🔧 Frontier - Rear Brake Pads & Rotors Replacement

This repair replaces the rear brake pads and rear brake rotors on your Frontier. The pads create stopping friction, and the rotors are the metal discs the pads clamp onto.

Your Frontier uses rear disc brakes with a drum-style parking brake inside the rear rotor hat, so the rotor may need gentle adjustment/removal if the parking brake shoes are holding it.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a flat, solid surface only. Never rely on a jack by itself.
• ⚠️ Use jack stands before putting any part of your body near or under the truck.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while the caliper is removed.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful. Do not blow it with compressed air; use brake cleaner.
• ⚠️ Keep grease and oil off the brake pad friction material and rotor faces.
• ⚠️ The parking brake must be fully released before removing the rear rotors.
• ⚠️ No battery disconnect is required for this rear brake job.

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🔧 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 lug nut socket
• 1/2-inch drive breaker bar
• 1/2-inch drive torque wrench
• 14mm socket
• 19mm socket
• 3/8-inch drive ratchet
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Small brake spoon adjuster (specialty)
• C-clamp or disc brake piston compressor (specialty)
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Wire brush
• Dead blow hammer
• M8 x 1.25 bolts
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask

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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 - Qty: 1
• Brake lubricant - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2 cans

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park your Frontier on level ground and shift into Park for automatic transmission or 1st gear for manual transmission.
• Release the parking brake completely. The rear rotors slide over small parking brake shoes inside the rotor hat.
• Place wheel chocks in front of the front tires. Wheel chocks are wedges that stop the truck from rolling.
• Open the brake fluid reservoir cap under the hood. Lay a shop towel around it in case fluid rises when the caliper piston is pushed back.
• If the brake fluid reservoir is already very full, remove a small amount with a clean suction tool before compressing the calipers.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the rear lug nuts

• Use a 21mm lug nut socket and 1/2-inch drive breaker bar to loosen the rear wheel lug nuts about 1/2 turn.
• Do this while the tires are still touching the ground so the wheels do not spin.
• Break loose before lifting.

Step 2: Lift and support the rear of the truck

• Use the floor jack under the rear differential housing to raise the rear of your Frontier.
• Place jack stands under the rear axle tubes, one on each side.
• Lower the truck slowly onto the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Gently shake the truck by hand to confirm it is stable before removing the wheels.

Step 3: Remove the rear wheels

• Use the 21mm lug nut socket and 3/8-inch drive ratchet or breaker bar to remove the loosened lug nuts.
• Remove both rear wheels and slide them under the truck as an extra safety backup.

Step 4: Inspect the brake assembly

• Put on safety glasses, nitrile gloves, and a dust mask.
• Use brake cleaner spray to wet down brake dust before touching parts.
• Look at how the brake pads, clips, and caliper sit before taking anything apart.
• Take a photo with your phone if this is your first brake job.

Step 5: Remove the rear brake caliper

• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8-inch drive ratchet to remove the two rear caliper slide pin bolts.
• Slide the caliper off the rotor carefully.
• Hang the caliper from the leaf spring or frame using a brake caliper hanger hook.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the rubber brake hose.

Step 6: Remove the old brake pads and hardware

• Pull the old brake pads out of the caliper bracket by hand.
• Use a flat-blade screwdriver to gently pry out the old metal pad clips.
• The pad clips are thin metal guides that let the pads slide smoothly.
• Use a wire brush to clean the bracket areas where the clips sit.

Step 7: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 19mm socket and 1/2-inch drive breaker bar to remove the two rear caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the caliper bracket from the axle housing.
• Set the bracket on a clean surface.

Step 8: Remove the rear rotor

• Make sure the parking brake is fully released.
• Pull the rotor straight off by hand.
• If the rotor is stuck, use a dead blow hammer to tap around the rotor hat, not the braking surface.
• If it still will not move, thread two M8 x 1.25 bolts evenly into the rotor removal holes and tighten them a little at a time with the correct socket or wrench until the rotor pops loose.
• If the rotor drags heavily, use a flat-blade screwdriver or small brake spoon adjuster through the access hole to back off the parking brake shoe adjuster.
• A brake spoon adjuster is a small bent tool used to turn the star wheel inside drum-style brakes.
• Turn evenly. Do not force it.

