How To Change Brake Pads On A 2008 Toyota Camry

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On this page, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of changing the front and rear brake pads on a 2008 Toyota Camry. The equipment you require is listed below:

  • socket 14 mm
  • Combination wrench 17 mm
  • Deep socket of 21 mm
  • Ratchet Drive 3/8″
  • Hammer Wrench (or breaker bar)
  • Jack postures
  • Metal Car Jack
  • Twist Wrench
  • Issue Light
  • C-clamp
  • Break Free
  • Gloves
  • Caliper Grease at High Temperatures (found at any auto parts store)
  • Snap ties
  • Buy Rags

The spare parts you’ll need are listed below:

  • 2008 Camry Wagner Front Brake Pads
  • 2008 Camry Wagner Rear Brake Pads

a photo of the front brake pads and the included hardware

Remove the wheel, then access the brake fluid reservoir (must pop hood open for this). While the car is lying on the ground, loosen the lugnuts. To remove the bolts, use the impact wrench and the 21mm deep socket. Use the breaker bar if you don’t have an impact wrench. Place the jack stands and jack up your car at the proper lift locations. In my situation, a car lift was employed, therefore you won’t see this on the ensuing images. To reveal the brake caliper, remove the wheels from the wheel well as indicated in the illustration below.

Step two is to look for any irregularities in the braking caliper. Loosen the top bolt on the caliper, which is located on the side that faces the engine, using your 14 mm socket and 3/8″ ratchet drive.

In step three, the lower bolt is removed and placed on top of a rag. To prevent the caliper from slipping back into place, fully raise it. To ensure that you don’t forget to do that later, lubricate the bolt with high temperature caliper grease.

Step four allows you to reach the old brake pads because the caliper is no longer in the way. Make sure the rotor’s surface is smooth first by inspecting it. No ridges or unusual wear, for example. Replace the rotors as well if there is any abnormal wear. Remove the two retention clips that keep the brake pads away from the rotors if the rotors appear to be in good condition. Remove the brake pads next.

Step five is to install the pad support brackets that came with the new brake pads as indicated in the image below after removing both brake pads. Compare the brand-new pad support brackets to the worn-out, rusted caliper. Since the brake pad will be sliding back and forth when you apply the brakes, make sure you lubricate the high temperature caliper brackets. WARNING: Avoid getting grease on the brake pad material or the rotor.

Install the new brake pads and the new retaining clip to keep the brakes from rubbing against the rotor in STEP 6. Remove the upper and lower sliding pins after installing the break pads, then oil the calipers with high temperature caliper grease. The brake pads can wear evenly thanks to these pins, which enable the caliper to travel along the pin axis. Applying oil to these pins is crucial.

Drive the piston back into the caliper in step seven. To allow the new caliper to fit over the new pads, we must recede the piston into its backwards-most position because the new brake pads are much thicker (have more friction material).

  • Take a worn-out brake pad from the pile you just removed, and place its backside against the piston.
  • Start rotating the C-clamp to gradually reposition the piston.
  • Caliper rotation around top sliding pin

DISCLAIMER: In the photo below, new brake pads are mounted using anti-squeal shims that were previously used with old brake pads. Without employing the anti-squeal shims, the brake pads can be installed safely.

What is the price of changing the brake pads on a Toyota Camry?

Depending on the type of brake pads chosen and the degree of harm your previous worn-out pads have done to other elements of your car, such the rotors, replacing the brake pads on a 2020 Toyota Camry can cost anywhere between $150 and $300 each axle.

Should rotors be replaced when changing pads?

You normally have three alternatives for brake replacement when it comes time to service your brakes: replacing simply the brake pads, replacing the brake pads and resurfacing the rotors, or replacing the brake pads and rotors jointly. Every choice has benefits. Your decision should be based on the amount of life left in your brake rotors, your budget, and how soon you want to be back at the shop.

Replacing brake pads only

When you come in for brake maintenance, if your rotors aren’t worn out or damaged, you can generally get away with replacing only the brake pads. Even though this is unquestionably the most cost-effective choice, at least in the near term, keep in mind that because these parts are made to wear out together, the new brake pads might not fit precisely with the older brake rotors. As the two components (pads and rotors) become accustomed to one another, the mismatch of the old and new may result in some noise and vibration. You also incur the risk of uneven wear on the brake pads when installing new brake pads on worn rotors, which could force you to replace the brake pads again sooner than you’d want.

