🔧 Town & Country - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, take off the rear brake calipers and brackets, replace the rotors, then install new pads and reassemble with the correct torque. This restores braking performance and prevents noise/vibration caused by worn pads or warped rotors.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and support the van with jack stands—never rely on a jack alone.
• 🔥 Brakes can be extremely hot; let everything cool before touching calipers/rotors.
• 🧱 Chock the front wheels; you’ll be releasing the parking brake during the job.
• 🧪 Avoid breathing brake dust; use brake cleaner and wear a dust mask.
• 🔍 Keep brake fluid off paint; it damages finishes. Wipe spills immediately.
• 🔋 Battery disconnect is not required for this repair.

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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
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Dust mask
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range)
• Socket set (8mm-21mm)
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• 21mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8")
• Ratchet (1/2")
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Brake caliper piston compressor
• Flathead screwdriver
• Rubber mallet
• M8 x 1.25 bolts (pair, 40-60mm long)
• Drain pan
• Turkey baster

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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
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2
• Anti-seize compound - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 quart

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the shifter in Park, and turn the engine off.
• Chock both front wheels using wheel chocks.
• Release the parking brake fully (rear rotors won’t come off if it’s applied).
• Pop the hood and check the brake fluid reservoir level. If it’s very full, remove a little with a turkey baster into a drain pan (you’re making room for fluid that will rise when pistons are pushed back).
• Lay tools out before lifting the van.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and lift the rear

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar (1/2") to loosen the rear wheel lug nuts about 1/2 turn while the tires are still on the ground.
• Lift the rear with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the rear jacking point and place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the rear support points.
• Lower the van onto the stands and give it a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using the 21mm socket and take both rear wheels off.

Step 3: Remove the rear caliper

• Turn the steering wheel is not applicable here; just position yourself for access.
• Locate the two rear caliper slide pin bolts on the back of the caliper.
• Use a 13mm socket and ratchet (3/8") to remove the caliper slide pin bolts.
• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it with a bungee cord (this prevents stress on the brake hose).

Step 4: Remove old pads and hardware

• Remove the brake pads from the bracket (they may pull out by hand; use a flathead screwdriver gently if stuck).
• Remove the pad abutment clips from the bracket using the flathead screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket pad contact areas with brake cleaner and a wire brush.

Step 5: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use an 18mm socket with a breaker bar (1/2") to remove the two caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the bracket and set it aside.
• Reinstall later and Torque to 115 Nm (85 ft-lbs).

Step 6: Remove the old rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off the hub. If it’s stuck, tap the rotor hat with a rubber mallet to break rust loose.
• If it’s still stuck, thread two M8 x 1.25 bolts (pair, 40-60mm long) into the rotor’s extraction holes evenly and tighten them alternately with a socket set (8mm-21mm) until the rotor “walks” off.
• If it won’t budge, confirm parking brake is fully released.

Step 7: Clean hub face and install the new rotor

• Clean the hub face with a wire brush and brake cleaner so the new rotor sits flat.
• Apply a very light film of anti-seize compound to the hub center (avoid getting any on wheel studs or braking surfaces).
• Install the new rotor onto the hub.

Step 8: Service slide pins and reinstall the bracket

• Pull the caliper slide pins out of the bracket by hand.
• Wipe old grease off, then apply brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) and reinstall the pins (they should move smoothly).
• Install the caliper bracket over the rotor and hand-start the bolts.
• Tighten using an 18mm socket and torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range): Torque to 115 Nm (85 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Install new hardware clips and pads

• Snap the new abutment clips (from the rear brake hardware kit (abutment clips)) into the bracket.
• Apply a thin smear of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) to the pad “ears” where they touch the clips (keep grease off pad friction material).
• Install the new pads into the bracket.

Step 10: Compress the caliper piston and reinstall the caliper

• Use a brake caliper piston compressor (a tool that slowly pushes the piston straight back in) to press the caliper piston back until it’s fully seated.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; remove extra fluid with the turkey baster if it approaches the MAX line.
• Set the caliper over the new pads and start the slide pin bolts by hand.
• Tighten using a 13mm socket and torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range): Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall both rear wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the van off the jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a 21mm socket and torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range): Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Repeat on the other side (if you did one side at a time)

• If you only completed one rear corner, repeat Steps 3-11 on the other side.
• Do both rear sides as a pair.

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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 pads against the rotors).
• Check brake fluid level and top off with brake fluid (DOT 3) if needed.
• Apply and release the parking brake a few times to confirm normal feel.
• Test drive at low speed first. Verify no grinding noises and the van stops straight.
• Brake pad break-in (bedding): make 8-10 moderate stops from ~30 mph to ~5 mph, with short cool-down driving between stops. Avoid hard panic stops for the first 200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$850 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $160-$380 (parts only)

You Save: $290-$470 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?

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.

Assumption: rear calipers on your Town & Country use a straight-push piston (not screw-in), which is the common setup with a drum-in-hat parking brake.