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You can save a great deal of money if you can take care of your brakes on your own. Honestly, there isn't much to it. Personally, I prefer to change the rotors along with the pads. You can find inexpensive rotors are at your local auto parts store.

Tools Necessary:

• reliable socket set
• hammer
• high temp caliper lube
• anti squeak lube or anti-seize
• brake cleaner
• large Screwdriver
• impact driver (available from Sears or most automotive shops)
• caliper piston compressing tool, front and rear (can be purchased at most automotive parts stores or Sears) or large channel locks
• jack and jack stands

Note: I'll be discussing brake maintenance for a civic. The procedure will be correct for most automobiles where the differences will be minimal. My experience with drum brakes is very limited, so I won't be discussing them.

Start by raising and securing the vehicle.  Next, remove the wheel and turn the steering wheel so that the caliper faces you

Remove the bolts for the outer part of the caliper and then remove the bolts for the inner caliper.  Separating the two halves will make it much easier to compress the piston and set the new pads.  Virtually every vehicle made has calipers that are similar in design.  You need to check a service manual to determine the specific method of removal. 

With the caliper sections removed, take a moment to lube any slider pins that may be present.  Make sure the dust boots are in good shape.  If the boot is torn debris can contaminate the grease, causing the pins to lock up and therefore render your brakes useless.

Before setting the inner caliper aside, apply some anti-seize or anti-squeak lube to the pad contact points.  This will help reduce any brake squealing as well as keep the pad from seizing to the caliper.

Remove the rotor and spray the hub with brake cleaner to remove any debris.  You may need to remove any rotor retaining screws using an impact driver (found in my special tools section)  Once you remove the retaining screws, just throw them out.

Slide on the new caliper and use a lug nut to hold it in place.

Install the inner caliper.

Slide the new pads into place.

You will need to compress the piston before you put it back on the inner caliper.  This can be done with a large pair of channel locks, a vice, or specialty compressing tool.  It may also be necessary for you to keep an eye on the brake fluid reservoir and make sure that it does not overflow.

NOTE:

Rear disk brakes are a bit more difficult to compress. This is where more significant differences can be found between manufacturers. For civic rear brakes, you can use either a specific tool designed for rear disk brakes or use a pair of hefty needle nose pliers. You need to turn the piston clockwise while you push. A bit of spray lubricant is recommended to help free up the piston and prevent tearing the seal.

Most Mazda's require you to remove a small access plug on the back of the caliper and back out the piston with an allen tool and then adjust once the new pads have been installed.

With the caliper compressed, set it on the inner caliper and replace the bolts.

At this point, you can step back and check out your good work.  Double check to make sure that you have tightened all of the bolts.  Before you go to test your new brakes, make sure to depress the brake pedal several times to push the pistons back out.

Possible Upgrades:

There are several different upgrades you can choose from.  The first possibility would be to pick up aftermarket rotors and Pads.  EBC, Porterfield and OMP are a few examples.

With base model civics, a simple and cost effective upgrade would be to swap in EX brakes, front and rear or integra brakes front and rear.  Necessary parts would include the front knuckle and caliper, and the rear brakes would require the trailing arm assembly, brake lines and cables for the e-brake. 

If you already have an EX or an Integra, you may want to consider an upgrade that will allow you to use 15" wheels.  Fast Brakes is a company that utilizes factory components to upgrade brakes.  One option uses Prelude VTEC rotors redrilled to fit the civic's bolt pattern.  Slightly modified Prelude VTEC/Integra Type R/Accord wagon calipers are then used with the larger rotors.

If more stopping power is necessary, there are kits from Stop Tech and Brembo that are far more aggressive and require larger wheels.

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