🔧 Lancer - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the rear brake pads restores safe stopping power and prevents metal-to-metal rotor damage. You’ll remove the rear calipers, swap the pads (and hardware if included), then compress the caliper pistons so everything fits back together.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-3 hours

Assumption: Your Lancer has rear disc brakes with a mechanical parking brake. If your piston won’t push straight in, use the “rotate-and-push” method in Step 6.

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and support the car with jack stands before going underneath.
• 🧤 Brake dust is hazardous—wear a mask and avoid blowing dust with compressed air.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot—let the rear brakes cool before starting.
• 🧱 Chock the front wheels and release the parking brake before servicing rear brakes.
• 🧴 Keep brake fluid off paint; it damages paint quickly.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks (pair)
• 21mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 6" extension (3/8" drive)
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6")
• Brake caliper piston wind-back tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake parts cleaner
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

---

🔩 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
• Brake caliper grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 bottle

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the shifter in P, and chock both front wheels.
• Release the parking brake fully (rear calipers can’t move freely if it’s on).
• Open the hood and loosen the brake fluid reservoir cap (just set it on top). This helps the pistons push back easier.
• Set your tools and new pads within reach so you don’t leave the car on stands while searching.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the rear lug nuts

• Use a 21mm socket with a breaker bar to loosen each rear wheel lug nut about 1/2 turn (do not remove yet).

Step 2: Raise and support the rear

• Lift the rear using a floor jack at the rear jacking point.
• Set the car onto jack stands placed at solid rear support points.
• Give the car a gentle push to confirm it’s stable before removing wheels.

Step 3: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using the 21mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet or breaker bar.
• Remove both rear wheels and slide them under the car as an extra safety backup.

Step 4: Locate the caliper and remove the lower/upper slide pin bolts

• Find the rear brake caliper (the clamp around the rotor).
• Use a 14mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet to remove the caliper slide pin bolts (usually 2 bolts).
• If the slide pin spins, hold it carefully with the 17mm socket (some setups use a hex/flat; use what fits your hardware).

Step 5: Lift off the caliper (do not hang it by the hose)

• Wiggle the caliper off the pads/rotor. Use a flathead screwdriver gently if you need a little help.
• Support the caliper with a bungee cord so there’s no strain on the brake hose.

Step 6: Remove old pads and retract the caliper piston

• Pull the old pads out of the bracket by hand. Note how the clips/shims are placed.
• Check brake fluid level at the reservoir—if it’s near “MAX,” be ready with a rag in case it rises when you compress the piston.
• If the piston pushes straight in: place an old pad against the piston and use a C-clamp (6") to compress it slowly until fully seated. (A C-clamp is a screw clamp that presses the piston back in.)
• If the piston will not push straight in: use a brake caliper piston wind-back tool (specialty) to rotate and push the piston inward at the same time until fully seated. (This tool turns the piston while applying pressure.)

Step 7: Clean and prep the pad bracket and hardware

• Spray the bracket areas with brake parts cleaner.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust where the pad “ears” slide (this prevents sticking and uneven wear).
• Install new hardware clips from the hardware kit if provided.

Step 8: Lubricate the correct points (lightly)

• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone-based) to pad contact points on the hardware where the pad ears slide.
• Do not get grease on the rotor or pad friction material.
• Less grease is better than too much.

Step 9: Install the new pads

• Install the inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.
• If one pad has a wear indicator tab, match its position to the old pad orientation.

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads and align the slide pin bolt holes.
• Thread the slide pin bolts in by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket.
• Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Put the wheels back on and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench and 21mm socket: Torque to 100 Nm (74 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Restore brake pedal feel and set fluid level

• With the car on the ground, press the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotors).
• Check the brake fluid reservoir and top off with DOT 3 only if needed.
• Reinstall the reservoir cap snugly.

---

✅ After Repair

• Start the engine and confirm the brake pedal stays firm.
• Re-apply and release the parking brake a few times to confirm it operates normally.
• Road test at low speed first. Confirm no pulling, grinding, or burning smell.
• Bed-in the pads: make 6–10 moderate stops from 30–40 mph, letting brakes cool slightly between stops. Avoid hard stops for the first 150–200 miles.
• Re-check lug nut torque with the torque wrench after 25–50 miles: Torque to 100 Nm (74 ft-lbs).

---

💰 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 1.0-1.5 hours.

---

🎯 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.