AC Delco Brake Instructions

AC Delco supplies OEM and aftermarket brake pads for all General Motors vehicles. They also have a variety of aftermarket brake pads for non-GM vehicles. When choosing replacement brake pads, it's best to use the same kind of pads as those installed in the vehicle on the assembly line. Inspect your brake pads at every other oil change and plan to replace them as soon as you find they're 3-millimeters thick or less. Anyone with good mechanical aptitude can install AC Delco brake pads in a few steps.

Instructions

    1

    Turn the front lug nuts on your vehicle counterclockwise with the lug wrench until they're loose enough for hand removal. Do not take the lug nuts off at this time.

    2

    Position a wheel chock at the front and one at the back of the vehicle's left rear wheel. This will prevent the vehicle from rolling during the brake repair.

    3

    Lift the front end of the vehicle with the floor jack until you can place a jack stand under each of the front lift points, located directly behind the front wheel wells. Lower the vehicle carefully onto the jack stands with the floor jack.

    4

    Take the lug nuts off the vehicle's front wheels by hand. Remove the front wheels by hand to expose the front brakes.

    5

    Set a drain pan under the left-front brakes. Wash any visible brake dust off the brake rotors, brake caliper and hub using brake cleaner.

    6

    Remove both of the brake caliper bolts using your socket set. Pull the caliper out of the caliper bracket by hand and turn it over. Remove the old brake pads from inside the caliper by hand and then discard them.

    7

    Wash the dust, dirt and old grease out of the caliper with brake cleaner. Apply a solid layer of white lithium grease to the caliper slide pins.

    8

    Force the caliper pistons to retract using the caliper piston tool. Remove the tool from the caliper and insert the new AC Delco brake pads.

    9

    Lower the caliper into the caliper bracket by hand. Thread each of the caliper bolts in manually before tightening them with the socket set.

    10

    Move to the vehicle's right-front with the tools and supplies. Repeat steps five through nine to install AC Delco brake pads on that side.

    11

    Put the wheels and lug nuts back onto your vehicle by hand. Lower the vehicle off of your jack stands using the floor jack. Tighten the lug nuts with a torque wrench to the recommended torque spec which you can get from your vehicle's repair manual, the local dealer or a tire shop.