🔧 Altima - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the rear brake pads on your Altima involves lifting the rear of the car, removing the rear calipers, swapping in new pads, and retracting the rear caliper pistons correctly (they “screw in” because of the parking brake mechanism). Doing it right prevents uneven braking, noise, and premature wear.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a jack.
• ⚠️ Release the parking brake before starting (rear calipers won’t retract with it applied).
• ⚠️ Avoid breathing brake dust; use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Brake fluid can damage paint; wipe spills immediately.
• ⚠️ Keep grease off pad friction surfaces and rotor faces.

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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
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 19mm socket
• Flathead screwdriver
• Brake caliper wind-back tool (specialty)
• 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
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1
• Brake pad hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the shifter in Park, and chock the front wheels with wheel chocks.
• Release the parking brake fully.
• Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts about 1/2 turn using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Open the hood and loosen the brake fluid reservoir cap (do not remove it completely). This helps the caliper pistons retract.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear of the car

• Lift the rear at the proper jacking point using a floor jack.
• Set the car down onto jack stands and lightly shake the car to confirm it’s stable.
• Remove both rear wheels using a 21mm socket and ratchet.

Step 2: Locate the rear caliper and inspect

• Find the rear brake caliper (the part that squeezes the rotor).
• Check pad thickness and look for uneven wear or torn boots on the slide pins (rubber seals).
• Do one side at a time.

Step 3: Remove the rear caliper

• Remove the lower and upper caliper slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket. Support it with a bungee cord so it does not hang by the brake hose.

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Slide the old brake pads out of the bracket by hand. Use a flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the pad clips/hardware from the bracket (if included). Clean the bracket contact points with brake cleaner spray and a wire brush.

Step 5: Retract the rear caliper piston (screw-in type)

• Set up the brake caliper wind-back tool (specialty). (This tool pushes and turns the piston at the same time.)
• Rotate the piston clockwise while applying steady inward pressure until the piston is fully seated.
• Keep an eye on the brake fluid reservoir; if it looks like it will overflow, stop and remove a little fluid safely.

Step 6: Prep slide pins and install new hardware

• Pull the slide pins out of the bracket (if accessible) and wipe them clean.
• Apply a thin coat of brake caliper grease (silicone) to the slide pins and the pad “ears” where they touch the hardware (not on the pad friction material).
• Install new pad clips/hardware into the bracket (if your pad set includes them).

Step 7: Install the new rear pads

• Install the inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.
• Make sure the pads move freely in the hardware. If they bind, clean rust again with the wire brush.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 9: If you removed the caliper bracket (only if needed)

• If you removed the bracket to service hardware or rotors, reinstall the bracket bolts using a 19mm socket.
• Torque to 98 Nm (72 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 10: Reinstall wheels

• Reinstall both rear wheels and hand-thread all lug nuts.
• Lower the car and torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a 21mm socket and torque wrench.
• Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Restore brake pedal and fluid level

• With the engine OFF, pump the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm.
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• Reinstall/tighten the brake fluid reservoir cap.

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✅ After Repair

• Start the engine and confirm the brake pedal feels normal (not sinking).
• Test brakes at low speed in a safe area before normal driving.
• Perform a basic bed-in: 5–8 moderate stops from ~30 mph to ~5 mph, allowing short cool-down between stops.
• Re-check for leaks, odd noises, or pulling to one side.

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💰 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 1.5-2.5 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.