Nissan Altima DIY Big Brake Kit

This is an install tutorial that will help you to replace both front and rear rotors and calipers, brake pads, and brake lines.

So, Let’s get to it. You’ll need to jack your car up and place stands underneath the recommended areas first. For this tutorial, the car was brought to a garage with a lift.

Then of course take off the wheels. When the wheels are off, use a hydraulic wrench and disconnect the brake lines and let them bleed out the DOT3 fluid. Then take out the retaining clip that holds the line in the holder. There are two of them, one on the body and one on the strut. While that’s draining, there are two bolts that need to be unscrewed so the front caliper can be removed entirely.

While that is draining, loosen up these two bolts but do not take them all the way out.

Once you have the calipers off, remove the OEM disc. It should just come off. If it doesn’t, use a hanger and strike the disc in between the lugs to release it. Be careful not to hit the threads on the lugs. You can screw on the lug nuts over the thread while you hit the disc to protect the threads if you so choose.

If there is rust behind the disc, now is the time to clean it up with a small air sander or wire brush.

Place the new Rotor on the hub/strut assembly and use a lug nut to hold it in place with a lug nut in the bottom position.

Next take the Stillen brake adapter and with the big bolts that you loosened in the earlier step, tighten these bolts into the brake holder. Be sure to use red locktite in the threads before screwing it down (oooo…that sounded dirty)

Next, take the pre-loaded calipers and with the two black hex nuts given, screw them through the caliper onto the brake holder. Screw these down to 30lbs ft. torque and don’t forget about the locktite.

Next install the new Stainless Steel Brake lines in the reverse order of how you removed the OEM lines. Pretty straight forward. I didn’t think that warranted pictures.

NOTE When installing the new lines, start from the caliper and work your way back up to the main connecting point. Doing this will ease the installation of the line as well as promote natural “bends” in the line.Connect the hose back to the connecting point and tighten down the nut with the hydraulic wrench. Don’t forget to use the clips to keep the hose in place. Leave the bolt that screws in the caliper loose at this point to continue the bleeding process.

This is how it should look like when you’re done the one side.

When you’re done, Go on to the the other side and repeat the process.

Now it’s on the the rear rotors!

Start by loosening the nut that connects the brake line to the brake hose. Let the line bleed out the old fluid.

Again, behind the caliper, there are two bolts. Loosen these bolts to remove the caliper. Once you have the caliper off, remove the hose from the caliper.

remove the old pads and if need be remove any form of rust or deposit off of the caliper.

Once they are cleaned off. Install the new PADs with some brake grease.

Put on the new rotors and hold it in place with a lug nut at the bottom so the rotor doesn’t fall off accidentally. Attach the new SS hoses onto the caliper and reinstall the caliper back and tighten down the bolts.

There is a little rubber bushing that needs to be taken off the old rotor and installed on the new one.

Now it’s time to bleed the brakes!!!

Bleed the brakes in a cross pattern

That means bleeding the right front then the left rear, then the left front followed by the right rear.

Go around the vehicle and loosen all of the bleeder valves with a hydraulic wrench and hand tighten them back up.

It’s best if you have a plastic bottle with a hose that you can slip over the bleeders as to catch all of the excess brake fluid. It is possible to bleed the brakes by yourself but it is always easier with two people.

I’m not going to do a write up on this as this is very simple.

When you are sure that ALL of the old fluid is out and the new fluid is in the lines and in the hoses, tighten (not crank down on it) up the bleeder valves.

Now SLOWLY place the wheel on the hub and MAKE SURE that the wheel clears the calipers of the BBK. Hand tighten down the nuts before going crazy with an impact wrench. If you are certain it will clear the caliper, then proceed slowly to tighten. When it’s all done, High Five yourself or your buddy that helped you and stand back and take in the glory of the Big Brake Kit!

Originally posted by Dangeris