🔧 Soul - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, unbolt the rear brake caliper and bracket, swap the rotor, then install new pads and reassemble with the correct torque. This restores safe stopping power and prevents noise, vibration, and uneven wear.

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

Assumption: Your Soul uses rear disc brakes; some setups have a drum-style parking brake inside the rotor “hat.”

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• ⚠️ Put the transmission in 1st gear (or Reverse) and release the parking brake before rotor removal.
• ⚠️ Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose; support it with a hook/strap.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ If you open the brake fluid reservoir, keep fluid off paint.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• Breaker bar
• Ratchet
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Torque wrench (10-200 ft-lbs range)
• Large C-clamp
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Phillips screwdriver
• Impact driver (handheld) (specialty)
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Bungee cord
• Small flat screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• Brake piston wind-back tool kit (specialty)
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves

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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 pad hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2 cans
• DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid - Qty: 1 bottle
• Anti-seize compound - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, turn the car off, and place the transmission in 1st gear (or Reverse).
• Chock both front wheels securely.
• Release the parking brake (rear rotors often won’t come off if it’s engaged).
• Open the hood and loosen the brake fluid reservoir cap slightly (this helps the pistons compress). Keep it clean.
• Set your new rotors and pads nearby and verify they match the old ones.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear of the car

• Use a breaker bar with a 21mm socket to crack the rear lug nuts loose 1/2 turn.
• Lift the rear with a floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) and place jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum) under the rear support points.
• Remove the wheels using a 21mm socket.

Step 2: Remove the rear caliper (do not stretch the hose)

• Turn the steering of your body (not the wheels) so you can see the caliper clearly.
• Remove the caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and support it with a brake caliper hanger hook or bungee cord.
• Caliper hanger = hook that holds caliper safely.

Step 3: Remove the old pads and caliper bracket

• Slide the old pads out of the bracket (use a small flat screwdriver if they’re stuck).
• Remove the caliper bracket bolts using a 17mm socket and breaker bar.
• Set the bracket aside.

Step 4: Remove the old rotor

• If your rotor has a retaining screw, remove it using a Phillips screwdriver.
• If the screw is stuck/stripped, use a impact driver (handheld) (specialty) with the correct bit.
• Pull the rotor off. If it’s stuck, tap around the hat with a rubber mallet and wiggle it free.
• If the rotor won’t come off, confirm the parking brake is fully released; then tap again with a rubber mallet.

Step 5: Clean and prep the hub

• Clean the hub face with a wire brush (this prevents rotor wobble and brake pulsation).
• Spray the area with brake cleaner and wipe clean.
• Apply a very thin film of anti-seize compound to the hub center (not the wheel studs, not the rotor braking surface).

Step 6: Install the new rotor

• Clean the new rotor with brake cleaner to remove shipping oil.
• Install the rotor onto the hub.
• If equipped, reinstall the rotor screw using a Phillips screwdriver (snug only; do not over-tighten).

Step 7: Reinstall the caliper bracket (torque it)

• Reinstall the bracket and start both bolts by hand.
• Tighten with a 17mm socket and torque wrench.
• Torque to 88-107 Nm (65-79 ft-lbs) for the rear caliper bracket bolts.

Step 8: Service the slide pins and hardware clips

• Remove the slide pins from the bracket (use your hands; wipe clean with a rag).
• Apply a thin coat of brake caliper grease (silicone-based) to the smooth part of each slide pin and reinstall.
• Replace the pad hardware clips with the new ones from the kit (use a small flat screwdriver to pop old clips out).
• Slide pins help the caliper move smoothly.

Step 9: Compress the caliper piston

• Before compressing, check brake fluid level; remove some if it’s near the top (use a clean turkey baster-style siphon if you have one).
• Use a large C-clamp to slowly press the piston straight back in.
• If the piston will not push in smoothly, stop and use a brake piston wind-back tool kit (specialty) (some rear calipers require a twist-in motion).
• Go slow to avoid damaging seals.

Step 10: Install the new pads and reinstall the caliper

• Install the new pads into the bracket.
• Apply a light layer of brake caliper grease (silicone-based) to pad “ears” where they touch the hardware clips (keep grease off pad friction material and rotor).
• Place the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide bolts using a 14mm socket and torque wrench.
• Torque to 22-31 Nm (16-23 ft-lbs) for the rear caliper slide bolts.

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench (10-200 ft-lbs range).
• Torque to 90-110 ft-lbs (122-149 Nm) for the lug nuts.

Step 12: Repeat on the other rear side

• Do the exact same steps on the opposite rear brake.
• Always replace pads/rotors in pairs.

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✅ After Repair

• With the car still parked, pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid if needed.
• Test at low speed first: confirm normal pedal feel and no pulling/noise.
• Bed-in (break-in) the pads: make 6-10 moderate stops from ~30 mph to ~5 mph, letting brakes cool 30-60 seconds between stops.
• Re-check lug nut torque after 25-50 miles using a torque wrench (10-200 ft-lbs range).

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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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