🔧 Focus - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, swing the rear brake calipers out of the way, replace the pads, and retract the caliper pistons so everything fits back together. On your Focus, the rear caliper piston typically must be turned while being pushed in because it’s tied to the parking brake mechanism.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• 🧤 Wear safety glasses and nitrile gloves; brake dust and cleaner are irritating.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot; let them cool before you touch the calipers/rotors.
• 🧱 Chock the front wheels and keep the parking brake released while servicing the rear brakes.
• 🔩 Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.

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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
• 19mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• Breaker bar (1/2" drive)
• Torque wrench (10-200 Nm range)
• 7mm hex bit socket
• 13mm socket
• 15mm wrench
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6")
• Brake caliper piston wind-back tool (specialty)
• Wire hook or bungee cord
• 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 lubricant (silicone/ceramic) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Rear caliper hardware kit - Qty: 1 (recommended)

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🧭 Park on level ground, put the shifter in 1st gear, and shut the engine off.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks at the front wheels.
• 🅿️ Fully release the parking brake (rear calipers won’t retract correctly if it’s on).
• 🔍 Quick check: look through the rear wheel spokes—if you see a shiny rotor and a caliper, you have rear disc brakes (pads). If you see a drum “shell,” you have rear drums (shoes). If yours are drums, tell me and I’ll give you the drum-shoe procedure.
• 🛠️ Note: A caliper piston wind-back tool is a tool that pushes the piston in while turning it, which your rear calipers typically require.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts

• Use a 19mm socket with a breaker bar to crack each rear lug nut loose about 1/4 turn (do not remove yet).

Step 2: Raise and support the rear of the car

• Use a floor jack at the approved rear lift point and raise the car.
• Set the car onto jack stands and gently rock it to confirm it’s stable.

Step 3: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using the 19mm socket and remove both rear wheels.

Step 4: Remove the lower and upper caliper slide pin bolts

• Turn the steering wheel slightly if you need better access (rear access is usually fine).
• Use a 7mm hex bit socket with a ratchet to remove the caliper slide pin bolts.
• If the slide pin spins, hold it with a 15mm wrench while you remove the bolt.

Step 5: Lift the caliper off and support it

• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket (use a flathead screwdriver gently if it’s stuck).
• Hang the caliper from the suspension using a wire hook or bungee cord.
• Never let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 6: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the pads out of the bracket by hand.
• If your pad set includes new stainless hardware clips, remove the old clips (use a flathead screwdriver carefully).

Step 7: Clean and prep the bracket and slide pins

• Spray the bracket/pad contact areas with brake cleaner spray.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust where the pad “ears” sit.
• If you removed slide pins, wipe them clean and apply a thin coat of brake lubricant (do not get grease on pad friction material).

Step 8: Retract the rear caliper piston (turn + push)

• Remove the brake fluid reservoir cap under the hood to allow fluid to move (set it back on loosely).
• Install the brake caliper piston wind-back tool (specialty) onto the piston face.
• Turn the piston clockwise while applying inward pressure until it bottoms out.
• If you don’t have the wind-back tool, a C-clamp (6") usually won’t work correctly on this style—use the proper tool to avoid damage.
• Watch fluid level; don’t overflow.

Step 9: Install new pad hardware and pads

• Install new hardware clips into the bracket (if included) by hand; press them fully seated.
• Apply a thin film of brake lubricant to the pad ears where they touch the clips.
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper over the new pads

• Position the caliper over the pads and align it with the slide pin holes.
• Install the slide pin bolts using the 7mm hex bit socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 11: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 4–10 on the other rear wheel.
• Replace pads in pairs, always.

Step 12: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the car 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

• 🦶 Pump the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotor).
• 🧪 Check brake fluid level and reinstall the reservoir cap securely.
• 🅿️ Apply and release the parking brake a few times to confirm it works normally.
• 🚗 Test drive at low speed first; confirm no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• 🛣️ Pad bed-in (typical): 6–10 moderate stops from 30–40 mph, allowing cooling between stops. Avoid hard stops for the first 200 miles.

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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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