Brake pads serve a critical function on your Cadillac Escalade. Hydraulic fluid is forced through steel tubing to brake calipers. These calipers use a piston that pushes against a brake pad. The piston is forced against the pad by the fluid. The pad material has to be hard enough to create friction, but soft enough to grip the rotor surface at cold temperatures for everyday vehicles like the Escalade. Over time the pads will wear down and need to be replaced. When the pads are 1/8 inch thick, you will need to replace them.
Loosen the front lug nuts. Turn the wrench 1/8 to 1/4 turn. Do not give the wrench more than a 1/4 turn.
Slide the floor jack under the front jack point of the Escalade and jack up on it. Place jack stands under the front pinch welds and lower the escalade onto the jack stands.
Remove the lug nuts and wheel.
Remove the caliper mounting bolts (both top and bottom) and slide the caliper off the rotor. Since it is still attached by the rubber brake line, you need to secure the caliper to the coil springs with zip-ties to prevent damage to the line.
Remove the brake pads from the caliper.
Put the face of the old pad over the caliper piston. Then, clamp down on the pad and caliper assembly with the c-clamp. Make sure that the boot does not twist or rip. It should fold "accordion style" into the caliper.
Insert the new pads into the Escalade's caliper.
Reassemble the brake caliper. Installation is the reverse of removal.
Put the wheel back on, lower the Escalade to the ground and torque the lug nuts to 100-foot-pounds.
