🔧 Grand Cherokee - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

On your Grand Cherokee SRT8, the rear brakes use performance fixed calipers, so pad replacement is mostly removing the pad-retaining pins and swapping the pads—no caliper removal in most cases. You’ll still need to safely lift the rear, retract (push back) the pistons, and then bed-in the new pads so they work quietly and smoothly.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.0-2.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground; use jack stands—never rely on a jack alone.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful; use nitrile gloves and safety glasses, and use brake cleaner instead of compressed air.
• ⚠️ Keep the parking brake released while servicing rear brakes.
• ⚠️ When pushing pistons back, brake fluid can rise; check the reservoir and prevent overflow.
• ⚠️ If any brake fluid touches paint, wipe it off immediately.

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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
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range)
• Hammer (16 oz)
• Pin punch set (3/16" and 1/4")
• Flat blade screwdriver
• Brake caliper piston spreader (specialty)
• Needle-nose pliers
• 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 pad hardware kit (pad pins/spring clip) (if worn or corroded) - Qty: 1
• Brake anti-squeal lubricant - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the shifter in P, and make sure the parking brake is released.
• Chock the front wheels using wheel chocks.
• Loosen rear wheel lug nuts slightly before lifting using a 21mm socket and breaker bar.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; you’ll re-check the level after pushing pistons back.

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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 approved rear lift point.
• Set the vehicle onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) placed at the approved support points.
• Give the vehicle a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using a 21mm socket and take both rear wheels off.
• Doing both sides helps the axle stay even.

Step 3: Remove the pad retaining pins and spring clip

• Locate the two pad-retaining pins and the anti-rattle spring clip on the outside face of the caliper.
• Use needle-nose pliers and a flat blade screwdriver to carefully control the spring clip so it doesn’t pop out.
• Use a pin punch (3/16" or 1/4") and hammer (16 oz) to tap the pins out (support the punch straight so you don’t mushroom the pin).

Step 4: Remove the old pads

• Slide the pads out of the caliper by hand.
• If they’re tight, use a flat blade screwdriver to gently pry at the pad backing plate (not the rotor).
• Spray the caliper pad abutment areas with brake cleaner spray and wipe clean.

Step 5: Retract (push back) the caliper pistons

• Place an old pad against the pistons to spread the force evenly.
• Use a brake caliper piston spreader (specialty) to slowly push the pistons back until they are fully seated.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir; if it’s getting too full, remove a small amount (cleanly) before it overflows.
• Go slow—fast force can damage seals.

Step 6: Install the new rear pads

• Apply a thin film of brake anti-squeal lubricant to the pad backing plate contact points (not on the friction material).
• Slide the new pads into the caliper in the same orientation as the originals.

Step 7: Reinstall the pins and spring clip

• Position the anti-rattle spring clip back on the caliper face.
• Slide the pad pins through the caliper and pads by hand as far as possible.
• Use a pin punch and hammer (16 oz) to tap the pins fully into place until seated.
• If pins are heavily rusted or won’t seat smoothly, replace them with a brake pad hardware kit.

Step 8: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

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

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✅ After Repair

• Press the brake pedal slowly 10-15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotors).
• Re-check brake fluid level at the reservoir and adjust to the proper mark if needed.
• Do a careful test drive: start with low-speed stops to confirm normal pedal feel and no pulling.
• Bed-in the pads (typical street bedding): make 6-10 medium stops from ~40 mph down to ~10 mph, allowing short cool-down time between stops.
• If you hear constant grinding, metal-on-metal, or see a brake warning message, stop and re-check your work.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $350-$650 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $120-$300 (parts only)

You Save: $230-$350 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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