PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

Replacing the brake pads is a fairly simple process that can even be accomplished by someone who does not have a lot of experience working on cars. This is a procedure on how to do that.

Front

Remove two-thirds of the brake fluid from the master cylinder. (This will prevent fluid from being spilled out of the reservoir if some has been added as the brakes wear.)
Raise the vehicle and suitably support
Remove the Wheel. Important: Do not use a screwdriver or pry bar to compress the caliper piston into the caliper. Any damage to the piston boot could cause corrosive elements to enter the piston sealing area and lead to the piston seizing in the caliper bore.
Using a large C clamp compress the caliper piston into the caliper bore completely.
Remove the bottom caliper slide pin (The bottom one. However, I like to remove both so that I can inspect the pins, as well as clean and lube them.).
Pivot the caliper body upward.
Remove the inboard and outboard pads from the anchor bracket.
Remove and inspect the pad retainers. (Those are the metal clips at each side of the pads. Clean those up well if you don't get new ones with the pads. Apply just a touch of brakes grease to them)

Installation Procedure

Important: Inspect the caliper bolt suspension boots for cuts, tears, or deterioration. If damaged, replace the pin boots. Inspect the caliper pin bolts for damage or corrosion. Replace if damaged or corroded. Do not attempt to clean away corrosion. Corrosion is typically caused by damaged pin boots. Lube the slide pins with grease specifically made for use on brakes.
Install the brake pad retainers into the caliper anchor bracket.
Install both brake pads into the caliper anchor bracket. Important: The caliper piston boot must lay flat. Make sure convolutions are tucked into place.
Use a small plastic or wooden tool to lift the inner edge of the boot next to the piston, and press out any trapped air.
Pivot the caliper down over the brake pads and into the anchor bracket.
Insert the lower caliper slide pin. Tighten the caliper slide pin to 85 Nm (63 ft. lbs.).
Install the tire and wheel assembly.
Lower the vehicle.
Start the vehicle and apply an average amount of force three times to the brake pedal to seat the brake caliper piston and brake pads.
Refill the brake fluid.
Burnish the pads and rotors.

Rear

When compressing the piston and pads initially, do not exceed more than 1 mm of piston travel. Damage to the internal adjusting mechanism may result.

Using a large C clamp compress the caliper piston into the caliper bore to gain enough clearance to allow the caliper to pivot off the caliper bracket. Compress the piston until resistance is felt, but no more than 1 mm of piston travel.
Remove the park brake bracket from the brake caliper. Leave the park brake cable attached to the cable bracket. (If you remove the cable clamp on the lower control arm, you may be able to swing the caliper up enough to get the pads off without removing that bracket. The problem is that the bolt holding that could fight you, and then the threads in the control arm may get stripped.)

Remove the bottom caliper slide pin. (This time there is only one bolt.)
Pivot the caliper body upward.
Remove the inboard and outboard pads from the anchor bracket.
Remove and inspect the pad retainers.

Installation Procedure
Retract the caliper piston into the caliper bore. Use a spanner type wrench to turn the piston clockwise until it bottoms out fully in the caliper. (Some use channel locks, or vise grips to do this. Be careful not to damage the piston boot.)
Align the cutouts in the caliper piston to the alignment pins on the back of the brake pads. Important: Inspect the caliper bolt suspension boots for cuts, tears, or deterioration. If damaged, replace the pin boots. Inspect the caliper pin bolts for damage or corrosion. Replace if damaged or corroded. Do not attempt to clean away corrosion. Corrosion is typically caused by damaged pin boots. Inspect the piston boot for deterioration, replace if damaged.
Install the brake pad retainers into the caliper anchor bracket.
Install the inboard and outboard brake pads into the caliper anchor bracket. Important: The caliper piston boot must lay flat. Make sure convolutions are tucked into place.
Use a small plastic or wooden tool to lift the inner edge of the boot next to the piston, and press out any trapped air.
Pivot the caliper down over the brake pads and into the anchor bracket.
Insert the lower caliper slide pin. Tighten the caliper slide pin to 20 ft lbs.
Install the park brake cable and bracket to the brake caliper.
Connect the park brake cable to the park brake lever on the caliper.
Install the tire and wheel assembly.
Lower the vehicle.
Start the vehicle and apply an average amount of force three times to the brake pedal to seat the brake caliper piston and the brake pads.
Burnish the pads and rotors.

Burnishing Pads and Rotors
Burnish the new braking surface by making 20 stops from 30 mph.
Use medium to firm pressure on the brake pedal. Do not overheat the brakes.

A couple of things to add;

First off this is the best time to change the brake fluid since it is contaminated. Just look at the color, probably not clear like it is supposed to be. Changing the fluid has a couple of methods, if you are unsure how, please post and ask.

The fronts, you also need to clean the boot off before pushing it in. Pushing the piston back in and shoving all that old fluid into the system is not the best thing for it. Open the bleeder and with a hose attached, guide the old fluid into a waist container. You also need to clean the rim of the piston where the pads ride and the caliper area where the outboard pads ride. This will eliminate uneven pad wear and brake noise. Inspect the hub for rust buildup, clean as good as you can with out grinding away metal.

The rears are similar with one change, I use a pair of needle nose pliers to push and turn the piston in, if it will not go in by this method the caliper needs replacement. Many years at a GM dealership taught me this.

Proper Torque of the wheels is important; you need to set torque to 50Lbsft for the first pass and then 100Lbsft f or the second pass. After you test drive it is a good idea to retorque them again. Some people run the wrench over them and call it good. Me personally, I back each one off at a time then retorque to 100Lbsft. If I don’t do this on our SSEi every time I rotate the tires and wheels I will get a pulsation in less than 1000 miles.

Due to the materials used in brake pads lately, burnishing is not really necessary. But still do it to ensure proper pad alignment, it can only help.