2005 Nissan Altima 2

This guide is just a quick tutorial created with the guys in mind over at NissanClub in the Altima Forums.

This install was for the front brakes only and applies for other years of the same style. This guide can be used for nearly any brake job on any car.

I figured since I was doing a brake job, I may as well photograph it all and create a quick How To since many of you are new car owners.

Doing your own brake jobs can save you time and money, not to mention giving you self satisfaction that you did it yourself.

	First off, we will need some tools. These are all the tools I used for this install. 14mm Socket (brake caliper bolts) 3/4 Socket (bracket bolts, I forget if this is correct, I put my sockets away before checking.) 13/16 Socket (lug nuts) 1/2" Ratchet (shown here as my impact wrench) 3/8" Ratchet (shown here as my air ratchet) Large Flathead Screwdriver (or small pry bar) Rubber Mallet (beating rotors loose if needed) 4" C-Clamp (compressing caliper piston) WD-40 or other lubricant to break rusty parts free Brake Cleaner Brake Pad Lubricant (not shown, little packet from the auto parts store counter)
	Next we need some replacement parts. Brake Pads and Brake Rotors
	If you want to paint, pickup the Duplicolor Caliper Paint Kit. Its a little more than a spray can, but lasts much longer, looks better and doesn't collect brake dust. The paint kit runs about $15 at any auto parts store and comes in Red, Blue or Silver. Newer colors may be available as I bought this kit YEARS ago and have done 4+ cars with this one can so far.
Remove Caliper and Bracket
	Remove the lug nuts using the 13/16 socket (may vary) We see here our entire brake assembly, rusty and ugly.
	Remove the upper and lower bolts holding the caliper in place with a 14mm socket or wrench.
	If you can't break it free, try prying gently on it with a screwdriver or pry bar. Be careful if you plan to reuse your rotors so that you don't damage them.
	Once the caliper is free, you need to get it out of the way. I've found that on nearly every car I've worked on, the best place is to just hang it on the spring or bottom of the overhang piece on the strut.
	Next remove the upper and lower bolts holding in the mounting bracket. I believe this was a 3/4" for me. I assume it's metric, but I didn't have my metric set out at the moment. I will double check this and get it updated ASAP. Once the bolts are removed, the bracket will just fall off on it's own. If you have not yet removed the brake pads, do so now. Also remove the pad retainer clips from the bracket.
Remove Old Rotor
	Now we are left with just the old rusty (and in my case warped) rotor to remove. My passenger side rotor slid off with no issue. My driver side was stuck on permanently. To loosen up the rust some, I used WD40, but PB Blaster would probably be a better choice (didn't have any). Let it sit a few minutes to soak in and then start beating on the rotor with a rubber mallet. (If you don't have a rubber mallet, a heavy hammer and a few layers of cardboard will do)
	It took a couple soakings of WD40 and I had to beat on it a while before it finally broke free. This rotor left behind a nice pile of rust. You can see the rotor is all rusted out and has expanded a bit from wear, heat, age, etc. This was the one causing most of my horrible braking and the shaking in the steering wheel. The vents were completely full of rust flakes. It's any wonder it was cooling at all.
Painting Now that everything has been removed, we can paint. If you are not painting, then skip straight to the next section.
	Clean your bracket and caliper well with brake cleaner. If it's not greasy, the brake cleaner should remove all the dust and other light grime. If its overly dirty, you may need to use some degreaser. Be careful if you do that you take care to keep the rubber parts such as the caliper piston boot dry.
	I only bother painting the parts I can see. Mine is not a show car, but I like accents. Since the entire rear half of the brackets and caliper will be behind the brake rotor, you will never see them anyway. Slather the paint on thick. Once you have finished, the part you started on should be dry enough to apply another coat. I double coated everything. Once the bracket is done, set it aside to dry.
	The caliper can be painted while still attached to the car. Just be careful when moving it around so you don't kink the brake line hose or tear it from the car. Again, I just covered only the parts that you will see to make the job quicker. Obviously if you have nicer wheels where you see more of the caliper, go ahead and paint the entire thing. Hang the caliper back up out of the way when you are finish. Take care not to let the painted parts touch anything. It would be a shame to have a nice mark across your newly painted brakes.
Install New Rotor
	Now comes time to put everything back on. First you will need to start with the rotor. If you are only replacing the pads, skip this step obviously. The rotor will most likely come packaged with a coating of oil on it. This needs to be cleaned off first so you don't ruin your new pads. Spray the entire surface down with brake cleaner. I used about 1/2 can on each rotor. Make sure all the oil residue is washed off before installing.
	Old Rotor vs New Rotor comparison.
	Installing the new rotor is as easy as a wheel. Just hang it over the lugs and you are done. The wheel holds it onto the hub, so it will be loose until you put the wheel back on.
Install New Pads
	Next put the brake pad retaining clips back in the bracket. Reinstall the bracket.
	Next put the Brake Pads in place. They simply just slide into the bracket and retaining clips. Make sure they sit flush with the rotor. It took me a few tries to get it to sit correctly as the squeal pin was getting stuck in the retaining brackets several times when I went to push the pad in place. Now apply the brake lubricant to both pads. This prevents squeaks and helps lubricate any of the moving parts. Basically any moving parts should be lubricated with the special brake lubricant. DO NOT use regular lubricants. Brake lubricant is specially formulated for high heat applications.
Reinstall Caliper
	Since the old brake pads have worn thin over time, the caliper piston will be more extended to accomodate for extra length of the worn pad. Since your new pads will be much thicker, sometimes 3x-4x thicker than the old pads, you will need to compress the caliper to fit it back over the new pads.
	Before you do this, remove the cap for the brake fluid reservoir. You may want to put a rag around the neck as some fluid will be forced out.
	I always keep a 4" C-Clamp in the toolbox. It's sole purpose in life in my garage is to compress brake pistons and nothing else. Here you see it in action. Slide the end over the piston, taking care to not damage the piston edge. My clamp is rubber coated and somewhat soft on the edge touching the piston. If yours is not, use a piece of cardboard between the clamp and piston to prevent any damage. Find a place for the screw on the bottom to touch the caliper, making sure not to damage the hose, connector or bleed valve. Once you have it securely clamped down, then go ahead and tighten it up until the piston is FULLY compressed. This will cause fluid to spill out the top of the brake fluid reservoir. No worries, you won't be needing it anyway. Just let it spill out and wipe up any that gets on anything.
	Next slide the caliper over the brake pads. Line it up with the mounting holes on the bracket and put the bolts back in place. You should now have a fully installed brake system ready to go.
	Now put the wheel back on. Please excuse the small paint smear of paint on the rotor. It will come off the first time you hit the brakes. And yes my wheels are dirty, but so is a brake job. Stand back and enjoy your handy work. Enjoy the fact that you also saved yourself quite a bit in labor charges too.

BEFORE	AFTER