How to Change Brake Pads 2006-11 Chevrolet HHR & Chevy Cobalt Brake Pads and Brake Rotors

Hey, motorheads! In today's video, Blair shows us how to replace brake pads and rotors. The vehicle shown is a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. It's an easy process to follow along with so be sure to pay close attention to what Blair says!
Tools Needed
Jack
Jack Stands
Wheel Block
Breaker Bar
Torque Wrench
19mm Socket (Wheel Lug Nuts)
14mm+15mm Socket
3/8 Ratchet
Directions:
Securely jack the vehicle and remove the wheel using the 19mm socket.
Remove the two 14mm bolts holding the caliper on.
Remove the two 15mm bolts holding the caliper mounting bracket.
Remove the two Brake Pads.
Install caliper mounting bracket(2 Bolts 15mm). Torque too 96 lbFt
Install Brake Pads
Install Brake Caliper (2 Bolts 14 MM). Torque too 28 lbFt
Install Wheel torque too 100lbFt
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If you like this content, check out more Tool Review videos in our playlist below! Be sure to check out our other playlists as well, including Ford F-Series repair videos and Fix It Friday!
2018 Ford F-350 Quick Fix: • 2018 Ford F-350 Quick Fix
Tool Review: • Tool Tuesdays
Ford F-Series: • Tool Tuesdays
Autel Scan Tools: • Autel Scan Tools
Small Business Spotlight: • Small Business Spotlight
(Dodge) Ram Service Series: • Ram Service Series
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#RevitAuto #BrakeRotors #Brakes
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If you're in the Greater Washington D.C. Metropolitan area and in need of car repair services, be sure to visit revitauto.com to schedule your service today!
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[@Revitauto]

😀Thanks for watching! Here we have more HHR videos you might be interested in! HHR Rear Shock Absorber kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWTIf4WMfdSKbrc VIR Grand 1 Lap Chevy HHR kzbin.info/www/bejne/rF7Rlaqje6yDqNk

[@badbitch549]

This made changing them so easy I was about to go to the shop to get them done thank you so much.

[@Revitauto]

Glad it was helpful. We would appreciate it if you subscribed to help us grow and continue creating repair videos to help everyone. Happy motoring!

[@natemishaan6410]

This was a great refresher video. I did it all in no time at all!!!!! Thanks!!!

[@Revitauto]

Nate Mishaan glad this video helped! Happy Motoring!

[@MrSing4ever]

This video is a godsend. And thank you SO much for the text details.

[@Revitauto]

Really glad this video helped you! Happy Motoring!-Blair

[@ralphborroel5684]

As you pushed in the brake piston using that piston tool, the piston BOOT was not properly folding back up. Then to make things worse, the BOOT was folding over the top of the piston. So, then you just overlooked the BOOT was being crushed up and will become pinched and ripped up as you press the brakes on the rotor.

[@ARCSTREAMS]

not to mention the pad will be pushing unevenly on the rotor

[@Afghan-Pride-Till-I-Die]

This dude doesn't know shit! He made at least 5 maybe more mistakes on a simple brake pad Job! Smh 😤 c'mon idiot 🤣 LMFAO not cool

[@rockintheholler997]

Like to see him use that shade tree Jake leg tool he made on a caliper with formica pistons! He would be buying calipers! This guy is a moron!

[@crockett159]

Nice to inform of the mm bolts. Saves time. Will subscribe. Feel free to do more videos on HHR as I have one and may need assistance with repair. Will need to replace everything suspension.

[@duayneveer8229]

thanx! helpful doing this tomarrow usual gm.

[@Revitauto]

How did it go? We would appreciate it if you subscribed to help us grow and continue creating repair videos to help everyone. Happy motoring!

[@jimcase3097]

Very good 👍

[@Revitauto]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@cgbailey983]

Nice job!

[@Revitauto]

Glad it was helpful. We would appreciate it if you subscribed to help us grow and continue creating repair videos to help everyone. Happy motoring!

