On the 4th-gen CR-V the rear brakes are simple sliding calipers, but the parking brake works through the caliper piston, which means the piston has to be screwed clockwise back into the bore instead of pushed. That one detail is what separates a 90-minute job from a ruined caliper. Everything else is straightforward: two 14 mm guide-pin bolts to free the caliper, two 17 mm bolts to pull the bracket, and the rotor comes off - usually after a fight with rust.
The biggest mistakes people make are compressing the piston with a C-clamp and not cleaning the hub face. A rust ridge on the hub tilts the new rotor and gives you brake pulsation within a few thousand miles. Also check the guide pins: if the rubber boots are torn and the pins are dry or seized, that side has been dragging and the pins need cleaning and fresh high-temp grease, or you'll burn through the new pads unevenly.
| Item | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Floor jack 2 ton minimum Lift the rear of the vehicle at the rear subframe/pinch weld points. | Required | shop |
| Jack stands 2 ton pair Support the car while wheels are off. | Safety | shop |
| Wheel chocks Chock the front wheels since the parking brake must be released. | Safety | shop |
| Lug wrench or impact socket 19 mm, 1/2 in drive Remove the rear wheels (19 mm lug nuts). | Required | shop |
| Breaker bar 1/2 in drive, 18-24 in Loosen lug nuts and stubborn caliper bracket bolts. | Recommended | shop |
| Socket set 14 mm 6-point, 3/8 in drive Removes the two rear caliper guide-pin bolts (some units are 12 mm - check yours). | Required | shop |
| Socket 17 mm 6-point, 1/2 in drive Removes the two caliper bracket (knuckle) bolts. | Required | shop |
| Combination wrench 14 mm and 17 mm Hold the guide pin flats if a bolt spins, and for tight access. | Recommended | shop |
| Rear caliper piston wind-back tool Screw-in style with Honda pin adapter / cube drive The parking-brake caliper piston must be rotated clockwise while compressed. | Required | shop |
| Hex bit socket 8 mm hex, 3/8 in drive Removes the rotor retaining screws if your rotor has them. | Recommended | shop |
| Bolt for rotor removal M8x1.25 x 40 mm, two Thread into the rotor's jack-screw holes to push a rust-stuck rotor off the hub. | Recommended | shop |
| Dead blow or brass hammer 2-3 lb Free a corroded rotor from the hub without damaging it. | Recommended | shop |
| Wire brush Clean rust and scale off the hub face and bracket abutment slides. | Required | shop |
| C-clamp or spreader 6 in Applies pressure while the piston is being wound in, and spreads old pads. | Recommended | shop |
| Bungee cord or wire hook Hang the caliper so the brake hose is not stretched. | Required | shop |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 20-150 ft-lb Torque bracket bolts and lug nuts to spec. | Required | shop |
| Torque wrench 3/8 in drive, 10-80 ft-lb Accurately torque the 14 mm caliper bolts. | Recommended | shop |
| Brake cleaner Non-chlorinated, 2 cans Remove the shipping oil from new rotors and clean the hub. | Consumables | shop |
| Brake caliper grease High-temp silicone or synthetic Lubricate guide pins, pad ears, and shim backs. | Consumables | shop |
| Anti-seize Nickel or copper Thin film on the hub center so the next rotor comes off easily. | Consumables | shop |
| Rear brake pad set OEM-style ceramic with shims and clips Replacement friction material for the rear axle. | Parts | shop |
| Rear rotors Solid, 12 in / 305 mm diameter (verify against your rotor) Replacement discs, sold in pairs. | Parts | shop |
| Brake fluid DOT 3 Top off or correct the reservoir level after winding pistons back. | Consumables | shop |
| Nitrile gloves and safety glasses Brake dust and cleaner spray protection. | Safety | shop |
There is only one engine in this generation (2.4 L K24), and rear brake hardware sizes are the same across LX, EX, EX-L and Touring. Some 2015-2016 units have slightly different rotor part numbers, so measure your rotor diameter and thickness or match by VIN before buying.
| Rear caliper guide-pin bolts (14 mm head) | 17 ft-lb (23 Nm) |
| Rear caliper bracket-to-knuckle bolts (17 mm head) | 41 ft-lb (55 Nm) |
| Wheel lug nuts | 80 ft-lb (108 Nm) |
| Rotor retaining screws | verify in the service manual (snug only, approx. 7-9 ft-lb) |
| Brake hose bracket bolt (if removed) | verify in the service manual |
Lug nuts (19 mm), bracket bolts (17 mm) and the screw-in rear piston are consistent across the 2012-2016 CR-V; the caliper guide-pin bolt is 14 mm on most units but a few read 12 mm, so test-fit both before applying force, and confirm torque values against the factory service manual for your exact year.
Yes. The rear piston is threaded onto the parking brake adjuster, so it must be rotated clockwise while pressure is applied. A screw-in caliper wind-back kit (or the cube-drive style with the correct Honda adapter plate) is the correct tool; a C-clamp alone will damage the mechanism.
The two caliper guide-pin bolts are 14 mm on most units (a few read 12 mm), and the caliper bracket-to-knuckle bolts are 17 mm. Lug nuts are 19 mm.
Caliper guide-pin bolts 17 ft-lb (23 Nm), caliper bracket bolts 41 ft-lb (55 Nm), lug nuts 80 ft-lb (108 Nm). Confirm against the factory manual for your year.
The caliper's internal self-adjuster needs to take up the new pad clearance. Pump the brake pedal until firm, then apply and release the parking brake pedal 8-10 times. If travel is still long, the rear parking brake cable adjustment under the pedal or the caliper adjuster may be seized.