Brake pad replacement isn't difficult, and I know for many a guide isn't needed. However many GRC owners may be new to maintenance and since I didn't notice any (existing) DIYs for this procedure I thought I would create one. This guide is just for the front brakes but can also be applied to the rear brakes. On a scale of difficulty, 10 being rebuilding an engine and 1 being windshield wiper replacement, I would rate this project a 3.
For this project you will need 1-2 hours (add another hour if doing all 4 brakes) of your time and the following tools/equipment:
![Automotive lighting Font Tool Auto part Jewellery]()
Step 1 - Lift the vehicle
Before lifting the car make sure it is on a flat level surface. Make sure the transmission is in gear and/or parking brake is engaged (if doing all 4 brakes remember to disengage parking brake once vehicle is elevated). You may also want to chock a rear wheel. If using a socket wrench and not impact driver loosen the lug nuts slightly while car is still on the ground. Place the hockey puck onto the lift pad of your jack (unless the jack has a rubber lift pad of its own, in which case this is unnecessary). Put on your mechanics gloves. Locate the front jack point under the car, behind the engine - reference your owners manual for the proper location. Lift up the car 4-6 inches then place jack stands under the fortified seam weld locations on each side of the car behind the front wheels (again, reference owners manual if unsure of location). To prevent scratching these jack points I usually place shop rags on the tops of the jack stands. Slowly lower the car onto the jack stands and confirm that they are secure before pulling out the jack.
Step 2 - Remove the wheels
Using the impact driver (or socket wrench) remove the lug nuts and remove the wheel. Be careful to not let it fall off when you loosen/remove the last lug night. And be extra careful to not nick the brake calipers while removing wheels. Wearing safety glasses is recommended when using an impact driver.
Step 3 - Remove pad retaining parts
Before removing these parts take note of their orientation (maybe take a quick photo). Put on nitrile gloves. Start by removing the wiring clip (not sure of technical term) with your hands. Rotate the wire so that the loop rotates out of the hole. Then withdraw the wire from the hole in each pad retainer pin. These wires shouldn't be too tight or difficult to remove but if encountering any difficulty with this, needle nose pliers may help (again, be careful not to scratch/chip the caliper paint). Next remove the retainer pins. I found that removing the top pin first worked best. Using the hammer and punch, lightly tap the back of the pin so that it moves outward (towards your body). Very little force is required here (esp for a relatively new vehicle). For the top pin I didn't even need tools once the pin was roughly an inch out. After removing the top pin rotate the anti-rattle clip downward, removing all tension on it. This being done you should be able to easily slide out the bottom pin (hat tip to SYMAWD for this advice). If it doesn't slide out, lightly tap it with hammer. Remove it as well as the anti-rattle clip. Put on your safety glasses and use brake cleaner and shop towels to remove as much brake dust from these parts as possible. Then set aside. See parts photo below.
![Blue Road surface Asphalt Wood Tints and shades]()
Step 4 - Remove Brake Pads
You may want to wear safety glasses for this step as the action of using these tools involves the addition of potential kinetic (mechanical) energy to parts near your face. At this point the brake pads may be loose and you may be tempted to yank them right out. Don't! Not yet. In order for the new (thicker) brake pads to be installed, the caliper pistons need to be pushed back into the calipers and depending on the type of brake retractor/spreader tool you have this is easier to do with the old pads in place. If yours looks like mine above do it this way (Amazon link for tool: https://www.amazon.com/Acymner-Installation-Caliper-Piston-Spreader/dp/B0BJDC2MNL/ref=sr_1_13?crid=2LWYI993YRFE5&keywords=brake+caliper+retracting+tool&qid=1698768297&sprefix=brake+caliper+retr,aps,134&sr=8-13 ) However if you have one like this (https://www.amazon.com/RainMan-Caliper-Ratchet-Spreader-Accessories/dp/B096FQLPJD/ref=sr_1_14?crid=2LWYI993YRFE5&keywords=brake+caliper+retracting+tool&qid=1698768104&sprefix=brake+caliper+retr,aps,134&sr=8-14 ) then you can remove the pads at this time.
