🔧 Rogue - Rear Brake Pads & Rotors Replacement

You’ll be replacing the rear brake pads and rotors on your Rogue to restore braking power and stop any grinding or pulsing. This involves removing the rear wheels, calipers, and rotors, then installing new parts and reassembling everything safely.

Difficulty Level: Beginner-Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2–3 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Always support the vehicle with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Work on a flat, solid surface and keep the transmission in Park with the front wheels chocked.
• ⚠️ Brakes may get very hot after driving; let them cool completely before starting.
• ⚠️ Brake dust can be harmful; avoid blowing with compressed air and use brake cleaner instead.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed; this can push the piston out.
• ⚠️ Keep all grease and oil off the pad friction surfaces and rotor faces.

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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, set of 2)
• 🧰 Wheel chocks
• 🧰 Lug wrench or 21mm socket
• 🧰 3/8" drive ratchet
• 🧰 1/2" drive ratchet
• 🧰 3/8" drive torque wrench (5–80 ft-lbs range)
• 🧰 1/2" drive torque wrench (30–150 ft-lbs range)
• 🧰 14mm socket
• 🧰 17mm socket
• 🧰 Breaker bar 1/2" drive
• 🧰 Flathead screwdriver (medium)
• 🧰 Needle-nose pliers
• 🧰 C-clamp (6" or larger) or disc brake caliper tool
• 🧰 Wire brush (small, steel)
• 🧰 Bungee cord or mechanic’s wire
• 🧰 Rubber mallet
• 🧰 Brake cleaner spray
• 🧰 Shop rags
• 🧰 Nitrile gloves
• 🧰 Safety glasses

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• 🔩 Rear brake pad set - Qty: 1 set (services both rear wheels)
• 🔩 Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2 (replace as a pair)
• 🔩 Rear brake hardware kit (pad clips/shims) - Qty: 1 set
• 🔩 High-temperature brake grease - Qty: 1 small tube
• 🔩 Anti-seize compound - Qty: 1 small tube
• 🔩 Brake cleaner - Qty: 1–2 cans
• 🔩 New caliper bracket bolts - Qty: 4 (optional but recommended)

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park the Rogue on level ground, shift to Park, and shut off the engine.
• Engage the parking brake while loosening lug nuts, then fully release it before removing the rear calipers and rotors.
• Place wheel chocks in front of and behind one front wheel.
• Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts 1/2 turn with a lug wrench or 21mm socket before jacking the vehicle.
• Raise the rear of the vehicle with a floor jack and support it securely on jack stands at the rear pinch welds or frame points.
• Keep the driver’s door closed and don’t touch the brake pedal while a caliper is off.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Remove the rear wheels

• Use the floor jack to lift the rear of your Rogue until both rear wheels are off the ground, then place jack stands under solid points.
• Lower the vehicle gently onto the jack stands and make sure it’s stable by gently shaking the body.
• Use a lug wrench or 21mm socket with ratchet to remove the rear wheel lug nuts and then remove both rear wheels.
• Set the wheels aside where they won’t roll away.

Step 2: Inspect the brake layout

• Look at the rear brake assembly: you’ll see the caliper (the clamp), the caliper bracket behind it, and the rotor (the disc).
• Note the routing of the rubber brake hose and the small metal clip brackets; you’ll avoid stressing this hose.

Step 3: Remove the rear caliper (one side at a time)

• On the first side, locate the two caliper slide bolts on the back of the caliper (top and bottom).
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" ratchet to loosen and remove the upper and lower caliper slide bolts.
• Gently pry the caliper away from the rotor using a flathead screwdriver if needed.
• Support the caliper with a bungee cord or mechanic’s wire from the suspension spring so it does not hang by the brake hose.

Step 4: Remove the old brake pads and hardware

• Slide the inner and outer brake pads out of the caliper bracket by hand.
• Remove the metal pad clips (hardware) from the caliper bracket using needle-nose pliers if they are tight.
• Use a wire brush to clean the areas of the caliper bracket where the clips sit until shiny bare metal is visible.
• Spray the bracket carefully with brake cleaner and wipe with shop rags.

