How to change the front brakes on a Range Rover or LR3

Here is an article on how to change the front brake pads on a Range Rover or an LR3 (they use the same brake pads so the procedures are pretty similar.)

Things you'll need:

• Brake pads (I strongly recommend this set below, they are the best in my opinion): Akebono EUR1098

• Brake pad wear sensor:
• LR3: LR3 05-09 brake pad wear sensor
• Range Rover: Range Rover brake pad wear sensor
• Brake grease: CRC 5351
• Caliper retractor tool: Lisle 25750 (you can work around this one)
• Brake fluid: Castrol GT LMA

And some basic tools:

• Thin Wrenches: Wrench Set 9Pc Super Thin 18 Sizes
• 3/8 ratchet and socket set: Great Neck PSO40 40 Piece 3/8-Inch Drive Socket Set
• 7/8 half inch socket: TEKTON 14250
• Breaker Bar: TEKTON 1702
• Gloves: Flex Grip Work Gloves (optional)
• Needle nose pliers: TEKTON 3504
• Beer: optional but recommended

Here is for the procedure. I recommend you that you find a place where the surface is leveled and the sun is not hitting you directly. You also need to suck some brake fluid out of the reservoir with a turkey baster or something of the sort.

• First of all, with the 1/2 inch breaker bar and the 7/8 socket crack the front lug nut of your car. Then jack up the car until the front wheels are in the air and place into jack stands. Finish unscrewing the lug nuts and remove the wheels.
• With the wheels off crack the two 13 mm bolts holding the caliper, holding the nut with the proper size thin wrench, 17 mm.

• With the caliper loose, try to remove the sensor with the needle nose pliers. If your brake light is not on yet, you can reuse the sensor if you don't destroy it while removing it. If your light is on, then yank that sensor out of there because it's useless. :D
• Place the caliper on top of the rotor like in the picture so that it is out of the way.

• Remove the brake pads

• If your brake pads came with new clips, remove the top and bottom clips

• Place the new clips in place.

• Grease the new pads where the pad contacts the clips you just replaced, at the ends. This grease is so that you avoid squeaks when the pads are moving back and forth.

• Now we have to retract the caliper. Place the tool like I did in the pic and squeeze the "trigger" to push back the pistons. Yes is supposed to be hard.

• Make sure that the pins (where the caliper bolts up) can move freely from left to right. Otherwise yank them out and grease them with the brake grease and push them back!
• When the pistons are completely pushed back, place the caliper back in place.

• Catch the new screws by hand, then tighten them holding the pin with the thin wrench and the ratchet.

• If you are on the left side then you have to change the sensor if you weren't able to pull it out without braking it. It's fairly easy just a bit annoying. What I do is I catch the new sensor and undo the old sensor at the first bracket, then catch the new one, then undo the sensor at the second bracket, then catch the new one, and in this way "follow" the sensor all the way to the connector. Which is above the wheel well which you DON'T have to remove, just bend it a little bit and feel inside.
• When you are done repeat for the other side (only one side has a sensor)
• When you finish both sides then you have to fill the brake reservoir to the max level, step on the brakes several times until the brake pedal is hard, and recheck the fluid level.
• Put the wheels back and tighten them as much as possible with the wheels in the air, then lower the car and re-tighten then wheels.
• Enjoy your beer!