🔧 Altima - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll be replacing the rear brake pads on your Altima, which restore braking performance and prevent damage to the brake rotors. This involves lifting the rear of the car, removing the wheels, pulling off the brake calipers, and installing new pads and hardware.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2–3 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Always support the car with jack stands; never work under a car held only by a jack. A jack stand is a rigid support that safely holds the vehicle up.
• ⚠️ Work on level, solid ground so the car cannot roll or shift.
• ⚠️ Wear safety glasses and mechanic gloves to protect your eyes and hands from dust and sharp edges.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed; it can push the piston out.
• ⚠️ Brakes may be hot if you just drove; let them cool completely before starting.
• ⚠️ Keep brake fluid and brake cleaner off paint and skin as much as possible.
• ⚠️ Your Altima uses a mechanical parking brake, but keep the parking brake OFF while working on the rear brakes so the rotors can turn freely.

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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" drive breaker bar
• 🛠️ 1/2" drive torque wrench (10–150 ft-lbs range) (a torque wrench lets you tighten bolts to a specific force)
• 🛠️ 14mm socket
• 🛠️ 17mm or 19mm socket (for caliper bracket bolts, size may vary)
• 🛠️ 3/8" drive ratchet
• 🛠️ 3/8" drive torque wrench (up to ~40 ft-lbs)
• 🛠️ Flathead screwdriver (medium size)
• 🛠️ C-clamp (6" or larger) (used to push the caliper piston back)
• 🛠️ Brake caliper compression tool (specialty) (alternative to a C-clamp, designed for pistons)
• 🛠️ Bungee cord or coat hanger
• 🛠️ Wire brush (small, steel bristles)
• 🛠️ Shop rags or paper towels
• 🛠️ Safety glasses
• 🛠️ Mechanic gloves
• 🛠️ Catch pan or drip tray

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• 🔩 Rear brake pad set (left and right) - Qty: 1 set (replace in pairs)
• 🔩 Rear brake pad hardware kit (anti-rattle clips/shims) - Qty: 1 set
• 🔩 High-temperature brake grease - Qty: 1 small tube
• 🔩 Brake cleaner spray - Qty: 1–2 cans
• 🔩 Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2 (optional but recommended if worn, grooved, or below spec)
• 🔩 Caliper slide pin boots - Qty: 1 set (optional, if existing boots are torn)

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park the Altima on level ground, shift to P, and apply the parking brake for wheel loosening only. After loosening the lug nuts, release the parking brake before lifting the rear.
• Place wheel chocks in front of and behind one front wheel to keep the car from rolling.
• Loosen (but do not remove) the rear wheel lug nuts 1/2 turn with a 21mm socket and breaker bar while the car is still on the ground.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir. If the fluid is very full, have some rags ready in case it rises when you push the pistons back.
• Battery disconnect is not required for this job.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and support the rear of the car

• Position the floor jack (3-ton) under the rear center jacking point or under one rear pinch weld (consult your owner’s manual diagram for the exact spot).
• Raise the rear of the Altima until both rear wheels are off the ground.
• Place jack stands under the designated rear support points near each rear wheel and slowly lower the car onto the stands with the floor jack.
• Gently rock the car by hand to confirm it is stable on the jack stands.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Use a 21mm socket and ratchet to remove the rear wheel lug nuts completely.
• Remove both rear wheels and set them aside out of your work area.
• Keep lug nuts together so none go missing.

Step 3: Inspect the rear brake assembly

• Look at the brake caliper, pads, and rotor. Note how the pads sit in the bracket and how the hardware clips are installed; you’ll duplicate this with the new parts.
• If the rotor surface is deeply grooved, cracked, or heavily rusted, plan to replace the rotors as well.

Step 4: Remove the lower caliper bolt and swing the caliper up

• On one rear wheel, locate the two caliper slide bolts on the back of the caliper (upper and lower).
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" ratchet to remove the lower caliper slide bolt.
• Leave the upper bolt in place for now.
• Rotate the caliper upward on the upper slide bolt like a hinge to expose the brake pads.
• Use a bungee cord or coat hanger to support the caliper from the suspension spring or a solid point so it does not hang by the rubber brake hose.

Step 5: Remove the old brake pads and hardware

• Slide the inner and outer pads out of the caliper bracket by hand. If they are stuck, gently pry with a flathead screwdriver.
• Remove the metal hardware clips from the caliper bracket using a flathead screwdriver.
• Note the shape and orientation of the hardware clips for correct installation of new ones.

