How to Change the Rear Brakes on Toyota Cars

Changing the rear brakes on your Toyota car can be done in one hour with a few simple tools. Damage to the rear brakes often happens when you consistently overload the back seat or trunk. Other signs of rear brake damage include grinding, squealing or the car jerking forward when you apply the brakes. When attempting your own auto repairs, always use proper safety procedures. Dispose of your old brake pads at your local recycling center.

Under The Hood:

• How to Change the Rear Brakes on a 1998 Toyota Camry
• How to Change Rear Brakes on a Celica
• How to Change the Rear Brakes on a Toyota Corolla
• How to Replace the Rear Brakes on a 2005 Toyota Camry
• How to Replace Rear Brakes on a 2006 Toyota Sienna

 How to Change the Rear Brakes on a 1998 Toyota Camry

Camry Rear Brake Removal

Pop the center cap off of the rim, and set it safely to the side. Loosen each of the lug nuts on the rim. Don’t remove them; only slightly loosen them with your lug wrench.

Raise the car with the car jack. The bottom of the tire should be at least 8 inches off the ground. Slide the jack stand into position on the left side of the car jack. Raise the jack stand to the same height as the car jack, and return the locking pin to secure its position.

Remove each of the lug nuts from the tire’s rim, and place them with the center cap. Before removing the final lug nut, hold the tire in its position to support it. Carefully slide the tire off the hub assembly, and move it to the side of your work area.

Remove the two caliper bolts securing the caliper unit with the socket wrench. The bolts are on the inner left and right sides of the caliper unit.

Slide the 5-gallon bucket near your work area, just outside of the wheel well. Using both hands, slowly remove the caliper unit, and set it down on the bucket.

Remove the support plates, anti-squeal shims and brakes by sliding them out of the caliper unit on both sides. Keep the shims and support plates for each side of the caliper unit together. This will help you remember which is for the inner and outer brakes.

Installing the Rear Brakes

Check the new brakes to make sure they aren’t damaged in any way. Inspect the rear rotor as well for any signs of damage while you have the caliper unit off.

Lift the hood of the Camry, and remove the top on the brake-fluid master cylinder. Use the piston driver to slowly rotate the caliper unit’s piston clockwise until it is completely down. You should feel it lock in place when it has reached the bottom of the bore.

Slide the brakes, anti-squeal shims and support plates back into position on both sides of the caliper unit.

Slowly ease the caliper unit back on the rotor. Start each of the caliper bolts by hand to ensure proper threading. Set the torque wrench to 14 pounds-feet, and completely tighten both caliper bolts.

Slide the tire back into position on the hub. Start each lug nut by hand, then tighten them in a star pattern until secured. Remove the jack stand, and lower the Camry to the ground. Check each lug nut to make sure they are all completely secured. Put the center cap back on the car’s rim. Check the brake-fluid level before returning the top to the brake-fluid master cylinder. Start the car, and pump the brakes a few times. When you feel the brake pedal stiffen, stop pumping. This procedure works for changing both passenger-side and driver's side rear brakes on a 1998 Toyota Camry.

 How to Change Rear Brakes on a Celica

Raise the Celica at the rear frame rail, just in front of the brake to be changed. Position the floor jack under the rail and pump the lever until the wheel is in the air. Place the jack stand head under the frame rail.

Remove the wheel by turning the lug nuts counterclockwise, then pulling the wheel from the hub. Store the wheel away from the work area.

Remove the rear drum by turning the keeper screw counterclockwise, then pulling the drum from the brake assembly. The drum will slide off, away from the backing plate.

Use the screwdriver to lever the long springs off the shoe hooks. The springs can be changed for new units, or left dangling for reuse.

Turn the primary spring bolts counterclockwise and slide the shoes directly away from the brake assembly.

Replace the shoes and slide them into position onto the brake assembly. Tighten the primary spring bolt in the center of each shoe, then lever the long springs back onto the shoe hooks. Check the adjustment bolt at the bottom for slippage, and check the wheel cylinder for leaks.

Replace the drum with a new or resurfaced unit by sliding it over the shoes and pressing it to the backing plate. Replace the keeper screw by turning it clockwise until it is tight.

Replace the wheel by turning the lug nuts clockwise, in an alternating pattern.

