Rear Disc Brakes

Rear disc brakes are only responsible for 30% of the vehicle’s stopping ability, so the rear disc brakes do not need to be changed as often as the front brakes do. The rear disc brake pad life will typically last twice as long, and occasionally even three times as long as the front brakes do. Because the rear brakes only have a 30% involvement in stopping, their rotors will usually not be vented, but solid instead. Occasionally they will be vented, especially if it's a truck or larger SUV.

Rear disc brakes vary significantly from vehicle to vehicle. Unlike front disc brakes, rear disc brakes may have pistons that thread in. The parking brake is also tied in to the rear brakes and that can make an important difference. If the parking brake actuator is built into the rear caliper, the pistons will have to be threaded back in, rather than pressed in. This will be the case if the vehicle does not rely on an auxiliary parking brake system. With an auxiliary parking brake system, the parking brake cable does not attach directly to the caliper, and on these vehicles, the piston will require pressing, not threading. Every once in a while someone fails to disengage the parking brake completely, and this causes the rear brakes to heat up quickly and heat causes the brake material to disintegrate faster.

Disc brakes in general do a fantastic job at cooling due to being exposed to the outside air and therefore avoid any brake fade caused by excessive high temperatures.

Although, when someone slams on the brake pedal aggressively or drives with their foot on the brake, this severe braking condition causes the heat to increase, creating the potential for brake rotor warpage and shorter brake pad life.

For step-by-step procedures that should be closely followed before attempting any repairs, click here to view our brake inspection page. After verifying that the rear brakes are in fact defective through our inspection process, the following steps will guide you through the repair process.

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