🔧 Express 3500 - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, swing the rear calipers out of the way, replace the pads (and hardware clips), then reassemble and safely re-seat the pads against the rotors. This restores braking performance and prevents metal-to-metal rotor damage when pads get thin.

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

Assumption: factory rear disc brakes with drum-in-hat parking brake.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the van with jack stands under the rear axle; never rely on a floor jack.
• 🧱 Chock the front wheels before lifting the rear (RWD can roll easily).
• 🧤 Wear gloves and safety glasses; brake dust and cleaner are irritating.
• 🔥 Let brakes cool fully before starting; hot rotors can burn you.
• ⛔ Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed (piston can pop out).
• 🪝 Hang the caliper with a hook/bungee; don’t let it dangle by the brake hose.
• 🅿️ Release the parking brake before starting (it can drag the rear rotor).

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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
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (1/2")
• 21mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8")
• Socket set (metric)
• Hex bit socket set (metric)
• C-clamp (6" or larger)
• Small flat screwdriver
• Wire brush
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Brake parts cleaner
• Shop rags
• Turkey baster

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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/clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone brake grease) - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, shift to P, and release the parking brake.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks tight against both front tires.
• 🧴 Open the hood and check the brake fluid level; if it’s near “MAX,” use a turkey baster to remove a little (pushing pistons back can overflow).
• 🛞 Crack the rear lug nuts loose 1/2 turn with a breaker bar and 21mm socket before lifting.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Lift the rear at the axle with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Set the axle onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) on both sides.
• Give the van a gentle push to confirm it’s stable before crawling underneath.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove lug nuts using a 21mm socket and breaker bar (1/2").
• Remove both rear wheels (doing both sides helps you compare parts as you go).

Step 3: Locate the caliper bolts and inspect

• Look at the rear brake: the caliper squeezes the rotor; the pads sit in the caliper bracket.
• Inspect the rotor surface for deep grooves or heavy rust scaling.
• Check the brake hose for cracks or wet spots.

Step 4: Remove the caliper guide pin bolts

• Turn the steering of your body (not the wheels) so you can see the back side of the caliper.
• Remove the 2 caliper guide pin bolts using a ratchet (3/8") with the correct hex bit socket (metric) or metric socket (varies by caliper style).
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Support it with a brake caliper hanger hook.
• Torque to 31 Nm (23 ft-lbs) on reassembly (caliper guide pin bolts).

Step 5: Remove the old pads and hardware clips

• Pull the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Use a small flat screwdriver to pry out the stainless hardware clips from the bracket.
• Clean the bracket pad “rails” with a wire brush and spray with brake parts cleaner; wipe with shop rags.
• Clean metal lets pads slide freely.

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face (to spread the force).
• Use a C-clamp (6" or larger) to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Go slow and watch the brake fluid reservoir for rising fluid.
• Definition: The caliper piston is the round part that pushes the inner pad into the rotor.

Step 7: Service the slide pins

• Pull the caliper slide pins out one at a time (they’re the smooth pins the caliper “floats” on).
• Wipe them clean with shop rags.
• Apply a thin, even coat of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone brake grease).
• Reinstall the pins and make sure they move smoothly.

Step 8: Install new hardware clips and new pads

• Snap the new stainless hardware clips into the bracket by hand.
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• If your new pads include wear indicators, match the orientation to the old pads on that side.

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper

• Set the caliper back over the new pads.
• Install the guide pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten using a ratchet (3/8"), then final tighten with a torque wrench (1/2").
• Torque to 31 Nm (23 ft-lbs) (caliper guide pin bolts).

Step 10: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall wheels and thread lug nuts by hand.
• Snug lug nuts in a star pattern using a 21mm socket and ratchet.
• Lower the van off the stands using the floor jack.
• Final-torque lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench (1/2").
• Torque to 190 Nm (140 ft-lbs) (wheel lug nuts).

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 With the engine OFF, slowly pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm.
• 🔍 Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed (use the correct DOT rating shown on the reservoir cap).
• 🧼 Spray any spilled brake fluid with water and wipe up immediately (it can damage paint).
• 🚗 Do a low-speed test in a safe area: confirm normal stopping and no pulling or grinding noises.
• 🛑 Bed-in the pads: make 6–10 moderate stops from ~30–40 mph, letting brakes cool a bit between stops; avoid hard panic stops for the first ~200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $350-$650 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $60-$180 (parts only)

You Save: $170-$590 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-3 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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