How To Replace Brakes And Rotors On A Chevy Impala

[@jdubya54]

Excellent video. I might've mentioned opening brake master cylinder reservoir and wrapping reservoir with rag when you push caliper cylinders back in in case it's full

[@dwtolar]

Great video. Very informative and easy to follow. I like how you not only show the tools at the beginning but also tell what size wrenches and ratchets to at least give a general idea, though later model years may vary. I like how you also went over possible difficulties that are common even though you didn't experience them with this particular brake job.

[@edwardmissouri2216]

Thanks for the video. I did notice you didn't put blue thread locker on, or torque the caliper bracket mounting bolts. Those bolts should definitely be torqued, as they are from the factory.

[@wyattoneable]

Brake jobs seem to be a shops main income. I see so many old brake drums and shoes stacked up outside at the shops. Thanks for all the steps and tips here Jim.

[@jimthecarguy]

Your very observant.Yes I do a lot of brakes.

[@rosechallenger2894]

Very informative. I am going to take my car in to get front rotors and brakes replaced. So this info lets me know what will be done. I love that you wear gloves.

[@jimthecarguy]

Rose Challenger LOL, thanks for the comment.

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

try it yourself, there Rose girl.

[@xhaleyo]

great job Jim the car guy. love automotive & this is a great video for inexperienced viewers just in case anyone had a question about that. practical & fast work from dude himself. love it man you are appreciated

[@mattjhsn]

Currently working on a 2000 Impala Thank you for this nice video. It's very complete and has more information then the service manual.

[@jimthecarguy]

I'm happy to help.Thank you for watching

[@franciscoaguirre2837]

I do not enjoy working on cars, but I do not like throwing money away on inferior jobs. Great video, best I found online on the subject. Great attitude! You always stick to what is important and shrug off what does not matter. Brakes are done thanks to you. What was the tool you used to push the pistons back in on the caliper?

[@jimthecarguy]

Thank you .The tool that I was using is made by Snap On Tools but there are many different and less expensive ones out there

[@handheldnintendofan]

I have a 2007 Impala best video I found explaining exactly what your doing thanks man

[@MartinBurrow]

Excellent information, no problems at all. First time ever replacing pads and rotors but it was super easy. Thanks again

[@jimthecarguy]

Glad it helped

[@mdmyer]

Don't forget, if you're doing rears, the piston requires a different style of compression. It screws in instead of pressing in. You can either buy a special tool do do it, or use a pair of needle nose pliers to rotate it.

[@jimthecarguy]

Thanks for your input .

[@joebriggs9599]

Thanks Jim you are saving me a lot of money very good video.

[@jimthecarguy]

Great .That is why I post the videos I do .Thank you for watching and your feedback.

[@paulvansteenberg3716]

Great video!! Tools also needed are a T30 Socket with ratchet. I could not loosen the T30 on my 2008 Impala Rotors with a T30 screwdriver handle.

[@Erklzanderz]

Next time use pb catalyst and use an impact gun instead of hand tools. The impact puts downward pressure at the same time it is turning little bits at a time which also vibrates. You will strip bolts, nuts, and screws far less often. Better luck next time.

[@johnaclark1]

Great videos, Jim. I appreciate your demeanor and you do a great job explaining what you're doing. One thing I noticed on this brake job and the Hyundai brake job you did a few weeks ago is that you got a fair amount of brake grease from the hardware area on your gloves and then on the brake pads when installing them in the bracket. I always try to be real careful not to get grease on the pads, but if I do I usually clean it off with brake cleaner before putting the brakes back together. You didn't mention cleaning that off the pads during installation. Do you find the grease not to be an issue?

[@jimthecarguy]

A little brake grease will not affect the brakes but if there is a large amount of grease you should clean it.Thank you for your question and your input.

[@stanskubis7864]

Greetings Jim from Australia. Came across your channel by accident & am glad I did. Thanks for taking the time & effort in producing these vids. I appreciate your using the tools that a diyer would have and also sharing tips from your years of experience.