[@mrs.kirven9047]

Great explanation

[@Revitauto]

Glad this video helped! Happy Motoring-Blair

[@johnsanchez7413]

Great video on the brake pads!! Can you show how to replace the front ABS sensor or check to see if it needs to be replaced for 08 HHR?

[@nickfurness2003]

Thank you!!!

[@Revitauto]

Your welcome! Happy Motoring!

[@ColinQuinnuniverse]

Only thing I would add is to next give the brake pedal a few gentle presses inorder to push the pistons to the pads. Don't step to the floor...

[@Revitauto]

That’s is a great comment! I am going to pin this to the top of the comment list!

[@ColinQuinnuniverse]

@@Revitauto comment list excellence.

[@rockintheholler997]

Well can you explain what difference it makes in pressing the pedal lightly and just pressing it normally?

[@ColinQuinnuniverse]

Pressing normally is subjective. What I can offer as more info is this. With a used master cylinder that has had the seals operate in the same section of the cylinder and not had regular flushes, there can be build up in the area where the seals don't normally operate. This is when you allow the pedal to travel down to the floor. The seals get into the contaminated zone and get damaged. By doing several short presses of the pedal to bring pistons to the pads, you can avoid a possible master cylinder replacement. Hope I explained that clearly.

[@rockintheholler997]

@@ColinQuinnuniverse you're a complete idiot if you change brake pads and rotors and the pedal goes to the floor afterwards! Been doing this for 40 years worked on big big equipment and I can tell you fro experience you're full of shit!

[@crockett159]

Lubed my brake piston and my hardware cuts the rotor. Can't get it to stop. What do you think is the problem? I've torqued the axel nut and changed hardware but no change, still cuts the rotor.

[@xdrfox]

I like to clean the piston before pushing in,, and make sure the bowl up top has room for the fluid you push back... so no dust or rust gets into the cylinder and freezes the brakes

[@Revitauto]

These are great tips! Thank you so much for sharing! Happy Motoring-Blair

[@skcrocker1962]

Ok going to attempt this since I can't afford what good year charges. What about bleeding brake line which I saw in another video?

[@brentdreamer2025]

You will hang the caliper out of the way and you never need to open the brake lines so no need to bleed them.

[@MichaelWilliams-kz8gi]

I didn't hear you say what type of grease you were putting on everything. Can I use high temp copper anti-seize in the places where you put the "grease"? On my jar of anti-seize, as one of the uses it lists brake assemblies. So would there be anything wrong with using that?

[@Revitauto]

All of our trucks have a specific grease for brakes, made by permatex, I have never used high temp copper anti-seize so I can not speak to its effectiveness. I will be sure to ask Lenny with his 70 years around the car world he will probably know more!

[@ARCSTREAMS]

can you use any grease or the same that you use on the pads for the glide pins? i thought it needs to be a special silicone grease with a green color

[@Revitauto]

I don't know of other approved grease, but I use the Permatex that comes with a green label and has a brush built into the cap. shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/permatex-ultra-disc-brake-caliper-lube-8-oz.-24110/12027858-p?product_channel=local&store=9570&adtype=pla&product_channel=local&store_code=9570&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpM2CjLKh7AIVoP7jBx1RNgULEAQYASABEgLRJvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds For race cars I have a higher temp but will have to find the tube for that

[@ARCSTREAMS]

@@Revitautoohh ok it looked like you juts used grease or something else and not the green stuff,, yeah i juts got some of that permatex silicone paste ,its green,,also got the blue thread locker from them as well ,i wanted to go with the heavy duty red and maybe i should have as i saw some of my bolts were previously covered with the red stuff,,and of course break clean,,but you know what,i should not have bothered with all this stuff,,i read on the label of the green stuff you can apply it not only to the guide pins but the hardware and pad ears too and even the backing to make it quiet against the piston or caliper side ,but i decided to use les expensive mechanical grease on the backings and i really could have used varsol or kerosene or just a brush to clean stuff instead of break cleaner ,even liquid soap to clean the rotor if needed,mine came clean and ready ,also the thread lock is not a necesity i think,,i could have saved money and just got the green paste ,,oh well im sure the cleaner might come in handy for other work or parts

[@Revitauto]

@@ARCSTREAMS Very cool thank you for sharing, I would stay away from the red stuff, the loctite the manufacture uses even if red is not Loctite Red. That stuff is crazy strong.

