The Toyota Camry is a popular car equipped with a hydraulic braking system. The front brakes work when hydraulic pressure is generated by the driver pushing on the brake pedal. The pressure of the fluid moves the piston located in each front caliper toward the rotor; the brake pads then create friction with the rotor slowing the vehicle. This process will eventually wear the brake pads down. When pads have approximately 25 percent of material left, they must be changed.
Place the Camry in park and set the emergency brake. Place wheel chocks in front and behind the rear wheels to stop the car from moving. Loosen each lug nut on the front wheels, one turn with the breaker bar and socket.
Raise the car with the floor jack and secure the vehicle on jack stands.
Remove all of the lug nuts on both front wheels with the socket and ratchet. Remove each tire and store them out of the way.
Using the metric wrench, remove the upper and lower caliper bolts. Pull the caliper away from the rotor to expose the brake pads. Use a short piece of wire to hang the caliper from the suspension; this will help prevent undue stress on the rubber brake hose attached to the brake caliper.
Remove the inner and outer brake pads, pulling them perpendicular to the rotor. Lay each brake pad down under on the floor in the same direction they came from the caliper bracket. Lay the new brake pads on the floor to match the old pads. Transfer any backing plates from the old pads to the new pads.
Push the brake caliper piston to the fully retracted position with the disc brake spreader tool.
Install the new brake pads in the brake caliper bracket. Make sure to keep any retaining brackets in place when the new pads are installed. It may help to insert the bottom of the new pad in the bracket, then gently work the upper end into the bracket.
Remove the wire holding the brake caliper and dispose of the wire. Install the brake caliper over the brake pads by pressing the caliper into the brake caliper bracket. Hold the brake pads against the rotor to assist in installation of the caliper.
Align the brake caliper with the caliper bracket holes and insert the two brake caliper bolts. Tighten the bolts with a metric wrench.
Install the wheel in place on the wheel studs. Screw the lug nuts onto the wheel studs and tighten with the socket and ratchet.
Lower the Camry from the jack stands using the floor jack. Tighten each of the front lug nuts to 90 foot-pounds of torque with the torque wrench.
Remove the wheel chocks from the rear wheels. Start the vehicle and press the brake pedal six times to move the pistons and new pads into place.
