🔧 Colorado - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear caliper, swap the old pads for new ones, and compress the caliper piston so everything fits back together. This restores safe braking and prevents metal-on-metal damage to your rotors.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support your Colorado on jack stands before working under it.
• ⚠️ Work on a cool brake system; hot parts can burn you.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• ⚠️ Keep grease off pad/rotor friction surfaces.
• ⚠️ Parking brake must be fully released (your Colorado uses a mechanical parking brake).

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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
• 22mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range)
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• Socket set (8mm-18mm)
• Torque wrench (3/8" drive, inch-lb/low Nm capable)
• C-clamp brake piston compressor
• Flat screwdriver
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• 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 (abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Rear brake rotors - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2 (optional)

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🧰 Park on level ground, set the transmission to Park, and release the parking brake.
• 🧰 Chock the front wheels with wheel chocks.
• 🧰 Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts 1/2 turn before lifting (do not remove yet).
• 🧰 Open the hood and remove the brake fluid reservoir cap (leave it sitting on top). This helps the piston compress easier; watch for overflow.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Use wheel chocks at the front tires.
• Use a floor jack to lift the rear, then place jack stands under the frame and lower onto them.
• Remove the rear wheels using a 22mm socket and breaker bar.

Step 2: Locate the rear caliper and pads

• Turn the steering is not needed for the rear; just access the caliper behind the rotor.
• Use safety glasses and nitrile gloves.

Step 3: Remove the caliper guide pin bolts

• Use a ratchet (3/8" drive) and the correct socket (typically 13mm) to remove the two caliper guide pin bolts.
• If the caliper is stuck, gently pry at the pad ears with a flat screwdriver.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension using a bungee cord. Never let it dangle by the hose.

Step 4: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the old inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the stainless hardware clips (abutment clips) from the bracket.
• Clean the bracket pad lands using brake cleaner spray, shop towels, and a wire brush.

Step 5: Compress the caliper piston

• Place the old inner pad against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp brake piston compressor to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; remove excess if it rises too high.
• Go slow to avoid damaging seals.

Step 6: Install new hardware clips and grease contact points

• Install the new abutment clips into the bracket by hand.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) where the pad ears slide on the clips (metal-to-metal only).
• Do not get grease on the pad friction material or rotor.

Step 7: Install the new rear brake pads

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.
• Make sure the pads slide freely; if tight, re-clean the pad lands with a wire brush.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper and torque bolts

• Set the caliper back over the new pads.
• Install the guide pin bolts using a ratchet (3/8" drive) and correct socket.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 9: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the truck off the stands using the floor jack.
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench and 22mm socket: Torque to 190 Nm (140 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Restore pedal feel

• With the engine off, pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm.
• Reinstall the brake fluid reservoir cap by hand.

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✅ After Repair

• 🧪 Start your Colorado and confirm the brake pedal stays firm.
• 🧪 With the vehicle in a safe area, do a slow test stop from 5-10 mph first.
• 🧪 Check the brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• 🧪 Listen for scraping/grinding; recheck pad seating and hardware if you hear noise.
• 🧪 Bedding (break-in): make 8-10 smooth stops from ~30 to 5 mph, light-to-medium pressure, allowing a little cooling between stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $300-$550 (parts + labor)

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

You Save: $120-$490 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?

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