Polaris Ranger 800 Front Brake Pads Replacement
Changing the brake pads on a side-by-side is an invaluable basic maintenance skill for Polaris UTV owners to have. Grab some basic tools and use this guide to get this Polaris side-by-side brake pad job done in no time.
Follow the steps below and watch the video above to change the front brake pads on a Polaris Ranger Crew 800.
Tools and Parts – Polaris Ranger Crew 800 Front Brake Pads Change
- Ratchet and extensions
- 15mm socket
- 5mm Allen
- C-clamp
- Torque wrench
- Pick tool
- Brake pads (2 sets of 2)
- Contact/brake cleaner
- Blue threadlocker
- Grease
How to Remove Polaris Ranger 800 Crew Front Brake Pads
Step 1. Raise the front of the Ranger and support it on axle stands. Make sure the axle stands are positioned under the frame, not the floor panels, then remove the front wheel.
NOTE: Don’t work on your UTV using only a jack. Make sure the vehicle is properly supported on axle stands.
Step 2. Loosen the 5mm Allen brake pad adjustment bolt. Don’t remove the bolt, just back it off a few turns to free up the brake pads.
Step 3. Remove the two 15mm bolts securing the brake caliper and its mounting bracket, and slide the caliper assembly off the rotor.
Step 4. Push the two brake pistons back into the caliper by positioning a C-clamp over the brake pads and tightening it down.
PRO TIP: You can also press down on each piston until they’re both fully retracted back into the caliper housing.
Step 5. Remove the old brake pads from the caliper pins.
Watch the clip below to see the brake pad removal segment of our Polaris Ranger 800 Crew brake pads video.
How to Service Polaris Ranger 800 Crew Front Brake Caliper
Step 6. Check whether the caliper can slide back and forth on its mounting bracket. If the caliper won’t slide freely, continue to Step 7. Otherwise, skip to Step 10.
Step 7. Pull the caliper mounting bracket out from the caliper housing, and remove the two rubber boots protecting the mounting bracket pins.
Step 8. Clean the mounting bracket and caliper housing with brake/contact cleaner, and inspect the rubber boots for tears. Replace the boots if necessary.
Step 9. Reinstall the rubber boots back into the caliper housing. Grease the inside of the caliper housing, the mounting bracket pins and the inside of the rubber boots.
Step 10. Reinstall the mounting bracket back into the caliper housing. Use a pick tool to ensure the brake boots are properly seated in their channels in the mounting bracket and caliper housing, so they make a good seal.
Watch the clip below to see the brake caliper service segment of our Polaris Ranger 800 Crew brake pads video.
How to Install Polaris Ranger 800 Crew Front Brake Pads
Step 11. Install the new brake pads over the caliper pins and into the brake caliper.
Step 12. Slide the caliper assembly and new pads back over the brake rotor. Apply a drop of blue threadlocker to the two 15mm caliper bolts, and torque them to 30 foot-pounds.
Step 13. Remove the 5mm Allen brake pad adjustment bolt, and add a drop of blue threadlocker to it. Pump the brake pedal a couple of times to seat the brake pads and the caliper assembly, then reinstall the brake pad adjustment screw. Tighten the adjustment screw until it bottoms out, then back it off by half a turn.
Step 14. Reinstall the wheel, and torque the lug nuts to the correct specifications depending upon the wheels fitted on your Ranger 800 Crew. Repeat the process for the brake pads on the other side.
Watch the clip below to see the brake pad installation segment of our Polaris Ranger 800 Crew brake pads video.
Having replaced the front brake pads in your Polaris Ranger 800, you’re going to need to bed them in before you run it. To do this, take your Ranger up to about 30mph, then gently slow it down on the brakes to a standstill, and repeat this 5-6 times.