🔧 Durango - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, take off the brake caliper and bracket, replace the rotors, and install new rear brake pads. This restores safe stopping power and prevents vibration or grinding caused by worn pads/warped rotors.

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

Assumption: your Durango has standard rear calipers with a drum-in-hat parking brake (most SXT).

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Work on level ground and chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• Support the vehicle with jack stands before you go under or remove wheels.
• Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• Keep brake fluid off paint; it can damage the finish.
• Parking brake must be fully released so the rear rotors can come off.
• Battery disconnect is not required.

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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
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range)
• Caliper piston compression tool (specialty)
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Bungee cord
• Rubber mallet
• Wire brush
• Brake parts cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• 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
• Rear brake hardware kit (abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• Synthetic brake caliper grease - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• DOT 3 brake fluid - Qty: 1 bottle

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, steering straight, and place wheel chocks at the front tires.
• Make sure the parking brake is OFF (rear rotors won’t come off if it’s on).
• Crack (loosen) the rear lug nuts 1/2 turn using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Lift the rear with a floor jack and set the rear on jack stands at the proper lift points.
• Open the hood and check brake fluid level; if it’s already near “MAX,” be ready to remove a little when you push caliper pistons back.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Remove the rear wheels

• Finish removing lug nuts with a 21mm socket and ratchet.
• Remove both rear wheels and set them aside.

Step 2: Remove the rear brake caliper

• Locate the caliper (the clamp over the rotor) and the two caliper slide-pin bolts on the back.
• Use a 13mm socket and ratchet to remove the caliper slide-pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it from the suspension with a bungee cord.
• Never let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 3: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the brake pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the stainless pad clips (abutment clips) with a flat-blade screwdriver.

Step 4: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use an 18mm socket and breaker bar to remove the two caliper bracket bolts (they are tight).
• Remove the bracket from the knuckle.
• Set it aside where it won’t pull on the brake hose.

Step 5: Remove the rotor

• Slide the rotor off the hub.
• If it’s stuck, tap around the rotor “hat” with a rubber mallet to break rust loose.
• If the rotor still won’t come off, the parking brake shoes may be holding it. Use a flat-blade screwdriver through the access slot to turn the star wheel adjuster (a small toothed wheel that adjusts the parking brake shoes) to retract the shoes slightly.

Step 6: Clean the hub and prep the new rotor

• Use brake cleaner and shop towels to clean the hub face.
• Use a wire brush to remove heavy rust from the hub face so the rotor sits flat.
• Spray both sides of the new rotor with brake cleaner and wipe clean (removes protective oil).

Step 7: Install the new rotor

• Place the new rotor on the hub.
• If the rotor won’t slide on easily, the parking brake shoes may still be expanded; use the flat-blade screwdriver to retract the star wheel adjuster a bit more.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper bracket

• Position the bracket over the new rotor.
• Install the two bracket bolts by hand first, then tighten with an 18mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 169 Nm (125 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 9: Install new pad hardware and pads

• Snap the new abutment clips into the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of synthetic brake caliper grease where the pad ears touch the clips.
• Install the new pads into the bracket.
• Keep grease off pad friction material.

Step 10: Compress the caliper piston

• Remove the brake master cylinder cap under the hood (set it on loosely) so fluid can move back.
• Use a caliper piston compression tool (specialty) to slowly push the rear caliper piston straight back until it bottoms out.
• If brake fluid starts to overflow, remove a small amount with shop towels (do not spill on paint).

Step 11: Reinstall the caliper

• Place the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide-pin bolts and tighten with a 13mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 12: Repeat on the other rear side

• Perform the same rotor and pad replacement on the opposite rear wheel.
• Do one side at a time to stay organized.

Step 13: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a 21mm socket.
• Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

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✅ After Repair

• Pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotors).
• Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 brake fluid if needed.
• Test at low speed first. Verify no grinding, pulling, or warning lights.
• Bed-in (break-in) the new brakes: make 8-10 medium stops from 35 mph to 5 mph, driving a bit between stops to cool. Avoid hard stops for the first 200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $600-$1,000 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $250-$450 (parts only)

You Save: $350-$550 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-3 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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