🔧 Rear Brakes and Rotors - Replacement

Replacing the rear brake pads and rotors restores stopping power, reduces noise, and fixes rotor scoring or vibration. On your F-150, the rear brake caliper must be compressed carefully so the new pads fit over the new rotors.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Work on a flat surface and chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• Use jack stands under the frame. Never rely on a floor jack alone.
• Brake parts can be hot. Let them cool before starting.
• Do not press the brake pedal with the caliper removed.
• If your truck has a hill-start or trailer brake feature, keep the ignition off while working.
• No battery disconnect is required for this repair.

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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
• Lug wrench or 21mm socket
• Ratchet
• 13mm socket
• 15mm socket
• Breaker bar
• Torque wrench
• C-clamp or disc brake piston tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord or mechanic's hook
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner
• 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
• Brake hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1 can

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks in front of the front tires.
• Loosen the rear lug nuts before lifting the truck.
• Lift the rear and support it securely on jack stands.
• Release the parking brake before removing the rear rotors.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen and lift the truck

• Use a lug wrench or 21mm socket to loosen the rear lug nuts one turn each.
• Use a floor jack to lift the rear axle or rear frame area.
• Set the truck on jack stands and remove the rear wheels.

Step 2: Remove the caliper

• Use a 13mm socket to remove the rear caliper slide bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang the caliper with a bungee cord or mechanic's hook. Do not let it hang by the hose.

Step 3: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 15mm socket and breaker bar to remove the caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the bracket from the knuckle.
• Torque on reinstall: 175 Nm (129 ft-lbs).

Step 4: Remove the old rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off the hub.
• If it is stuck, use a flat-blade screwdriver to back off the rotor retaining screw if equipped.
• If needed, tap the rotor hat area lightly with a rubber mallet.
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush and brake cleaner.
• Clean hub surfaces prevent rotor wobble.

Step 5: Install the new rotor

• Spray the new rotor with brake cleaner to remove shipping oil.
• Install the rotor on the hub and make sure it seats flat.

Step 6: Install new pads and hardware

• Remove the old pad clips from the caliper bracket.
• Install the new hardware kit.
• Apply a thin layer of brake grease to the pad contact points if included with the hardware kit.
• Install the new pads in the bracket.

Step 7: Compress the caliper piston and reinstall the caliper

• Use a C-clamp or disc brake piston tool to compress the caliper piston fully.
• Reinstall the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide bolts with a 13mm socket.
• Torque the slide bolts to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).
• Go slow to avoid tearing the piston seal.

Step 8: Reinstall wheel and lower

• Install the wheel and hand-start all lug nuts.
• Lower the truck with the floor jack.
• Use a torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Torque the lug nuts to 150 Nm (111 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• Press the brake pedal several times until it feels firm.
• Check brake fluid level in the master cylinder reservoir.
• Test the brakes at low speed in a safe area.
• Listen for rubbing or clicking noises.
• Break in the new pads with gentle stops for the first 200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$850 (parts + labor)

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

You Save: $270-$500 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?

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.