Replacing brake pads and resurfacing rotors

Some shops will offer to resurface your rotors using a machine (referred to as a lathe) to get them down to a smooth surface for the new brake pads to wear against if there is enough thickness remaining in them when you go to have your brake pads replaced. This is frequently done to avoid having to pay to replace them, thereby saving money. Rotor resurfacing can cost anywhere from $75 to $120 at shops, which is around $100 less than a complete rotor replacement.

Although there are substantial initial savings, the process of milling rotors removes layers from their surface and could lead to warping because of their reduced capacity to disperse heat. Resurfaced rotors have been reported to warp just 10,00015,000 miles after machining, although new rotors can last up to 70,000 miles.

Even while it doesn’t always happen, you can need new brakes within a few months after having your rotors resurfaced. To make matters worse, because of the uneven wear brought on by the brake pads rubbing against the warped rotors, you’ll likely need new brake pads when you repair the damaged rotors.

Replacing brake pads and rotors together

Both the pads and the rotors must be replaced for a comprehensive braking service. While initially more expensive, replacing the pads and rotors at the same time will make both last longer and ultimately improve brake performance. Because there is less chance of warping or uneven wear, both of which can lessen stopping power, replacing the entire brake set is also typically safer.

Fortunately, new varieties of rotors are reasonably priced, especially when you consider the expense of milling your old rotors only to replace them once more later on. This may help to explain why more and more maintenance facilities advise replacing brake rotors rather than refinishing them.

How can I tell if my brakes or rotors need to be replaced?

  • Brake pad quality: Contact with cheap, harsh brake pads or improperly placed brake pads will result in damage.
  • Driving style and Environment: Driving in cities, mountains, or in harsh settings (like the scorching heat of the desert or the bitter cold of the winter) results in faster rotor wear rates.
  • Car weight: Rotors and pads deteriorate more quickly the heavier the car or the more upgrades or alterations a vehicle has received.
  • Axle position: With forward bias proportioning, the front axle normally carries more weight than the back. The front often wears rotors and brake pads more quickly than the rear because it carries a greater “load” when braking.

In its most basic form, stopping and slowing down a car involves braking rotors being pressed by brake pads, but it’s actually more complicated than that. Let’s examine the sequential operation of the entire system.

  • The driver presses the brake pedal in an effort to bring the vehicle to a stop.
  • Brake fluid is forced out of the reservoir by a plunger in the master cylinder.
  • The fluid travels to the wheels via stiff brake lines.
  • The fluid is then transported into calipers by flexible brake lines.
  • The brake pistons in the calipers are forced out by the fluid pressure.
  • The backing plate of the brake pads is compressed by the pistons.
  • Brake rotors and pads begin to rub against one another, with the pad linings pressing on the rotor surface from both the inside and the outside.
  • The car slows down or comes to a stop as a result of the friction.
  • The brake rotors and pads heat up to a high degree as a lot of heat is produced.

The ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System), ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation), and ESP (Electronic Stability Program) systems in contemporary vehicles regulate the pressure of the brake fluid.

One of the most noticeable components of the entire brake system are the brake rotors. They are those metal discs attached on the wheel hubs that resemble a flying saucer and are seen just beyond the hub cap. They are often created by casting solid “blanks” made of special metal alloys, which must be resistant to wear and high temperatures, in molds; typically, cast iron and cast steel are used for this process. They are molded with internal cooling vanes in addition to the holes for the bolts that secure them to the axle. Depending on the vehicle and end usage they are intended for, they may then be specially machined to include slots and/or drilled holes.

The friction that results from the compression of brake pads against rotors generates heat and fumes that may become trapped inside the system. The least expensive alternative, solid rotors have a propensity to overheat. Comparatively, higher-quality rotors have a number of venting methods to reduce that heat. In addition to facilitating faster heat dissipation, drilling holes and milling slots into the surface that comes into contact with the brake pads prevents gasses and debris from being trapped, hence increasing the rotor’s wear life and maintaining the braking system’s durability. Slotted-only rotors have internal ventilation channels that conduct heat away from the front of the car and toward the rear.

Custom brake rotors constructed of ceramic or carbon materials are very expensive but seldom overheat; they are utilized in high-end and racing cars.

