🔧 F-150 - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the rear brake pads on your F-150 means putting the rear electric parking brake into service mode, removing the rear calipers, swapping the pads, and safely reinstalling everything. This job is very doable for a careful beginner, but the electric parking brake step is important so the rear calipers are not damaged.

Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-2.5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Your F-150 uses an electric parking brake, so it must be placed in rear brake service mode before removing the rear calipers.
• ⚠️ Never work under the truck with only a jack holding it up; always use jack stands.
• ⚠️ Brake dust can be harmful; wear safety glasses and a dust mask, and avoid blowing dust with compressed air.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is removed.
• ⚠️ Brake parts may be hot after driving; let the rear brakes cool before starting.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not normally required for this rear brake pad replacement.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• 21mm lug nut socket
• 13mm socket
• 15mm wrench
• 3/8-inch drive ratchet
• 1/2-inch drive breaker bar
• 1/2-inch drive torque wrench
• Disc brake piston compression tool (specialty)
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 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 pad hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake lubricant - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park your F-150 on level ground and leave the transmission in Park.
• 🧱 Chock the front wheels using wheel chocks so the truck cannot roll.
• 🔑 Make sure the regular parking brake is released before entering service mode.
• 📘 A brake caliper is the clamp that squeezes the brake pads against the rotor to stop the truck.
• 📘 A brake rotor is the round metal disc behind the wheel that the brake pads squeeze against.
• 📘 A torque wrench tightens bolts to the correct tightness so they are not too loose or too tight.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Put the Rear Brakes in Service Mode

• Sit in the driver seat with the doors closed.
• Turn the ignition ON without starting the engine.
• Release the electric parking brake using the parking brake switch.
• Press and hold the accelerator pedal all the way down.
• While holding the accelerator pedal, push and hold the electric parking brake switch downward.
• Turn the ignition OFF, then turn it back ON within about 5 seconds while still holding both controls.
• Wait for the rear parking brake motors to retract and for the dash message indicating parking brake maintenance/service mode.
• Release the accelerator pedal and parking brake switch.
• Listen for the motors finishing.

Step 2: Loosen the Rear Lug Nuts

• Use a 21mm lug nut socket with a 1/2-inch drive breaker bar to loosen the rear wheel lug nuts about half a turn.
• Do not remove the lug nuts yet.

Step 3: Raise and Support the Rear of the Truck

• Use a floor jack rated 3-ton minimum to lift the rear of your F-150 at the rear axle housing.
• Place jack stands rated 3-ton minimum under the rear axle tubes.
• Lower the truck gently onto the jack stands.
• Keep the floor jack lightly touching the axle as a backup support.

Step 4: 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 set them flat on the ground.
• Slide a wheel under the frame for backup safety.

Step 5: Remove the Rear Caliper Bolts

• Work on one side at a time so the other side can be used as a reference.
• Use a 15mm wrench to hold the caliper slide pin if it spins.
• Use a 13mm socket and 3/8-inch drive ratchet to remove the upper and lower rear caliper bolts.
• Do not remove the brake hose.

Step 6: Lift the Caliper Off the Pads

• Use a flat-blade screwdriver carefully between the caliper and pad to create a little clearance if needed.
• Lift the caliper off the brake pads by hand.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension using a brake caliper hanger hook.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose.

Step 7: Remove the Old Brake Pads and Hardware

• Pull the old inner and outer brake pads out of the caliper bracket by hand.
• Use a flat-blade screwdriver to remove the old metal pad clips from the caliper bracket.
• Spray the bracket contact areas with brake cleaner.
• Wipe away dirt with a clean rag while wearing nitrile gloves and safety glasses.

Step 8: Compress the Rear Caliper Piston

• Use a disc brake piston compression tool to slowly press the caliper piston straight back into the caliper.
• Compress the piston slowly so brake fluid can move back through the system without forcing it.
• Do not twist the piston unless your tool design requires slight alignment pressure; the parking brake was already retracted in service mode.
• Slow pressure protects the seals.

Step 9: Install New Brake Pad Hardware

• Snap the new rear brake pad hardware kit clips into the caliper bracket by hand.
• Apply a thin layer of brake lubricant to the pad contact points on the clips.
• Do not get lubricant on the brake pad friction material or rotor surface.

Step 10: Install the New Rear Brake Pads

• Install the new inner and outer rear brake pads into the bracket by hand.
• Make sure the pads slide smoothly in the clips.
• If a pad has a wear indicator tab, install it in the same orientation as the original pad.

Step 11: Reinstall the Rear Caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new brake pads by hand.
• Start both caliper bolts by hand to avoid cross-threading.
• Use the 15mm wrench to hold the slide pin if needed.
• Use the 13mm socket and 3/8-inch drive ratchet to snug the caliper bolts.
• Use the 1/2-inch drive torque wrench with the correct socket setup to tighten the rear caliper bolts to Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Repeat on the Other Side

• Repeat Steps 5 through 11 on the other rear brake assembly.
• Keep the caliper supported with the brake caliper hanger hook while the pads are removed.

Step 13: Reinstall the Rear Wheels

• Place each rear wheel back onto the hub by hand.
• Install the lug nuts by hand first.
• Use the 21mm lug nut socket and 3/8-inch drive ratchet to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern.

Step 14: Lower the Truck and Torque the Lug Nuts

• Use the floor jack rated 3-ton minimum to lift the truck slightly off the jack stands.
• Remove the jack stands rated 3-ton minimum.
• Lower the truck until the tires touch the ground firmly.
• Use the 1/2-inch drive torque wrench and 21mm lug nut socket to tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern to Torque to 204 Nm (150 ft-lbs).

Step 15: Exit Rear Brake Service Mode

• Turn the ignition ON without starting the engine.
• Press and hold the accelerator pedal all the way down.
• While holding the accelerator pedal, pull and hold the electric parking brake switch upward.
• Turn the ignition OFF, then turn it back ON within about 5 seconds while still holding both controls.
• Wait for the parking brake motors to apply and the maintenance/service mode message to clear.
• Release the accelerator pedal and parking brake switch.

Step 16: Pump the Brake Pedal

• Before moving the truck, press the brake pedal several times until it feels firm.
• This seats the caliper pistons against the new brake pads.
• Do not skip this step; the brake pedal may go low the first few presses.

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✅ After Repair

• ✅ Start your F-150 and confirm the brake warning light is off.
• ✅ Apply and release the electric parking brake once to verify normal operation.
• ✅ Check around both rear calipers for leaks or loose parts.
• ✅ Test the brakes at very low speed in a safe area before normal driving.
• ✅ Bed in the new pads with several gentle stops from 30-40 mph, allowing the brakes to cool between stops.
• ✅ Recheck lug nut torque after the first short drive: Torque to 204 Nm (150 ft-lbs).

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $250-$450 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $45-$120 (parts only)

You Save: $200-$330 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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