Tools you need for front brakes on a 2018-2024 Toyota Camry

The XV70 Camry front brake job is one of the friendliest on any modern Toyota. Single-piston sliding calipers, two 14 mm guide pin bolts, two 17 mm bracket bolts, and a rotor with no retaining screw. The same layout applies to the 2.5 four, the 3.5 V6 and the hybrid — the only real difference across the generation is rotor diameter on TRD and some V6 builds.

The part people get wrong is the hub face. Camry rotors seize to the aluminum hub and the corrosion scale left behind causes runout, which shows up as a pulsing pedal a few thousand miles later. Wire-brush the hub down to bare metal, use M8x1.25 bolts in the rotor's service holes instead of beating on it, and torque the lug nuts to 76 ft-lb with a wrench rather than an impact gun.

Complete tool and parts list

Differences within the 2018-2024 generation

Caliper bolt sizes (14 mm slide, 17 mm bracket) and 21 mm lug nuts are identical across 2.5 A25A-FKS, 3.5 2GR-FKS and hybrid. What changes is brake size: most trims use a standard vented front rotor around 305 mm, while the 2020+ TRD uses a larger rotor with a dual-piston front caliper, so its pads and rotors are unique. Order parts by VIN, and measure your existing rotor diameter if you are unsure.

Torque specs

How the job goes

1. Park on level ground, chock the rear wheels, and open the hood. Siphon a little brake fluid out of the master cylinder reservoir if it is near full, since pushing the pistons back raises the level.
2. Break the 21 mm lug nuts loose while the wheels are still on the ground. Lift the front with a floor jack at the factory pinch-weld point and set jack stands under the reinforced pinch welds or subframe. Remove both front wheels.
3. Look at the caliper: the two 14 mm bolts on the inboard side are the slide bolts; the two 17 mm bolts behind the caliper hold the bracket to the steering knuckle.
4. Remove the lower 14 mm slide bolt, then the upper, and pivot or lift the caliper off the bracket. Hang it from the strut spring with a bungee cord — never let it dangle on the hose.
5. Slide the old pads out of the bracket and pull the two anti-rattle/support plates. Note which pad has the wear indicator (usually inboard) so the new set goes back the same way.
6. Pull the guide pins out of the rubber boots, wipe them clean, inspect the boots for tears, and apply a thin film of silicone brake grease. Torn boots let the pins seize and cause tapered pad wear.
7. Remove the two 17 mm bracket bolts and take the bracket off. Clean the pad abutment surfaces where the support plates sit.
8. Pull the rotor off. If it is rust-bonded, thread M8 x 1.25 bolts into the two service holes in the rotor face and tighten them alternately to press it free; a few sharp mallet blows on the rotor hat between the studs also helps.
9. Wire-brush the hub face down to clean metal, check runout tolerance if the new rotor wobbles, and wipe a very thin coat of anti-seize on the hub face only — keep it off the studs' seats and the friction surface.
10. Spray both sides of the new rotor with brake cleaner to strip the shipping oil, wipe dry, and fit it flat against the hub. Hold it in place with a lug nut finger-tight if needed.
11. Reinstall the caliper bracket and torque the 17 mm bolts to 79 ft-lb (107 Nm, verify). Fit the support plates, then the new pads with a little silicone grease on the pad ears and the back of the shims — never on the friction face.
12. Push the caliper piston fully back with a C-clamp against the old pad or a spreader tool. Watch the reservoir and the dust boot as you go.
13. Set the caliper over the new pads, install both 14 mm slide bolts, and torque to about 25 ft-lb (34 Nm, verify). Make sure the hose is not twisted or touching the rotor.
14. Repeat on the other side. Refit the wheels, lower the car, and torque the lug nuts to 76 ft-lb (103 Nm) in a star pattern.
15. Pump the brake pedal 8-10 times until it is firm before moving the car. Top the reservoir to the MAX line with DOT 3.
16. Bed the pads in: from about 35 mph, do 6-8 moderate stops down to 5-10 mph with a short cool-down between, then drive a few miles without hard braking. Follow the pad maker's procedure if it differs.

Watch out

The 14 mm slide bolt, 17 mm bracket bolt, 21 mm lug nut sizes and the 76 ft-lb lug torque are solid for the XV70 generation; confirm the two caliper bolt torques in the Toyota service manual, and confirm your rotor/pad size by VIN since TRD and some V6 builds use bigger front brakes.

Other jobs on the 2018-2024 Toyota Camry

Front Brake Pads and Rotors on other vehicles