How to Replace Brake Kit 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero
Created on: 2012-02-11
Check out this detailed video showing you how to do a front brake job on a 99-04 Oldsmobile Alero.
-
step 1 :Removing the Wheel
- Remove the lug nut covers
-  
- Remove the hub cap
- Loosen the lug nuts with the vehicle on the ground
- Raise the vehicle with a floor jack
- Secure the vehicle on jack stands
- Remove the lug nuts
- Pull of the wheel
-
step 2 :Removing the Brake Pads
- Turn the rotor by hand or turn the steering wheel to turn the rotor
- Remove two 12mm bolts from the brake caliper
- Push the caliper pistons in using a large C-clamp on the brake pad
- Pull the caliper aside
- Pull the brake pads off by hand
- Clean the slides with a wire brush
-
step 3 :Inspecting the Brakes
- Check the thickness of the brake pads
- Check the brake pad wear indicator
- Check for gouges on both sides of the rotor
-
step 4 :Removing the Brake Rotor
- Remove two 13mm bolts from the brake caliper bracket with a breaker bar or a ratchet and pipe
- Pull off the brake caliper bracket
- Pull the rotor off
-
step 5 :Installing the New Brake Rotor
- Slide the rotor on
- Thread one lug nut to hold the rotor in place
- Clean the brake pad slides with a wire brush
- Put the bracket back into place, start the 13mm bolts by hand
- Tighten the 13mm bolts to 65 foot-pounds of torque
-
step 6 :Installing the New Brake Pads
- Install the new brake pads into the bracket with the tab on the rear side
- Put the caliper on
- Thread the 12mm bolts by hand
- Tighten the 12mm bolts to between 15-18 foot-pounds
- Unthread the place-holder lug nut
-
step 7 :Reattaching the Wheel
- Slide the wheel into place
- Start the lug nuts by hand
- Tighten the lug nuts preliminarily
- Lower the vehicle to the ground
- Tighten the lug nuts to between 90-100 foot-pounds in a crossing or star pattern
- Reattach the hub cap, aligning the valve stem
- Reattach the lug nut covers
-
step 8 :Testing the Brakes
- Pump your brakes repeatedly until they feel firm
- Test your brakes at 5 miles per hour and then 10 miles per hour
- Road test the vehicle
Tools needed
-
12mm Socket
13mm Socket
A Piece of Pipe (for leverage)
Large C-Clamp
Socket Extensions
Torque Wrench
Jack Stands
19mm Socket
Ratchet
Wire Brush
Floor Jack
1/2 Inch Breaker Bar
Brought to you by 1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet.
Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video, we're going to show you how to do a front brake job on this 2000 Olds Alero. This is a two-door and the process is same for any two-door or four-door car. The tools you'll need are jack and jack stands, 12, 13, and 19mm sockets, obviously you'll need a ratchet and you'll need either a breaker bar or a pipe for leverage, large C-clamp, wire brush and a Torque wrench.
Start off by removing your hub cab, if you don't have air tools, you'll want to loosen your lug nuts and then raise and support your vehicle and then remove the lug nuts and the wheel. Turn the wheel for easier access to the back of the caliper. Right in behind, your calipers are held in by two 12mm bolts: one there and one there. These should come apart pretty easily. We'll fast forward, here, as I remove those bolts the rest of the way. In order to get the caliper off, you might need to reduce some pressure on the brakes. You put your C-clamp right against your brake pad there and then on the caliper there. That, in turn, makes it nice and loose. The caliper comes right off. For now you can put your caliper right up here. Now, you can take your pads right out. You can see they have wear marks on them. These pads are in pretty good shape. Then just use your finger, you run the back of your finger on the disk and if you don't feel any really deep grooves, they are probably okay.
To get our disk off, we're going to remove this caliper bracket, which is two bolts here and then one down here. Okay, these bolts are 13mm and you're going to want a breaker bar or use a piece of pipe on a ratchet because these will be tight. They shouldn't be too bad though. Okay and I'll just fast forward as I change over to a ratchet and remove those bolts the rest of the way. To get the brackets off of here, the rotor comes right off.
Now, I'm going to show you reinstallation. You put the rotor right back on. You can there that that hub is new, that's actually what this vehicle needed, needed a new hub so we figured we'd just do a brake video while we do the hub. You see I put the disk on there and then I put a lug nut on just to hold it in place. Before we put this bracket on, it has stainless steel slide, use a wire brush and clean these out really well. Another thing you need to check before you put this back together is make sure that these slide back and forth, in and out very easily. Put these on. The bolts to hold the bracket you also want to tighten to 65 foot pounds.
You can see my old pads are still in pretty good shape. This is a wear indicator, this groove right here and since it's still there, there's plenty of life left in the pads. The rear pad, you always want to put . there is a tab here and you always want to put that towards the backside as far as the rotation. Now, push the pads in. Since your piston has already been reset, put that right down. It should fit nice and easy. Then start these two bolts in. Now these two bolts, you only want to do between 15 and 18 foot pounds. Just speed up here as I use an extension and then tighten that top one up. We'll speed through here as we straighten that out, remove that lug nut, put the wheel and tire back on and then we'll just preliminarily tighten those lug nuts with our impact wrench and torque them when we get them on the ground. Tighten the lug nuts between 90 and 100 foot pounds. Last but not least, line up the valve stem with the wheel cover, put it on and use your 19mm socket just to tighten the caps by hand. Last but not least, make sure you pump your brakes a bunch of times and then do a stop from five and ten miles an hour before you road test your vehicle and make sure everything is working correctly.
We hope this helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.
Shop Products
Chevrolet Pontiac Olds Front Driver Side Brake Caliper with Mounting Bracket Raybestos Element 3 FRC10905N
- Hardware
- Yes
How to Replace Front Brakes 2002-05 Dodge Ram 1500
Watch this video to learn how to fix squeaky or fading front brakes. The experts at 1A Auto show you how to replace the brake pads and rotors on your 02-08 Dodge Ram.
