🔧 Renegade - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll be removing the rear wheels, sliding the rear calipers off, swapping in new pads (and hardware if included), then reassembling and pumping the brake pedal to restore a firm pedal. Rear brakes are a safety-critical system, so cleanliness, correct reassembly, and proper torque are key.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and support your Renegade with jack stands, never the jack alone.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed; the piston can pop out and leak fluid.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful; use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ If equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB), retract it before starting to avoid caliper/motor damage.
• ⚠️ Keep grease off pad friction surfaces and rotor faces.

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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 lug nut socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (30-200 ft-lbs range)
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 ft-lbs range)
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Flat trim/pry tool
• Brake caliper piston compressor tool (specialty)
• Disc brake piston wind-back tool kit (specialty)
• Mechanic’s wire hook or bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• 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/clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Anti-squeal brake lubricant (pad backing/shims) - Qty: 1
• Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2 If below spec or damaged

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and chock the front wheels.
• Release the parking brake.
• If your Renegade has an EPB switch (button) instead of a manual lever, the EPB must be retracted before caliper service.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; fluid may rise when you compress pistons.
• Piston wind-back tool means a tool that rotates and pushes the piston in at the same time.

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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 lug nut socket with a 1/2" drive breaker bar to loosen the rear lug nuts 1 turn (do not remove yet).
• Lift the rear with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the proper rear jacking point.
• Set the vehicle onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) and keep the wheel chocks in place.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using the 21mm lug nut socket and remove both rear wheels.

Step 3: Retract the parking brake (EPB only, if equipped)

• If equipped with EPB, retract it before unbolting the caliper.
• If you can’t retract EPB, stop to avoid damage.

Step 4: Remove the rear caliper bolts

• Turn the steering slightly if needed for access, then locate the two caliper slide-pin bolts on the back of the rear caliper.
• Use a 13mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet to remove the two caliper slide-pin bolts.
• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Support the caliper with a mechanic’s wire hook or bungee cord; do not let it hang by the brake hose.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware

• Remove the inner and outer pads from the bracket by hand; use a flat trim/pry tool if they’re stuck.
• Remove the stainless pad clips (hardware) from the bracket using the flat trim/pry tool.
• Clean the bracket pad lands (where clips sit) using brake cleaner spray and a wire brush.

Step 6: Check slide pins (important for even braking)

• Pull the slide pins out of the bracket by hand.
• Wipe them clean and apply a thin coat of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone-based).
• Reinsert pins and confirm they move smoothly.

Step 7: Compress (retract) the rear caliper piston

• Watch the brake fluid level at the reservoir under the hood as you compress the piston.
• Start with a brake caliper piston compressor tool (specialty) to slowly push the piston back in.
• If the piston will not push in and seems to require rotation, use a disc brake piston wind-back tool kit (specialty) to rotate-and-press it in evenly.
• Go slow to avoid damaging seals.

Step 8: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new pad clips into the bracket by hand; ensure they are fully seated.
• Apply a very thin film of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone-based) to the clip contact points only (not on rotor faces).
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• If your pads include shims, apply a thin coat of anti-squeal brake lubricant (pad backing/shims) to the backing plates only.

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper

• Place the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide-pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 13mm socket and 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 ft-lbs range) to tighten caliper slide-pin bolts: Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle off the jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Use a 1/2" drive torque wrench (30-200 ft-lbs range) with a 21mm lug nut socket to tighten lug nuts in a star pattern: Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Restore pedal and parking brake function

• Before starting the engine, pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm.
• Re-apply and release the parking brake to confirm normal operation.

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✅ After Repair

• Test at low speed first. Confirm the vehicle stops straight and the pedal feels firm.
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• Listen for grinding or constant rubbing; a light sweep sound is normal at first.
• Bed-in the pads with several gentle-to-moderate stops; avoid hard stops for the first 150-200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $300-$600 (parts + labor)

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

You Save: $240-$420 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-3.0 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.