🔧 Sentra - Rear Brake & Rotor Replacement

Your Sentra may have either rear disc brakes (pads + rotors) or rear drum brakes (shoes + drums). I’ll show both procedures—use the one that matches what you see when the rear wheel is off.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a flat, solid surface; use jack stands—never rely on the jack alone.
• ⚠️ Chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• ⚠️ Release the parking brake before servicing rear brakes (disc or drum).
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ After reassembly, pump the brake pedal before driving to restore pedal feel.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 19mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 ft-lbs range)
• Flathead screwdriver
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Brake caliper piston tool kit (specialty)
• Brake spoon adjuster tool
• Needle-nose pliers
• Brake spring pliers (specialty)
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves

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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 (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2 cans
• High-temp silicone brake grease - Qty: 1
• Rear brake shoes set - Qty: 1
• Rear brake drums - Qty: 2
• Rear drum brake hardware kit (springs/hold-downs) - Qty: 1

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📋 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.
• Loosen rear lug nuts 1/2 turn using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• Lift the rear with a floor jack and support on jack stands at the proper jacking points.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove lug nuts with a 21mm socket and ratchet, then remove both rear wheels.

Step 2: Identify your rear brake type (disc vs drum)

• If you see a caliper (clamp-looking part) over a flat rotor, you have rear disc brakes.
• If you see a closed “bowl” with no caliper, you have rear drum brakes.

Step 3A (Rear Disc): Remove the caliper

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed—rear only. Make sure the parking brake is released.
• Remove the caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket.
• Lift the caliper off and hang it from the suspension using a bungee cord (never let it hang by the hose).
• Tip: Take a photo before disassembly.

Step 4A (Rear Disc): Remove pads and caliper bracket

• Remove the brake pads and any shims/clips by hand or with a flathead screwdriver.
• Remove the caliper bracket bolts using a 17mm socket.
• Torque to 75 Nm (55 ft-lbs) when reinstalling (typical Sentra rear bracket spec).

Step 5A (Rear Disc): Remove the rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off. If stuck, tap around the hat (center area) with a rubber mallet.
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush so the new rotor sits flat (prevents brake shake).

Step 6A (Rear Disc): Install the new rotor

• Spray both sides of the new rotor with brake cleaner and wipe clean (removes shipping oil).
• Slide the rotor on fully.

Step 7A (Rear Disc): Prep hardware and install new pads

• Install new pad clips/hardware from the hardware kit.
• Apply a thin film of high-temp silicone brake grease where the pad ears slide in the clips.
• Do not get grease on pad friction material or rotor face.

Step 8A (Rear Disc): Retract the caliper piston

• Use a brake caliper piston tool kit (specialty) to retract the piston.
• If your rear caliper piston has notches, it usually must be turned while pushing (this style matches parking-brake-in-caliper designs).
• A caliper piston tool is a tool that presses and/or rotates the piston safely without damaging it.

Step 9A (Rear Disc): Reinstall caliper and torque fasteners

• Reinstall the caliper bracket using a 17mm socket and a torque wrench: Torque to 75 Nm (55 ft-lbs).
• Install the caliper over the new pads and tighten slide bolts using a 14mm socket: Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 3B (Rear Drum): Remove the drum

• Make sure the parking brake is released.
• Pull the drum straight off. If stuck, tap with a rubber mallet.
• If it won’t come off, back off the shoe adjuster through the access slot using a flathead screwdriver and brake spoon adjuster tool.
• A brake spoon is a curved tool that turns the star-wheel adjuster inside the drum.

Step 4B (Rear Drum): Disassemble shoes and hardware

• Take a clear photo of the springs and lever positions for reference.
• Remove hold-down springs using needle-nose pliers and brake spring pliers (specialty).
• Remove the return springs with brake spring pliers (specialty), then remove the shoes.

Step 5B (Rear Drum): Clean and prepare backing plate

• Spray the assembly with brake cleaner and wipe clean.
• Apply a tiny amount of high-temp silicone brake grease to the shoe contact pads on the backing plate (metal-to-metal touch points).

Step 6B (Rear Drum): Install new shoes and hardware

• Install the new shoes and the new springs from the drum brake hardware kit using needle-nose pliers and brake spring pliers (specialty).
• Make sure the adjuster/star wheel is installed correctly and can turn freely.

Step 7B (Rear Drum): Install drum and set initial adjustment

• Clean the inside of the new drum with brake cleaner.
• Install the drum. If it slides on too easily, adjust the star wheel outward with a brake spoon adjuster tool until you feel a light, even drag when rotating the drum by hand.

Step 10: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Install wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the car until the tires just touch the ground, then torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench: Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• Pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm (this seats pads/shoes against the rotor/drum).
• Apply and release the parking brake a few times to confirm it works normally.
• Do a slow test drive. Listen for grinding, scraping, or pulling.
• For new pads/rotors: do 6-10 gentle stops from 30 mph to 5 mph, letting brakes cool between stops.
• Recheck lug nut torque with a torque wrench after 50-100 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $350-$800 (parts + labor)

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

You Save: $230-$450 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?

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