Driving your Honda Odyssey with worn out brake pads is asking for trouble on the road. Nevertheless, changing pads is a job you can do at home with the help of a few common tools and some caution. Whichever set of pads you are servicing, be careful not to damage the brake hose attached to the caliper. Otherwise, you will need to replace it and bleed the brake system. In addition, once you remove the old pads, match them to the new set and be sure you have the correct replacement for your particular model.
Instructions
Remove the Pads
- 1
Remove half of the brake fluid from the master cylinder. You can use a hand siphon pump or a clean turkey baster and a suitable container.
2Loosen the front or rear wheel lug nuts with a lug wrench, depending on the set of pads you are replacing.
3Use a floor jack to raise the wheels. Support the Honda on jack stands and finish removing the wheels.
4If you are servicing the front pads, detach the brake hose bracket from the steering knuckle using a ratchet and socket.
5Hold the lower caliper-mounting pin with an open wrench as you unscrew the bolt with a socket and ratchet or another wrench. On rear pads, remove both caliper mounting bolts using a wrench and ratchet and socket.
6If you are working on the front wheel assembly, swing the caliper upward. On rear pads, remove the caliper from the mounting bracket and use a piece of wire to secure it to the coil spring or some other suitable component to avoid stressing and damaging the brake hose.
7Take off the shims, brake pads and pad retainers from the caliper bracket.
8Use a large C-clamp and the old inner brake pad to push the caliper piston into its board. Then, remove the inner brake pad.
Install the Pads
- 9
Wipe off the pad lining dust, dirt and grease from the caliper, caliper bracket and wheel assembly using brake parts cleaner and a clean, lint-free piece of cloth. Do not blow off or breathe the brake dust. See the "Warning" box within this article for more information.
10Coat the mating surfaces of the pad retainers and caliper bracket with M-77 assembly paste. Then, place the retainers on the bracket.
11Coat the shim, new pad and caliper piston mating surfaces with M-77 assembly paste. Then place the shim and pads on the caliper bracket.
12Position the brake caliper in place on the mounting bracket and start the mounting pin or pins by hand. Hold the pins with a wrench, if necessary, as you tighten them using another wrench, or ratchet and socket.
13If you are servicing the front pads, attach the brake hose bracket to the steering knuckle using a ratchet and socket.
14Install the wheel/tire assemblies and fasten the wheel lug nuts using the lug wrench.
15Lower the vehicle and finish tightening the lug nuts.
16Depress the brake pedal several times. Check the fluid level in the master cylinder and add new brake fluid, if necessary.