How to Change the Brake Pads on a Chevrolet Cavalier

The brake pads on your Chevrolet Cavalier should be inspected at least every 12 months or sooner if necessary. The brake caliper on your Cavalier has an inspection hole on top. Use this hole to measure the pad thickness. Your vehicle manufacturer recommends replacing the pads if they are worn down to 1/32 inches (0.8mm) of the backing board. However, chipped, cracked or otherwise damaged pads are another reason to replace them.

Instructions

Open the hood and draw at least 1/2 of the brake fluid from the brake master cylinder using a clean turkey baster and an appropriate container.

Loosen the front wheel lug nuts with a lug wrench. Raise the front wheels using a floor jack and support the vehicle on jack stands.

Finish removing the front wheel and tires.

Unscrew the two caliper-to-steering knuckle mounting bolts using a six-point or Torx bit socket and ratchet, depending on the type of bolts used on your particular Cavalier model. Rotate the caliper away from the brake rotor.

Remove the outer brake pad from the caliper and leave the inner pad.

Push the caliper piston into its bore using a large C-clamp. Use the C-clamp screw to push against the inner brake pad to seat the piston. Then remove the C-clamp and the inner pad. This will make room for the new thicker pads.

Secure the brake caliper to the car chassis or coil spring using a piece of wire. Leaving the caliper hanging loose may damage the brake hose attached to it.

Clean the brake caliper, caliper mounting bracket and steering knuckle using brake parts cleaner spray and a lint-free piece of cloth. Make sure not to blow or inhale the brake dust on the wheel assembly.

Coat the back of the new brake pads with anti-squeal lubricant.

Detach the wire from the brake caliper and install the outer brake pad on the caliper, making sure the dowels on the pad backing board align with the holes in the caliper.

Position the inner pad on the caliper and push the pad into the piston until the pad retaining clip fully engages the piston.

Clean the two caliper mounting bolts with brake parts cleaner and a lint-free cloth.

Position the brake caliper and pads on the caliper bracket and start the two bolts by hand. Then tighten the bolts using the six-point or Torx bit socket and ratchet but do not overtighten the bolts to avoid stripping the threads.

Replace the pads on the opposite wheel assembly following Steps 4, from the previous section, through Step 7 of this section.

Mount the front wheels and tighten the wheel lug nuts using the lug wrench.

Lower the vehicle and finish tightening the lug nuts.

Depress the brake pedal several times until the pedal feels firm. Then check the level of the brake fluid on the master cylinder and add new brake fluid, if necessary, to bring the level up to the "Full" mark.