🔧 Patriot - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheel, unbolt the rear brake caliper, swap the old pads for new ones, then reassemble and verify safe brake operation. Rear pads wear down over time, and replacing them restores braking performance and protects your rotors.

Assumption: Your Patriot has standard rear disc brakes with a separate parking brake drum-in-hat (common on this model).

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and use jack stands (never rely on a jack alone).
• 🧤 Wear safety glasses and mechanic gloves; brake dust and cleaner are harsh.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot; let everything cool before touching calipers/rotors.
• 🧱 Chock the front wheels and release the parking brake before lifting the rear (parking brake can lock the rear).
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal with the caliper removed.

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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
• 19mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range)
• 13mm socket
• 15mm socket
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" or larger)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• Small drip pan
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves

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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) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Rear brake rotors - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2 (optional, if worn/grooved)

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🧭 Park on level ground, put the transmission in 1st gear, and turn the engine off.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks in front of both front tires.
• 🅿️ Make sure the parking brake is released before lifting the rear.
• 🧴 Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; keep the cap seated but check the level. (When you compress pistons, fluid level can rise.)

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts (before lifting)

• Use a 19mm socket and breaker bar to loosen the rear wheel lug nuts about 1 turn.

Step 2: Lift and support the rear

• Use the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift one rear corner at the approved jacking point.
• Set the vehicle onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Shake-test the car before working.

Step 3: Remove the rear wheel

• Use the 19mm socket and ratchet to remove the lug nuts.
• Remove the wheel and set it aside.

Step 4: Locate the caliper and remove the caliper slide bolts

• Find the rear brake caliper (the “clamp” over the rotor).
• Use a 13mm socket and ratchet to remove the two caliper slide/guide bolts.
• If the caliper wants to twist, hold the slide pin carefully with a 15mm socket as needed.

Step 5: Remove and support the caliper

• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension with a bungee cord (this prevents strain on the brake hose).
• Do not let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 6: Remove old pads and hardware

• Slide the old pads out of the bracket by hand; use a flathead screwdriver gently if stuck.
• Remove old pad clips/hardware from the bracket.

Step 7: Clean the bracket and hardware areas

• Spray the bracket/pad areas with brake cleaner spray, catching runoff with the small drip pan.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust where the pad clips sit (pads must slide freely).
• Clean metal-to-metal contact points only.

Step 8: Compress the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face, then use a C-clamp (6" or larger) to slowly press the piston back into the caliper.
• Go slowly; check the brake fluid reservoir level as you compress.
• C-clamp definition: A screw clamp that pushes the piston in evenly.

Step 9: Install new pad hardware and pads

• Install the new clips from the rear brake pad hardware kit into the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) where the pad ears contact the clips. Thin layer only.
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket (match any wear sensor/markings per the pad set instructions).

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper

• Position the caliper over the new pads.
• Reinstall the caliper slide/guide bolts using the 13mm socket and ratchet.
• Final-tighten with a torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range): Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs) for rear caliper slide bolts.

Step 11: Reinstall the wheel

• Put the wheel back on and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum), remove the jack stands, then set it fully on the ground.
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range): Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Repeat on the other rear wheel

• Repeat Steps 1-11 for the opposite rear side.
• Always replace pads on both rear wheels.

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 With the engine off, slowly press the brake pedal 8-15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the pads).
• 🧴 Check brake fluid level; top off only if needed (use the correct DOT brake fluid listed on the reservoir cap).
• 🔍 Check for leaks and confirm both rear wheels spin freely with the parking brake released.
• 🛣️ Road test at low speed first; verify normal braking and no pulling/noise.
• 🔥 Bed-in (break-in) the pads: make 6-10 smooth stops from ~30 mph down to ~5 mph, allowing short cool-down between stops. Avoid hard panic stops for the first 200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $45-$120 (parts only)

You Save: $205-$330 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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