[@jimthecarguy]

Thank you for watching and for your feedback.Don't forget to subscribe so you can get my latest uploaded videos. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqjCg6SOrbZ8aNE

[@spelunkerd]

What a practical demonstration, nicely done by an experienced pro. Guys sometimes crab at me that I don't always open the bleeder screw when pushing back the pistons, since as you know the books say to do that to prevent reflux of dirty slave fluid back to the master. Opening bleeder screws unnecessarily just seems to be another step, where you could mess up and have to charge the customer more. I've twisted too many bleeder screws off to think it's an easy step.

[@jimthecarguy]

I can't tell you how many people send me the exact same suggestions about opening the bleeder valve.

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

@@jimthecarguy you just have to OPEN THE RESERVOIR BRAKE CAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TO release pressure!!

[@jameslang4810]

i know you only did the front brakes, but what if your doing front and back brakes where the rotor size is different and explain why there is a difference in size of front and back rotors. The video on front brakes was awesome.

[@Erklzanderz]

The reason is that the front brake do a majority of the work in any vehicle which requires the front brakes to be more heavy duty. When any vehicle slows down almost all the energy is transferred to the front axle and the nose dives down creating downward pressure and forward force. Hope that helps you to understand a bit more how the inertia works on a vehicle and why that creates the necessity to have heavier braking system in the front. This is also why you generally will change your front brakes twice as often as the rear on most vehicles.

[@Elbanditoful]

Great video Jim going to do the front and rear brakes on my 2011 Chevy Impala next weekend after my parts come in next weekend from Rock Auto.

[@shg7289]

Good video. Should we remove the brake fluid reservoir cap before decompressing the brake caliper?

[@jessicalockwood8322]

I love how thorough you are! It is very much appreciated! Is replacing brake pads and rotors same for rear on the impala?

[@daddykiller5835]

Jessica Lockwood pretty much. I have a 2012 Impala, I needed a key to depress my piston so the new pads are able to go over the rotor. I also open my brake fluid reservoir to make depressing the piston easier. Hope this helps.

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

@@daddykiller5835 YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, MY MAN......VERY GOOD.

[@daddykiller5835]

@@-MrRichBiker1967 Thanks man. I'm just a home mechanic, asking lots of questions and learning tips and tricks from the professionals.

[@curtisk1167]

Hey Jim I know this video is 4 years old but I was wondering at 9:50 if the pins are different and you mix them up; what would happen? I’m currently in trouble, something is grinding against my new rotors and I’m trying to diagnose before jacking it up again. Great video by the way.

[@mrhamburger6936]

Do you recommend using harbor freight tools for this job

[@Coiphim202]

mr hamburger almost all my tools are from harbor freight and it’s perfectly fine for a brake job. I have even used to for suspension job. Most of harbor freight brand tool has life time warranty, so if anything break you can just return and get a new one

[@jerrycybulsky6756]

Should the brake pads move freely in the hardware slides

[@trevorsmoms]

The torex screw hot striped, any suggestions on what to do? If not I'll just take it to a shop

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

why did you strip it?? it's a 27 or 30 torque ,come on.....pay attention, don't rush, while you work. only Spanish people screw things up!!!

[@edwardmissouri2216]

You can just drill it out. It's mainly for the factory, you don't even need to put it back.

[@My780Flow]

What's that tool that you used to pry the pads back in place??

[@CelticsWin7]

Great video! Is it the same process on both front and the back?

[@TonyPurpleTurtle93]

Once you take off the break pads is it the same process taking off and replacing the rotors both front and rear, cause I need to replace the rear rotors, I'm trying to do it myself to save money cause I'm kinda struggling right now,

[@johnspooner4128]

Are you normally supposed to loosen the bleeder screw to get the pistons to relax, How were you able to force them in w/o doing that? Great video BTW

[@jimthecarguy]

No you do not have to open the bleeder valve you just push the piston in and the fluid will push back into the master cylinder .

