Nissan Rogue Disc Brake Service

Overview: This how-to is a step-by-step procedure for cleaning and servicing disc brakes on the Nissan Rogue. Actually this could be applied to nearly any vehicle with disc brakes.

Difficulty: 3/4

Time: It takes approximately one hour to do all 4 brakes. Newbies should expect to take at least 2-3 hours the first time around.

NOTE: We have added a VIDEO tutorial as well! Scroll down for the instructions and video.

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Legal Stuff:

The braking system is a critical part of your vehicle. The information provided below is for information only. I do not accept any responsibility should your braking system fail as a result of this procedure.

These procedures are meant for someone with decent mechanical knowledge. If you are unsure or have never worked on your vehicle before, then seek help… either from a fellow mechanic or someone knowledgeable in servicing brakes. Otherwise do not attempt this on your own! If in doubt then leave it for the professionals.

Important notes:

– Do not apply any lube to the brake pads or rotor. Clean up any mess promptly with brake parts cleaner and a clean rag.
– Do not apply the brake pedal while the calipers are removed. The caliper pistons may pop out and you will have a very big mess.
–  Always pump the brakes several times before going for a test drive. This will seat the pads and avoid a loss of braking power at the first stop.
– Double check all bolts. The diagrams below list torque values for the bolts:

ie. 59 – 78 N·m (6.0 – 8.0 kg-m, 43 – 58 ft-lb)

If you do not have a torque wrench, just firmly tighten everything. Do not over tighten by using a long breaker bar or extension pipe.

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Part 1: Tools

Gather all the tools below. Do not start before you have everything as you will not be able to drive your vehicle to pick up parts.

– Open end wrenches 14mm & 19mm
– Socket set 14mm & 19 mm
– Disc Brake cleaning fluid
– A set of brass or steel brushes, toothbrush sized, and a nylon brush (an old toothbrush will do)
– Silicone or ‘disc brake lube’ that is compatible for brakes and rubber parts
– Copper based anti-seize compound/lubricant
– A large flat bladed screwdriver for prying
– Jack, the OEM scissor jack can be used but a proper floor jack is better
– Jack stands to properly support the vehicle
– Wheel chocks to keep the vehicle from rolling
– Shop Rags
– A tarp or cloth to cover the ground
– An oil drain pan or some sort of container to capture any dripping cleaning fluid
– A 12″ piece of stiff wire to tie the caliper out of the way. A piece of rope will do in a pinch.
– Safety glasses
– Nitrile or latex gloves
– Dust mask. Brake dust should not be inhaled.

Optional:
– Wheel lock adapter (if your Nissan came with wheel locks)
– A heavy hammer
– Breaker bar
– Torque wrench
– a 12″ length of 1″ pipe to gain extra leverage
– A digital camera to document where parts go so you can reassemble everything.

Part 2: Prep and wheel removal

1 – Ensure you have a clean area on which to work. A firm surface such as asphalt or concrete is needed to support the jacks.

2 – Start with one of the front brakes. They are the easiest. Do only one wheel at a time. This way if you forget how something goes back together, you can refer to the opposite wheel.

3 – Loosen the lug nuts on the wheel 1/2 turn but do not remove them

4 – Refer to the owners manual for jacking locations. Place chocks under the remaining wheels then jack the vehicle so the tire leaves the ground. Note: I used different jack points on the subframe than the manual recommends. Please follow the jack points below:

5 – Place the jack stands under the frame to support the weight, then lower onto the jack stands. DO NOT rely on the jack to support the weight, use jack stands. You may need to adjust the jack stands so wheel remains off the ground

6 – Remove lug nuts and then the wheel.

Part3: Disassembly

1 – Spray the disc brake assembly with disc brake cleaner. This will help to remove some of the dirt.

2 – Using a 14mm wrench, loosen then remove the lower caliper slider bolt. It’s difficult to work with the bolt facing away from you so double check to make sure you are loosening not tightening the bolt.

3 – With the bolt removed, rotate the caliper upwards to expose the brake pads. Be sure not to loose the bolt!