Step 9: Clean the hub face

• Use a wire brush to clean rust from the wheel hub face where the rotor sits.
• Use brake cleaner spray and shop towels to wipe the hub clean.
• The rotor must sit flat against the hub to prevent brake vibration.

Step 10: Install the new rear rotor

• Use brake cleaner spray and shop towels to clean both faces of the new rotor.
• Slide the new rotor onto the hub by hand.
• If the rotor will not slide over the parking brake shoes, use the small brake spoon adjuster to back off the parking brake adjuster slightly.
• Temporarily install two lug nuts by hand to hold the rotor flat.

Step 11: Prepare the caliper bracket

• Use a wire brush to clean the caliper bracket where the new hardware clips sit.
• Install the new clips from the rear brake hardware kit by hand.
• Apply a thin layer of brake lubricant to the pad clip contact points only.
• Do not put lubricant on the rotor or pad friction material.

Step 12: Reinstall the caliper bracket

• Position the caliper bracket over the new rotor.
• Start both caliper bracket bolts by hand to prevent cross-threading.
• Use a 19mm socket and 1/2-inch drive torque wrench to tighten the caliper bracket bolts.
• Torque to 98 Nm (72 ft-lbs)

Step 13: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old brake pad against the caliper piston.
• Use a C-clamp or disc brake piston compressor to slowly push the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir under the hood while doing this.
• If fluid gets near the top, remove a small amount before continuing.
• A caliper piston is the round metal part that pushes the pad against the rotor.

Step 14: Install the new brake pads

• Apply a thin layer of brake lubricant to the pad ears where they touch the clips.
• Install the new rear brake pads into the caliper bracket by hand.
• Make sure the friction material faces the rotor.
• The pad ears are the small tabs at the ends of each brake pad backing plate.

Step 15: Reinstall the rear brake caliper

• Slide the caliper over the new pads and rotor by hand.
• Start both slide pin bolts by hand.
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8-inch drive torque wrench to tighten the caliper slide pin bolts.
• Torque to 32 Nm (24 ft-lbs)

Step 16: Repeat on the other side

• Use the same tools and steps on the opposite rear brake assembly.
• Always replace rear pads and rotors in pairs so braking stays even.

Step 17: Reinstall the rear wheels

• Remove the temporary lug nuts holding the rotors.
• Install the rear wheels by hand.
• Use a 21mm lug nut socket to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern.

Step 18: Lower the truck and torque the lug nuts

• Use the floor jack to lift the truck slightly off the jack stands.
• Remove the jack stands.
• Lower the truck until the tires touch the ground.
• Use a 21mm lug nut socket and 1/2-inch drive torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Torque to 133 Nm (98 ft-lbs)

Step 19: Pump the brake pedal

• Before driving, press the brake pedal slowly 5-10 times until it feels firm.
• This moves the caliper pistons back into position against the new pads.
• If the pedal stays soft or sinks, do not drive the truck.

Step 20: Check brake fluid and parking brake feel

• Check the brake fluid reservoir and adjust the level if needed.
• Reinstall the reservoir cap by hand.
• Apply and release the parking brake several times.
• If the parking brake travel feels too long, the rear parking brake shoe adjustment may need fine-tuning with the small brake spoon adjuster.

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✅ After Repair

• ✅ Start your Frontier and confirm the brake pedal is firm before moving.
• ✅ Drive slowly in a safe area and test the brakes at low speed first.
• ✅ Listen for scraping, grinding, or clicking noises.
• ✅ Recheck around each caliper for brake fluid leaks.
• ✅ Recheck lug nut torque after 25-50 miles using a 21mm lug nut socket and 1/2-inch drive torque wrench.
• ✅ Bed in the new pads: make 8-10 moderate stops from about 30-35 mph, allowing a little cooling time between stops.
• ✅ Avoid hard panic stops for the first 200 miles unless needed for safety.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $350-$600 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $120-$250 (parts only)

You Save: $230-$350 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-2.0 hours.

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