How Brake Relining Works

­So you've determined that noise is indeed coming from the front brakes, where most late-model cars have their disc brakes.

Before you take your wheels apart, peek into the inspection opening in the brake caliper. Can you see the line of the friction material? If there's less than 1/4 inch of friction material, it's about time to replace the brake shoes. If there's less than 1/8 inch, you have no time to waste -- the lack of friction material could be dangerous. And it could be causing damage to the brake rotors, which can be more costly to fix.

­If there is some damage to the brake rotors, you might want to have a mechanic smooth out (or "turn") any deep gouges in the discs. That process basically involves sanding away the scars to create a new, smooth surface. But if you've already done that, the discs might be too thin to keep using. That probably means it's time to replace them [source: Buckman].

Check your car's owners manual to find the minimum thickness for your brake rotors. Too-thin rotors are less effective at slowing you down -- and replacements probably won't break the bank.

You might also want to be prepared for the possibility of replacing your brake calipers. They're a hydraulic system, so they can develop leaks and corrosion under normal use. Since you'll be disassembling the brakes anyway, think about springing for replacement calipers.

Checking all these other parts may seem like overkill, but remember -- anything that adds unnecessary friction to your ride is reducing your fuel efficiency. And it might be compromising your safety as well.

­Before you get started, take a look at the list of tools and parts on the next page. As a refresher course, you might also want to take a look at the parts and structure of a disc brake.

Brake relining, as we mentioned, is a pretty simple procedure, and you don't need anything too fancy to do it right. Here are the tools you should have on hand before you start:

You may also want to have:

And, depending on where you're working and how accident-prone you are, you might also want to have a few disposable plastic cups and a Sharpie®. As you take the brakes apart, you can use these to contain, separate and label the bolts and other fasteners for the various brake components.

Finally, if the brake pads have worn down quite a bit (to 1/8 inch or less), you should inspect the discs. Signs of trouble include:

If you spot any of these signs, it's time to replace the discs. You'll be able to find replacement brake rotors at your auto store.

­On the next page, we'll look at the first big step: taking out the old brake pads.

First things first: Park the car and jack up the front. Remember to set the parking break. And if you've been driving for a while (say, to the auto parts store), remember that engine components may be hot enough to burn you.

Now, using your tire iron or spinner, take off one of the front wheels. Take off the brake caliper. You'll probably need to remove bolts to do this. Remember to keep bolts in clearly designated areas, so you know which bolts go with which parts. Slide the caliper off the rotor.

The brake pads are on the inside of the caliper. Depending on the car, you'll see bolts, springs or clips attaching the pads to the caliper. Undo those fasteners.

You'll notice that the new brake pads are thicker than the old ones. That means you'll have to adjust the piston to accommodate the new thickness. Open the piston. When it's fully open, it will be closer to the center of the car than to the wheel. You might be able to open it with your bare hands, but if it puts up a fight, use your vise grip or channel lock to push it back. You can also use a C clamp to get it open. Get the lips of the clamp inside the piston, and then open the clamp. If you go this route, though, make sure to protect the surface of the piston somehow. And be aware that a too-tight piston may signal caliper problems [source: Memmer].

Opening the piston forces fluid back up into the hydraulic system. Professional mechanics take the precaution of lowering fluid in the piston's reservoir before raising the car on the jacks. If you skip this step, just be aware that the reservoir might overflow.

Now it's time to replace the rotor, if you're doing that.

Before you put on the new brake pads, break out the brake pad grease. Put it on the side of the new brake pads that will face away from the rotor.

­You're more than halfway done. To find out how to put on the new pads and road-test the car, read on.

Fit the new brake pads onto the caliper. Reattach all the clips and bolts and anchors, making them as uniform as possible. Variations in tightness can lead to rotor damage down the line.

Next, slide the caliper back onto the rotor, and reattach it.

­Now, repeat the whole process for the other front brake. And -- very important -- put the wheels back on.

Now let's get this puppy on the road. Professionals refer to this process as "burnishing" the new brake pads [see sidebar]. The heat and friction of driving are what get the new pads working their best. However, that means that you want to avoid excessive heat before the pads are ready to handle it.

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For more braking information, visit the links on the next page.