🔧 Impala - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

On your Impala, rear brake pads wear down over time and need replacement to keep stopping power strong and prevent rotor damage. This job involves lifting the rear, removing the caliper, swapping pads, and correctly resetting the piston before reassembly.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-3 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and chock the front wheels.
• 🧯 Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🧱 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot—let them cool before touching parts.
• 🔧 Keep the parking brake released while working on rear disc calipers.
• 🔋 Battery disconnect is not required for this repair.

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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
• 19mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• Breaker bar (1/2" drive)
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Torque wrench (10-200 ft-lb range)
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Flathead screwdriver
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• 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
• Rear brake hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Silicone brake lubricant - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 quart
• Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2 Only if worn or damaged

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground and place wheel chocks at the front tires.
• Make sure the parking brake is fully released.
• Crack the rear wheel lug nuts loose using a 19mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Open the hood and remove the brake fluid reservoir cap (leave it sitting on top) so fluid can rise when you compress the piston.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and support the rear

• Use a floor jack to lift the rear of the car at a safe jacking point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands on both sides.
• Give the car a gentle push to confirm it’s stable before you work.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using a 19mm socket and ratchet.
• Remove both rear wheels and set them aside.

Step 3: Inspect what you have (disc vs drum)

• Look at the rear brakes: if you see a caliper “clamp” over a rotor, you have rear disc brakes (pads).
• If you see a closed round drum with no caliper, you have rear drum brakes (shoes). If that’s what you have, tell me and I’ll send the correct drum-shoe procedure.

Step 4: Remove the caliper (rear disc brakes)

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed; rear access is straight-on.
• Remove the two caliper slide pin bolts using a 13mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket. If it’s tight, gently pry with a flathead screwdriver.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension using a bungee cord so it doesn’t pull on the brake hose.

Step 5: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the stainless pad clips (hardware) from the bracket.
• Clean the bracket pad lands using a wire brush and brake cleaner spray.
• Clean metal helps pads slide freely.

Step 6: Compress the rear caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the caliper piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6" minimum) to slowly press the piston back into the caliper.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing. If it gets near full, remove some fluid (don’t let it overflow).
• Go slow to avoid damaging seals.

Step 7: Install new hardware and pads

• Install new pad clips from the rear brake hardware kit into the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of silicone brake lubricant to where the pad ears touch the clips (not on the pad friction material).
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper

• Slide the caliper back over the new pads.
• Reinstall the caliper slide pin bolts using a 13mm socket and torque wrench.
• Torque to 31 Nm (23 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Torque the lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench.
• Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Restore pedal feel before driving

• With the engine off, pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm.
• Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 if needed.
• Reinstall the reservoir cap securely.

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✅ After Repair

• 🚗 Do a slow test in a safe area: confirm normal braking and no pulling.
• 🔎 Listen for grinding/squealing and recheck your work if anything sounds wrong.
• 🛞 If you replaced rotors or pads are new, do a gentle bed-in: 6-10 smooth stops from 30-40 mph with cool-down time between stops.
• 🧰 Recheck the brake fluid level after your test drive.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $250-$450 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $50-$140 (parts only)

You Save: $200-$310 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.5 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.