🔧 Frontier - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, swing the rear brake calipers out of the way, and replace the pads on both sides. On your Frontier, the parking brake is a separate drum-style brake inside the rear rotor “hat,” so the parking brake must stay released while you work.

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

Assumption: Torque specs below match common Frontier (D40) service specs; verify if you have service info.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground; support the truck with jack stands before going under or pulling wheels.
• ⚠️ Release the parking brake fully (rear parking brake shoes are inside the rotor).
• ⚠️ Do not inhale brake dust; use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Keep brake fluid off paint; wipe spills immediately.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this job.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 19mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" or 1/2")
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Brake caliper hanger hook (specialty)
• Flathead screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• 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 pad hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone or synthetic) - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 bottle

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the transmission in 1st gear, and chock the front wheels.
• Release the parking brake fully and leave it released for the whole job.
• Loosen the rear lug nuts slightly using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Open the hood and check the brake fluid level; it may rise when you compress the caliper pistons.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and support the rear

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the rear at the rear differential (center pumpkin).
• Place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the axle tubes (one per side) and lower onto the stands.
• Shake the truck lightly to confirm it’s stable on the stands.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove lug nuts with a 21mm socket and ratchet.
• Remove both rear wheels and set them aside.
• When reinstalling later: Torque to 133 Nm (98 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 3: Locate caliper, pads, and bolts

• The caliper is the clamp over the rotor; the pads sit inside it.
• The smaller bolts (usually the ones you remove first) are the caliper slide pin bolts.
• Take a quick photo before disassembly.

Step 4: Remove the caliper slide pin bolts

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed (rear), just work from behind the axle.
• Remove the two caliper slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• When reinstalling later: Torque to 26 Nm (19 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 5: Swing the caliper up and support it

• Carefully lift/swing the caliper off the pads.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension using a brake caliper hanger hook (specialty).
• Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose.

Step 6: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the pads out of the caliper bracket by hand; use a flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the pad hardware clips from the bracket using needle-nose pliers or a flathead screwdriver.
• Use brake cleaner spray and shop towels to clean the bracket areas where the clips sit.

Step 7: Remove the caliper bracket (if needed for cleaning or rotor service)

• If you need more room (or you’re changing rotors), remove the caliper bracket bolts using a 19mm socket and breaker bar.
• When reinstalling: Torque to 98 Nm (72 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.
• If you’re not removing the bracket, still clean around it with brake cleaner spray.

Step 8: Service the slide pins

• Pull the slide pins out of the bracket by hand (they’re the smooth pins the caliper moves on).
• Wipe them clean with shop towels.
• Apply a thin coat of brake caliper grease (silicone or synthetic) and reinstall the pins.
• Sticky pins cause uneven pad wear.

Step 9: Install new hardware clips and pads

• Install the new hardware clips from the rear brake pad hardware kit (clips/shims) into the bracket.
• Apply a very light film of brake caliper grease (silicone or synthetic) where the pad “ears” slide on the clips (not on the pad friction material).
• Slide the new pads into place.

Step 10: Compress the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face, then compress the piston slowly using a C-clamp (6" minimum).
• Go slowly and watch the brake fluid reservoir under the hood so it doesn’t overflow.
• Clean any overflow with shop towels.

Step 11: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 26 Nm (19 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 12: Repeat on the other rear wheel

• Do the same pad replacement steps on the other side.
• Always replace pads on both sides.

Step 13: Reinstall wheels and lower the truck

• Install wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Snug lug nuts in a star pattern using a 21mm socket and ratchet.
• Lower the truck using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Final-tighten lug nuts in a star pattern: Torque to 133 Nm (98 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine OFF, pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• Check brake fluid level and top off with brake fluid (DOT 3) if needed.
• Start the engine and confirm the pedal feels normal, then do a slow test stop in a safe area.
• Bed-in the pads: do 6–10 medium stops from ~30–40 mph with cool-down time between stops; avoid hard panic stops for the first 200 miles.
• Re-check for leaks, odd noises, or pulling after your first drive.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $60-$150 (parts only)

You Save: $190-$300 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.8 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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