Brake rotors should be inspected at every maintenance and service your automobile receives even though they typically last longer than brake pads, typically at a rate of two to one. Measuring their physical thickness to see whether they are too thin is the most reliable approach to tell if they are nearing the end of their lives. The vehicle’s service manual specifies the minimum thickness, and some brake rotor manufacturers even etch it on the surface of the rotor.

Additionally, if any of the following symptoms occur, brake rotors may also need to be replaced:

  • The driver feels a vibration in the steering wheel and/or the brake pedal after depressing the brake pedal.
  • Reason: Pad deposits. On the face of the rotor, brake pad material can accumulate and produce high spots. Usually, a brake system that is overheated or underheated causes this. As the caliper piston is moved in and out of the caliper, these deposits often manifest more as pedal feedback.
  • Pad deposits can be avoided by selecting the proper brake pad compound formulation for your vehicle. Nevertheless, if the deposits are not eliminated by repeating the bed-in procedure, turning or replacing the rotors may be required.
  • Although severe steering wheel vibration can occur, it usually occurs as a result of a failing suspension component and not a braking component, despite the possibility of steering wheel shudder and/or feedback.
  • When braking, the brakes make a lot of noise.
  • Corrosion or worn-out components are the causes. The tight tolerances between brake parts might be impacted by heavily corroded brake components, leading to dragging or grinding effects. In order to warn drivers that their brakes need to be replaced, many brake pads are available with “mechanical wear sensors,” which are metal clips that are intended to scrape against the rotor when the brake pad thickness gets too low and produce an audible noise. These systems serve as a helpful reminder to check your rotors as well, even though their primary purpose is to draw attention to worn brake pads.
  • Surface cracks have appeared on the brake rotor.
  • Extreme heat is the cause. It’s crucial to realize that there are two separate kinds of rotor “cracks” that relate to the rotor’s expansion and compression as it cools and heats, but signify different problems.
  • Heat checking: As depicted in the image below, this condition causes tiny hairline fractures to form on the rotor’s friction surface. This heat checking is quite normal and expected when operating at high temperatures, such as in a racing setting, and rotors exhibiting this are not always thought to need replacement.
  • In contrast, if a fracture spreads and touches either the outer or inner edge of the rotor, as in the illustration below, the rotor has reached the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced right away.
  • Note: It is important to understand that heat checking is not a result of subpar materials, and that cracks do not appear when run at extremely high temperatures. The greater the quality of the rotor, the longer the rotor will endure before either types of cracks occur.
  • The functioning surface of the brake rotor has been scratched or damaged.
  • Worn component or debris is the cause. If the metal backing plate of heavily worn brake pads comes into touch with the rotor, the rotor may be harmed. Additionally, road debris like stones and rust can get in between the brake pad and the rotor, causing the friction surface to groove.
  • Contrary to what many people think, brake rotors almost rarely “warp.” This is a very uncommon occurrence because bending, or “warping,” a rotor requires enormous amounts of physical and thermal energy. Any unevenness, however, is solely the effect of pad deposits.

Whatever the reason of the wear, it is advisable to replace the entire assembly at once, including the front and rear brake rotors AND the front and rear brake pads, if even one rotor is worn out.

Brake rotors have a significant impact on driving safety, thus they must be changed with new ones as soon as damage is discovered. According to the automobile manufacturer’s recommendations, brake rotors must be chosen, and it is recommended to select branded items, ideally cross-drilled and vented types, made from high-quality materials. As some aftermarket manufacturers have recognized rotor weight and technical shortcomings and addressed these in their product offerings, researching known difficulties with your make and model of car may also provide insight into better-than-OEM remedies.

You are the best person to describe how safe braking feels in your own car. A rotor can sustain certain damage that will immediately modify its ability to brake, and that change needs rapid and urgent attention. However, since brake rotor deterioration can occur gradually over time, it’s equally crucial to inspect them at every service and record their thickness, degree of corrosion, and surface condition. Additionally, it’s time to replace the brake system components if you’ve made any modifications to your car or truck that alter the weight of the wheels or the overall vehicle, how the vehicle is utilized, or if you’ve added towing or increased payload.

The greatest approach to ensure your safety while driving is to replace your old, low-performance brake pads and rotors with new, high-performance ones!