🔧 Wrangler - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the rear brake pads restores safe stopping power and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin. On your Wrangler, the rear brakes use a floating caliper, so you’ll remove the caliper, swap the pads, compress the piston, and reassemble with correct torque.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• ⚠️ Support the Wrangler on jack stands—never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is irritating; wear a dust mask and avoid blowing dust with compressed air.
• ⚠️ Brake fluid can damage paint; keep rags handy and wipe spills immediately.
• ⚠️ Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose—support it with a hanger.

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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
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (10-200 ft-lbs range)
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Flathead screwdriver
• Bungee cord or mechanics wire
• Brake parts cleaner spray
• Shop rags
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask

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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/clip kit - Qty: 1
• Silicone brake lubricant - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 (as needed)
• Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2 (optional, if worn or damaged)

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, leave the transmission in 1st gear, and set the parking brake.
• Chock both front wheels with wheel chocks.
• Loosen the rear lug nuts about 1/2 turn using a 19mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Open the hood and loosen the brake fluid reservoir cap (do not remove it completely). This helps when compressing the caliper piston.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the rear axle safely.
• Place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the axle tubes and lower onto them.
• Remove the rear wheels using a 19mm socket and ratchet.

Step 2: Locate the rear caliper and inspect

• Look at the caliper, rotor, and pad thickness on both sides.
• Use a flathead screwdriver to gently pry the caliper outward a tiny amount if it’s tight. Small movement makes removal easier.

Step 3: Remove the caliper slide bolts

• Remove the two caliper slide bolts using a 13mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and support it with a bungee cord or mechanics wire (do not pull on the brake hose).
• Reinstall note: Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs) for the caliper slide bolts.

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Slide the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the pad clips/hardware from the bracket using a flathead screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket pad-contact areas with brake parts cleaner spray and shop rags.

Step 5: Check slide pins (important)

• Pull the slide pins out (the caliper “glides” on these pins).
• Wipe them clean with shop rags, then apply a thin coat of silicone brake lubricant.
• Make sure the rubber boots seat correctly when you push the pins back in.

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• Place the old inner pad against the piston face, then use a C-clamp (6" minimum) to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; if it rises too much, soak a little out with a rag (do not overflow).
• Go slow to avoid damaging seals.

Step 7: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new clips from the hardware kit into the bracket by hand (use a flathead screwdriver gently if needed).
• Apply a very light film of silicone brake lubricant to the pad “ears” where they touch the clips (keep lube off pad friction surfaces and rotor).
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper

• Set the caliper over the new pads and align the slide bolt holes.
• Install and tighten the slide bolts using a 13mm socket and ratchet, then final-tighten with a torque wrench.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs) for the caliper slide bolts.

Step 9: Reinstall wheels

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the Wrangler off the stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque the lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench: Torque to 129 Nm (95 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• Before driving, pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• Check the brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 if needed; tighten the reservoir cap.
• Test at low speed in a safe area. Confirm no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• Bed-in the pads: make 6-10 smooth stops from ~30 mph down to ~5 mph, allowing short cool-down between stops. Avoid hard stops for 200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $60-$180 (parts only)

You Save: $190-$270 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-3.0 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.