Step 5: Remove the caliper bracket and rotor

• Locate the two larger caliper bracket bolts on the back of the bracket.
• Use a 17mm socket, breaker bar, and 1/2" drive ratchet to loosen and remove both caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the caliper bracket and set it on a clean surface.
• Try to slide the rotor off the hub by hand.
• If the rotor is stuck from rust, tap around the rotor hat (center area) with a rubber mallet until it loosens, then pull it off.
• Hit the rotor, not other parts

Step 6: Prepare the hub and new rotor

• Use a wire brush to clean the wheel hub face where the rotor sits, removing rust and scale.
• Wipe the hub with brake cleaner and shop rags.
• Apply a very thin film of anti-seize compound on the hub face to prevent future rotor sticking (avoid the wheel studs).
• Clean the new rotor surfaces (both sides and center) with brake cleaner to remove protective oil, then wipe dry.

Step 7: Install the new rotor

• Place the new rotor onto the hub, lining up the wheel studs through the holes.
• To keep the rotor from wobbling, thread two lug nuts onto opposite studs by hand using the lug wrench or 21mm socket and snug them lightly (no torque spec needed here, just snug).

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper bracket with new hardware

• Position the caliper bracket over the new rotor and align it with the mounting holes.
• Install the caliper bracket bolts by hand to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 17mm socket and 1/2" drive ratchet to tighten them, then use a 1/2" drive torque wrench to torque both bracket bolts to 98 Nm (72 ft-lbs).
• Install the new pad clips from your hardware kit into the caliper bracket by pressing them in by hand until fully seated.
• Apply a very thin layer of high-temperature brake grease to the pad clip areas where the pad ears will slide (do not get grease on rotor or pad surfaces).

Step 9: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one of the old brake pads against the caliper piston face.
• Use a C-clamp or disc brake caliper tool between the pad and the back of the caliper body to slowly push the piston back into the caliper until it bottoms out.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir under the hood while you compress the piston; if it gets too full, remove some fluid with a clean rag or suitable tool.
• Compress slowly to avoid damage

Step 10: Install the new brake pads

• Identify the inner and outer pads (one may have a wear sensor tab—install it as the inner pad if present).
• Slide the new pads into the caliper bracket, making sure the metal “ears” sit correctly in the new clips and the friction material faces the rotor.
• Ensure both pads slide freely in the bracket; if they bind, remove and clean or adjust the clips.

Step 11: Reinstall the caliper over the new pads

• Remove the two temporary lug nuts holding the rotor using the lug wrench or 21mm socket.
• Position the caliper over the new pads and bracket, ensuring the slide pin boots are seated correctly.
• Install the caliper slide bolts by hand to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" ratchet to snug the slide bolts.
• Use a 3/8" drive torque wrench with 14mm socket to torque both slide bolts to 32 Nm (23 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Repeat for the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 3 through 11 on the opposite rear wheel.
• Always replace pads and rotors in pairs

Step 13: Reinstall wheels and lower the vehicle

• Place each rear wheel back onto the hub and install the lug nuts by hand.
• Use a lug wrench or 21mm socket to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern while the vehicle is still on jack stands.
• Use the floor jack to lift the rear slightly, remove the jack stands, then carefully lower the vehicle to the ground.
• With the tires on the ground, use a 1/2" drive torque wrench and 21mm socket to torque the lug nuts in a star pattern to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

Step 14: Pump the brake pedal and final checks

• Before driving, sit in the driver’s seat and slowly press the brake pedal several times until it feels firm; this seats the pads against the rotors.
• Check around both rear calipers and hoses to ensure there are no leaks and that the hoses are not twisted.
• Re-engage the parking brake and make sure it holds the vehicle firmly.

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✅ After Repair

• Start the engine and gently press the brake pedal again to confirm a firm feel.
• Perform a short, low-speed test drive (20–30 km/h) to check for abnormal noises, pulling, or vibration.
• Bed-in (break in) the new pads and rotors: make 5–10 gentle stops from about 30–40 km/h to 5–10 km/h, allowing cool-down time between stops.
• Avoid hard braking from high speeds for the first 300–500 km to let the pads and rotors mate properly.
• After the test drive, recheck the rear wheels and lug nut torque with the torque wrench.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $350–$550 (parts + labor) for rear pads and rotors on a Rogue

DIY Cost: $150–$250 (parts only)

You Save: $200–$300 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100–$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5–2.0 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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