🔧 Altima - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, open the rear calipers, swap the pads, and then reassemble with correct torque. On your Altima, the rear piston may need to be pushed in or rotated in (depending on rear caliper design), so we’ll cover both methods.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and support the car with jack stands before going under or pulling wheels.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful—avoid blowing dust; use brake cleaner and let it drip into a catch pan.
• ⚠️ If your Altima uses the parking brake inside the rear caliper, keep the parking brake released during pad replacement.
• ⚠️ Keep brake fluid off paint; wipe spills immediately.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs)
• 21mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8")
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp brake compressor
• Disc brake piston wind-back tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• Catch pan

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Rear brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Brake pad hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake grease (silicone) - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, set the transmission to Park, and chock the front wheels with wheel chocks.
• 🛑 Release the parking brake before starting rear pad work.
• 🧴 Open the hood and check the brake fluid level; if it’s near “MAX,” plan to remove a little fluid with a clean syringe/turkey baster so it doesn’t overflow when pistons retract.
• ❓ Quick check: does your Altima have a foot-pedal parking brake or an electronic parking brake switch?

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and raise the rear

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar (1/2") to crack the rear lug nuts loose (about 1/4 turn) while the car is on the ground.
• Lift the rear with a floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) at the proper rear lift point, then support with jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum).

Step 2: Remove rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using a 21mm socket and ratchet (3/8").
• Remove both rear wheels.

Step 3: Locate the caliper and remove the lower/upper slide bolts

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed (rear), just work straight-on.
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet (3/8") to remove the caliper slide bolts (typically two).
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it with a bungee cord from the suspension spring. Never let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 4: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the old pads out of the bracket by hand; use a flat-blade screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the stainless pad clips (hardware) from the bracket.
• Use brake cleaner spray over a catch pan to wash brake dust off the bracket area.

Step 5: Retract the caliper piston (two possible methods)

• If the piston face is smooth and pushes straight in: use a C-clamp brake compressor to slowly press the piston back into the caliper.
• If the piston face has notches and resists pushing: use a disc brake piston wind-back tool (specialty) to rotate and press it in. (This tool turns the piston while pushing it inward.)
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; stop if it’s about to overflow.

Step 6: Service the bracket and install new hardware

• Use a wire brush to clean rust where the pad clips sit.
• Install the new pad clips from the brake pad hardware kit into the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of brake grease (silicone) to the pad “ears” where they slide on the clips. Keep grease off pad friction surfaces.

Step 7: Install new pads

• Install the inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.
• If one pad has a wear indicator, match it to the same position the old set used.

Step 8: Reinstall caliper and torque fasteners

• Swing the caliper back over the new pads.
• Install the slide bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet (3/8").
• Final tighten with a torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs): Torque to 26 Nm (19 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 3–8 for the other rear wheel.

Step 10: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall both wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the car, then torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs): Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 Pump the brake pedal 8–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• 🧴 Re-check brake fluid level and adjust to the correct mark (do not overfill).
• 🔍 With the car still parked, press the brake pedal hard for 10 seconds and inspect for any leaks.
• 🚗 Do a slow test drive. Verify quiet braking and normal pedal feel before driving normally.
• 🛑 Perform a gentle pad bed-in: 6–8 moderate stops from ~30–35 mph with cool-down time between.

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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 1.0-1.5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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