How to Replace the Emergency Brakes in a Chevy Impala

The original purpose of emergency brakes was to stop your vehicle in an emergency. Fortunately, the brakes on an Chevy Impala rarely fail, and the emergency brakes are most commonly used to keep the vehicle from moving while parked. The most likely type of failure for emergency brakes is when the brake cable rusts and seizes after being unused for a long period of time.

Instructions

1

Determine which type of emergency brakes your Chevy Impala will need. Emergency brakes typically function by activating the regular braking system on the driving wheels. The emergency brakes for the Chevy Impala use the rear wheels, which may have disc or drum brakes.

2

Remove the caliper from its mounting bracket with a socket wrench and support the brake caliper with heavy mechanic's wire to prevent the hydraulic brake hose from bearing the weight of the brake caliper. Take the brake pads, their retainers and the brake caliper guide pins from the brake caliper bracket with a socket wrench.

3

Apply a thin coat of high-temperature silicone brake lubricant to the inside of the brake caliper guide pin boots. Ensure there is not an excessive amount of lubricant on the end of the lower guide pin and that the rim of the guide pin boots is seated in the guide pin grooves. Lubricate the brake pad mating surfaces of the caliper bracket very lightly.

4

Mount the disc brake pad with the wear sensor inboard of the rotor so that the sensor's leading edge faces the brake rotor when the wheel rotates forward.

5

Attach the caliper to the mounting bracket with a socket wrench while using the mechanic's wire to support it. Remove the mechanic's wire.