Attention BEFORE pushing the caliper pistons back into the caliper open the engine lid/hood/bonnet of the car and loosen/remove the brake fluid reservoir cap. By pushing the pistons back into the calipers you are reducing the hydraulic systems fluid capacity and will thus be pushing more fluid back to the reservoir. Opening the cap of the reservoir will prevent a build up of pressure and lower the effort required to push the pistons back into the calipers. Furthermore I would recommend checking the reservoir fluid level after pushing the pistons back for each brake. You don't want it to overflow. If the level rises too much use a suction device to remove excess fluid (a turkey baster works well in this application). With your tool push the pistons back in as far as they will go. When fully pushed back they will almost be flush with the caliper housing (see photo below for reference). Once the pistons are fully retracted, slowly relieve the pressure/tension of your tool and then remove it. You should now be able to remove the brake pads by hand. Of note, you may notice that the brake rotor (disc) is loose - this is normal. With the brake pads removed I recommend inspecting the piston rubber dust boots for tears, rips or cracking. See photo below:
![Tire Wheel Automotive tire Motor vehicle Tread]()
Step 5 Apply Anti-Squeal & Identify Proper Pad Orientation
Remove the anti-squeal shims from the old brake pads and apply a small amount of brake grease to the back side (not much is needed). TAKE CAUTION - be careful not to get any grease on the brake pad friction surface. See photos below:
![Grey Road surface Asphalt Font Tints and shades]()
![Automotive tire Dress Glove Chair Musical instrument]()
Some people consider this optional, and honestly I don't always apply grease here. But it cannot do any harm. Then snap the shims onto the brake pads. (You may want to replace the brake shims instead of reusing. Judge their condition, and made that decision yourself). For this DIY I used OEM brake pads. Aftermarket brake pads might be 100% identical, but for some reason the inner OEM pads have a little metal tab on one end. I'm not sure of the purpose for this, but when in doubt go like for like. See photo below:
![Road surface Asphalt Garden tool Tar Hand tool]()
Of note, if you are installing titanium shims with your brake pads you do not have to use the anti-squeal shims with the new pads. There's no harm if you do, but it's not necessary. Furthermore, there's also the chance that they could also be too thick when used together and won't fit anyway. Finally, to this point, if you're installing Ti shims then you're probably not even reading these instructions.
Step 5 Install Brake Pads
Congratulations you're now ready to install your brake pads. With your hands, wiggle the brake pads into place. (see photo)
![Automotive tire Motor vehicle Hood Automotive design Vehicle]()
If you pushed the pistons in far enough (in previous step) then there shouldn't be much difficulty in sliding these pads into place. While doing so holding the brake rotor steady should make the task easier (with one hand push the center of the rotor against the hub). Be careful not to push the brake pads in too far, as this will make it difficult to line up for pin installation later. Try to line up the leading edge of the pad material to be flush with the leading edge of the rotor. After the pads are in place test fit the pins to make sure they can easily go through the alignment holes (one on each side of the caliper, and one on each pad). Once all pads on your vehicle have been installed, remember to close and/or tighten the brake fluid reservoir cap.
Step 6 Reinstall Pad Retaining Parts
Insert the lower pin part way in, then line up and pass it through the bottom part of the anti-rattle clip. This is done easiest without the clip in it's "installed" position. Push this pin all the way through. Now rotate the clip counterclockwise (from a roughly 2-3 o'clock position to a 12 o'clock position) until it's firmly pushing against the pads. This will require some extra effort as it will "snap in" to place with the nubs of the pad backing plate. When you do this make sure the clip is centrally positioned side to side so it doesn't rub against the caliper itself (and possibly scratch the paint). After this is done the top pin should easily slide in. All of what I just stated may require pad and/or pin wiggling to get everything installed. This can happen if the pads weren't perfectly aligned. Which is okay! By installing the pins the pad alignment will be corrected. Of Note: before installing the pin take notice of the orientation of the holes in their ends. You'll want those holes to be oriented at a roughly 45° angle towards the center point of the caliper (on the lateral plane). This will make installation of the retainer wire (first item removed in this DIY) easier. Once the pins are fully installed it is very difficult to rotate them, if needed to correct the hole orientation (I initially made this mistake and had to back 1 out to rotate it). Once both pins are fully inserted and in correct position it's time to install the retaining wire. I found it easier to loop the center part into the hole on the caliper and then insert both wire ends into their respective holes in the pins. While doing this be careful to not overly (and permanently) bend this wire.
Step 7 Reinstall Wheels and Lower Vehicle
Perform steps 1 & 2 in reverse order. When reinstalling each lug nut hand thread them first, then use impact driver for full installation. Be sure to use a low torque setting. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern. Once all wheels are properly re-installed and vehicle has been lowered, take your torque wrench, set it to 76 lb-ft, and tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern. Congratulations, you're done. Now remember to follow the pad break-in instructions provided with the pads, or brake easily for 100 miles or so until pads are fully bedded.
