Owners of other Chrysler, Dodge and RAM vehicles such as the Town & Country, 300, 200, Avenger, Charger, Journey, Dart, Challenger, Grand Caravan, and Ram C/V Tradesman minivan may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The tools needed to complete this procedure include a tire iron, a floor jack, two jack stands, a flathead screwdriver, an 11mm Allen key or an 11mm hex head socket, a "C" or "F" clamp and a tube of high temperature synthetic brake parts lubricant grease.

A few compatible sets of new replacement front brake pads with their parts numbers are as follows: Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1455, ACDelco 17D1455CH, Raybestos ATD1455SV, Centric 105.14550, Dura International BP1455C, Monroe FX1455, Bendix D1455, TRW TPC1455, Monroe DX1455 and Bosch BC1455 Ceramic.

Then slightly loosen the 5 lug nuts with the tire iron by turning them counter clockwise.

Raise the front of the vehicle with the floor jack and securely support it with the two jack stands.

I prefer to work on one side of the car at a time to keep three wheels on the ground for extra safety.

Spin off the five lug nuts and set them aside in a safe place.

Pull off the front wheel to reveal the brake caliper, bracket, rotor and suspension.

The bolts are protected by a plastic housing and covered with round caps.

Gently pry out the plastic caps with a flathead screwdriver. Set the caps aside in a safe place.

Set the two bolts/pins aside in a safe place.

Carefully pry off the metal spring clip attached to the outer edge of the caliper.

The spring clip might pop off the caliper, so I'd recommend wearing eye protection.

Try to avoid stressing, bending or kinking the rubber brake fluid line.

Make a mental note of how the wear indicator or "squeal" bar is situated on the old brake pads. On this 2014 Durango, the wear bar was located at the the bottom of the old outer pad.

Pull the old inner brake pad out of the caliper pistons. It is held in place by sets of metal prongs on the back side of the pad.

Attach the "C" or "F" clamp to the caliper using the back of the old outer brake pad to evenly distribute the pressure across the two pistons.

Move to the right rear area of the engine bay, closest to the driver's seat, and twist off the yellow plastic brake fluid reservoir cap in the counter clockwise direction. Removing the brake fluid cap will allow the fluid to more easily travel backwards through the system when you compress the pistons.

Try to avoid pinching or otherwise damaging the rubber dust boots that surround the caliper pistons.

Replace the brake fluid reservoir cap as soon as possible since brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air).

Twist it on in the clockwise direction until it is snug.

Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, brake caliper assembly and the lug nut studs with brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow with your mouth to clean off the brake parts since breathing in brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust can be carcinogenic (causes cancer) if inhaled.

If your Durango previously exhibited shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or just replace them with brand new rotors. If this is the SUV's first front brake job and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just change the pads with great results.

To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, remove the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Then loosen the old rotor with a rubber mallet, pull it off, and slide the new one in its place.

Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to any area where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer lip of the caliper pistons. Do not apply brake parts lubricant to the friction surface of the new pads or to the rotor.

Push the metal prongs on the back of the new inner pad in to the two pistons to secure it in place.

If the caliper won't fit over the new pads, you may need to compress back the pistons a bit further.

In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins / bolts need to be well lubricated.

Apply a thin layer of brake parts lubricant grease to the smooth parts of the two slider pins / bolts.

Push the slider pins / bolts back in to place.

Rotate them a few turns by hand in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Double check that both caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps.

If your brake pedal previously felt soft or spongy, the brake fluid may be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain some air bubbles.

It would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time in order to flush out the old fluid and replace it with fresh DOT3 brake fluid. For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With An Assistant DIY Guide or alternatively the Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With A Power Bleeder Guide.

The brake fluid bleeder valve is located underneath a rubber cap on the back side of the caliper right next to the upper caliper bolt.

Carefully lower the SUV from the jack stands by using the floor jack.

Continue progressively tightening the 5 lug nuts in a criss cross or star pattern to about 1/4 turn past hand tight or about 100 ft-lbs of torque. It would be best to use a torque wrench or an impact wrench with a torque stick to properly tighten the lug nuts.

Sit in the driver's seat of the SUV and firmly press the brake pedal a few times to restore the brake line pressure. Check the brake fluid in the reservoir and verify that it is at the proper level. If it is low, add some DOT 3 fluid.

To break in your new front brake pads, just drive normally for the first few hundred miles while trying to avoid any hard or "panic" stops which may glaze over the new pads and cause them to be noisy or not perform as well.

It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway for drops of brake fluid which may indicate a leak, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir, and also verify that the lug nuts are still tight. Be sure to record the brake pad change in your service records.

For more, check out my other Dodge Durango DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.