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

@@jimthecarguy AND OPEN UP BRAKE RESERVOIR CAP,right JIM!!!!!

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

thank you ,very good video. don't you like to CLEAN THE CALIPER PISTON AND , GREASE THE BOOTS??

[@jimthecarguy]

Thanks for watching

[@haywardsautomotive6156]

Thanks for the video Jim! Keep them coming while I recuperate. I'm getting pretty good at watching you guys work :-)

[@jimthecarguy]

Thank you .i hope you shoulder is heeling OK

[@haywardsautomotive6156]

It's getting there. Hopefully I'll be @80% in a few months. I changed out a LF wheel bearing & hub and LF door speaker on my son's '07 Cobalt with one hand & my son helping...it was actually nice plus my son knows how to change out his wheel bearing now.

[@jimthecarguy]

It is always good to teach your son how to do any job and how to use the tools correctly.That is what I like about youtube I will be helping people long after I retire.

[@haywardsautomotive6156]

jimthecarguy Sure will!

[@eddiemartinez265]

Good job jimmy love the way you work. Jim you don't show any of your big job's like motor swap's water pump's timing belt's.

[@jimthecarguy]

Hi Eddie ,I don't do the motor swap or trans job any more .I don't have the time or space any more.

[@dejahgordon2800]

Can I take my brakes and rotors off on the front and back at the same time?

[@markanderson4794]

Great video as always Jim.. Is it still true front pads wear out quicker than rear disc pads on newer cars or is the braking distributed more evenly on all 4 brakes?

[@jimthecarguy]

Mark Anderson Most of the time the fronts wear out sooner, except on Hondas.

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

70% is done by front braking and 30% is from rear!!!!!

[@roberthasili1447]

Just saw this video, good job explaining in detail

[@jimthecarguy]

Thank you for stopping by the shop

[@attila7092]

I'm a little confused with what are the pistons and what you were doing with them.

[@santatigerclaus]

what does the torx screw do? the wheel holds the disc on, did for decades,

[@jimthecarguy]

It just hold the rotor in place when you are working on the car. They started using clips years ago and then went over to torx.

[@karlvondrak6080]

I know this video is over 4 years old, but just came across it. I did my brakes today and I saw the wear indicators where like this video shows. I thought maybe someone did the brakes wrong. I have always thought they both went on the top. Can anyone confirm this before I do the bed in procedure?

[@MrHumbleHustler]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought part of the process was opening your break fluid cap before you start

[@jimthecarguy]

Yes if the fluid was over filled but not if it was not over filled,Thanks for watching.

[@MrHumbleHustler]

@@jimthecarguy thank u

[@jcgardner]

what is that tool you use to push the pistons back in? and what can I use instead since I don't have one?

[@jimthecarguy]

You can get the tool on Amazon Check this out amzn.to/2Yfs5X5

[@jimthecarguy]

Here is another tool amzn.to/2LiR2NL

[@brians.2435]

hey Jim, I was taught to take the brake reservoir cap off when pushing the caliper pistons in, do you do that to?

[@jimthecarguy]

Honestly not all the time but it is a good idea.thank you for your input

[@brians.2435]

+jimthecarguy thanx for your vids, you have help me a lot.

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

I thought the indicator sensors are suppose to up, on the outside board pad,no?

[@m.pietro9087]

Thanks for the video. I have a 1996 Buick Roadmaster and I'd like to upgrade the brakes. Do you know if the 96 Impala SS front brake calipers are bigger than the Roadmaster brakes?

[@jimthecarguy]

Mauro Pietro I would recommend to check with your local parts store.

[@hombregreen8770]

Will you be doing a video on the back brakes for a 2013 implala

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

same process,just the rear only has 1 CALIPER....get to it, young man.

[@williemcgriff4630]

Also why no use of a torque wrench, do the torque values not matter?

