🔧 Forte - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, take off the rear caliper and bracket, replace the rotor, then install new pads and reassemble. Rear calipers on your Forte use the parking-brake mechanism inside the caliper, so the piston typically must be rotated while being pushed in to make room for new pads.

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

Assumption: Torque specs shown are common Forte values—verify with a service manual if available.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on a flat surface and support the car with jack stands, not just a jack.
• 🧤 Wear gloves and safety glasses; brake dust and cleaner are irritating.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot—let everything cool before you touch the rotor/caliper.
• 🧪 Don’t let brake fluid spill on paint; it can damage finishes.
• 📌 Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.

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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
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 3/8" torque wrench (10-100 ft-lbs range)
• 1/2" torque wrench (50-150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Flathead screwdriver
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Brake caliper wind-back tool (specialty)
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Micrometer or digital caliper (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 - Qty: 2
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2 cans
• High-temp silicone brake grease - Qty: 1
• Brake hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid - Qty: 1 quart
• Medium-strength threadlocker - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and put the transmission in P.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks at the front wheels.
• 🧴 Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; keep the cap loose so fluid can rise when you compress pistons.
• 📏 If reusing anything (not recommended), measure pad thickness and rotor condition first using a micrometer (a precision thickness measuring tool).

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen rear lug nuts

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to loosen each rear wheel’s lug nuts about 1 turn while the car is on the ground.

Step 2: Lift and support the rear

• Use a floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) to lift the rear at a proper jacking point.
• Set the car onto jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum).
• Give the car a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 3: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove lug nuts using a 21mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet.
• Remove the wheels and set them aside.

Step 4: Remove the caliper (do not let it hang)

• Locate the two caliper slide-pin bolts on the back of the caliper.
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet to remove the slide-pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket. If it’s stuck, use a flathead screwdriver gently to pry at the pad ears.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension using a brake caliper hanger hook.
• Never hang a caliper by the hose.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the pad clips/hardware from the bracket using a flathead screwdriver.

Step 6: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 17mm socket and breaker bar to remove the two caliper bracket bolts.
• Set the bracket aside.
• During reassembly: apply medium-strength threadlocker and Torque to 88-98 Nm (65-72 ft-lbs).

Step 7: Remove the rotor

• If the rotor is stuck (rusted to the hub), spray around the hub area with brake cleaner and let it sit a minute.
• Tap the rotor “hat” area with a rubber mallet until it breaks free.
• Remove the rotor.

Step 8: Clean and prep the hub

• Use a wire brush to clean rust off the hub face (the flat surface the rotor sits on).
• Spray the area with brake cleaner and wipe clean.
• A clean hub helps prevent rotor wobble.

Step 9: Install the new rotor

• Spray both sides of the new rotor with brake cleaner to remove protective oil.
• Place the rotor onto the hub.
• Temporarily hold it in place with one lug nut hand-tight (use a 21mm socket lightly) so it sits flush.

Step 10: Service slide pins (important for even braking)

• Pull the slide pins out of the bracket by hand.
• Clean them and inspect boots for tears.
• Apply a thin coat of high-temp silicone brake grease to the pins and reinstall them.
• Grease only the smooth pin surfaces.

Step 11: Install new hardware and pads

• Install new pad clips/hardware into the bracket.
• Apply a very light film of high-temp silicone brake grease where pad ears contact the clips.
• Install the new pads into the bracket.

Step 12: Retract the rear caliper piston (rotate while pushing)

• Check brake fluid level at the reservoir; remove some if it’s near “MAX” to prevent overflow.
• Use a brake caliper wind-back tool (specialty) to rotate the piston clockwise while applying steady inward pressure.
• Continue until the piston is fully seated and there’s room for the thicker new pads.
• If it won’t turn, stop—don’t force it.

Step 13: Reinstall the caliper

• Set the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide-pin bolts using a 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet.
• Torque to 25-30 Nm (18-22 ft-lbs) using a 3/8" torque wrench.

Step 14: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 4–13 on the opposite rear wheel.
• Always replace pads and rotors in pairs.

Step 15: Reinstall wheels and lower the car

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a 21mm socket and 1/2" torque wrench: Torque to 88-108 Nm (65-80 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 Pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotor).
• 🧪 Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid if needed.
• 🔎 Check for leaks and make sure both rear wheels spin freely with the parking brake released (a slight pad drag is normal).
• 🛣️ Bed-in the pads: do 6–8 moderate stops from ~35 mph to 5 mph, letting brakes cool 30–60 seconds between stops. Avoid hard stops for the first 150–200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $350-$700 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $120-$280 (parts only)

You Save: $230-$420 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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