shaginwgn

Tools and parts need:
New rotors and pads your choice (EBC for me)
Jack, lugnut wrench
15MM socket and wrench
metal coat hang or wire
needlenose pliers
flashlight/troublelight if needed

1) Get jack and lugnut wrench out of spare tire compartment or use regualr jack with HHR adapter

2) Place jack on lift area mine had mark on running board to help me find it better

3) Loosen lugnuts on wheel while wheel/hhr is not jacked up makes it a little easier not jacked up(doesnt slide)

4) Jack the hhr up

5) Unscrew lugnuts and remove wheel

6) Unscrew the two caliper 15MM bolts around 1 and 4 oclock position on right side(wrench is one above image) and 11 and 8 position.

7)hang caliper using metal coat hanger or something similar on right side there is a nice hole to hang coat hanger(striaght above the wrench in image above)

8)My rotors had metal piece to hold rotors in place on the 11 and 2 position. Easiest way I found to remove them was using needle nose pliers and twisting the metal stoppers back and forth untill they broke


9)Rotors should slide off now


10)put the new rotors on

11)Might need to put the cyclinder that pushes pad against rotor back in so pads will slide on the rotors. I used a big adjustable wrench with the old pad on and squeezed the wrench to depress the cylinder(may not be the correct method but it worked for me, no problems)

12)Pads will slide out of the groves and new ones will slide in. I removed the clip on the old inside pad and put it in the new pad.

13)Put caliper with new pads on rotor and tighten bolts back up. Make sure they are on there very tight.

I decided to paint mine


14)Put wheel back on and tighten lugnuts to 100lbs of torque(GM recommendation)

15)Remove jack and do other side

Light from above

Sorry about quality of pics used camcorder

Tony_SS

I like the black rotors. I'm curious to see how long they stay black!

shaginwgn

The black is the zinc plating, the pads rub it off where it contacts the rotor.

monster5601

For item 13, instead of "very tight", the service manual calls for 25 foot pounds of torque.

sunbound

Cool,

How do you do the rear drums?

I've done them once on my 87 iroc, and they where a royal PITA!!! (keeping fingers crossed that they have gotten easier).

Jon

ChevyMgr

This is a good general "how to" for rotor/pad replacement only.

But I would suggest that a novice, someone that has never done brakes before, not attempt a front brake service with out more instructions, training and/or experience. A person needs to have an understanding of the effects on the brake fluid levels before and after servicing, bleeding the brakes if necessary and know to seat the pads before attempting to drive (critical to in my opinion). You would also need to burnish them on the test drive afterwards. Lubrication on caliper slides is also may be necessary, which is why GM includes a tube of lube with their pads, but there are other lubes out there.

I will guess you removed the caliper to paint it. If someone is going to also remove the caliper for painting, there are more steps to be done.

xzombiex66

With the EBC pads they say not to put any lube on the pads.

ChevyMgr

lube is for caliper slides if necessary, not the pads. Although brake silencer on the back of the pads is used for squeaky brakes.

xzombiex66

ohh yea they say not to put lube on the back of the pad with EBC.

ChevyMgr

I would always trust the manufacturers instructions, so keep the lube away from those bad boy pads!