🔧 Accent - Rear Brake Pads & Rotors Replacement

This job replaces the rear friction parts so your A4—sorry, your Accent—stops smoothly and safely. You’ll remove the rear wheels, swap the worn parts, and then verify brake pedal feel and parking brake operation.

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

Assumption: Rear brakes may be disc or drum depending on build; steps include both.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and support the Accent with jack stands before going under it.
• 🧤 Brake dust is harmful—wear a mask and avoid blowing dust with compressed air.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot—let everything cool before touching rotors/drums.
• 🧪 Brake fluid can damage paint—wipe spills immediately.
• 🔒 Release the parking brake before rear brake service (especially if rear brakes are drums).

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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
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp or brake caliper piston tool
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Needle-nose pliers
• Brake spring tool (specialty)
• Brake adjusting spoon (specialty)
• Brake cleaner
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Rear brake pad set - Qty: 1 (disc setup only)
• Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2 (disc setup only, replace in pairs)
• Rear brake shoe set - Qty: 1 (drum setup only)
• Rear brake drums - Qty: 2 (drum setup only, replace in pairs)
• Rear hardware kit (springs/clips/pins) - Qty: 1 (recommended, drum setup)
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) - Qty: 1 (disc setup)
• Brake lubricant (pads-to-bracket contact points) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2 cans

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📋 Before You Begin

• Chock the front wheels with wheel chocks, put the transmission in 1st gear, and release the parking brake.
• Crack the rear lug nuts loose using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Lift the rear with a floor jack and support with jack stands under the rear pinch welds or approved lift points.
• Set your tools and parts on a clean surface to avoid contaminating pads/shoes with grease.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Remove the rear wheels

• Use a 21mm socket and ratchet to remove the lug nuts and pull both rear wheels off.
• Tip: Slide wheels under the car for backup safety.

Step 2: Identify disc vs drum rear brakes

• Look at the rear hub area.
• If you see a brake caliper squeezing a flat rotor, follow the Disc Brake steps below.
• If you see a round enclosed drum with no caliper, follow the Drum Brake steps below.

Step 3 (Disc Brake): Remove the caliper

• Turn the steering wheel slightly if needed for access (rear access is usually straight-on).
• Use a 14mm socket to remove the caliper slide bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and support it with a brake caliper hanger hook (this holds the caliper so the brake hose isn’t strained).
• Tip: Never let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 4 (Disc Brake): Remove pads and caliper bracket

• Remove the pads from the bracket by hand (use a flat-blade screwdriver gently if they’re stuck).
• Use a 17mm socket to remove the caliper bracket bolts and take the bracket off.
• Torque spec (reassembly): Torque to 78-98 Nm (58-72 ft-lbs) for bracket bolts.

Step 5 (Disc Brake): Remove the rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off. If it’s stuck, tap the rotor hat with a rubber mallet.
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush and spray with brake cleaner.
• Tip: A clean hub helps prevent brake vibration.

Step 6 (Disc Brake): Install the new rotor

• Spray the new rotor with brake cleaner to remove shipping oil.
• Place the rotor onto the hub.

Step 7 (Disc Brake): Service slide pins and reinstall bracket

• Pull the caliper slide pins out of the bracket by hand.
• Wipe old grease off and apply fresh brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone).
• Reinstall the bracket using a 17mm socket and torque wrench.
• Torque spec: Torque to 78-98 Nm (58-72 ft-lbs)

Step 8 (Disc Brake): Install new pads and compress the caliper piston

• Install pad hardware (if provided) and slide the new pads into place.
• Use a C-clamp or brake caliper piston tool to slowly push the piston back into the caliper.
• A “caliper piston tool” is a tool that pushes the piston in evenly so the caliper fits over thicker new pads.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir level while compressing (do not overflow).

Step 9 (Disc Brake): Reinstall caliper

• Set the caliper over the pads and line up the slide bolt holes.
• Install slide bolts using a 14mm socket, then tighten with a torque wrench.
• Torque spec: Torque to 25-35 Nm (18-26 ft-lbs)

Step 10 (Drum Brake): Remove the drum

• Pull the drum straight off. If stuck, tap around the drum with a rubber mallet.
• If it still won’t come off, back off the shoe adjuster using a flat-blade screwdriver and brake adjusting spoon (specialty) through the access slot (if equipped).
• A “brake adjusting spoon” is a thin tool that turns the star-wheel adjuster inside drum brakes.

Step 11 (Drum Brake): Remove shoes and hardware

• Take a quick photo of the spring layout for reference.
• Use needle-nose pliers and a brake spring tool (specialty) to remove return springs.
• Remove hold-down pins/clips and lift the shoes off carefully.
• Tip: Do one side at a time for reference.

Step 12 (Drum Brake): Clean and install new shoes/hardware

• Spray the backing plate area with brake cleaner and let it dry.
• Install the new shoes and new hardware in the same layout, using needle-nose pliers and the brake spring tool (specialty).
• Apply a tiny amount of brake lubricant on shoe contact pads on the backing plate (metal-to-metal touch points only).

Step 13 (Drum Brake): Adjust shoes and reinstall drum

• Turn the adjuster with the brake adjusting spoon (specialty) until the drum slides on with slight drag.
• Install the new/old drum and spin it by hand—there should be a light, even scrape but it should still rotate.

Step 14: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the Accent to the ground using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench.
• Torque spec: Torque to 88-108 Nm (65-80 ft-lbs)

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads/shoes).
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed (use the correct fluid listed on the cap).
• Apply and release the parking brake several times to confirm proper hold and release.
• Road test at low speed first; confirm no grinding, pulling, or vibrations.
• Brake bed-in (pads): make 6-10 gentle stops from 30-40 mph, letting brakes cool between stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $350-$750 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $120-$350 (parts only)

You Save: $230-$400 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-4 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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