🔧 Grand Caravan - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, swing the rear brake calipers out of the way, swap the old pads for new ones, then reassemble everything with the correct torque. This restores safe stopping power and prevents metal-to-metal brake damage.

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 van with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• 🛑 Don’t press the brake pedal with a caliper removed (it can pop the piston out and leak brake fluid).
• 🛑 Brakes make dust—wear a mask and use brake cleaner (don’t blow dust with compressed air).
• 🛑 Keep brake fluid off paint; it can damage the finish.

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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
• Lug wrench or 19mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8")
• Torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Brake parts cleaner
• 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
• Brake lubricant (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake hardware kit (rear) - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks at both front wheels.
• Break the rear lug nuts loose 1/2 turn using a 19mm socket before lifting.
• Pop the hood and check the brake fluid reservoir level; if it’s very full, be ready for the level to rise when you compress the caliper pistons.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Use a floor jack to lift the rear at the proper jacking point.
• Set the rear onto jack stands and gently shake the van to confirm it’s stable.
• Remove both rear wheels using a 19mm socket.

Step 2: Locate the rear caliper and hardware

• The caliper is the clamp that squeezes the pads onto the rotor.
• The caliper bracket (also called the adapter) is the larger mount the caliper slides on.
• Spray the area with brake parts cleaner and wipe with gloves on.

Step 3: Remove the caliper guide pin bolts

• Use a 13mm socket and ratchet to remove the upper and lower caliper guide pin bolts.
• If the caliper wants to spin or bind, hold it steady and try again—don’t force it.

Step 4: Support the caliper (do not hang it)

• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang it from the suspension spring using a bungee cord.
• Never let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the old inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand. Use a flat-blade screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the stainless pad clips (hardware) from the bracket if you’re replacing them.
• Clean the bracket pad-contact areas with a wire brush, then spray with brake parts cleaner.

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old brake pad against the caliper piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6" minimum) to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Go slow and watch the brake fluid reservoir level under the hood as the piston retracts.

Step 7: Install new hardware and lubricate correctly

• Install the new pad clips into the bracket by hand.
• Apply a thin film of brake lubricant (silicone-based) where the pad “ears” slide on the clips.
• Do not get lubricant on pad friction material or the rotor.

Step 8: Install the new pads

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• If one pad has a wear indicator, install it in the same position as the original (typically the inner pad).

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper

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

Step 10: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 3–9 on the other rear wheel.
• Do both sides so braking stays even.

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread all lug nuts.
• Lower the van off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench.
• Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• Road test at low speed first; confirm normal braking and no pulling or grinding noises.
• Pad break-in (bedding): make 6–10 smooth stops from ~30 mph down to ~5 mph, allowing 30–60 seconds between stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $40-$120 (parts only)

You Save: $210-$330 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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