[@gregrobinson9827]

I've noticed you use snap on tools a lot I would love to start adding snap on to my collection all I've got is some craftsman and other mixed stuff I would rather not own I hate cheap tools even though it's just a hobby for me love automotive stuff! have you ever used Armstrong tools and what's your opinion of them?

[@jimthecarguy]

Good question Greg,The tools I like are Snap on,Matco and the Craftsman are not to bad.

[@gregrobinson9827]

+jimthecarguy most of craftsman have went to made in China but they still have some USA made tools that are still in the stores and I snatch them up every time I get a chance I like the Armstrong combination wrenches they are very high quality and made in USA and I also have some sk wrenches that I go not too long ago! I want to get some snap on ratchets I think they are probably the best you will find! iam probably going to get some heat for this comment but I hate Chinese tools and auto parts it's all a bunch of crap!

[@jimthecarguy]

I agree with you .So now we will both get the heat.Lol

[@gregrobinson9827]

+jimthecarguy lol thats the one thing that keeps me from doing work on other people's cars is there aftermarket parts are all going china except a few I've had problems with a lot of parts even the premium parts there will be made in usa on their box open it up and made in China is on their actual part! now moog suspension parts are still usa made! but skf bearings have went to china i could go on and on but you know they drill! lol

[@handheldnintendofan]

No point in buying snap on unless you're a mechanic and work on cars daily because they're too expensive. I use Craftsman as an average do it your-self-er. I've bought a few things from harbor freight like my jack and they work fine for me.

[@cjay6367]

Yo i cant get those damn 15 mm bolts off the back. Any suggestion? They broke by breaker bar 😐

[@JennGregory252]

I'm dealing with this same situation now. Did you find a solution?

[@himabaha544]

Thank you very much .. I benefited a lot I will use your style with my car .. Caprice 2011

[@jimthecarguy]

You are welcome!

[@jamesstewart7357]

@@jimthecarguy what is a good labor price to put front breaks n rotors on a 2011 chevy impala ls 3.5v6

[@fatjoe3391]

Fronts easy, what about the back with the parking brake cable? That is the problematic one.

[@mrsauce6393]

Awesome video Sir!

[@mortega829]

what are the best tools to use ( brand) I got some duralast for Xmas and they suck they brake really easy

[@MrAirsoftKid98]

Mario Ortega Snap on is best imo, but they're extremely expensive

[@handheldnintendofan]

Snap on way too expensive unless your a mechanic and work on cars daily. I use Craftsman never had anything break so far

[@plaid11]

Since you said duralast, do you mean part and not tools? The other two comments are talking about tools but I think you're talking about brake pads and rotors. I've used duralast and they work great. Regardless of what brand you get, if you get the cheapest ones, they will have an issue with breaking at some point. I'm also guessing you're talking about the pads breaking? Ceramic pads are less likely to break than semi-metallic. Plus, ceramic brake pads cause a lot less brake dust, so you won't have black powder build up on your rims.

[@brandonpetrisky2058]

Excellent video jim. Thank you

[@lucyp.3119]

Mr. Jim every time I do a brake job I bleed the brakes, is it not necessary?

[@jimthecarguy]

No not all the time only if you open the bleeder valve , replace the caliper or hoses. Very good question

[@FireSerpent]

@@jimthecarguy just the reply I was looking for. I'm replacing front brake pads/rotors, and calipers today so I'll need to bleed them.

[@Ron-h4l]

Jim you get any Buick Enclave to work on or not.

[@jimthecarguy]

No not to many John.

[@Ron-h4l]

ok thanks.

[@Freshmoneyshower]

What size torch was that you used on the rotor?

[@johnlillyblad5188]

He said it was a #30

[@Freshmoneyshower]

@@johnlillyblad5188 thanks I fixed it a week ago now I have another problem my car shakes super bad and my abs light kicked on with the service traction control

[@andrewtramble628]

What the name of the lubricant for the pins did you use?

