2015-2020 Ford F-150 rear brake pads and rotors

With the truck on the ground and the parking brake released, use the breaker bar and 22mm socket to crack all six rear lug nuts a quarter turn on each side. Attempting this after the wheel is airborne will spin the hub and risks throwing the truck off the stands.

Chock both front wheels. Position the floor jack under the rear differential center section. Raise the axle until both tires clear the ground and set jack stands under the frame rails just forward of the leaf-spring rear shackles. Lower the truck onto the stands and confirm the stands are settled before removing the jack. Do not work under a truck supported only by a floor jack.

The 2015-2020 F-150 uses a foot-operated parking brake with a drum-in-hat mechanism inside the rear rotor. If the parking brake is even partially engaged, the rotor will not slide off the hub. Pull the parking brake release handle under the dash a second time to be certain. On trims with the electronic parking brake option (higher-trim 2019-2020), enter service mode via the display before starting: MyKey menu, Vehicle, Service Mode, Parking Brake Maintenance.

Spin off the lug nuts and set the wheels flat, face down, to protect the paint.

Look at the pad thickness through the caliper viewing window. If the friction material is under 3mm on either pad, replacement is overdue. Check the rotor face for scoring, heat cracks, and lip buildup at the outer edge. Rear rotors below 20.0mm minimum thickness (stamped on the rotor hat) must be replaced, not machined.

The two 13mm caliper guide pin bolts sit on the inboard side of the caliper, one at the top and one at the bottom. Loosen and remove both. Slide the caliper straight off the pads and hang it from the leaf spring or the upper shock mount using a bungee cord or wire hanger. Never let the caliper hang by the brake hose - the internal reinforcement kinks and the hose can rupture under pressure days later.

Lift the inner and outer pads out of the bracket. Pry the stainless steel abutment clips off the bracket ears. New clips ship with quality pad sets and must be installed - reused clips let the new pad bind in the bracket and wear tapered.

Remove the two 18mm caliper bracket bolts behind the knuckle. The bracket is heavy - support it as the second bolt comes free. Set the bracket on a rag. Some trims retain the rotor with a small Torx T20 screw at the hat face; remove it if present. The rotor slides off the hub studs. If it is rust-welded to the hub, thread two 8mm bolts into the removal holes on the rotor hat and turn them alternately to walk it off. If the parking brake shoes have set a ridge inside the rotor hat, back the star wheel adjuster off through the slotted access hole in the backing plate before pulling the rotor.

Wire-brush the hub face until bright metal shows on the entire contact patch. Corrosion between the hub and rotor is the leading cause of pedal pulsation that returns three months after a brake job. Apply a thin film of anti-seize to the hub face only, keeping it clear of the wheel stud threads.

With the rotor off, the parking brake shoes and hardware are exposed. Check the shoe friction material for wear (a minimum of 2mm above the rivet head) and confirm the return springs are intact. Parking brake shoes on this truck almost never need replacement, but a broken return spring will drag the shoe and glaze the drum surface inside the hat.

Slide the new rotor onto the hub studs and secure it temporarily with one lug nut hand-tight. Spray both rotor faces with brake cleaner to remove the shipping oil. Skipping this step glazes the new pads on the first stop.

Fit the caliper bracket back over the rotor and start both 18mm bolts by hand. Torque the rear caliper bracket-to-knuckle bolts to 148 ft lbs (200 Nm). Verify against your service manual.

Snap the new stainless clips onto the bracket ears. Apply a thin bead of ceramic brake grease to the tabs where the pad ears ride on the clips. Slide the new inner and outer pads into position. The wear sensor tab, if present, goes on the inner pad oriented so the sensor contacts the rotor before the friction material wears through.

Open the master cylinder cap so displaced fluid has somewhere to go. Set the C-clamp against the old inner pad or a scrap block of wood and slowly compress the piston fully back into its bore. Watch the reservoir - if it is close to full, siphon a small amount off before compressing to prevent overflow. The rear caliper piston on this truck pushes straight in with no twist required.

Lubricate the guide pin shanks with a light film of ceramic grease. Slide the caliper over the new pads onto the bracket, aligning both guide pins into their bores. Thread both 13mm caliper guide pin bolts by hand, then torque the rear caliper guide pin bolts to 24 ft lbs (33 Nm). Verify against your service manual.

Set the wheel onto the studs and start all six lug nuts by hand two turns. Snug them in a star pattern. Once the truck is back on the ground, torque the rear wheel lug nuts to 150 ft lbs (203 Nm). Verify against your service manual.

Perform a proper bedding cycle: from 35 mph slow to 5 mph moderately six times, then from 55 mph slow to 15 mph firmly (not to lock-up) six more times. Drive at least a mile between the two sets and after the second set to cool the pads without stopping.