🔧 Civic - Rear Brake & Rotor Replacement

On your Civic, the rear brakes may be either disc brakes (pads + rotors) or drum brakes (shoes + drums). DX trims commonly came with rear drums, so I’ll show you how to identify what you have and then follow the matching procedure.

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

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on a level surface and support the car on jack stands, not the jack.
• 🛑 Chock the front wheels so the car can’t roll.
• 🛑 Wear a mask and avoid breathing brake dust; use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🛑 For rear brakes, the parking brake must be released during disassembly.
• 🛑 Don’t press the brake pedal with a caliper removed or a drum removed.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (pair, rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 19mm socket
• 12mm socket
• 14mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8")
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6")
• Rear caliper piston wind-back tool (specialty)
• Rubber mallet
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Brake spoon/adjusting tool (specialty)

---

🔩 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 (disc) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2
• Brake anti-seize (high-temp) - Qty: 1
• Rear brake shoe set (drum) - Qty: 1
• Rear brake drums (drum) - Qty: 2
• Rear brake hardware kit (drum) - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the transmission in 1st gear, and release the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks in front of both front tires.
• Use a 19mm socket and breaker bar to loosen rear lug nuts 1/2 turn before lifting.
• Lift the rear with a floor jack and set the car securely on jack stands.
• Remove both rear wheels with a 19mm socket.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Identify if you have rear discs or rear drums

• Look at the rear brake assembly behind the wheel.
• If you see a caliper (a clamp-like part) gripping a flat metal disc, you have rear disc brakes (pads + rotors).
• If you see a mostly closed “can” shape, you have rear drum brakes (shoes + drums).

Step 2A: (Rear DISC) Remove the caliper

• Turn the steering wheel isn’t needed for rear; just access the caliper bolts.
• Use a 12mm socket or 14mm socket (varies by hardware) to remove the two caliper slide bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it with a bungee cord.
• Never let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 3A: (Rear DISC) Remove pads and the caliper bracket

• Remove the brake pads from the bracket by hand.
• Use a 14mm socket to remove the caliper bracket bolts.
• Set the bracket aside.

Step 4A: (Rear DISC) Remove the rotor

• If the rotor is stuck, spray the hub area with brake cleaner and tap the rotor hat with a rubber mallet.
• Clean rust from the hub face using a wire brush.
• Apply a very thin film of brake anti-seize to the hub face (keep it off the studs and braking surface).

Step 5A: (Rear DISC) Install the new rotor

• Install the new rotor onto the hub.
• Spray both rotor faces with brake cleaner and wipe clean (this removes shipping oil).

Step 6A: (Rear DISC) Service the slide pins and install new pad hardware

• Pull the slide pins out of the bracket by hand.
• Wipe old grease off and apply fresh brake caliper slide pin grease.
• Install the new pad abutment clips from the hardware kit (if included).

Step 7A: (Rear DISC) Reinstall the bracket and pads

• Reinstall the caliper bracket using a 14mm socket.
• Torque to 65 Nm (48 ft-lbs)
• Install the new brake pads into the bracket by hand.

Step 8A: (Rear DISC) Retract the rear caliper piston (wind-back type)

• Rear calipers on this Civic use a screw-type piston due to the parking brake mechanism, so it must be rotated and pushed in, not just squeezed.
• Use a rear caliper piston wind-back tool (specialty) to rotate the piston clockwise while pushing it in.
• If the piston won’t retract smoothly, stop—forcing it can damage the caliper.

Step 9A: (Rear DISC) Reinstall the caliper

• Place the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide bolts using a 12mm socket or 14mm socket.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs)

Step 2B: (Rear DRUM) Remove the drum

• Pull the drum straight off by hand.
• If it’s stuck, tap around the outer edge with a rubber mallet.
• If it still won’t come off, back off the shoe adjuster through the access slot using a flathead screwdriver or brake spoon/adjusting tool (specialty).
• Backing off the adjuster reduces shoe drag.

Step 3B: (Rear DRUM) Replace shoes and hardware (one side at a time)

• Do one side at a time so you can copy the spring layout on the other side.
• Use a flathead screwdriver to carefully remove springs and retaining clips from the hardware kit.
• Install the new shoes and new hardware in the same positions.
• Clean the backing plate contact points with brake cleaner and a wire brush.

Step 4B: (Rear DRUM) Install the drum and set initial adjustment

• Install the new drum over the shoes.
• If it won’t slide on, use the brake spoon/adjusting tool (specialty) to turn the adjuster so the shoes retract slightly.
• Once installed, adjust so the drum turns with a light, even drag.

Step 10: Reinstall wheels

• Install the wheels and hand-tighten lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench and 19mm socket.
• Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs)

---

✅ After Repair

• With the car on the ground, press the brake pedal slowly 10-15 times until it feels firm.
• Apply and release the parking brake several times to help the rear mechanism self-set.
• Do a slow test drive and check for pulling, grinding, or vibration.
• Re-check lug nut torque after a short drive.
• New brakes need gentle stops for 200 miles.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$900 (parts + labor)

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

You Save: $330-$550 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/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.