🔧 Town & Country - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the rear brake pads on your Town & Country means removing the rear caliper, swapping the pads (and hardware clips), then compressing the caliper piston so everything fits back together. Worn pads reduce stopping power and can damage the rotors if driven too long.

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

Assumption: common rear caliper fasteners for this platform (13mm slide bolts, 18mm bracket bolts, 21mm lug nuts).

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the van with jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• 🛑 Keep the parking brake released while servicing rear brakes.
• 🛑 Do not press the brake pedal with the caliper removed.
• 🛑 Avoid breathing brake dust; use brake cleaner to rinse, not compressed air.
• 🛑 Let brakes cool before starting; parts can be very hot.

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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
• 1/2-inch drive breaker bar
• 1/2-inch drive torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range)
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Ratchet
• 6-inch extension
• C-clamp (6-inch minimum)
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Flathead screwdriver
• Wire brush
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves

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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 - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the front wheels straight, and place wheel chocks at the front tires.
• Make sure the parking brake is fully released (rear brakes won’t service correctly if it’s on).
• Loosen rear wheel lug nuts slightly before lifting.
• Open the hood and check brake fluid level; it may rise when you compress pistons.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and lift the rear

• Use a 21mm socket with a breaker bar to loosen the rear lug nuts 1/2 turn.
• Lift the rear with a floor jack at the proper rear jacking point.
• Set the van onto jack stands and gently rock the van to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the wheel

• Remove the lug nuts with a 21mm socket and take the wheel off.
• Tip: slide the wheel under the van as backup.

Step 3: Remove the rear caliper

• Locate the two caliper slide bolts on the back of the caliper.
• Use a 13mm socket and ratchet to remove the slide bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and support it using a brake caliper hanger hook.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose.

Step 4: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the old pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Use a flathead screwdriver to carefully pry off the stainless pad clips (hardware) from the bracket.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust from the pad “shelves” where the clips sit.

Step 5: Compress the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face (to spread the force evenly).
• Use a C-clamp (6-inch minimum) to slowly push the piston back into the caliper.
• A C-clamp is a screw clamp that presses the piston in by turning the handle.
• Go slowly and watch the brake fluid reservoir so it doesn’t overflow.

Step 6: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new pad clips from the rear brake pad hardware kit onto the bracket by hand.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease where the pad ears contact the clips.
• Install the new pads into the bracket.
• Apply a small amount of brake caliper grease to pad backing contact points where they touch the caliper (not on friction material).

Step 7: Reinstall the caliper

• Set the caliper back over the new pads.
• Install the slide bolts using a 13mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs)

Step 8: Reinstall the wheel

• Put the wheel back on and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the van off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench and 21mm socket.
• Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs)

Step 9: Repeat on the other rear wheel

• Repeat Steps 1-8 for the other side.
• Replace rear pads as an axle set (both sides) for even braking.

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, slowly pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm.
• Check the brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• Do a low-speed test in a safe area: confirm normal stopping and no pulling/noises.
• Perform a gentle bed-in: 8-10 moderate stops from 50 km/h to 15 km/h, with cool-down driving between stops.
• Recheck lug nut torque with a torque wrench after 50-100 km.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: ₹6,000-₹12,000 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: ₹2,500-₹6,500 (parts only)

You Save: ₹3,500-₹5,500 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run ₹1,500-₹3,000/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.8 hours.

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