🔧 4Runner - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, take off the rear calipers and brackets, swap the rotors, then install new pads. On your 4Runner, the parking brake is a small “drum-in-hat” brake inside the rear rotor, so you may need to free/adjust it if the rotor is stuck.

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

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and use jack stands; never rely on a jack.
• 🛑 Release the parking brake before removing rear rotors (it locks the internal shoes).
• 🛑 Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🛑 Do one side at a time so you can reference the other side.
• 🛑 Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.

---

🔧 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
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (10–200 ft-lbs range)
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" or larger)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Brake cleaner
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

---

🔩 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 - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1
• DOT 3 brake fluid - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• 🧱 Park on level ground, shift to Park, and chock the front wheels.
• 🧱 Make sure the parking brake is fully released before lifting the rear.
• 🧱 Slightly loosen the rear lug nuts using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before the tires are off the ground.
• 🧱 Open the hood and check the brake fluid level; when you push pistons back, fluid can rise.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and support the rear

• Lift the rear with a floor jack and support the frame with jack stands.
• Remove both rear wheels with a 21mm socket.

Step 2: Remove the rear caliper (do not let it hang)

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for the rear; just position yourself for access.
• Remove the caliper slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket.
• Lift the caliper off the pads and hang it from the suspension using a bungee cord.
• Never hang the caliper by the hose.

Step 3: Remove pads and caliper bracket

• Pull the old pads and hardware clips out of the bracket.
• Remove the caliper bracket bolts using a 17mm socket and breaker bar.
• Torque to 90 Nm (66 ft-lbs) during reassembly.

Step 4: Remove the rotor (and deal with a stuck rotor if needed)

• Pull the rotor straight off the hub.
• If the rotor is stuck, tap around the hat area using a rubber mallet (avoid hitting wheel studs).
• If it’s still stuck, the parking brake shoes may be holding it:
  • Remove the rubber access plug on the backing plate (behind the rotor area) using a flathead screwdriver.
  • Use the flathead screwdriver to rotate the star-wheel adjuster to retract (loosen) the parking brake shoes until the rotor frees up.

Step 5: Clean hub and prep the new rotor

• Clean rust from the hub face using a wire brush and spray with brake cleaner.
• Clean the new rotor braking surfaces with brake cleaner and shop towels.
• Install the new rotor onto the hub.

Step 6: Service the bracket hardware (clips and slide pins)

• Install new pad hardware clips from the rear brake hardware kit into the bracket.
• Pull the slide pins out (by hand), wipe them clean with shop towels, and apply a thin coat of brake caliper grease.
• Reinstall the caliper bracket and tighten the bolts using a 17mm socket.
• Torque to 90 Nm (66 ft-lbs).

Step 7: Compress the caliper piston

• Use a C-clamp (6" or larger) to slowly push the caliper piston back in.
• A torque wrench is a tool that tightens bolts to an exact force; you’ll use it when reinstalling bolts.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; remove a little fluid if it gets too full.

Step 8: Install new pads and reinstall the caliper

• Install the new pads into the bracket (match inner/outer pad positions exactly as the set is designed).
• Set the caliper over the pads.
• Install and tighten the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall wheels

• Install the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle enough that the tires touch the ground and won’t spin.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a 21mm socket and torque wrench.
• Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Set the parking brake adjustment (if rotor drag is wrong)

• If the rotor was difficult to remove or you loosened the star wheel, set it back so the parking brake works properly.
• With the wheel off (or through the access hole), rotate the star wheel using a flathead screwdriver until you feel light drag when spinning the rotor by hand.
• Reinstall the access plug.

---

✅ After Repair

• 🧪 Pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm before driving.
• 🧪 Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 brake fluid if needed.
• 🧪 Test the brakes at low speed first, then verify the parking brake holds on a gentle incline.
• 🧪 Pad bedding (break-in): make 6–10 moderate stops from ~50 to 15 km/h, with cool-down driving between stops.
• 🧪 Re-check lug nut torque after 50–100 km using a torque wrench.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: ₹18,000-₹35,000 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: ₹9,000-₹22,000 (parts only)

You Save: ₹9,000-₹13,000 by doing it yourself!

Local labor varies; most shops book this at ~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.