🔧 F-150 - Rear Brake and Rotor Replacement

The rear brake pads and rotors need to be replaced together when the rotors are worn, scored, or below spec. On your F-150, this is a straightforward brake job, but you must compress the rear caliper piston fully before installing the new pads and rotor.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-3 hours

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Work on a level surface and chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• Support the truck with jack stands; never rely on the jack alone.
• Let the brakes cool before starting if the truck was driven recently.
• Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• Your F-150 does not require battery disconnect for this repair.
• Use care with brake dust; do not blow it off with compressed air.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated for truck weight)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• 21mm lug wrench or socket
• 7mm socket
• 13mm socket
• Breaker bar
• Ratchet
• Torque wrench
• C-clamp or brake caliper compression tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord or mechanic’s wire
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Rubber mallet
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Rear brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Rear brake rotors - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Brake caliper hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks in front of the front tires.
• Break the rear lug nuts loose before lifting the truck.
• Raise the rear and support both sides with jack stands.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Remove the rear wheels

• Use the 21mm lug wrench or socket to loosen and remove both rear wheels.
• Set the wheels aside flat so they do not roll.

Step 2: Remove the caliper

• Use a 7mm socket to remove the caliper slide bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it with bungee cord or mechanic’s wire.
• Never let the caliper hang by the brake hose.

Step 3: Remove the brake pads and bracket

• Remove the old brake pads from the bracket.
• Use the 13mm socket to remove the caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the bracket from the axle flange.

Step 4: Remove the rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off the hub.
• If it is stuck, use a rubber mallet to tap around the rotor hat.
• If needed, use a flat-blade screwdriver to back off the parking brake shoes slightly through the access slot if the rotor will not clear.

Step 5: Prepare the hub and install the new rotor

• Use a wire brush and brake cleaner to clean rust from the hub face.
• Install the new rotor onto the hub.
• Make sure it sits flush with no rust trapped behind it.

Step 6: Install the caliper bracket and pads

• Reinstall the caliper bracket using the 13mm socket.
• Torque to 100 Nm (74 ft-lbs).
• Apply a thin coat of brake caliper slide pin grease to the slide pins if they were removed.
• Install the new pad hardware and pads into the bracket.
• Clean metal-to-metal contact points only.

Step 7: Compress the caliper piston and reinstall the caliper

• Use a C-clamp or brake caliper compression tool to push the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Slide the caliper over the new pads and bracket.
• Install the slide bolts with the 7mm socket.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 8: Reinstall the wheels

• Install both rear wheels by hand first.
• Use the 21mm lug wrench or socket to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Lower the truck and torque the lug nuts to 150 Nm (111 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Seat the brakes

• Before moving the truck, pump the brake pedal slowly until it feels firm.
• Check the parking brake operation.
• Test-drive at low speed and listen for abnormal noise.

---

✅ After Repair

• Verify the brake pedal is firm before driving.
• Check for any fluid leaks around the calipers.
• Listen for rubbing, grinding, or clicking during a short road test.
• New pads and rotors need a short break-in period for best performance.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$800 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $180-$350 (parts only)

You Save: $270-$450 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.