DIY Front Brake Pad Replacement '08 4.8L

[Xtony]

Just got rid of the dusty stock front pads and installed Carbotech Bobcats which had to be custom made for the 4.8 front brakes. Here are a few pictures of the procedure. If you've done brake pads on BMWs before, there's really nothing new other than the anti-rattle clip now includes a dust shield, the brake pad sensor wire is much sturdier, and the brake fluid reservoir is hidden under a plastic grill. Oh, I also noticed my sport package wheels are made in Mexico!

Please don't attempt this unless you know what you're up against. Working on brakes can have dangerous consequences. I am comfortable doing this type of work since I run my e46 M3 on the track, and in fact never trust anyone with my brake work.

First of all make sure your e-brake is set. Slightly loosen the lug bolts before lifting the tire fully off of the ground. Lift the front of the truck by using the lift pad located in the plastic under engine cover.

Set the truck down onto jackstands using the side jack pads.

Remove wheels. Mine were already difficult to remove due to rusting although my X5 has never seen road salt. Banging the tire from behind with a loose lugbolt to keep the wheel from hitting the ground worked for me. Remove the anti-rattle clip/dust shield by prying it off with a screwdriver.

Now remove the plastic caps that covers the caliper carrier bolts/pins. They are located on the inside of the caliper at the top and bottom. turning the wheel so you can see behind the caliper helps. The caps just pry off with a thin blade screwdriver.

Now using a 7mm hex socket and long breaker bar remove the two caliper carrier bolts. They shouldn't be very tight. The bolts are inside of a rubber sleeve and you will have to grab them and pull them out once they have been totally loosened.


Once the two bolts are out wiggle the caliper as you pull to the rear of the car to remove the caliper. Once the caliper is removed secure it with a bungee cord or metal hanger to keep the caliper from damaging the attached brake fluid hose. Remove the old pads. The inboard pad will be stuck inside the caliper cylinder by three prongs on the backing plate of the inboard brake pad.

Unless the brake pads you have removed are fairly new, you will now have to compress the caliper piston to make room for your new pads. I use the old inboard pad with a C-clamp to compress the piston. Before doing this you will need to uncap the brake fluid reservoir. The reservoir is located under a plastic grill near the firewall on the driver's side of the engine compartment. The grill is easily removed after loosening four plastic quick release bolts.


Once the piston has been compressed clean everything up and install the new pads. One has the clips that go in the caliper piston and the other just slides into the front of the caliper carrier. You probably want to pretreat the backing plates and the arms of the new pads with CRC anti-squeal goop.

Slide the caliper back into place. Reinstall the caliper carrier bolts. Sometimes you will need to jiggle and press the caliper in order to get the bolts started in their hole. Make sure you're not stripping the bolts. Torque them to 22-24 ft-lb. Replace the anti-rattle clip by sliding it front to back until the prongs drop into place. It can be a pain to get it in.

On to the driver's side. Everything is the same except that there will be a brake pad sensor pressed into the inboard pad.

Remove the sensor by grabbing it with needle nose pliers close to where it enters the pad. Make sure you don't lose the metal spring device that holds the sensor inside the pad. Sometimes it will stay in the slot of the old pad.

Here's a picture of the sensor with the metal spring clip in place.

Make sure you install it after you finish replacing the driver's side pads. You might want to practice sliding it into the pad before you install it, just so you know what you're doing since it's hard to see once the caliper is reattached.

Before you reinstall your wheels, apply a thin layer of anti-seize compound to the mating surfaces of the wheel and rotor/hub to keep them from rusting together. Enjoy your dust free wheels!