How to Replace the Brake Pads on a Honda Civic
by Alibaster Smith
The brakes on a Honda Civic use a combination of brake pads in the front and brake shoes in the rear. Hydraulic fluid is forced through steel brake lines to a caliper mechanism in the front and a hydraulic piston cylinder in the rear. The fluid forced the brake pads or shoes against a rotor (in the front) or a drum (in the rear). Most of the work done by the brakes in a Honda Civic is done by the front brakes due to the inertia of forward movement. Over time, the brake pads will wear out; once the pad material is 1/8" thick, you'll need to replace the brake pads on your Honda Civic.
Break Replacement DIY
Step 1
Loosen the wheel lug nuts by turning them 45 degrees counterclockwise.
Step 2
Jack up the front of the vehicle. To do this, put the floor jack under the vehicle and jack up on the front jack point of the Civic (located near the radiator--it's an extension of the frame).
Step 3
Put jack stands underneath the front of the frame or the front pinch welds of the Civic and lower the car onto the jack stands.
Step 4
Remove the lug nuts on the front wheels once the Civic is on jack stands.
Step 5
Pull the wheels off the wheel hub.
Step 6
Remove the upper and lower bolts holding the caliper on the caliper mounting bracket.
Step 7
Pull the caliper up off the rotor. Secure it to the coil springs above the rotor.
Step 8
Remove the brake pads.
Step 9
Press the caliper piston back into the caliper assembly. Place the face of one of the brake pads over the piston and force the pad against the piston with a C-clamp. The piston will collapse back into the caliper housing.
Step 10
Insert the new brake pads into the caliper assembly and reassemble the brake assembly.
Step 11
Spray the brake rotors and pads and calipers down with brake parts cleaner to remove any remaining brake dust.
Step 12
Put the wheel back on the wheel hub and tighten the lug nuts.
Step 13
Lower the Civic to the ground and torque the lug nuts to 100 ft. lbs.
References
- "Honda Accord, Civic, Prelude Repair & Service Manual 1973-1983"; Chilton Manuals; 1984
- "Honda Civic 1996-2000, CR-V 1997-2001, Acura Integra 1994-2000 Repair Manual"; Larry Warren, Alan Ahlstrand, John H. Haynes; 2001, 2005
- "Honda Civic 2001-2005, CR-V 2002-2006 Repair Manual" by Haynes; Robert Maddox, John H. Haynes; 2009
Tips
- Put a small amount of thread locker onto the threads of the caliper mounting bolts before re-tightening them on the caliper mounting bracket. Tighten the bolts until you feel significant resistance, then turn the caliper bolts an additional 1/4 turn.
Things You'll Need
- Socket wrench with socket set
- Rubber mallet
- Zip-ties
- C-clamp
- Screwdrivers (Phillips head)
- New brake pads
- Tire wrench
- 3-ton jack with 2 jack stands
- Shop rag
- Brake parts cleaner
- Thread locker
- Torque wrench
Writer Bio
I am a Registered Financial Consultant with 6 years experience in the financial services industry. I am trained in the financial planning process, with an emphasis in life insurance and annuity contracts. I have written for Demand Studios since 2009.