4 – Remove the pads. You may need to gently pry the pads outwards with a screwdriver. Be careful not to damage the pads. If you cannot get the pads out, leave them for now. They can be removed along with the bracket later. Be sure to keep track of any hardware and the brake pad locations. The pads for the back are different than the front.

5 – The accordion looking rubber boot that protects the upper slider pin will be stuck to the brake caliper. Rotate it by hand to break it free, then slide the caliper back to remove it. Optionally, you could remove the 14mm bolt that holds slider pin and leave the pin in the caliper bracket. I use the first method as it saves removing a bolt.

6 – Attach the caliper to the coil spring by bending an S-shaped hook with the wire you have.This will keep it out of the way for the next step.

This next step is optional, but necessary if you want to service or replace the brake rotor. If you could not get the brake pads out, you will also have to do this step.

7 – Using a 19mm wrench, remove the two bolts securing the caliper bracket/torque member. These bolts are on very tight. You may need to use a longer breaker bar or a short length of pipe to increase your leverage. Be careful!

8 – If you were unable to remove the pads earlier, it should be much easier now. Also remove the 2 retaining clips from each end of the caliper bracket. Be sure to note their positions and orientation.

9 – Remove the shims from the back of the brake pads. Be sure to note their positions and orientation.

10 – If you removed the caliper bracket, you can also remove the brake rotor. Sometimes the rotor will seize itself to the hub. In this case, you can slowly rotate the rotor while tapping it from the side and the back with a hammer until it releases. This can be a very tedious process so take your time and be sure not to damage the rotor. You can also use penetrating lube on the hub, let it soak in for 10-15 minutes before trying.

Part 4: Cleaning

1 – Put the shims and retainer clips in a container for cleaning. DO NOT put the brake pads in, they should not be immersed in any cleaning fluid.

2 – Using a small brush, carefully clean the parts removing any stuck on brake dust and dirt.

3 – Allow the parts to dry.

4 – Take the brake pads and using a small amount of cleaner and a brush, remove any dirt from the edges and back of the pads.Try not to contaminate the brake pad material with fluid.

5 – Clean the caliper bracket. Remove any loose rust and dirt.

6 – Clean the caliper itself. Be careful not to damage the rubber dust boot. I sometimes use a nylon brush (ie. an old toothbrush) for this job.

7 – If you have removed the rotor, clean the hub mounting surface and the back of the rotor. Remove any loose rust and dirt.

Now you are ready for lubrication and reassembly.

Part 5: Lubrication and Reassembly

There are two types of lube used for disc brakes:

– A disc brake lube… it should be a translucent lube that is rubber compatible. This is used for caliper slider pins.
– A heavy brake grease, I use an anti-seize compound/grease with a copper additive as per the manual. The grease will not wash away like the disc brake lube will. Any component of the brakes that sees metal to metal contact gets a light coating.

DO NOT allow the lube/grease to come in contact with the pad material.

Front Caliper –
1 – Remove the lower slider pin. You may have to twist the slider dust boot with your fingers to break it free.

2 – Inspect the lower slider pin for rust and dirt. If it’s clean, apply a very small amount of disc brake lube. DO NOT use anti-seize compound. Reinstall the slider pin ensuring the dust boot seats in the groove on the slider pin.

3 – Repeat the same for the slider pin attached to the caliper. Do not re-install it at this point.

4 – If you had removed the brake rotor, now is the time to reinstall it. Coat the surface of the hub with anti-seize then reinstall the rotor. This will make it easier to remove the rotor in the future.

5 – Apply some anti-seize compound to the caliper bracket where the retainer clips go. This will help to displace water and prevent corrosion.

6 – Install the retainer clips at each end. Be sure you put them in the same location and orientation you removed them. Be sure they are firmly seated as you will not be able to get the pads in otherwise.

7 – Lubricate the visible portions of the retainer clips with a thin layer of anti-seize. These will be in direct contact with the brake pads.

8 – Install the shims on the back of the pad in the same order they were removed. Use a light coat of anti-seize compound between the shims and on the back of the outer shim.

9 – Lubricate the small tabs on each end of the pad with anti-seize compound.

