🔧 Veloster - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing your rear brake pads means removing the rear wheels, sliding the rear brake calipers (the clamp that squeezes the pads), swapping in new pads, and retracting the caliper piston so everything fits. On your Veloster, the rear caliper piston typically must be turned while pushing in because the parking brake mechanism is built into the caliper.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground; use jack stands—never rely on a jack alone.
• 🛑 Release the parking brake before starting (rear caliper won’t retract with it engaged).
• 🛑 Chock the front wheels so the car cannot roll.
• 🛑 Don’t press the brake pedal with the caliper removed.
• 🛑 Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🛑 Brake fluid can damage paint; wipe spills immediately.

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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
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (10–200 Nm range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Flat trim tool
• Bungee cord
• Rear disc brake piston wind-back tool (specialty)
• Brake cleaner spray
• Wire brush
• 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
• Rear brake pad hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Silicone brake lubricant - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the transmission in 1st gear, and turn the engine off.
• Chock both front wheels.
• Make sure the parking brake is fully released.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; make sure it’s not overfilled (fluid level may rise when pistons retract).

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts

• Use a 21mm socket with a breaker bar to loosen (do not remove) the lug nuts about 1/2 turn.

Step 2: Lift and support the rear of the car

• Use a floor jack to lift the rear at the proper jack point.
• Set the car down on jack stands and give the car a gentle push to confirm it’s stable.
• Remove the wheels using the 21mm socket.

Step 3: Locate the rear caliper and remove the slide pin bolts

• Find the rear brake caliper (the clamp around the rotor).
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the caliper slide pin bolts (usually 2 bolts on the back side).
• Tip: Turn the steering? Not needed on rear.

Step 4: Lift off the caliper and support it

• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket by hand. If it’s stuck, use a flat trim tool gently to nudge it free.
• Hang the caliper with a bungee cord so it doesn’t dangle by the brake hose.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware clips

• Pull the old pads out of the caliper bracket by hand.
• Remove the stainless hardware clips from the bracket using the flat trim tool.
• Spray the bracket pad “lands” (where clips sit) with brake cleaner spray and scrub with a wire brush.

Step 6: Retract the rear caliper piston (push + turn)

• Look at the piston face: if it has two notches, it must be rotated while being pushed in.
• Use a rear disc brake piston wind-back tool (specialty) to turn the piston clockwise while applying inward pressure until it bottoms out.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir level as you retract the piston; remove a little fluid if it’s getting too full.
• Tip: Go slow to avoid damaging seals.

Step 7: Install new hardware clips and lubricate contact points

• Install the new hardware clips onto the bracket by hand.
• Apply a thin film of silicone brake lubricant where the pad ears contact the clips (metal-on-metal contact points only).
• Do not get lubricant on the pad friction material or rotor.

Step 8: Install the new brake pads

• Slide the new pads into the bracket by hand.
• If one pad has a wear indicator, install it in the same position as the original set came off.

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper over the new pads

• Lower the caliper back over the pads.
• Reinstall the slide pin bolts using the 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 24 Nm (18 ft-lbs) for the rear caliper slide pin bolts.

Step 10: If you removed the caliper bracket (only if needed)

• If you had to remove the bracket for any reason, reinstall it using a 17mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 78 Nm (58 ft-lbs) for the rear caliper bracket bolts.

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Install the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Use a torque wrench and 21mm socket to tighten lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Torque to 90–110 Nm (66–81 ft-lbs) for the lug nuts.

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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).
• Check brake fluid level at the reservoir and adjust to the correct level.
• Test at low speed first: confirm normal stopping and no pulling/noises.
• Bed-in the pads: make 6–10 medium stops from ~30 mph to ~5 mph, letting brakes cool a bit between stops.
• Re-check lug nut torque after a short drive.

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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 1.0-1.8 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.