Acura CL Brake Rotor and Pad Replacement with Caliper Painting

Loosen the lug nuts slightly, then raise the vehicle and set it on jack stands rated for the load. Supporting both sides of an axle at once makes it easier to move between corners. Never work under a car held up by the jack alone. Remove the road wheel to expose the brake assembly. Turning the front wheels toward the side you are servicing swings the caliper outward and improves access to its fasteners.

Take out the two caliper bolts that let the caliper pivot off the rotor, then work the caliper free with light rocking until it clears the pads. Do not let it dangle from the flexible brake hose. Support it from a suspension member with wire or strong cord so no strain reaches the hose or its fitting.

If you are changing pads only and leaving the rotor in place, slide the worn pads out of the bracket, apply brake lubricant to the backing plates and shims of the new pads, seat them, and reverse the removal steps. Skip the rotor and bracket work below and continue at reassembly.

Lift out the old pads and shims. Unbolt the two bracket mounting bolts, which are torqued to 80 ft-lb, so use a breaker bar or a long handle rather than hammering on a short ratchet. Several members reported these bolts seized solid; if one will not move, soak it with penetrating spray, give it time to work, and apply steady leverage instead of impact. With the bracket off, the rotor is exposed.

Fresh pads are thicker than worn ones, so the piston must be pushed back into its bore to make room. Set a C-clamp across the caliper body and piston and drive it in gradually. Move it slowly rather than forcing it quickly, because a sudden push can damage the piston seal. Watch the brake fluid reservoir, as displaced fluid raises its level.

Back out the two countersunk retaining screws in the rotor face. They corrode badly and usually will not turn with a plain screwdriver, so seat a hand impact driver squarely and strike it to break them loose. If a rotor is rusted to the hub, thread the removed screws into the two dedicated jacking holes and turn them evenly to push the rotor off. Fit the new rotor; if its screw holes do not line up, the retaining screws can be left out without affecting operation.

Coat the bracket bolt threads with Permatex brake lubricant, refit the bracket over the new rotor, and torque both bolts to 80 ft-lb. Install the shims, apply lubricant to the backs of the pads, and set the pads in place. Return the caliper over the pads and secure its bolts to specification. Confirm nothing binds and the pads sit square against the rotor.

For the optional cosmetic finish, cover the rotor with a bag or newspaper and tape over anything that must stay clean, including the piston face and any exposed seals. Paint only the outward-facing surfaces. Lay down two coats of high-temperature primer, let each flash off, then apply four coats of gloss black high-temperature paint rated to 500 degrees. Thin, even coats give a smoother result than heavy ones.

Wrap the half of the bracket you are not painting and shield the slider boots at the top and bottom, since paint on the rubber can stiffen or tear it. Prime and topcoat the bracket the same way as the caliper. Let everything cure fully before the parts see heat from driving.

Clean the wheel so it matches the refreshed brake, then remount it and torque the lug nuts to specification in a crossing pattern. Lower the car. Before driving, press the brake pedal repeatedly until it firms up, which seats the pads against the rotors and restores the piston travel that was pushed back during assembly.