🔧 Grand Cherokee - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the rear brake pads means removing the rear wheels, opening the rear calipers, swapping pads, and reassembling everything safely. On your Grand Cherokee, the biggest “gotcha” is the parking brake system—many have an electronic parking brake (EPB) that must be put into service mode before you push the pistons back.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the SUV with jack stands; never work under a jack only.
• 🔥 Brakes get very hot—let everything cool before starting.
• ⚡ If equipped with electronic parking brake (EPB), you must retract it (service mode) before compressing pistons, or you can damage the caliper/EPB motor.
• 🧴 Avoid breathing brake dust; use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🔋 Battery disconnect is typically not required for pads, but keep ignition OFF while working around EPB.

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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
• 21mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (30-150 ft-lbs range)
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Flat trim tool
• C-clamp or brake caliper piston compression tool (specialty)
• Brake hanger hook (specialty)
• 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 pad hardware kit (rear abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• Brake lubricant (silicone or synthetic brake grease) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🧱 Park on level ground, turn the steering wheel straight, and place wheel chocks at the front wheels.
• 🅿️ Release the parking brake fully.
• ⚡ Assumption: Many Limited trims use electronic parking brake (EPB). If you have an EPB switch (not a foot pedal), follow the EPB service-mode steps below.
• 🧴 Open the hood and check the brake fluid reservoir level before you start; fluid may rise when pistons are pushed back. Don’t overfill after the job.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts

• Use a 21mm socket with a breaker bar to loosen the rear wheel lug nuts 1/2 turn while the SUV is on the ground.

Step 2: Lift and support the rear

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the rear at the approved jacking point.
• Set the vehicle onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Give the SUV a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 3: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using a 21mm socket and pull both rear wheels off.

Step 4: Put the parking brake into service mode (EPB-equipped only)

• If you have an EPB switch, the safest method is a scan tool command; use an EPB-capable tool to retract rear calipers.
• If you do not have a scan tool, do not force the pistons—skip to Step 5 only after EPB is properly retracted.
• EPB service mode retracts the motor so the piston can compress.

Step 5: Remove the caliper (guide pin bolts)

• Turn the steering is not needed for the rear—work straight-on.
• Use a 13mm socket to remove the two rear caliper guide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang the caliper using a brake hanger hook (specialty). (A brake hanger is a hook so the caliper doesn’t hang by the rubber brake hose.)

Step 6: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Use a flat trim tool to carefully pry off the old pad abutment clips (hardware) if included.
• Use brake cleaner spray and a wire brush to clean pad contact points on the bracket.

Step 7: Compress the caliper piston

• Use a C-clamp or brake caliper piston compression tool (specialty) to slowly push the piston straight back into the caliper.
• Go slowly and watch the brake fluid reservoir level under the hood.
• If the piston won’t compress on an EPB-equipped setup, stop—EPB likely is not retracted.

Step 8: Install new hardware and pads

• Install new abutment clips from the hardware kit (if provided) by snapping them into the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of brake lubricant to pad ears where they slide on the clips. Keep grease off pad friction surfaces.
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper

• Set the caliper back over the new pads.
• Reinstall the guide pin bolts using a 13mm socket.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Reinstall wheels

• Put the wheels back on and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the SUV off the jack stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench (30-150 ft-lbs range): Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Exit EPB service mode (EPB-equipped only)

• Use your EPB-capable scan tool to command the EPB back to normal mode.
• Apply and release the parking brake once to confirm normal operation.

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 With the engine OFF, slowly pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm. This seats the pads against the rotors.
• 🧴 Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• 🚗 Do a careful test drive: low speed, gentle stops first, then recheck for noise or pulling.
• 🛑 Pad break-in: make 6–10 moderate stops from 30–40 mph with cool-down between. Avoid hard stops for 200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $50-$120 (parts only)

You Save: $130-$400 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?

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.