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Honda Pilot Rear Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the rear disc brake pads on a 1st generation 2003 to 2008 Honda Pilot including the part numbers.

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2006 Pilot Rear Wheel
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Slightly Loosen 5 Lug Nuts
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Raise Rear of SUV
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the first generation (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008) Honda Pilot SUV in changing the rear disc brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins.

Owners of other Honda or Acura vehicles such as the Accord, Civic, Crosstour, CR-V, CR-Z, Fit, Insight, Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline, ILX, TSX, TLX, TL, RLX, RDX, NSX and MDX may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

A few compatible replacement sets of new rear brake pads with their part numbers are as follows: Akebono ACT865, Bosch BC865, ACDelco 14D865CH, Wagner PD865, Monroe CX865, KFE KFE865-104, Raybestos PGD865C, Power Stop 16-865 and Honda 43022-S3V-A02.

The tools and other items needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a 12mm socket, a 3/8" drive ratchet, an "F" clamp and a tube of synthetic brake caliper grease.



 
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Spin Off Five Lug Nuts
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5 Lug Nuts Removed
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Caliper, Bracket, Rotor
The first two steps are to park the SUV on a level surface and turn off the ignition.

Make sure that the emergency / parking brake is not engaged. If the parking brake is engaged, you will not be able to lift the caliper off the old brake pads.

Place wheel chocks on both sides of the front wheels to prevent the vehicle from moving.

Slightly loosen the five lug nuts on the rear wheel by turning them 1/4 to 1/2 turn counterclockwise.

Raise the rear of the SUV with the floor jack and securely support it with at least two jack stands.

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

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

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Loosen Top Caliper Bolt
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Loosen Bottom Caliper Bolt
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Spin Out Lower Bolt
Loosen the top caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the SUV) with the 12mm socket and a 1/4" or 3/8" drive ratchet.

If you have trouble getting your socket to fit over the top caliper bolt due to the brake hose being in the way, use a standard 12mm wrench.

Then loosen the bottom 12mm caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle).

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Remove Upper Bolt
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Two 12mm Caliper Bolts
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Pull Off Rear Caliper
Spin out the two caliper bolts and set them aside in a safe place.

Gently pull the rear caliper off the old pads and out of the bracket.

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Rest Caliper On Suspension
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Wear Bar - Bottom Inner Pad
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Remove Outer Pad
Rest the caliper on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord or some twine.

Pull the old brake pads out of the bracket.

Make a mental note of where the wear indicator bar or "squeal" bar is located on the old pads.

On this 2006 Pilot, the wear indicator bar was situated at the bottom of the inner brake pad.

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Remove Pad Abutment Clips
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Replace Pad Abutment Clips
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Pull Out Caliper Slider Pins
If your new brake pads included replacement hardware, pull the old pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips out of the top and bottom of the bracket.

Apply a thin layer of brake parts lubricant grease to the parts of the abutment clips where they will come in contact with the bracket and the new pads.

Push the new pad abutment clips in to the top and bottom of the bracket.



 

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Lubricate & Replace Pins
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Attach "F" Clamp To Caliper
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Brake Fluid Reservoir
In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins or "guide bolts" need to be well lubricated.

Pull the caliper slider pins out of their rubber dust boots attached to the bracket, apply a thin layer of grease and push them back in to place.

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

Move to the right rear area of the engine bay and twist off the black plastic brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction.

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

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Twist Off Counterclockwise
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Compress Caliper Piston
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Replace Brake Fluid Cap
Slowly turn the "F" clamp handle in the clockwise direction to push back the caliper piston.

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

Try to avoid pinching or damaging the rubber dust boot surrounding the piston.

Replace the reservoir cap as soon as possible by twisting it on in the clockwise direction.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic so it readily absorbs moisture from the air which can lead to reduced braking performance.

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

 If your Pilot previously exhibited shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations in the rear end during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or just replace them with brand new rotors. If this is the SUV's first rear brake job and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just change the pads with excellent results.

To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, remove the two set screws on the front of the rotor and the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Remove the bracket and set it aside in a safe place. Then loosen the old rotor with a rubber mallet, pull it off, and slide the new one in its place. Tighten the caliper bracket bolts to 65 lb-ft of torque.

Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to any area where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer lip of the caliper pistons. Do not apply brake parts lubricant to the friction surface of the new pads or to the rotor.

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Wear Bar - Bottom Inner Pad
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Install New Outer Pad
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Push Pads Against Rotor
Install the new brake pads in to the bracket with the wear indicator bar situated at the bottom of the inner 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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Spin In Bottom Bolt
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Replace Top Bolt
Carefully lower the caliper over the new pads and in to the bracket.

Line up the bolt holes in the bracket with their corresponding holes in the slider pins within the bracket.

Spin in the two bolts a few turns by hand in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the SUV) to help prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

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Tighten Counterclockwise
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12mm Wrench - Top Bolt
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Rubber Valve Cap
Tighten the two caliper bolts in the counterclockwise direction (as viewed from the outside of the car) with the 12mm socket or 12mm wrench to just past and tight or about 27 lb-ft of torque.

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

If your brake pedal has been feeling soft 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 new 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.

Update - Please take a look at my 2001-2006 Acura MDX Brake Line Bleeding Guide since the procedure is the same as for this 2008 Honda Pilot.

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

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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve
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Replace Rear Wheel
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Slightly Tighten Lug Nuts
Replace the rear wheel.

Spin on the five lug nuts a few turns by hand in the clockwise direction to help prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Slightly tighten the 5 lug nuts in the clockwise direction in a "star" or "criss cross" pattern with the lug nut wrench.

Carefully lower the SUV from the jack stands by using the floor jack.

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Lower SUV From Stands
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Torque To 80 lb-ft
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Rear Brake Pads Replaced

Continue tightening the lug nuts in the clockwise direction in a "star" or "criss cross" pattern to about 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight or about 80 lb-ft 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 car and firmly push down 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 may glaze over the new pads and cause them to be noisy and not perform as well.

It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway for drops of fresh 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.

Don't forget to record the brake pad change in your SUV's service records.

For more, check out all of my 2003-2008 Honda Pilot DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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