Assumption (best-effort): Your Focus has rear disc brakes. If your Focus has rear drum brakes, use the “Rear Drum Brake Shoes” path in the steps below.

🔧 Focus - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing rear brake pads restores stopping power and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin. You’ll remove the rear caliper, swap the pads/hardware, then reassemble and check brake pedal feel.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and support the car with jack stands before going under or removing wheels.
• 🧤 Brake dust is harmful—wear a mask and avoid blowing dust with compressed air; use brake cleaner.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot after driving—let everything cool before starting.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while the caliper is off the rotor.
• 🔒 Release the parking brake before removing rear calipers (rear brakes are linked to it).

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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
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (20–200 Nm range)
• 19mm socket
• 7mm hex bit socket
• 13mm socket
• 15mm wrench
• Flat trim/pry tool
• C-clamp (6")
• Wire hook or bungee cord
• Brake cleaner spray
• Small wire brush
• Small turkey baster or fluid syringe

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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/abutment clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake lubricant (silicone or synthetic caliper grease) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 4) - Qty: 1 (as needed)

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the transmission in gear, and place wheel chocks at the front wheels.
• Release the parking brake fully (rear brakes won’t come apart correctly if it’s on).
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; if it’s near “MAX,” remove a little fluid using a turkey baster (a suction tool) so it doesn’t overflow when you compress the caliper piston.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and raise the rear

• Use a 19mm socket and breaker bar to loosen the rear wheel lug nuts 1/2 turn while the car is on the ground.
• Lift the rear with a floor jack at the approved lift point and support with jack stands.
• Remove the wheels with the 19mm socket.

Step 2: Confirm rear brake type (disc vs drum)

• If you see a caliper squeezing a rotor (disc), continue to Step 3.
• If you see a closed “drum” with no caliper, skip to Step 10 (drum shoes path).

Step 3: Remove the caliper (disc brakes)

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed; you’re working at the rear.
• Use a 7mm hex bit socket to remove the two caliper slide pin bolts.
• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Support the caliper with a wire hook or bungee cord—do not let it hang by the brake hose.

Step 4: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the inner and outer pads out by hand; use a flat trim/pry tool if they’re stuck.
• Remove the stainless abutment clips (hardware) from the bracket using the flat trim/pry tool.
• Clean the pad contact surfaces on the bracket with brake cleaner spray and a small wire brush.

Step 5: Check slide pins

• Pull each slide pin out of the bracket by hand.
• Wipe off old grease, then apply a thin coat of brake lubricant and reinstall.
• Slide pins must move smoothly.

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6") to slowly press the piston back into the caliper.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; remove fluid with the turkey baster if it rises too high.
• Go slow to avoid damaging seals.

Step 7: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new abutment clips onto the bracket by hand (they should snap in).
• Apply a very thin film of brake lubricant where the pad “ears” touch the clips (avoid pad friction material and rotor).
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.

Step 8: Reinstall caliper and tighten bolts

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide pin bolts using the 7mm hex bit socket.
• Torque to 28 Nm (21 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall wheels

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

Step 10: Rear Drum Brake Shoes path (only if your Focus has drums)

• Remove the drum. If stuck, use a flat trim/pry tool to remove the rubber access plug and back off the adjuster, then pull the drum off.
• Clean with brake cleaner spray; do not inhale dust.
• Important: Drum brakes use shoes (not pads). Replace shoes and the spring/hardware kit as a set.
• This job is more complex; take a photo before disassembly so you can match spring locations during reassembly.

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine OFF, pump the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons).
• Check the brake fluid level and top off with DOT 4 if needed.
• Do a careful test drive: first at low speed, then moderate speed. Listen for grinding or pulling.
• Avoid hard stops for 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 1.0–2.0 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.