The S10 is Chevrolet’s small pickup truck designed as an economical alternative to the full-size Silverado pickups. The S10 has four-wheel disc brakes, complete with single-piston calipers in the rear. The caliper piston pushes the brake pad inward, which then contacts the rotor. The brake rotor, mounted to the axle hub, then comes to a stop from the friction applied by the brake pads. As the pads latch onto the rotor, the pad surface slowly wears away until you must eventually replace the pads.
Loosen the lug nuts on both rear wheels using the lug wrench. Place the wheel chocks in front and behind the left-front tire.
Roll the floor jack under the rear differential of the S10, lift the pickup with the jack and then place the jack stands under the rear axle. Lower the truck onto the jack stands.
Take off the rear lug nuts and wheels by hand. Move them out of the way, making sure to keep all the lug nuts together so none go missing.
Lay the drop pan down under the left-rear brake assembly and thoroughly clean the brakes with the brake cleaner spray. Remove as much brake dust as you can with the spray, to avoid breathing any of it.
Remove the caliper bolts with the socket set and then lift the brake caliper out of the caliper mounting bracket by hand. Pull the old brake pads out of the caliper and discard them.
Clean the inside of the caliper with the brake cleaner, allow it to dry for about a minute and then apply a thin layer of white lithium grease to the caliper slide pins.
Force the caliper pistons back into the caliper with the caliper piston tool. Remove the tool and insert the new brake pads. Put the caliper back into the caliper bracket, thread the bolts back in by hand and then tighten them with the socket set.
Repeat steps four through seven on the right-rear and then reinstall the wheels and lug nuts.
Lift the S10 off the jack stands with the floor jack, remove the jack stands and then lower the truck to the ground. Move the chocks out from under the right-front wheel and then tighten the lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. with the torque wrench.
