How to Change the Brake Pads of a 2007 Chevy 1500

Chevrolet introduced its first truck in 1918. The full-sized trucks never had a true name until 1999. From 1962 through 1998, Chevrolet labeled the trucks with a "C" for two-wheel drive or "K" for four-wheel drive followed by the truck's size, K2500 for example. In 1999, General Motors finally gave Chevrolet full-sized trucks a formal name, the Silverado. The 2006 Silverado came standard with a 4.3-liter V-6 engine that produced 195 horsepower and 260 foot-pounds of torque. The 2006 Silverado also came standard with front disc brakes. Chevrolet recommends replacing the brake pads when their friction lining falls below 0.030 inches thick.

Instructions

Open the Chevy 1500's hood and remove approximately half of the brake fluid from the master cylinder with a turkey baster. Transfer the brake fluid to a small container and save it for reuse.

Loosen the front lug nuts with a ratchet and socket, but leave the lug nuts loosely attached to the wheels.

Lift the front end of the 2006 Silverado, with a floor jack, and sit jack stands under the frame rails. Lower the floor jack until only the jack stands support the Chevy's weight. Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheels from the truck.

Place two 8-inch C-clamps over the brake caliper so the screw part of each clamp is touching the outer brake pad and the fixed side of each clamp is touching the rear of the caliper body. Tighten both C-clamps in equal intervals until they will not tighten any farther to depress the caliper. Remove the C-clamps.

Loosen the upper caliper guide pin, located on the rear of the caliper, with a ratchet and socket. Remove the lower guide pin, also on the rear of the caliper, with a ratchet and socket. Pivot the caliper upward and secure it with a bungee strap, exposing the brake pads.

Grab the brake pads and pull them from the caliper bracket.

Clean any rust and debris from the brake pad hardware -- the thin metal shims inserted where the pads go into the caliper bracket -- with a wire brush. Apply a thin coat of disc brake grease to the brake pad hardware.

Place the new shims, included with the new brake pads, on the rear of the new brake pads. Press the shims onto the new brake pads until they snap into place.

Insert the new brake pads into the caliper bracket and pivot the caliper downward, covering the brake pads. Tighten the caliper guide pins to 74 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

Place the front wheels back on the Silverado and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the truck up from the jack stands using a floor jack. Remove the jack stands from under the Chevy and slowly lower it to the ground.

Tighten the lug nuts to 140 foot-pounds in a crisscross pattern with a torque wrench and socket.

Loosen the rear lug nuts with a ratchet and socket, but do not remove the lug nuts.

Raise the rear of the Silverado with a floor jack and place jack stands under the rear axle. Lower the Silverado until its weight is supported only by the jack stands. Remove the rear lug nuts and pull the rear wheels from the truck.

Repeat Steps 4 through 9 for the rear brake pads, tightening the caliper bolts to 80 foot-pounds on the rear with a torque wrench and socket.

Place the rear wheels back on the Silverado and hand-tighten the lug nuts.

Raise the truck from the jack stands, using a floor jack, and lower the truck to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts to 140 foot-pounds in a crisscross pattern with a torque wrench and socket.

Press the brake pedal slowly until it's about 2/3 from its total travel distance and slowly release the pedal. Wait 15 seconds, then press and release the pedal until it feels firm. This process properly seats the dual caliper pistons onto the brake pads.

Add brake fluid from the small container into the brake master cylinder until it reaches the "Max" line. Close the Silverado's hood.

Drive the truck to a road with little to no traffic. Accelerate to approximately 30 mph and stop the truck quickly without locking up the brakes. Allow the truck to sit for about two minutes, so the brakes cool. Repeat this step about 20 times, properly brandishing the new brake pads. This improves the braking performance and prolongs the life of your Silverado's brake pads.