Step 6: (Optional but recommended) Remove caliper bracket and rotor

• If you are replacing or resurfacing the rotors, remove the caliper bracket.
• Use a 17mm or 19mm socket and 1/2" breaker bar to remove the two caliper bracket bolts holding the bracket to the rear knuckle.
• Remove the bracket and set it on a clean surface.
• Pull the rotor straight off the hub. If it is stuck by rust, tap the rotor hat (center area) with a rubber mallet, not the braking surface.
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush to remove rust so the new rotor sits flat.

Step 7: Install new rotor (if replacing)

• Spray the new rotor’s braking surfaces with brake cleaner to remove protective oil and wipe with a shop rag.
• Place the new rotor onto the hub, lining up the holes with the wheel studs.
• You can temporarily install one lug nut with a 21mm socket to hold the rotor tight while you work.

Step 8: Clean and prepare the caliper bracket

• Spray the caliper bracket (especially where the hardware clips sit) with brake cleaner and scrub these areas using a wire brush.
• If you removed the bracket, reinstall it now using a 17mm or 19mm socket and 1/2" torque wrench.
• Tighten the caliper bracket bolts to 80 Nm (59 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Service the caliper slide pins

• Carefully pull each slide pin out of the caliper bracket one at a time.
• Wipe old grease and dirt off with a shop rag.
• Apply a thin, even coat of high-temperature brake grease to each pin.
• Reinsert the pins and make sure they slide smoothly in and out. If boots are torn, replace them from the boot kit.

Step 10: Install new hardware clips

• Snap the new hardware clips from the kit into the caliper bracket where the old ones were.
• Ensure each clip is fully seated and not bent.
• Loose hardware can cause noise and uneven pad wear.

Step 11: Compress the caliper piston

• Check the brake fluid reservoir under the hood; if it is near the top, you may want to remove a small amount with a clean syringe or turkey baster into a container to avoid overflow.
• Place one of the old pads over the caliper piston face inside the caliper.
• Use a C-clamp or brake caliper compression tool to slowly press the piston straight back into the caliper housing until it bottoms out.
• Go slowly to avoid damaging seals. Stop if you feel sudden, hard resistance.

Step 12: Install the new brake pads

• Apply a very thin film of high-temperature brake grease on the metal ears (ends) of the new pads where they contact the hardware clips. Do NOT get grease on the friction surface.
• Slide the new inner and outer pads into the caliper bracket, following the same orientation as the originals.
• Make sure the pads slide smoothly and sit flat against the rotor.

Step 13: Reinstall and tighten the caliper

• Rotate the caliper back down over the new pads and onto the caliper bracket.
• Align the lower slide bolt hole.
• Install the lower caliper slide bolt by hand to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" torque wrench to tighten both the upper and lower slide bolts to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 14: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 4–13 for the other rear wheel: remove caliper, pads, hardware, service pins, replace rotor if needed, and reinstall.
• Always replace brake pads on both sides of an axle.

Step 15: Reinstall wheels and lower the car

• Reinstall each rear wheel and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Use a 21mm socket and ratchet to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern while the car is still on jack stands, but do not fully tighten yet.
• Use the floor jack to lift the car slightly, remove the jack stands, then lower the car completely to the ground.
• With the car on the ground, use a 21mm socket and 1/2" torque wrench to torque the lug nuts in a star pattern to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

Step 16: Pump the brake pedal and check fluid

• Sit in the driver’s seat and slowly press the brake pedal several times until it becomes firm. This seats the pads against the rotors.
• Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir. Adjust to the “MAX” line if needed using the correct brake fluid type listed on the cap.
• Wipe any spilled fluid and close the reservoir cap.

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✅ After Repair

• Start the engine and gently press the brake pedal to confirm it feels firm and consistent.
• With the car in gear, move slowly in a safe area and perform several gentle stops from low speed (15–20 km/h), then a few medium stops from slightly higher speed. Avoid hard, emergency-style braking for the first 300–500 km.
• Listen for unusual noises like grinding, clunking, or loud squeals. A light, temporary squeak is normal during the first few stops.
• After a short drive, check around the rear wheels for any loose hardware or leaks, and recheck the lug nut torque with a 21mm socket and torque wrench to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $280–$450 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $60–$140 (pads + hardware, more if adding rotors)

You Save: $140–$350 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100–$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.2–1.8 hours.

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