🔧 Altima - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Your Altima’s rear brake pads wear down over time and need replacement to keep stopping power strong and prevent rotor damage. This job is a straightforward “remove caliper, swap pads, compress piston, reassemble” process.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-3.0 hours

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• ⚠️ Let brakes cool before starting; hot rotors can burn you.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal with the caliper removed (the piston can pop out).
• ⚠️ Keep the parking brake released while servicing rear pads (it can clamp the rear brakes).
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, don’t blow with compressed air.

---

🔧 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 (1/2")
• Torque wrench (1/2", 20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 14mm box wrench
• 19mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8")
• Flathead screwdriver (medium)
• Brake caliper piston compressor (specialty)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush (small)
• Needle-nose pliers
• Disposable nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Rear brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Rear brake pad hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2 cans
• Rear brake rotors - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2 (optional if worn/grooved)

---

📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, put the shifter in 1st gear, and chock the front wheels.
• 🧯 Release the parking brake fully (rear brakes won’t service correctly if it’s applied).
• 🧰 Crack the rear lug nuts loose 1/4 turn using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• 🧪 Pop the hood and check brake fluid level; compressing pistons can raise it. Don’t let it overflow.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Use a floor jack to lift the rear, then set the car onto jack stands at the proper support points.
• Remove the rear wheels with a 21mm socket.

Step 2: Locate the rear caliper and check what you have

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for the rear—just look behind the rotor for the caliper.
• Quick check: make sure you see a brake caliper squeezing a rotor (disc brake). The parking brake on your Altima is typically a cable system.

Step 3: Remove the caliper (do not let it hang)

• Remove the lower and/or upper caliper slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket (hold the slide pin with a 14mm box wrench if it spins).
• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension spring using a bungee cord. Never hang by the hose.
• Reinstall later: Torque caliper slide pin bolts to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 4: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand; use a flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the stainless pad clips (hardware) with a flathead screwdriver or needle-nose pliers.
• Clean the bracket pad “shelves” (where clips sit) using a wire brush.

Step 5: Compress the caliper piston

• Position the old inner pad against the piston, then use a brake caliper piston compressor to slowly push the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Go slow and watch the brake fluid reservoir under the hood so it doesn’t overflow.
• Slow compression helps protect seals.

Step 6: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new pad clips from the hardware kit into the bracket.
• Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to the pad “ears” (the small metal tabs that slide in the clips). Do not get grease on the pad friction material.
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.

Step 7: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads by hand.
• Install and tighten the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket, holding the pin with a 14mm box wrench if needed.
• Torque caliper slide pin bolts to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 8: If you removed the caliper bracket (only if needed)

• If you had to remove the bracket for access or rotor replacement, remove/install the bracket bolts using a 19mm socket.
• Torque rear caliper bracket bolts to 93 Nm (69 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall wheels

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car from the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench: Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

---

✅ After Repair

• ✅ Pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• ✅ With the car still parked, press and hold the brake pedal for 15 seconds to confirm it doesn’t sink.
• ✅ Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• ✅ Test drive at low speed first; confirm normal stopping and no pulling/noise.
• ✅ Bedding-in (recommended): make 6–10 medium stops from ~30 mph down to ~5 mph, allowing short cool-down between stops. Avoid hard stops at first.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $40-$120 (parts only)

You Save: $130-$410 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-3.0 hours.

---

🎯 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.