torque Lug Nuts

Torque lug nuts by tightening them with the tire iron.
*Note*- After tightening the lug nuts by hand, use your foot and tap on the
end of the tire iron. Your legs are stronger than your arms and the lug nuts
need to be fully torqued.

Replace the hub cap and repeat steps 2-15 on other side tire.