Lower the car from the jack stand with the floor jack.

Repeat the process on the opposite side.

 How to Change the Rear Brakes on a Toyota Corolla

Accessing the Brakes

Block the car's front wheels with blocks or chocks, and release the parking brake.

Raise the rear end of the Corolla using the floor jack, and support it on jack stands. Remove both rear wheels with the tire iron.

Pull the brake drum off the assembly and axle.

Wash off the entire brake assembly with brake cleaner spray; never use air. Catch the dripping cleaner and residue with a drip pan.

Removal

Unhook the upper return spring from the adjuster lever, and then disconnect the lever from the shoe that it is connected to via stud. You need needle-nose pliers for these tasks.

Remove the lower return spring from both shoes using the pliers.

Press the hold-down spring on the shoe you didn't disconnect the adjuster lever from, turn it 90 degrees, and release it using the pliers. Remove this shoe, then disconnect the upper spring's other end and remove it.

Remove the other shoe along with the adjuster mechanism by disconnecting its hold-down spring, then disconnect the parking brake lever from the shoe by removing its clip with the pliers.

Installation

Connect the parking brake lever to its accompanying replacement brake shoe, and crimp a new C-clip in place on it with the pliers.

Dab high-temperature grease on the spots on the brake assembly's backing plate that touch the brake shoes.

Position the rear replacement shoe into position on the backing plate, guide the shoe's hold-down pin in place, and attach the pin's hold-down cup and spring with the pliers.

Lubricate the adjuster screw's moving parts lightly with high-temperature grease, and connect the adjuster assembly on the rear shoe, fitting the adjuster's end into the slot on the shoe. Hook a new upper return spring onto the shoe.

Connect the upper spring to the new front shoe with the pliers, and line up the shoe with the adjuster. Seat the shoe against the backing plate, and screw its hold-down spring in place with the pliers.

Reconnect the adjuster lever, and connect the upper spring to the lever, then connect a new lower spring to both shoes.

Reconnect the brake drum to the brake assembly and axle.

Connect the wheels, and lower the car after changing both sets of brakes.

 How to Replace the Rear Brakes on a 2005 Toyota Camry

Loosen the lugs nuts two full rotations, but do not remove them. Place the blocks in front of the tires you will not be removing.

Place the floor jack beneath a support strut of the vehicle and raise the car enough to allow the tires to come off. Place the jack stand beneath the support strut.

Finish removing the lugs and slide the tire off.

Remove the brake caliper mounting bracket, which is held on by two bolts, using the socket wrench set. Tie the bracket to the undercarriage of the vehicle with the rope to prevent strain on the brake line.

Remove the brake pads. (The brake pads will easily come out of the mounting bracket.)

Compress the brake cylinder piston using the c-clamp. Place one of the old brake pads across the piston and engage the clamp. The cylinder must be flush with the bracket.

Install the new brake pads. The new brake pads will fit snugly where the old ones were removed.

Reattach the mounting bracket. Once the bracket is re-bolted, reattach the tire and the lugs. Lower the vehicle. Tighten the lug nuts with the vehicle on the ground.

 How to Replace Rear Brakes on a 2006 Toyota Sienna

Place a bottle jack under the frame just in front of the driver' side rear tire, jack the vehicle up, place a jack stand under the frame in front of the jack and then lower the vehicle onto the jack stand.

Remove the lug nuts using the tire iron supplied with the Sienna. Pull the wheel off and place it off to the side.

Pull out on the brake drum to remove it. Often, the brake drum seizes onto the wheel hub and you must use a brake drum puller to remove it. Place the three fingers of the brake drum onto the backside of the brake drum and place the threaded post of the brake drum puller in the center of the wheel hub. Turn the threaded post with a socket and ratchet until the brake drum pulls free of the wheel hub.

Remove the spring that holds each brake shoe onto the wheel hub using a pair of pliers.

Pull the brake shoes off the wheel hub, place the new ones onto the wheel hub and secure them using the springs and pliers.

Place the new brake drum onto the wheel studs and center on the wheel hub. Pound it into place using a rubber mallet.

Place the wheel back onto the Sienna, secure it using the lug nuts, tire iron, and then lower the vehicle to the ground using the jack.

Repeat the process on the passenger side drum brake.