New rear pads and rotors 2010 prius-DIY-Here's how

Did my rear pads and rotors today and it was a piece of cake. The dealer wanted to charge over $500 for this job. I found some drilled and slotted rotors and pads, delivered, for 80 Bucks:


Toyota Prius 2010 - Rear Drilled & Slotted Rotors, Ceramic Pads


I also bought a hardware kit from Autozone for $20. It included clips, “springs” and rubber boots:


Duralast/Brake Disc Hardware Kit - Rear 13582Q at AutoZone.com


And I splurged on a brake tool at the local Farm & Fleet for 5 bucks. They look like this:


Brake Caliper Retractor Cube - CTA-1455 | FCP Euro


So the job wound up costing $100. I didn’t take pics, but here’s the step by step:


1. Roll the windows down in case you want to access something inside the vehicle.

2. Pop the hood

3. Disconnect the positive battery cable in the trunk.

4. Loosen the wheel lug nuts. (if you have an impact wrench you can do this when the vehicle is up.)

5. Raise the vehicle on stands and remove wheels.

6. I f you are using anti-squeal spray on the back of pads, spray them now as it takes 10 minutes to dry

7. Remove two bolts that hold caliper on.

8. Pop springs out of top of pads. They are the v-shaped wire things on top of the pads. Pull up and they come right out.

9. Remove caliper

10. Hang caliper from a wire

11. Pop out the “nuts” that the caliper bolt screwed into. These are your caliper slides. Clean them and lubricate them with high-temperature silicone grease.

12. Remove two bolts that hold pads in their retainer.

13. Remove retainer assembly and pads.

14. Remove the rotors. If the rotors don’t come off easily, hit them with a rubber mallet. If still no luck, spray Kroil, Break Free or whatever in the little gaps between the wheel studs and rotors. Let it soak. Whack again. They will come off. The rotors are not bolted on in any way. They are stuck on by rust after time. On mine, one just came right off and the other one needed a little persuasion.

15. The old pads should just pop right out of the retainers.

16. Remove the rubber boots and metal clips that the pads sat it. (if you have a hardware kit…otherwise you’ll reuse old hardware.”

17. Press in the new hardware. All 4 clips are the same. Make sure they seat all the way. Press them in with a flat blade screwdriver if they don’t seat all the way.

18. Press new rubber boots in. I lubed mine up with a little silicone to help seal them and ease installation.

19. Slide pads into retainers taking care that the pad with the long tab goes on the same side as the boots (inner). That is the inner pad.

20. Reinstall retainers on vehicle. I used a breaker bar and torqued them hard as I could

21. Install springs. There are little holes near the “ears” of the brake pads the springs fit into. You may have to bend the pad retainers a bit to access the holes. Most of mine just slipped right in.

22. Remove the brake reservoir cap (in the engine compartment)

23. Using a brake tool like the one mentioned above from Farm & Fleet, screw the brake caliper piston clockwise back into the caliper. Use a 6 inch extension on a 3/8 ratchet and push as you turn. I used the rounded stubs. I think a few would work.

24. Reinstall the caliper sliders. Push them hard so the boot seats on them.

24a. Orient the piston in the caliper per Mendel Liesk's post below.

25. Slip the caliper over the pads, being careful not to knock the springs out.

26. Reinstall caliper bolts and torque same as other ones-hard.

27. Reinstall wheels and torque to 76 ft/lb, tightening in a star pattern. Check them again in a week and retorque.

28. Hook up the battery, put cap back on brake reservoir and close hood.

29. Now the scary part…when you first start up, every light on the dashboard will come on. The car would not go into gear. I shut if off (after the audio system re-initialized and said I could shut the car off) I restarted the car and everything was fine. Lights were all gone and no problems on test drive.


The whole job took 2 hours and I’m slow. If you’ve never done brakes, this may not make any sense. Watch a few you tube videos on it, or try this guy


2010-2013 Toyota Prius Hybrid Hatchback Common Problems, Repair Guides, & Vehicle Maintenance DIY Instructions


He’s got a section on prius brakes. Print these steps and take them with out to your garage and it will all make sense when you do the job.

 

Yeah, I did it that way in case I ever have to do it again, I can take the list out there with me and check it off as I go along.

 

I did the rears, not the fronts. Fronts were ok.

 

Wow...thanks. I'll pull it apart and make sure it's right. I didn't know this, so I'm sure it's wrong.

Just read some of what you sent me. That sure is a nice manual. My Dodge and Chevy manuals are so hard to understand. The Toyota manual is straightforward.

 

Where is this information from? Where can I get a manual like the one you sent me?