Replacing brake pads

[Skydiver]

For someone who has never done it before, how hard is it to replace the brake pads? And if you replace one (only one is pretty thin), then should all four be replaced at the same time?
Also, do the rotors always need to be turned when pads are replaced? Mine are not perfectly smooth, but they don't seem too bad.
Thanks.

[bryrylan]

very easy, pull the wheel, caliper bolts(2), pulll the pads out put the new ones in put it all back togther. Dont forget to grease the slides so you dont get any sticking pads. I have done it with out turning the rotors but it eats pads faster plus, if your baseing this on looking threw the wheel the backside of the rotor maybe much more ugly than the outward facing side, this happend to me.

[doczenith1]

I'm no expert but if you have one out of four surfaces worn excessively I would guess that the slide pins on that caliper are not functioning properly. I would replace all the pads and lubricate the slide pins. If you don't replace all of the pads you will most likely have different friction levels on each side of the vehicle which may cause the vehicle to pull to one side.

Perhaps Jack, the resident brake expert, will chime in and set the record straight.

Al