🔧 Tucson - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, take off the rear brake calipers and brackets, swap the rotors, then install new pads (and hardware) before reassembling. This restores braking power and fixes pulsing, grinding, or thin pads.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground; chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• 🛑 Never rely on a jack alone—support with jack stands at the rear lift points.
• 🛑 Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🛑 Don’t press the brake pedal with a caliper removed (it can pop the piston out).
• 🛑 If your Tucson has an electronic parking brake (EPB) button, you must retract EPB with a scan tool before compressing pistons.

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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
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Breaker bar (18" minimum)
• Torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 21mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8")
• Ratchet (1/2")
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp (6")
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• #3 Phillips screwdriver
• Manual impact driver (specialty)

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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 - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Rear brake hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2 cans
• High-temp silicone brake grease - Qty: 1
• DOT 3 brake fluid - Qty: 1 quart
• Anti-seize compound - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 📍 Park on level ground, set the parking brake, then loosen rear lug nuts 1/2 turn before lifting.
• 📍 Lift the rear and support on jack stands; leave the jack lightly touching as a backup.
• 📍 If you have EPB: set EPB to service mode with a capable scan tool before starting. (EPB = an electric motor on the rear caliper that applies the parking brake.)
• 📍 If you have a mechanical parking brake: release it fully before removing calipers/rotors.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Remove rear wheels

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to remove the lug nuts.
• Remove both rear wheels.

Step 2: Access the rear caliper and pads

• Turn the steering wheel slightly if needed for hand access (rear work is usually straight-on).
• Use a flat-blade screwdriver to gently pry the outer pad away from the rotor a little to create clearance.
• Small pry = easier caliper removal.

Step 3: Remove the rear caliper

• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet (3/8") to remove the caliper slide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang the caliper with a brake caliper hanger hook (do not let it hang by the brake hose).

Step 4: Remove pads and hardware

• Pull the inner and outer pads out by hand.
• Remove the pad clips/shims from the bracket using a flat-blade screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket pad “lands” (where clips sit) with a wire brush.

Step 5: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 17mm socket with a breaker bar to remove the caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the bracket.
• Reinstall later and Torque to 88-107 Nm (65-79 ft-lbs).

Step 6: Remove the rear rotor

• If equipped with rotor retaining screws: use a #3 Phillips screwdriver or manual impact driver to remove them.
• Pull the rotor off the hub. If it’s stuck, tap around the hat with a rubber mallet until it breaks free.
• If the rotor won’t come off and you have a mechanical parking brake, confirm the parking brake is fully released.

Step 7: Prep the hub and install the new rotor

• Clean the hub face with a wire brush so the rotor sits flat.
• Apply a very thin film of anti-seize compound to the hub center (avoid the wheel studs and rotor friction surface).
• Clean the new rotor friction surfaces with brake cleaner.
• Install the new rotor. If it uses retaining screws, install them with a #3 Phillips screwdriver (snug only).

Step 8: Reinstall caliper bracket and new hardware

• Reinstall the bracket and start bolts by hand.
• Tighten using a 17mm socket and ratchet (1/2"), then Torque to 88-107 Nm (65-79 ft-lbs).
• Install the new pad clips from the hardware kit into the bracket.
• Apply a light coat of high-temp silicone brake grease where pads slide on the clips (keep grease off rotor/pad friction material).

Step 9: Compress the rear caliper piston

• Remove the brake fluid reservoir cap under the hood (this lets fluid rise as you compress pistons).
• Use a C-clamp (6") to slowly push the caliper piston back in.
• Watch the brake fluid level; if it gets too high, remove some (do not overflow onto paint).
• If your Tucson has EPB, do not force the piston—EPB must be retracted first.

Step 10: Install new pads and reinstall the caliper

• Install the inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• Lower the caliper over the new pads/rotor.
• Install slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet (3/8").
• Torque to 22-31 Nm (16-23 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 2–10 on the other rear wheel.

Step 12: Reinstall wheels

• Put wheels on and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle enough for the tires to touch the ground and not spin.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a 21mm socket and torque wrench.
• Torque to 88-107 Nm (65-79 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• 🧪 Pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm before you drive.
• 🧪 Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 brake fluid if needed.
• 🧪 If equipped with EPB, use the scan tool to exit service mode, then cycle EPB on/off to confirm operation.
• 🧪 Bed-in the pads: do 6–10 moderate stops from 35–5 mph with cool-down driving between stops.
• 🧪 Test drive at low speed first and listen for scraping, clunks, or pulling.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$800 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $140-$320 (parts only)

You Save: $310-$480 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?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.