🔧 Outback - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll be removing the rear wheels, taking off the rear brake calipers and brackets, replacing the pads and rotors, then reassembling everything with the correct torque. Rear brakes wear over time, and rotors should be replaced if they’re thin, rusty/pitted, grooved, or causing pulsation.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-4 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support your Outback on jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• ⚠️ Release the parking brake before removing rear rotors (the parking brake is inside the rotor “hat”).
• ⚠️ Avoid breathing brake dust; use brake cleaner and wear a dust mask.
• ⚠️ Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose; support it with a bungee cord.
• ⚠️ Brake fluid can overflow when compressing pistons; keep the reservoir under watch.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 19mm socket
• Breaker bar 1/2"
• Torque wrench 10–150 ft-lbs
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet 3/8"
• Needle-nose pliers
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp 6"
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Brake cleaner spray
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Rear brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2
• Rear brake hardware kit (pad clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1
• Anti-seize compound - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the transmission in 1st gear, and place wheel chocks at the front wheels.
• Make sure the parking brake is fully released before you try to remove the rear rotors.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; keep an eye on the fluid level during piston compression.
• Do one side at a time. This helps you compare parts and avoid mixing hardware.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and raise the rear

• Use a 19mm socket and breaker bar 1/2" to loosen the rear lug nuts about 1 turn (do not remove yet).
• Lift the rear using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the rear jack point.
• Place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the rear pinch welds or approved rear support points, then lower onto stands.
• Remove the lug nuts with a 19mm socket and remove the rear wheels.

Step 2: Remove the rear brake caliper

• Turn the steering wheel slightly if needed for hand access (rear access is tight).
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet 3/8" to remove the two caliper slide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and support it with a bungee cord.
• Beginner tip: The “caliper” squeezes the pads; the “bracket” is the mount the pads sit in.

Step 3: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the brake pads out of the bracket by hand; use a flathead screwdriver if they’re stuck.
• Remove the pad clips/hardware from the bracket using a flathead screwdriver or needle-nose pliers.
• Use brake cleaner spray and a wire brush to clean the bracket pad “lands” (where the clips sit).
• Clean metal helps pads slide freely.

Step 4: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 17mm socket and breaker bar 1/2" to remove the two caliper bracket bolts.
• Set the bracket aside where it won’t pull on the hose.

Step 5: Remove the rear rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off the hub.
• If the rotor is stuck from rust, tap around the rotor hat with a rubber mallet to break it loose.
• If it still won’t come off, the parking brake shoes may be holding it:
  • Use a flathead screwdriver to rotate the star-wheel adjuster through the access hole (behind/through the rotor hat area) to back the shoes off.
  • Beginner note: The star-wheel is a small “gear” adjuster for the parking brake shoes.
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush and spray with brake cleaner spray.
• Apply a very thin film of anti-seize compound to the hub face (avoid the wheel studs).

Step 6: Install the new rotor

• Clean the new rotor with brake cleaner spray to remove protective oil.
• Install the new rotor onto the hub.
• If it’s loose and flops around, hold it in place with 1-2 lug nuts hand-threaded using the 19mm socket (snug only).

Step 7: Reinstall the caliper bracket

• Position the bracket over the rotor and start both bolts by hand.
• Tighten the bracket bolts using a 17mm socket and torque wrench 10–150 ft-lbs.
• Torque to 65 Nm (48 ft-lbs)

Step 8: Install new hardware clips and new pads

• Install the new pad clips into the bracket using needle-nose pliers.
• Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease (silicone) to the clip contact points where the pad ears slide (do not get grease on pad friction material).
• Install the new pads into the bracket by hand.

Step 9: Compress the caliper piston

• Remove the brake fluid reservoir cap under the hood (set it on top loosely).
• Use a C-clamp 6" to slowly push the caliper piston back into the caliper.
• Go slowly and watch the reservoir level so it doesn’t overflow.
• Slow compression prevents seal damage.

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper

• Place the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet 3/8".
• Tighten the slide pin bolts using a torque wrench 10–150 ft-lbs.
• Torque to 27 Nm (20 ft-lbs)

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and lower the vehicle

• Install the wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle off the jack stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench 10–150 ft-lbs and 19mm socket.
• Torque to 120 Nm (89 ft-lbs)

Step 12: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 2–11 for the other rear wheel.
• Never reuse contaminated pads.

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine OFF, pump the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm.
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed (use the correct DOT brake fluid listed on the reservoir cap).
• Test the parking brake: apply/release it and ensure the wheels spin freely when released.
• Do a careful test drive at low speed; verify no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• Bed-in the pads: do 6–10 moderate stops from ~30–40 mph to ~5 mph, then drive a few minutes to cool (avoid hard stops for the first 200 miles).

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$850 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $160-$380 (parts only)

You Save: $290-$470 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-3 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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