Notes, Clarifications & Disclaimers
For this project you will need 1-2 hours (add another hour if doing all 4 brakes) of your time and the following tools/equipment:
- Replacement brake pads
- Replacement OEM brake pad anti-squeal shims (Toyota recommends this at every pad change interval)
- Replacement OEM brake pad anti-rattle clips, 1 per corner. (optional)
- Replacement OEM brake pad retainer pins & spring (optional)
- Impact driver (or half inch drive socket wrench and [optional] breaker bar)
- 21mm deep socket
- Torque wrench
- Low profile floor jack
- Hockey puck (optional)
- 2 jack stands
- Hammer & punch
- Needle nose pliers
- Brake pad spreader/retractor
- Nitrile gloves (optional but recommended)
- Mechanics gloves (optional)
- Face mask (optional)
- Brake grease
- Brake cleaner
- Safety glasses
- Shop towels
Step 1 - Lift the vehicle
Before lifting the car make sure it is on a flat level surface. Make sure the transmission is in gear and/or parking brake is engaged (if doing all 4 brakes remember to disengage parking brake once vehicle is elevated). You may also want to chock a rear wheel. If using a socket wrench and not impact driver loosen the lug nuts slightly while car is still on the ground. Place the hockey puck onto the lift pad of your jack (unless the jack has a rubber lift pad of its own, in which case this is unnecessary). Put on your mechanics gloves. Locate the front jack point under the car, behind the engine - reference your owners manual for the proper location. Lift up the car 4-6 inches then place jack stands under the fortified seam weld locations on each side of the car behind the front wheels (again, reference owners manual if unsure of location). To prevent scratching these jack points I usually place shop rags on the tops of the jack stands. Slowly lower the car onto the jack stands and confirm that they are secure before pulling out the jack.
Step 2 - Remove the wheels
Using the impact driver (or socket wrench) remove the lug nuts and remove the wheel. Be careful to not let it fall off when you loosen/remove the last lug night. And be extra careful to not nick the brake calipers while removing wheels. Wearing safety glasses is recommended when using an impact driver.
Step 3 - Remove pad retaining parts
Before removing these parts take note of their orientation (maybe take a quick photo). Put on nitrile gloves. Start by removing the wiring clip (not sure of technical term) with your hands. Rotate the wire so that the loop rotates out of the hole. Then withdraw the wire from the hole in each pad retainer pin. These wires shouldn't be too tight or difficult to remove but if encountering any difficulty with this, needle nose pliers may help (again, be careful not to scratch/chip the caliper paint). Next remove the retainer pins. I found that removing the top pin first worked best. Using the hammer and punch, lightly tap the back of the pin so that it moves outward (towards your body). Very little force is required here (esp for a relatively new vehicle). For the top pin I didn't even need tools once the pin was roughly an inch out. After removing the top pin rotate the anti-rattle clip downward, removing all tension on it. This being done you should be able to easily slide out the bottom pin (hat tip to SYMAWD for this advice). If it doesn't slide out, lightly tap it with hammer. Remove it as well as the anti-rattle clip. Put on your safety glasses and use brake cleaner and shop towels to remove as much brake dust from these parts as possible. Then set aside. See parts photo below.
Step 4 - Remove Brake Pads
You may want to wear safety glasses for this step as the action of using these tools involves the addition of potential kinetic (mechanical) energy to parts near your face. At this point the brake pads may be loose and you may be tempted to yank them right out. Don't! Not yet. In order for the new (thicker) brake pads to be installed, the caliper pistons need to be pushed back into the calipers and depending on the type of brake retractor/spreader tool you have this is easier to do with the old pads in place. If yours looks like mine above do it this way (Amazon link for tool: https://www.amazon.com/Acymner-Installation-Caliper-Piston-Spreader/dp/B0BJDC2MNL/ref=sr_1_13?crid=2LWYI993YRFE5&keywords=brake+caliper+retracting+tool&qid=1698768297&sprefix=brake+caliper+retr,aps,134&sr=8-13 ) However if you have one like this (https://www.amazon.com/RainMan-Caliper-Ratchet-Spreader-Accessories/dp/B096FQLPJD/ref=sr_1_14?crid=2LWYI993YRFE5&keywords=brake+caliper+retracting+tool&qid=1698768104&sprefix=brake+caliper+retr,aps,134&sr=8-14 ) then you can remove the pads at this time.
Attention BEFORE pushing the caliper pistons back into the caliper open the engine lid/hood/bonnet of the car and loosen/remove the brake fluid reservoir cap. By pushing the pistons back into the calipers you are reducing the hydraulic systems fluid capacity and will thus be pushing more fluid back to the reservoir. Opening the cap of the reservoir will prevent a build up of pressure and lower the effort required to push the pistons back into the calipers. Furthermore I would recommend checking the reservoir fluid level after pushing the pistons back for each brake. You don't want it to overflow. If the level rises too much use a suction device to remove excess fluid (a turkey baster works well in this application). With your tool push the pistons back in as far as they will go. When fully pushed back they will almost be flush with the caliper housing (see photo below for reference). Once the pistons are fully retracted, slowly relieve the pressure/tension of your tool and then remove it. You should now be able to remove the brake pads by hand. Of note, you may notice that the brake rotor (disc) is loose - this is normal. With the brake pads removed I recommend inspecting the piston rubber dust boots for tears, rips or cracking. See photo below:
Step 5 Apply Anti-Squeal & Identify Proper Pad Orientation
Remove the anti-squeal shims from the old brake pads and apply a small amount of brake grease to the back side (not much is needed). TAKE CAUTION - be careful not to get any grease on the brake pad friction surface. See photos below:
Some people consider this optional, and honestly I don't always apply grease here. But it cannot do any harm. Then snap the shims onto the brake pads. (You may want to replace the brake shims instead of reusing. Judge their condition, and made that decision yourself). For this DIY I used OEM brake pads. Aftermarket brake pads might be 100% identical, but for some reason the inner OEM pads have a little metal tab on one end. I'm not sure of the purpose for this, but when in doubt go like for like. See photo below:
Of note, if you are installing titanium shims with your brake pads you do not have to use the anti-squeal shims with the new pads. There's no harm if you do, but it's not necessary. Furthermore, there's also the chance that they could also be too thick when used together and won't fit anyway. Finally, to this point, if you're installing Ti shims then you're probably not even reading these instructions.
