Honda has sold the Civic since the 1973 model year. For the first 11 years of its lifespan, the Civic was only known as an economical car with plenty of room. In 1985, Honda used the Si badge for the first time on the Civic; the lucky recipient was the Civic CRX. The 1985 CRX Si model produced the most power ever (90 horsepower) by a Civic. The 2006 model year Civic had three engines as available options, all of which had a displacement of 1.6 liters. Replacing the front brake pads yourself on a 2006 Civic can save you money.
Instructions
- Remove fluid from the brake master cylinder with a turkey baster until it is only half-full. Transfer this fluid to a small container. Leave the lid off the master cylinder.
- Loosen the front lug nuts, but don't remove them. Raise the front of the Civic with a floor jack. Position jack stands under the subframe and lower the Civic until only the jack stands support its weight. Remove the lug nuts and pull the wheels off the vehicle.
- Place an 8-inch C-clamp on the brake caliper. Position the screw part of the clamp to touch the outer brake pad and the fixed part to touch the rear of the caliper. Tighten the C-clamp until the clamp no longer tightens -- this compresses the caliper piston. Remove the C-clamp.
- Remove the two bolts on the rear of the caliper, using a ratchet and socket. Pull the caliper from the caliper bracket and hang it from a nearby suspension component, using a bungee strap.
- Pull the brake pads from the caliper bracket. Remove the two bolts at the rear of the caliper bracket with a ratchet and socket. Pull the caliper bracket from the vehicle.
- Loosen the two screws in the center of the rotor, using a Phillips screwdriver. If the screws do not come out easily, tap the head of each screw with a ball-peen hammer to free them. Pull the rotor from the vehicle. If the rotor is stuck to the vehicle, tap the rotor with a rubber mallet to free it.
- Close the micrometer jaws and press the "Reset" button to calibrate it. Measure the thickness of the disc part of the rotor in four places with the micrometer. Make note of the thinnest measurement.
- Check the rotor for any defects, like: hot spots, gouging or mirror-like shine. If these imperfections exist, resurface or replace the rotor. Have the rotor resurfaced by a professional if its thinnest measurement is 0.750 inches or thicker. If the rotor is thinner than 0.750 inches, replace the rotor.
- Replace the rotor, no matter its condition, if it measures thinner than the discard specification stamped on the middle of the rotor. If the rotor is above the discard specification and no defects exist, leave it as is.
- Install the new, resurfaced or original rotor on the Civic. Tighten the two screws with a Phillips screwdriver.
- Clean the metal shims on the caliper bracket with a wire brush. Reinstall the caliper bracket on the Civic and tighten the bolts to 81 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.
- Apply a thin coat of disc brake grease to the metal shims in the caliper bracket and the rear of the new pads. Slide the pads into the caliper bracket.
- Place the caliper over the brake pads and tighten the caliper bolts to 36 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.
- Repeat Steps 3 through 13 for the other side of the Civic.
- Reinstall the front wheels on the Civic and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the Honda from the jack stands with a floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the Civic to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts, in a crisscross pattern, to 80 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.
- Press and release the brake pedal until the pedal feels firm when pressed. This extends the caliper piston back out to the brake pads.
- Check the fluid in the brake master cylinder and add new DOT 3 brake fluid until the level reaches the "Max" line on the reservoir. Close the reservoir lid.
- Take the old brake fluid in the small container to a used automotive fluid recycling center. Many auto parts stores perform this task free of charge.