[@christianrivera6369]

Be careful with your wrist when you pound the ratchet. Thanks for video

[@Revitauto]

Thanks Christian! I certainly abuse my body! Happy Motoring! -Blair

[@EdwardStotts]

Great video but, my rotors look fine. Besides, for persons on fixed income, can't always afford new rotors. I have a 2006 Chevy HHR LT, which I like a lot.

[@Revitauto]

Edward Stotts glad you enjoyed the video. Do you have any vibration in the steering wheel while braking? If so it may be necessary to replace the rotors. If you order your parts online from Advance auto you can get a 20 percent off coupon.

[@EdwardStotts]

No vibration. I also, watched a video on replacing brake shoes, since "Big O Tires, wants $75.00 labor, not counting the cost of parts. So, I have that & your video, stored on my digital camera, memory card so, I can play them on my laptop, if I need to, while I'm at my parents, doing the work.

[@Revitauto]

That is a great price on labor. How many miles are on your HHR? Typically the rear shoes last twice as long as front brake pads.

[@EdwardStotts]

A little over 90K miles. I took my HHR LT wagon (my insurance company calls it a truck) to "Big O Tires" yesterday for rear brakes install & found out that the shoe linings were fine & my front pads are only 1/2 way down. I the Manager showed me with a plastic gauge how they check the from pads on my vehicle w/o pulling the wheel. On my father's 2013 Ford Focus, you can see & feel the outer front pads on it. Oh, my cost was $19.00 including checking the brake drums. The whole rear brake job ( parts & labor) w/ turning the drums, if needed. would have been $109.00 .

[@EdwardStotts]

A little little over 90K miles. Dad had me take it to Big O Tires. Brake shoes were not that thin & the pads are only half way down. Did you notice that the HHR LT has specially wider then regular wheels & tires. The Big O Ties Manager said that Jeep also, puts those wide off set in wheels.

[@donovanqueeno8918]

What grease does he mean?

[@Revitauto]

Hey! At what minute and second are you referring too?

[@edwinflores1894]

Your new rotor didnt look centered as you put everything back in place... Drive safe!

[@Revitauto]

Thanks for your concern. The rotor gets centered when the lugs are put back on. Thank you for your concern. Happy Motoring.

[@larryshark4580]

PUT GREASE.... THEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN... GREASE IS ALL OVER THE ROTORS... VERY CLEVER

[@Revitauto]

Can you elaborate? Or point to a time stamp in the video?

[@ColinQuinnuniverse]

How is a little brake grease going to wash off in the rain? None of the oil or grease anywhere else washes off in the rain.

[@ARCSTREAMS]

dude your piston boot was overlapping the face of the piston after you retracted it,,now its gonna get jammed between the face and the pad and will be uneven pad contact on the rotor

[@Revitauto]

Yeah I curled it back out of the way before I put it on. Good eye buddy! Happy Motoring-Blair

[@ARCSTREAMS]

@@Revitauto i tried doing that on mine but air bubble would make another side of it pop out,i tried shoving it back with a flat head screw driver lightly but it just kept doing that,,hopefully when i applied the pumps on the break the boot got bulled back and not get jammed on the face but imposible to know if that happened ,i think it will be ok,,i hope

[@ARCSTREAMS]

@@Revitauto wonder if there is a way to avoid this happening before retracting the piston

[@ARCSTREAMS]

@@Revitauto sorry i know you say you curled it back down but in the video i did not see any signs of editing and it looked like you just installed it as shown,,,but i think there should not be any worry,so long as its not the lip of the boot that is overlapping but a back section that simply bubbled up,this will most likely get pulled back down as the piston comes back out as it was before

[@Revitauto]

@@ARCSTREAMS In extreme cases, what I will do is use a small dental pic tool and I will gently lift the caliper boot to allow the trapped air to escape!