Step 5 Install Brake Pads
Congratulations you're now ready to install your brake pads. With your hands, wiggle the brake pads into place. (see photo)
If you pushed the pistons in far enough (in previous step) then there shouldn't be much difficulty in sliding these pads into place. While doing so holding the brake rotor steady should make the task easier (with one hand push the center of the rotor against the hub). Be careful not to push the brake pads in too far, as this will make it difficult to line up for pin installation later. Try to line up the leading edge of the pad material to be flush with the leading edge of the rotor. After the pads are in place test fit the pins to make sure they can easily go through the alignment holes (one on each side of the caliper, and one on each pad). Once all pads on your vehicle have been installed, remember to close and/or tighten the brake fluid reservoir cap.
Step 6 Reinstall Pad Retaining Parts
Insert the lower pin part way in, then line up and pass it through the bottom part of the anti-rattle clip. This is done easiest without the clip in it's "installed" position. Push this pin all the way through. Now rotate the clip counterclockwise (from a roughly 2-3 o'clock position to a 12 o'clock position) until it's firmly pushing against the pads. This will require some extra effort as it will "snap in" to place with the nubs of the pad backing plate. When you do this make sure the clip is centrally positioned side to side so it doesn't rub against the caliper itself (and possibly scratch the paint). After this is done the top pin should easily slide in. All of what I just stated may require pad and/or pin wiggling to get everything installed. This can happen if the pads weren't perfectly aligned. Which is okay! By installing the pins the pad alignment will be corrected. Of Note: before installing the pin take notice of the orientation of the holes in their ends. You'll want those holes to be oriented at a roughly 45° angle towards the center point of the caliper (on the lateral plane). This will make installation of the retainer wire (first item removed in this DIY) easier. Once the pins are fully installed it is very difficult to rotate them, if needed to correct the hole orientation (I initially made this mistake and had to back 1 out to rotate it). Once both pins are fully inserted and in correct position it's time to install the retaining wire. I found it easier to loop the center part into the hole on the caliper and then insert both wire ends into their respective holes in the pins. While doing this be careful to not overly (and permanently) bend this wire.
Step 7 Reinstall Wheels and Lower Vehicle
Perform steps 1 & 2 in reverse order. When reinstalling each lug nut hand thread them first, then use impact driver for full installation. Be sure to use a low torque setting. Tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern. Once all wheels are properly re-installed and vehicle has been lowered, take your torque wrench, set it to 76 lb-ft, and tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern. Congratulations, you're done. Now remember to follow the pad break-in instructions provided with the pads, or brake easily for 100 miles or so until pads are fully bedded.
Notes, Clarifications & Disclaimers
- Depending on the age of your vehicle many of the parts we discussed above may need to be replaced. By this I mean the retainer wire, the 2 pins, the anti-rattle clip and the 2 anti-squeal shims (quantities on a per corner basis). All parts should be fine for well over 100k miles but depending on usage that will vary - use your discretion.
- Some people will say that any time new pads are installed the rotors should be turned/resurfaced. I disagree, but I wanted to mention it.
- Replacing brake pads is not difficult, but it does involve working on your vehicle's most primary (and important) safety system. Give the implications of this the respect they deserve.
- Brake pad dust is carcinogenic, full stop. Our brakes produce a lot of dust. To prevent inhalation of cancer causing brake pad dust it is recommended to wear a face mask and/or perform these tasks in a well ventilated area.
- Lifting a vehicle is an easy task, but doing so in a careless manner can result in severe injury or death. When changing brake pads there is no need to place one's body underneath the vehicle. However I still want to emphasis that one should always use jack stands to keep a car elevated. Do not rely on a jack alone.
- I assume no liability for anyone that follows the above instructions. If you feel that the above work is beyond your ability do not attempt this and seek the guidance/work of a professional.
