How to Replace Front Disc Brake Pads on a 1994 BMW 740il

Removing the Brake Pads
1. Remove half the fluid from the brake master cylinder using a clean turkey baster and a suitable container.
2. Turn the front wheel lug nuts counterclockwise two turns using a lug wrench.
3. Raise the front of your BMW with a floor jack and support it on two jack stands.
4. Finish removing the front wheel assemblies and start working on one brake assembly at a time.
5. Follow the cable from the brake-pad wear sensor going into the top of the caliper and carefully disconnect the sensor from the brake pad using a pair of needle-nose pliers.
6. Pull the caps off the caliper-mounting bolts by hand.
7. Unfasten and remove the two caliper-mounting bolts using a ratchet, socket and hex bit.
8. Push the spring clamp on the front of the brake caliper away from the hub using a large standard screwdriver and remove the spring from the caliper using a pair of needle-nose pliers.
9. Rock the brake caliper back and forth carefully to dislodge the caliper from the brake rotor.
10. Tie the brake caliper to the coil spring on the strut assembly using heavy wire. This will prevent the brake hose connected to the caliper from getting damaged.
11. Remove the outboard brake pad from the brake-mounting bracket by hand.
12. Position a large C-clamp over the brake caliper to seat the caliper piston into its bore. Allow the C-clamp screw to slowly push against the inboard brake pad still mounted on the caliper to seat the piston.
13. Remove the C-clamp and carefully pry off the inboard brake pad from the caliper using a standard screwdriver.
Installing the New Brake Pads
14. Spray the brake assembly with brake-parts cleaner and wipe the assembly with lint-free towels.
15. Apply brake grease to the back of the new inboard brake pad, around its mounting spring, where it comes in contact with the caliper piston. Be careful not to get any grease on the lining of the new pads.
16. Install the new inboard brake pad by pressing the back spring against the caliper piston.
17. Apply brake grease to the brake caliper and caliper-mounting bracket where they come in contact with the outboard brake pad.
18. Position the new outboard brake pad on the caliper-mounting bracket.
19. Untie the brake caliper from the coil spring and install it on the mounting bracket.
20. Insert the two caliper-mounting bolts and tighten the bolts with the ratchet, socket and hex bit. Replace the caps to the caliper-mounting bolts.
21. Connect the brake-pad sensor using the needle-nose pliers.
22. Push the spring clamp into position on the front of the brake caliper by hand.
23. Replace the brake pads in the opposite wheel assembly. Follow Step 5 from the previous sections through Step 8 of this section.
24. Mount the wheel assemblies and install the wheel lugs.
25. Lower your vehicle and finish tightening the wheel lugs using the lug wrench.
26. Refill the brake master cylinder with new brake fluid to bring the level up to the 'Full' mark, if necessary.
27. Depress the brake pedal several times to properly seat the new pads on the brake rotor.