🔧 RX350 - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll be removing the rear wheels, swinging the rear calipers up, swapping the old pads for new ones, then compressing the caliper piston so everything fits back together. Rear pads wear down over time, and replacing them restores safe stopping and prevents rotor damage.

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

Assumption: your RX350 has the standard rear single-piston calipers and a mechanical parking brake.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a flat surface and support the RX350 on jack stands—never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is unhealthy—wear a dust mask and use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Keep the brake pedal untouched while a caliper is off, or the piston can pop out and leak.
• ⚠️ If brake fluid nears “MAX,” piston compression can overflow the reservoir—watch the level.
• ⚠️ Parking brake must be released for rear pad service; chock the front wheels first.

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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
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10–80 ft-lbs range)
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (50–150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Brake piston compression plate
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Brake cleaner
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask

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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) - Qty: 1
• Brake anti-squeal grease (for pad backing plates) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1-2 cans

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, turn the engine off, and remove the key.
• Release the parking brake, then place wheel chocks in front of both front tires.
• Crack the rear lug nuts loose 1/4 turn using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; keep the cap resting on top (not tightened) so fluid can rise easier during piston compression.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and support the rear

• Use a floor jack to lift the rear at the approved rear jacking point, then set the RX350 onto jack stands.
• Give the vehicle a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using a 21mm socket and ratchet, then remove both rear wheels.
• Do one side at a time if preferred.

Step 3: Locate the rear caliper bolts

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for the rear; just look behind the rotor to find the two caliper slide-pin bolts.
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to loosen the slide-pin bolts.

Step 4: Swing the caliper up and support it

• Remove the slide-pin bolts fully with the 14mm socket.
• Carefully pivot the caliper upward and off the pads.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension spring/arm using a bungee cord so the brake hose isn’t stretched.
• Never let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware

• Slide the old inner and outer pads out by hand; use a flat-blade screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the pad clips/hardware from the caliper bracket.
• Spray the bracket areas with brake cleaner and scrub rust with a wire brush.

Step 6: Compress the rear caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face, then use a C-clamp (6" minimum) with a brake piston compression plate to press the piston straight back in.
• Go slowly and watch the brake fluid reservoir under the hood for overflow.
• Slow compression helps prevent seal damage.
• Tool note: A brake piston compression plate is a flat metal plate that spreads the clamp force evenly so the piston goes in straight.

Step 7: Install new hardware clips and grease contact points

• Install the new pad hardware/clips into the caliper bracket.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) to the pad “ears” where they slide on the clips (avoid the pad friction material).
• Apply a thin layer of brake anti-squeal grease to the back of the pads where they touch the caliper piston and outer caliper fingers (again, keep grease off the pad face).

Step 8: Install the new rear pads

• Slide the new inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.
• If your pads include a wear indicator (small metal “tab”), install it in the same position/orientation as the old set.

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper and tighten bolts

• Pivot the caliper back down over the new pads.
• Install the slide-pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten with a 14mm socket and finish with a torque wrench: Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Repeat on the other rear wheel

• Repeat Steps 3–9 on the other rear side.
• Replacing pads in pairs keeps braking even.

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and lower the RX350

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle using the floor jack, then torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench: Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, slowly pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• Check brake fluid level at the reservoir; top up only if needed with the correct brake fluid listed on the reservoir cap.
• Do a cautious test drive: confirm normal pedal feel and straight stops.
• Pad bedding (break-in): make 6–10 medium stops from ~30–35 mph down to ~5 mph, allowing 30–60 seconds between stops for cooling; avoid hard stops for the first 150–200 miles.
• Listen for grinding/metal noise—if present, stop and recheck pad seating and hardware clips.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $60-$160 (parts only)

You Save: $140-$490 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-2.0 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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