🔧 Lancer - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, swap the rear brake pads and rotors, then reset the caliper piston so everything fits back together. This restores braking performance and prevents noise/vibration from worn pads or warped rotors.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-4 hours

Assumption: your Lancer’s rear caliper pistons are the screw-in type (common on this model).

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a flat surface and support the car with jack stands, not the jack.
• ⚠️ Release the parking brake before starting, or the rear calipers/rotors may not come off.
• ⚠️ Do not inhale brake dust; use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose; support it with a hook.
• ⚠️ Keep brake fluid off paint; it damages paint fast.
• ⚠️ If fluid level rises near the max line while compressing pistons, remove some with a syringe.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Torque wrench (10-200 Nm range)
• Flathead screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord or mechanics wire
• Brake piston wind-back tool kit (specialty)
• Phillips screwdriver
• M8 x 1.25 bolts (pair, 30-50mm long)
• 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 rotors - Qty: 2
• Brake pad hardware/clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Anti-seize compound - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the shifter in Park, and chock the front wheels.
• Release the parking brake fully.
• Open the hood and loosen the brake fluid reservoir cap (leave it sitting on top).
• Turn the steering wheel straight and keep the key off.
• Do one side at a time for reference.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and raise the rear

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to crack the rear lug nuts loose about 1/2 turn.
• Lift the rear with a floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) at the rear jacking point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum).
• Remove the lug nuts with a 21mm socket and ratchet, then remove the rear wheels.

Step 2: Remove the rear caliper (leave the hose attached)

• Turn the caliper area so you can see the two slide-pin bolts on the back of the caliper.
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the caliper slide-pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the pads and rotor.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension using a bungee cord or mechanics wire.

Step 3: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the inner and outer pads out by hand. If they’re stuck, gently pry with a flathead screwdriver.
• Remove the stainless pad clips from the bracket using a flathead screwdriver.
• Spray the bracket with brake cleaner spray and scrub pad lands (where clips sit) using a wire brush.

Step 4: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 17mm socket and breaker bar to remove the two caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the bracket and set it aside.
• When reinstalling later: Torque to 90 Nm (66 ft-lbs).

Step 5: Remove the old rotor

• If there are rotor retaining screws, remove them with a Phillips screwdriver.
• If the rotor is stuck, thread two M8 x 1.25 bolts into the rotor’s push-off holes and tighten evenly with a ratchet until the rotor pops free.
• Remove the rotor.

Step 6: Prep the hub and install the new rotor

• Clean rust from the hub face using a wire brush, then spray with brake cleaner spray.
• Apply a very thin film of anti-seize compound to the hub face (avoid wheel studs).
• Install the new rotor and hold it in place with 1-2 lug nuts hand-tight (use the 21mm socket).
• Clean new rotors with brake cleaner first.

Step 7: Reinstall the caliper bracket with new hardware clips

• Install the new pad clips onto the bracket.
• Reinstall the bracket over the rotor using a 17mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 90 Nm (66 ft-lbs).

Step 8: Retract the rear caliper piston (screw-in type)

• On screw-in pistons, you must rotate while pushing in.
• Use a brake piston wind-back tool kit (specialty) and turn the piston clockwise while applying pressure until it bottoms out.
• Keep an eye on the brake fluid reservoir while doing this; remove excess if it nears overflow.
• If it won’t turn, stop and recheck parking brake.

Step 9: Install new pads and refit the caliper

• Apply a light coat of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) to pad ears (where they touch the clips). Do not get grease on the pad friction material.
• Install the inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• Slide the caliper back over the pads and rotor.
• Reinstall the caliper slide-pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 2 through 9 on the other rear wheel.

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and lower the car

• Install wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench.
• Torque to 100 Nm (74 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, slowly press the brake pedal 8-12 times until it feels firm.
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed (do not overfill).
• Test at low speed first. Confirm no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• Bed-in the pads: make 6-8 smooth stops from ~50 km/h to ~15 km/h, with light driving between to cool.
• Re-check lug nut torque after 50-100 km using a torque wrench.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: ₹8,000-₹18,000 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: ₹4,000-₹12,000 (parts only)

You Save: ₹4,000-₹6,000 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run ₹800-₹2,000/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-2.5 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.