🔧 Wrangler - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll be replacing the rear brake pads and rear rotors on your Wrangler. This restores braking power, eliminates grinding/pulsation, and prevents caliper damage from worn pads or warped rotors.

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

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and support the Jeep with jack stands—never rely on a floor jack.
• 🛑 Release the parking brake before removing rear rotors (the parking brake shoes are inside the rotor “hat”).
• 🛑 Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• 🛑 Brake dust is hazardous—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🛑 Let brakes cool completely before starting (hot parts can burn).

---

🔧 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
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 19mm socket
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" or 1/2")
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6")
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet

---

🔩 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 pad hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1
• High-temp brake grease - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• 🧱 Park on level ground, put the transmission in 1st gear, and turn the engine off.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks at the front wheels.
• 🧱 Make sure the parking brake is fully released.
• 🧱 Crack the rear lug nuts loose slightly using a 19mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the rear at a solid jacking point.
• Place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the rear support points and lower onto stands.
• Shake the Jeep gently to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove lug nuts with a 19mm socket and ratchet.
• Remove both rear wheels and set them aside.

Step 3: Remove the rear brake caliper

• Locate the two caliper slide-pin bolts on the back of the caliper.
• Remove them using a 13mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the rotor and hang it from the suspension with a bungee cord (never let it hang by the brake hose).
• Slide pins are the caliper’s “hinges.”

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the brake pads out of the bracket by hand. If tight, use a flathead screwdriver carefully.
• Remove the pad hardware clips from the bracket (if included with your new hardware kit).

Step 5: Remove the caliper bracket (caliper adapter)

• Remove the two large bracket bolts on the back side using an 18mm socket and breaker bar.
• Remove the bracket and set it aside.
• Clean the bracket pad “rails” with a wire brush so the new pads can slide smoothly.

Step 6: Remove the rear rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off the wheel studs.
• If it’s stuck from rust, tap around the rotor hat using a rubber mallet.
• If it still won’t come off, the parking brake shoes may be holding it—use a flathead screwdriver through the access slot (if present) to back off the star-wheel adjuster slightly.
• “Hat” means the drum-shaped center of the rotor.

Step 7: Prep the hub and install the new rotor

• Clean the hub face with a wire brush (this helps prevent brake pulsation).
• Spray the new rotor friction surfaces with brake parts cleaner to remove shipping oil.
• Install the new rotor onto the studs.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper bracket

• Reinstall the bracket and start the bolts by hand.
• Tighten using an 18mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 100 Nm (74 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Install new pad hardware and pads

• Install new hardware clips into the bracket (if included) by hand.
• Apply a thin film of high-temp brake grease where the pad backing plates contact the hardware (not on the pad friction material).
• Slide the new pads into place.

Step 10: Compress the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6") to slowly press the piston back into the caliper.
• Check the brake fluid level as you compress—fluid can rise in the reservoir.
• Go slow to protect the caliper.

Step 11: Reinstall the caliper

• Slide the caliper over the new pads/rotor.
• Install the slide-pin bolts using a 13mm socket.
• Tighten with a torque wrench: Torque to 31 Nm (23 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the Jeep off the stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a 19mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 129 Nm (95 ft-lbs).

---

✅ After Repair

• 🧪 Pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• 🧪 Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• 🧪 Test at low speed first. Confirm no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• 🧪 Bed-in (break-in) the pads: make 6-10 moderate stops from ~30 mph down to ~5 mph, allowing short cool-down between stops.
• 🧪 Recheck lug nut torque after a short drive.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: ₹12,000-₹25,000 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: ₹6,000-₹16,000 (parts only)

You Save: ₹6,000-₹9,000 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run ₹1,000-₹2,500/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-3 hours.

---

🎯 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.