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Toyota 4Runner Rear Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the rear disc brake pads on a 5th generation 2010 to 2016 Toyota 4Runner with the part numbers.

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2015 4Runner Rear Wheel
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Loosen Counterclockwise
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Raise Rear of SUV
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the fifth generation (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016) Toyota 4Runner SUV in changing the rear disc brake pads.

Owners of other Toyota or Lexus SUVs or trucks such as the RAV4, Tacoma, Tundra, FJ Cruiser, Venza, Highlander, Sequoia and Land Cruiser may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The tools needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a 17mm socket, a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench, a "C" or "F" clamp and a tube of brake parts lubricant grease.

A few compatible sets of new rear brake pads with their part numbers are as follows: Wagner QC606, Akebono ACT606, Toyota 04466-60140, Brembo P83024N, KFE KFE606-104, Raybestos PGD606C, ACDelco 14D606CH, Bosch BP606, Power Stop 16-606 and EBC Brakes DP6993.



 
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Spin Off Lug Nuts
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6 Lug Nuts Removed
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Caliper, Bracket & Rotor
The first few steps are to park the SUV on a level surface, turn off the engine and make sure that the emergency / parking brake is not engaged.

Chock both sides of the front wheels to prevent the car from moving while you are replacing the rear brake pads.

The lug nut wrench and floor jack are located under the rear seat on the passenger side of the vehicle.

Slightly loosen the six lug nuts on the front wheel by turning them counterclockwise with the tire iron.

Carefully lift the rear of the SUV with the bottle jack and securely support it with at least two jack stands.

Spin off the six lug nuts and set the aside in a safe place.

Remove the rear wheel to reveal the caliper, bracket, rotor and suspension.

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Rear Brake Caliper
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Loosen Bottom Bolt
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Loosen Top Bolt
The rear brake caliper is held in place to the bracket by two bolts located on the back side of the caliper.

Loosen the lower bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 17mm socket and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench.

Then loosen the upper 17mm caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the car).

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Remove Caliper Bolt
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Caliper Bolt / Slider Pin
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Pull Caliper Off Pads
Spin out the two caliper bolts, which also act as the caliper slider pins or "guide bolts", and set them aside in safe place.
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Rear Caliper Removed
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Rest Caliper On Suspension
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Remove Old Outer Pad
Carefully pull the caliper out of the bracket and off the old brake pads.

Rest the caliper on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord.

Remove the old inner and outer brake pads from the bracket.

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Wear Bar - Bottom Inner Pad
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Replace Pad Abutment Clips
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Attach "C" Clamp To Piston
Make a mental note of where the wear indicator bar or "squeal" bar was situated on the old brake pads.

On this 2015 Toyota 4Runner SR5, the wear bar was situated at the bottom of the inner brake pad.

If your new set of rear brake pads included replacement hardware, pull the old pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips out of the top and bottom of the bracket.

Apply some brake caliper grease to the new pad abutment clips where they will come in contact with the new brake pads or the bracket.

Do not apply caliper grease to the friction surface of the new pads or the rotors.

In order for the caliper to fit over the thicker new brake pads, the caliper piston needs to be pushed back.

Attach the "F" clamp to the caliper and use the back of an old brake pad to evenly distribute the pressure across the piston.

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Twist Off Brake Fluid Cap
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Compress Caliper Piston
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Replace Reservoir Cap
Move to the right rear area of the engine bay and twist off the brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction.

Removing the reservoir cap will allow the brake fluid to more easily travel back through the line when you compress the piston.

Slowly turn the "C" clamp's handle in the clockwise direction to compress back the piston.

Repeatedly check the level in the reservoir to prevent it from over flowing. Clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately since it can easily damage painted surfaces.

Continue compressing the piston until it is flush with the rubber dust boot surrounding it.

Try to avoid pinching or otherwise damaging the rubber dust boot.

Replace the reservoir cap as soon as possible after you are done compressing the piston by twisting it on in the clockwise direction. Brake fluid is hygroscopic which means that it absorbs moisture from the air.

Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, brake caliper assembly and the lug nut studs with brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow with your mouth to clean off the brake parts since breathing in brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust can be carcinogenic (causes cancer) if inhaled.

If your 4Runner exhibits shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or just replace them with new rotors. If this is the car's first front brake job and the rotors seem to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just replace the pads with great results.

To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, just remove the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Then loosen the old rotor with a rubber mallet, pull it off and slide the new one in its place. You may need to use a flathead screwdriver to adjust the parking brake away from the rotor in order to remove it.



 

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Install New Outer Pad
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Wear Bar @ Bottom Inner Pad
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Push Pads Against Rotor
I recommend buying the Wagner ThermoQuiet QC606 ceramic rear brake pads since they have excellent reviews on Amazon. I also really like how they don't require any backing plates, shims or disc brake quiet gel due to the built in insulators.

Insert the new inner and outer brake pads in to the bracket.

The wear indicator bar should be situated at the bottom of the inner brake pad.

Push the two pads together until they are flush against the rotor.

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Lower Caliper Over Pads
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Lubricate Slider Pins
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Spin In Caliper Bolts
Carefully lower the caliper over the new pads and in to the bracket.

In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins need to be well lubricated.

Apply a thin layer of brake parts lubricant grease to the smooth parts of the combination caliper bolts / slider pins.

Push the caliper bolts / pins back in to place and tighten them a few turns in the counterclockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

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Tighten Counterclockwise
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Tighten Upper Caliper Bolt
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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve
Tighten the two caliper bolts in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the SUV) with the 17mm socket and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench to just past hand tight or about 65 ft-lbs of torque.

Double check that the two caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps.

If the brake pedal previously felt soft, mushy or spongy, the brake fluid might be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain a few air bubbles.

It would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time in order to flush out the old fluid and replace it with DOT 3 or DOT 4 brake fluid. For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With An Assistant DIY Guide or alternatively the Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With A Power Bleeder Guide.

The brake fluid bleeder valve is located on the back of the caliper just below the upper bolt.

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Push On Rear Wheel
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Spin On 6 Lug Nuts
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Slightly Tighten Clockwise
Replace the rear wheel and spin on the six lug nuts in the clockwise direction a few turns by hand to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Slightly tighten the six lug nuts with the tire iron in a criss cross or "star" pattern with the lug nut wrench.

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Lower SUV From Stands
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Torque To 85 ft-lbs
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Rear Brake Pads Replaced
Carefully lower the truck from the jack stands by using the floor jack.

Continue progressively tightening the six lug nuts in a "criss-cross" or "star" pattern to about 1/4 turn past hand tight or 85 ft-lbs of torque.

It would be best to use a torque wrench or an impact wrench with a torque stick to properly tighten the lug nuts.

Sit in the driver's seat of the truck and firmly press the brake pedal a few times to restore the brake line pressure. Check the brake fluid in the reservoir and verify that it is at the proper level. If it is low, add some new DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluid.

To break in your new rear brake pads, just drive normally for the first few hundred miles while trying to avoid any hard or "panic" stops which might glaze over the new pads and cause them to be noisy or not perform as well.

It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway for drops of brake fluid which may indicate a leak, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir, and also verify that the lug nuts are still tight.

Be sure to record the brake pad change in your SUV's service records.

For more, check out my other 2010-2016 Toyota 4Runner DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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