You’re at the mechanic for a routine check-up or maybe an oil change and the mechanic says it is time for new brakes! This is what happened with Hunter’s girlfriend. She was told her brake pads are worn out and she has warped rotors. They also said that her ball-joint needs replacing and gave her a final quote of $1200.
YIKES!
This is a 2006 Pontiac G6 with only 40,000 miles on it.
So Hunter and I did what we always do, we learn how to do it ourselves.
Here we show you how to replace your rotors and brake pads all the way around the car. We also talk about troubleshooting whether or not you have a bad ball-joint.
Tools:
- Jack
- Jack stands
- Ratchet set
- Wrenches
- Flat head screw driver
- Bolt cutter (Side cutter would work, but this is what we used)
- Rubber mallet
- Extra set of hands
- C-Clamp
Parts:
- Rotors for the front
- Rotors for the rear
- Brake pads for the front
- Brake pads for the rear
- Control arm (If it actually needs replacing)
One thing that may not have been clear in the video is that you can use a C-clamp to compress the piston to make way for the fresh pad that is thicker than the old worn out ones.
Also we did not talk about the pad retaining clips. They pull out easily, pay attention to orientation before you pull them out. Brake pads usually come with fresh replacements. They should be placed before putting the pad back in.
Anyways, thanks for reading!
HWL