[@jimthecarguy]

It is a synthetic brake lube made by CRC.

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

silicon, GREASE

[@andrewtramble628]

Also where can I get a hardware kit from

[@drummeralex9198]

Andrew Tramble they usually come with the brake pads, but you can just buy them separately also at any parts store.

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

local parts store

[@joebriggs9599]

Jim do you have rotors cut or do you replace them?

[@jimthecarguy]

Most of the time I just replace them.Good question Joe

[@rkgrant]

thanks so much Jim!

[@amandariegel5157]

Very helpful video, thank you!!

[@jimthecarguy]

Thank you for stopping by the shop

[@ajg2558]

You do nice work!

[@sojministries337]

Thank you so much for this video!!! Such a huge help I'm excited to do this to my impala!!! God bless you. Do you have one for the rear by the way?

[@jimthecarguy]

I'm happy to help. Sunday night live stream on jimthecarguy at 7:00 PM.I hope you can stop by.

[@p.k.808]

Wow very great video with details. Straight forward with helpful tips along the way. Good job.

[@adamslayden1618]

I am FAR from a mechanic! Thank you for making this project easy for me to do and easy on my wallet.

[@edgarmagallon135]

this helped to much! thks

[@williemcgriff4630]

why did you not use thread locker for the caliper bolts, is it not needed?

[@jimthecarguy]

it not needed

[@robertnauss4815]

Great video old school teaching...

[@jimthecarguy]

Thank you for watching

[@dougcurtis578]

So what do I do if the @#$%& torque bolt is stripped?

[@louperkins5337]

You dont have to use a breaker bar... but it helps.

[@plaid11]

Lou Perkins I had to use a breaker bar. I didn’t have one and I tried connecting wrenches together but they would just bend too much. I tried using a hammer but there wasn’t enough room to get a good hit. So I had to get a breaker bar and it took 30 seconds to loosen both bolts. It doesn’t help that I bought the car used and the previous own didn’t drive it much for a couple years because it was her late husbands, so everything was a little rustier than normal.

[@williammyers5877]

@@plaid11 Same here haha

[@jdubya54]

Oh and I use old pads so as not to scratch or chip new pads

[@dannylopez2547]

I was taught to clean the caliper guide pin then grease it otherwise ur leaving the old dirt mixed In with the grease . Not trying to talk bad about your video just saying is this really necessary??

[@jimthecarguy]

That is true it's very important. Thank you for watching.

[@TheBoBoBiGGins]

This Video Makes Me Feel Like I'm Trippin!

[@armyvet4081]

They are only needed for assembly at the factory. They are not needed.

[@santatigerclaus]

oh i see why you removed the disc, the webs are rusted away, im hoping i dont have to buy discs

[@jimthecarguy]

thanks for stopping by

[@armyvet4081]

I never replace the rotor screws.

[@eddiemartinez265]

Don;t need them anyway they are there just to hold the rotor till you get the pad's on most of the time where i work i just use a lug to hold it.

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

@@eddiemartinez265 YIKES, you must be Spanish and work at pep boys!!! that torque screw, is there for a reason..no? OMG.

[@Nader-x1o]

Thank you very much you save me $ 325.00 Thank you again

[@KingBoski1984]

Can you show how to do a transmission

[@johnlillyblad5188]

Not sure that's DIY! lol

[@plaid11]

Robert Moore if you have everything you would need to change a transmission, you should know how to do it yourself. Otherwise, take it in even though it is expensive.

[@-MrRichBiker1967]

you are an ass.......'how do you do, a transmission"..OMG,

[@7500city]

Awesome

[@jimthecarguy]

Thank you for watching

[@jimthecarguy]

Thanks for watching

[@jayboi8584]

Awsome

[@kennethcollier9791]

nice video but the brakes wasn't bad yet

[@Erklzanderz]

Did you see the rear of the rotor? Yes, they were bad. You dont change just the rotor and leave the old brake pads on.....but if you say so!