🔧 Savana - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, take off the rear brake calipers and brackets, replace the pads and rotors, then reassemble and bed-in the new pads. On your Savana, the parking brake is typically a small “drum-in-hat” setup inside the rear rotor, so the rotor may be held up by the parking brake shoes if they’re adjusted too tight.

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

Assumption: Rear disc brakes with drum-in-hat parking brake (common on Savana 2500).

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground; use jack stands—never rely on a jack alone.
• 🛑 Chock the front wheels with wheel chocks so the van can’t roll.
• 🛑 Brake dust is unhealthy—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🛑 Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• 🛑 Keep grease and oil off pad/rotor friction surfaces.
• 🛑 Battery disconnect is not required for this job.

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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 (1/2")
• Torque wrench (1/2", 20-200 ft-lbs range)
• 22mm socket
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" or 1/2")
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Small drain pan

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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
• Brake cleaner spray - Qty: 2
• Silicone brake lubricant - Qty: 1
• DOT 3 brake fluid - Qty: 1 bottle
• Rear caliper hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Rear parking brake hardware kit - Qty: 1 (optional, if worn/rusted)

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to P, and turn the engine off.
• Release the parking brake fully (you’ll be removing rotors that sit over the parking brake shoes).
• Crack the rear lug nuts loose using a 22mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Open the hood and loosen the brake fluid reservoir cap (this helps the pistons retract). Place a rag around it to catch any overflow.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear of the van

• Chock the front wheels using wheel chocks.
• Lift the rear using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the rear jacking point.
• Set the van down onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the frame.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using a 22mm socket and ratchet.
• Set wheels aside under the van as an extra safety backup.

Step 3: Remove the rear caliper (and support it)

• Turn the steering is fixed in rear; just work straight-on at the caliper.
• Remove the caliper slide/guide pin bolts using a 13mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the pads.
• Hang the caliper with a bungee cord so it doesn’t dangle by the brake hose. (A bungee cord is just a stretchy strap used to hold parts out of the way.)

Step 4: Remove the old brake pads and hardware

• Pull the pads out by hand; use a flat-blade screwdriver if they’re stuck.
• Remove the pad abutment clips/hardware from the bracket using a flat-blade screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket pad “rails” with brake cleaner spray and a wire brush.

Step 5: Remove the caliper bracket

• Remove the caliper bracket bolts using an 18mm socket and breaker bar.
• Set the bracket aside.
• On reassembly: Torque to 148 Nm (109 ft-lbs).

Step 6: Remove the rotor (and deal with the parking brake shoes if needed)

• Pull the rotor straight off the hub.
• If the rotor is stuck from rust, strike the rotor “hat” area with a rubber mallet (avoid the wheel studs).
• If it still won’t come off, the parking brake shoes may be holding it:
  • Make sure the parking brake is fully released.
  • Use a flat-blade screwdriver through the access slot (if equipped) to back off the star adjuster a few clicks.

Step 7: Prep the hub and install the new rotor

• Clean the hub face with a wire brush so the rotor sits flat (this helps prevent pedal pulsation).
• Clean both sides of the new rotor with brake cleaner spray to remove packing oil.
• Install the new rotor onto the hub.

Step 8: Service the slide pins and install new hardware

• Pull the caliper slide pins out of the bracket by hand.
• Wipe them clean and apply a thin coat of silicone brake lubricant.
• Install the new abutment clips/hardware onto the bracket.
• Thin grease only—don’t glob it on.

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper bracket

• Position the bracket over the new rotor.
• Install bracket bolts by hand first, then tighten using an 18mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 148 Nm (109 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench (1/2").

Step 10: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old brake pad against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6" minimum) to slowly push the piston back into the caliper. (A C-clamp is a screw clamp that presses the piston in smoothly.)
• Watch the brake fluid level at the reservoir—remove some into a small drain pan if it starts to overflow.

Step 11: Install the new pads and reinstall the caliper

• Install the new pads into the bracket.
• Set the caliper over the pads.
• Install and tighten the guide/slide pin bolts using a 13mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 41 Nm (30 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Repeat on the other rear wheel

• Do the same steps on the other side. Rear brakes should be replaced in pairs.

Step 13: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Install wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the van off the stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench (1/2"):
  • If your Savana has 8-lug wheels: Torque to 190 Nm (140 ft-lbs).
  • If your Savana has 6-lug wheels: Torque to 140 Nm (103 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine OFF, 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 brake fluid if needed.
• Test the parking brake holds the van on a gentle incline; if it doesn’t, the parking brake shoes may need adjustment.
• Do a careful test drive: start with slow stops in a safe area.
• Pad bed-in (basic): make 6-10 moderate stops from ~30 mph to 5 mph, letting brakes cool a bit between stops. Avoid hard stops at first.
• Recheck lug nut torque after 25-50 miles using a torque wrench (1/2").

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $600-$1,100 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $180-$450 (parts only)

You Save: $420-$650 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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