How to Replace the Brake Pads on a Saab 900

Saab Automobile manufactured the Saab 900 from 1978 to 1998. It was a two-door, compact car that had excellent gas mileage and handling. The disc brakes on it were simple to change and usually took around 30 minutes per wheel for the at home mechanic. The brakes were good for 50,000 to 100,000 miles and usually lasted three to five years. The lightness of the car added to the life of the brakes.

Difficulty: Moderately EasyInstructionsThings You'll Need:

Tire iron
Floor jack
Jack stands
Socket wrench
Rope
C-clamp

Step 1
Loosen all of the lug nuts on the tires one rotation counterclockwise with the tire iron. Make sure that the car is in park, but do not set the parking brake.
Step 2
Situate the floor jack under the axle of the vehicle and raise it until the tire is 2 inches off of the ground. Set the jack stand under the same axle to stabilize the car. Remove the lug nuts completely and remove the tire.
Step 3
Remove the bolts that hold the brake caliper mounting bracket (the half moon shaped metal bracket on the rotor) to the rotor with the socket wrench. Tie the bracket to the wheel well with the rope so that there is no strain on the brake line (the black tube protruding from the back of the bracket).
Step 4
Pull the brake pads out of the bracket with your hands. They easily slip out of the bracket.
Step 5
Clamp the c-clamp onto the bracket. Set the stationary end of the c-clamp against the back of the bracket and the movable end against the brake caliper cylinder. The cylinder is in the center of the bracket. Compress the c-clamp until the caliper cylinder is flush with the bracket.
Step 6
Insert the new brake pads into the slots where the old ones were removed from. They will simply slip in to the bracket.
Step 7
Reattach the mounting bracket to the rotor. Set the wheel back on and tighten down the lug nuts by hand and lower the vehicle. Tighten all of the lug nuts with the tire iron once the car is lowered.