🔧 F-350 Super Duty - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the rear brake pads restores safe stopping power and prevents rotor damage from worn pads. On your F-350, the rear brakes use a floating caliper (the caliper slides on pins), so you’ll remove the caliper, swap the pads, and compress the piston before reassembly.

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

Assumption: Rear disc brakes with floating calipers (common on this F-350); hardware/bolt sizes can vary slightly—match tools to what you see.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground; chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• 🛑 Support the truck with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• 🛑 Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• 🛑 Brake dust is unhealthy—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🛑 Keep grease and oil off pad/rotor friction surfaces.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Wheel chocks
• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• 21mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (50-250 ft-lbs range)
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 ft-lbs range)
• 13mm socket
• 15mm socket
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake parts 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 kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Silicone brake grease - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2 Optional if worn/damaged

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and release the parking brake.
• Chock both front wheels using wheel chocks.
• Crack the rear lug nuts loose 1/2 turn using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; you’ll watch the level as you compress the caliper pistons.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear of the truck

• Lift the rear with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at a safe rear jacking point.
• Set the frame/axle securely onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Give the truck a firm push to confirm it’s stable before going under/near the wheels.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove lug nuts using a 21mm socket and 1/2" drive breaker bar.
• Remove the wheels and set them aside.

Step 3: Locate the caliper and identify the slide-pin bolts

• The caliper is the clamp that squeezes the rotor; it slides on two pins (slide pins help the caliper move evenly).
• Use a wire brush and brake parts cleaner spray to clean heavy dirt so tools seat fully.

Step 4: Remove the caliper (do not let it hang)

• Remove the two caliper slide-pin bolts using a 13mm socket or 15mm socket (use the size that fits snugly).
• Lift the caliper off the bracket; use a flat-blade screwdriver gently if it’s tight.
• Hang the caliper with a bungee cord so the brake hose is not stretched or twisted.
• Never hang a caliper by the hose.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware

• Slide the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove pad clips/hardware from the bracket using a flat-blade screwdriver.
• Spray the bracket pad lands (where clips sit) with brake parts cleaner spray and scrub with a wire brush.

Step 6: Check rotor and parking brake area

• Inspect the rotor face for deep grooves, heavy rust ridges, cracks, or blue heat spots.
• If the rotor is badly worn, replace the rotor (pads on a damaged rotor can cause noise/pulsation).
• Look behind the rotor area for signs of gear oil leaks (wetness near axle seal) or brake fluid leaks (wet caliper/hose).

Step 7: Compress the caliper piston

• Remove the brake reservoir cap (just set it on top) so fluid can move back easier.
• Place an old pad against the piston face, then compress the piston slowly using a C-clamp (6" minimum).
• Go slow and watch the reservoir level; siphon a little fluid if it nears the top (do not overflow).
• Slow compression helps prevent seal damage.

Step 8: Service the slide pins

• Pull the slide pins out of the bracket (by hand once bolts are removed).
• Clean the pins with brake parts cleaner spray and a shop towel (use nitrile gloves).
• Apply a thin coat of silicone brake grease to the smooth part of each pin and reinstall them.
• Only grease the pins—never the rotor/pad faces.

Step 9: Install new pad hardware and pads

• Install new pad clips from the hardware kit into the bracket.
• Apply a very light film of silicone brake grease where pad ears touch the clips (metal-to-metal contact points only).
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the caliper slide-pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten slide-pin bolts using a 3/8" drive ratchet, then final torque with a 3/8" drive torque wrench: Torque to 27 Nm (20 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the truck to the ground using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a 1/2" drive torque wrench: Torque to 224 Nm (165 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Restore pedal feel

• With the engine OFF, pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm.
• Check the brake fluid level and reinstall the reservoir cap.

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✅ After Repair

• Start the engine and confirm the brake pedal feels normal (it may drop slightly with vacuum assist, but should still be firm).
• Test brakes at very low speed first; confirm no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• Bed-in (break in) the pads: make 6–10 moderate stops from 30–40 mph, allowing 30–60 seconds between stops to cool.
• Recheck for leaks and re-torque lug nuts after 25–50 miles using a 1/2" drive torque wrench: Torque to 224 Nm (165 ft-lbs).

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $80-$220 (parts only)

You Save: $270-$430 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-2.5 hours.

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