How to Replace Front Brakes 1996-99 Buick LeSabre
Created on: 2013-07-02
Check out this video to learn how you can replace the worn or squeaky front brakes on your 96-99 Buick LeSabre.
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step 1 :Removing the Wheel
- Pry off the center cap with a flat blade screwdriver
- Loosen the 19mm 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 off the wheel
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step 2 :Inspecting the Brakes
- Turn the rotor by hand or turn the steering wheel to turn the rotor
- Check the thickness of the brake pads
- Check the brake pad wear indicator
- Check for gouges on both sides of the rotor
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step 3 :Removing the Brake Pads and Rotor
- Remove the 3/8 inch Allen bolts from the brake caliper
- Pry the brake pads into the caliper with a flat blade screwdriver to push in the pistons
- Pull the caliper aside
- Use a large C-clamp to push the pistons back
- Remove the Allen bolts
- Clean the slides with a wire brush
- Apply anti-seize fluid or white grease to the bolts
- Pull the rotor off
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step 4 :Installing the New Brake Pads and Rotor
- Slide the rotor on
- Install the new brake pads into the caliper
- Put the caliper on
- Thread the Allen bolts by hand
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step 5 :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 100 foot-pounds in a crossing or star pattern
- Reattach the center cap
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step 6 :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
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3/8 Inch Allen Wrench
Large C-Clamp
Torque Wrench
Pry Bar
Jack Stands
19mm Socket
Anti-Seize Grease
Ratchet
Wire Brush
Floor Jack
Brought to you by 1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet.
Hi, I'm Don from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and the next time you need a part for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video, we're going to show you how to do a front break job on this 1997 Buick LeSabre. We show you the right side; left side's the same. We recommend you change your breaks in pairs. This video is the same for the '93 to' 99 LeSabre. as well as the Park Avenue, even the Bonneville, Olds 88 same vintage. You'll need new pads and rotors from 1AAuto.com, 19 millimeter socket and socket wrench or your tire iron, a pry bar or a long screwdriver, a large C clamp, a 3/8 Allen key tool or a socket, some grease, jack and jack stands, and a torque wrench.
We're going to fast-forward here. Remove the center cap. If you don't have the benefit of air tools, you'll want to start with the vehicle on the ground, loosen the lug nuts first, then raise and secure the vehicle, and remove the lug nuts, wheel, and tire.
So we'll do a general inspection of the brakes. We got the outside pad, the inside pad, and there's a bit of uneven wear we can see when you look through here. So we might run into a sticking caliper. When it comes down to the rotors, you are going to want to run your finger along them and check them. There is a bit of a ridge here that can cause pulsations, but we're going to go ahead and replace them.
The calipers are held on with two bolts. Use a 3/8 inch Allen, and this has quite a bit of rust, so we're going to knock this one in. So, as you saw, I used a hammer to kind of tap the Allen key in, and then it should come out fairly easily. If it doesn't come out as easily as it did there you can use a hammer and give a couple of good raps to the Allen key, and it should loosen it up. I want to be able to separate the caliper off the rotor, and in order to do that, I'm just going to pry it up. I'm going to reset the piston inside the caliper with a clamp; you could also use a pair of water pump pliers.
As we tighten the clamp down, it pushes the piston back into the caliper. I'm going to push out the 8 millimeter bolts that held the caliper on so that we can lubricate them. We are using a screwdriver to push it out. Sometimes you may need to use a hammer if they are frozen up too bad to tap them out. Get a wire brush and clean them up a little bit. Then use a little bit of anti-seize.
With the rotor off, and as we put the brakes back together you'll notice we're putting in new breaks; it's just a good time to do it. If you want to see a more detailed video of how to do this, check out our other videos for the Buick LeSabre front breaks. Outboard pad we're going to slip in just like this. The little tabs are going to fall into place. And then the inboard pad, these clips are going to go inside the caliber and the piston. Then just slide it right back over to your rotor and line up your bolt holes. Okay so I'm going to speed up as I put the bolts in, and if you notice, we had a little trouble putting the caliber on; make sure the bolts are pulled back and out so they don't contact the caliber bracket as they go in.
But at this point use that 3/8 Allen wrench and tighten those right up. Then you straighten things back out, take that lug nut off, put your wheel and tire back on, put the lug nuts on by hand first, then tighten them preliminarily. One hundred foot-pounds is the torque spec for lug nuts.
Whenever you've had the breaks apart, just make sure you go in and pump the brakes a bunch of times. Make sure you have a nice firm pedal before you road test the vehicle.
We hope this video 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.
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