🔧 Corolla - Rear Brake Pads/Shoes Replacement

On your Corolla LE, the rear brakes may be either drum brakes (shoes) or disc brakes (pads), depending on equipment. Below are both procedures—use the one that matches what you see: a drum (smooth “can” shape) or a rotor + caliper (flat disc with a clamp).

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

Assumption: Stock rear brakes; procedure includes both drum and disc paths.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🧯 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• 🧤 Wear gloves and safety glasses; brake dust and cleaner are irritating.
• 🔥 Let brakes cool fully before starting.
• 🚫 Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper or drum is removed.
• 🅿️ Release the parking brake before working on the rear brakes (rear drums/discs won’t come off if it’s set).

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (1/2")
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" or 1/2")
• Flathead screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• C-clamp brake piston compressor
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake spring tool (specialty)
• Brake adjusting spoon (specialty)
• Rubber mallet
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile 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 hardware kit (disc) - Qty: 1
• Rear brake shoes set (drum) - Qty: 1
• Rear brake hardware kit (drum) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1-2 cans
• High-temperature brake grease - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground and chock the front wheels with wheel chocks.
• 👟 Release the parking brake fully (your Corolla uses a pedal-style parking brake).
• 🔧 Break the rear lug nuts loose 1/4 turn using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• 🧰 If your rear brakes are disc brakes: open the hood and loosen the brake fluid cap (leave it sitting on top). This helps the caliper piston compress smoothly.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear of the car

• Use a floor jack to lift the rear at the approved jacking point, then set the car onto jack stands.
• Remove the rear wheels with a 21mm socket and ratchet.

Step 2: Identify your rear brake type (disc vs drum)

• If you see a flat shiny disc and a “clamp” over it, you have disc brakes (pads).
• If you see a smooth closed “can,” you have drum brakes (shoes).

Step 3A (DISC): Remove the caliper

• Remove the lower and upper caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off and hang it from the suspension with a bungee cord (never let it hang by the hose).
• Slide bolts are the small ones holding the caliper.

Step 4A (DISC): Remove old pads and prep the bracket

• Remove the old pads by hand. Use a flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the pad hardware/clips from the bracket. Clean the bracket contact points with a wire brush.
• Spray with brake cleaner and let it dry.

Step 5A (DISC): Compress the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston, then use a C-clamp brake piston compressor to slowly push the piston fully in.
• Watch the brake fluid level as you compress; don’t let it overflow.
• Compress slowly to avoid damaging seals.

Step 6A (DISC): Install new hardware and pads

• Install new pad clips from the hardware kit by hand (use needle-nose pliers if needed).
• Apply a thin film of high-temperature brake grease where the pad ears slide on the clips (avoid the pad friction surface).
• Install the new pads in the bracket.

Step 7A (DISC): Reinstall the caliper and torque fasteners

• Reinstall the caliper over the pads using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque caliper slide bolts to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.
• If you removed the caliper bracket: reinstall bracket bolts using a 17mm socket, Torque to 70 Nm (52 ft-lbs).

Step 3B (DRUM): Remove the brake drum

• Pull the drum straight off by hand.
• If stuck, tap around the drum face with a rubber mallet.
• If it still won’t come off, use a flathead screwdriver through the backing plate access hole to back off the star adjuster with a brake adjusting spoon (this loosens the shoes).
• The star adjuster is a toothed wheel inside.

Step 4B (DRUM): Take a reference photo and remove springs

• Take a clear photo of the entire spring/lever layout (this is your “map”).
• Use a brake spring tool (specialty) and needle-nose pliers to remove the return springs and hold-down springs.
• Clean the backing plate with brake cleaner and let it dry.

Step 5B (DRUM): Replace shoes and hardware

• Remove the old shoes and the adjuster assembly by hand.
• Lightly grease the shoe contact pads on the backing plate using high-temperature brake grease (these are the small raised metal pads the shoes rub on).
• Install the new shoes and new hardware springs using the brake spring tool (specialty).
• Make sure the adjuster goes back in the same orientation as removed.

Step 6B (DRUM): Adjust shoes and reinstall drum

• Turn the star wheel with the brake adjusting spoon (specialty) until the drum slides on with slight drag.
• Reinstall the drum by hand.
• Spin the drum: you want light, even resistance (not locked up).

Step 8: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-tighten lug nuts using a 21mm socket.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Torque lug nuts to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs) in a star pattern using a torque wrench.

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 Pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads/shoes).
• 🧴 Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• 👂 Do a slow test drive. Listen for grinding. Light rubbing noise can be normal at first.
• 🛑 If you did disc pads: do 5-8 gentle stops from 30 mph to help bed-in the pads. Avoid hard stops for the first 100 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $250-$500 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $50-$180 (parts only)

You Save: $200-$320 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-2.5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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