If your vehicle is equipped w/ drum rear brakes, you might want to try adjusting them either manually or by doing the drive-in-reverse-&-slamming-on-the-brakes-until-the-pedal-comes-up routine (the self-adjusters operate when in reverse).
It could also be that your self adjusters are not operating at all....that's the only reason I can think of for a front brake pad change to affect pedal actuating point...my $00.02!