10 – I find it easier to pre-install the rear pad on the caliper bracket. If you have not removed the caliper bracket, then install the rear pad. It can sometimes be difficult to get the rear pad in place. It fits very tightly in place. Try inserting both ends simultaneously and lightly tap with a hammer until the pad is in place.

11 – If you have removed the caliper bracket/torque member earlier, reinstall it. Ensure the bolts are tightened.

12 – Install the front pad using the same procedure as step 10.

13 – With the pads in place, you can now re-install the caliper. Re-check the upper slider pin to ensure it has not gotten dirty. Clean and re-lube if necessary. Unhook the caliper from the ‘hook’ you made and slide the upper pin into the caliper bracket. Ensure the dust boot seats in the groove on the slider pin.

14 – Rotate the caliper downwards. Be sure it does not catch on the shims.

15 – Reinstall the lower slider retaining bolt.

16 – The caliper is now reassembled. Be sure to recheck all the bolts (4 in total) for tightness.

17 – You can now reinstall the wheel and hand tighten the lugnuts. Remove the jack stands and lower the vehicle. Torque the lug nuts with the tire on the ground…it’s easier.

The process is repeated for the other brakes. There is a slightly different procedure for the rear caliper… see the next part.

One final and very important note:

Before going for a test drive, pump the brakes several times. The caliper piston may have been disturbed resulting in a loss of braking power the first time they are used. You don’t want to find this out when it’s too late!

Part 6: Rear Brakes

The rear brakes are nearly identical to the fronts. Just a few different steps.

Here are the added steps:

1 – Before jacking the vehicle, chock the front wheels and release the parking brake. This is necessary to be able to remove the rear brake rotors.

2 – Repeat the procedure for the front brakes.

3 – Be careful when removing the rear brake rotor. There is an internal drum style parking brake that can easily be damaged. You may be able to get the drum a 1/4″ off the hub and it will jam. This may be due to the parking brake being applied. Try spinning the rotor to ensure it is free then slowly wiggle the rotor off. If it still refuses to come off, I suggest leaving it alone. There is a way to loosen the parking brake adjuster, but it can be tricky. I would leave this for the dealer or a mechanic. Fortunately the rear parking brake does not need to be serviced as frequently as the brakes.

4 – If you have managed to remove the rear brake rotor, clean the contact points where the drum brake touches the backing plate with a brush. See the diagram above for locations.

5 – Apply disc brake lube to these locations after cleaning. I used a screwdriver to ‘lift’ the brake shoes away from the backing plate and used a smaller screwdriver to apply the lube.

6 – Clean the hub and rotor, apply anti-seize to the hub and reinstall the brake rotor.

7 – There are a few pointers regarding reassembling the rear brakes:

– The pads are more difficult to install. Take your time. It may be easier to re-install both pads with the bracket/torque member removed then reinstall the whole assembly.
– The retainer clips are different. The one with the ‘tab’ in the middle goes on the bottom.
– The rear rotors can easily seize to the hub. If you managed to get them off, be sure to lube the hub with anti-seize. They will come off much easier next time around.

Part 7: Pad and Rotor replacement

The procedure above can also be used for brake pad replacement. Be sure you have the parts (rotor and pads). The retaining clips and shims can be reused a couple of times before needing replacement. Replacement shims are sometimes packaged with new pads.  The retainer clips can be purchased from the dealer as a kit.

Added tools:

– Large C clamp 4-6″ opening

Added steps:

1 – After you remove the caliper, use a large C-clamp to compress the piston back into the caliper.This is necessary as the new pads are thicker. Keep an eye on the brake master cylinder fluid level to ensure it does not overflow.

2 – Clean the rotors with brake parts cleaner to remove any oil or residue before installing.

3 – Do not forget to pump the brakes several times before you go for a test drive!

4 – New brake pads should be ‘bedded in’ before using them. Read the instructions that came with your new brake pads. Here is a list of common bedding procedures from our sponsor, Tirerack.com:

Tireack.com Brake Pad and Rotor Bed-in Procedures

Originally Created by Philipa_240sx