On the 2009-2018 Ram 1500 the rear brakes are straightforward sliding calipers - two 13 mm guide pin bolts and the pads drop out - but the rotor is the part that catches people. The hat has a drum machined into it for the foot-operated parking brake, so if the shoes are worn into a ridge or the adjuster has crept out, the rotor will not slide off no matter how hard you hit it. Back the star wheel off through the access hole first and it comes right off.
Nothing here changes with the engine; a 3.6 Pentastar, 4.7, 5.7 Hemi and 3.0 EcoDiesel all share the same rear setup, though heavier payload packages and 2013+ trucks got slightly larger rotors. The other thing people get wrong is ignoring the parking brake shoes entirely - you are already in there, so look at the lining and hardware, and readjust the star wheel before you put the wheel back on. There is no electronic parking brake on this truck, so no scan tool service mode is needed.
| Item | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Wheel chocks Pair, placed at front wheels Keeps the truck from rolling with the rear off the ground and the park brake released. | Safety | shop |
| Floor jack 2.5-ton minimum, long reach Lifts the rear axle at the differential or axle tube. | Required | shop |
| Jack stands 3-ton pair Supports the truck under the axle or frame rails while you work. | Safety | shop |
| Lug nut socket 22 mm, 6-point, 1/2 in drive (deep) Removes the rear wheels; 22 mm on all DS Ram 1500 steel and alloy wheels. | Required | shop |
| Breaker bar 1/2 in drive, 18-24 in Breaks loose 130 ft-lb lug nuts and the seized caliper bracket bolts. | Required | shop |
| Socket wrench set 3/8 in drive ratchet with 13 mm and 15 mm sockets Caliper guide pin bolts are 13 mm on most trucks; some late builds and remans take 15 mm. | Required | shop |
| Socket 18 mm 6-point, 1/2 in drive (21 mm on some builds) Removes the two caliper mounting bracket bolts from the axle flange. | Required | shop |
| Wire brush Steel, hand size Cleans rust off the hub face and bracket slide areas so the new rotor seats flat. | Required | shop |
| Caliper piston compressor Large C-clamp or brake pad spreader (straight push, not screw-in) Pushes the single rear piston back into the caliper; the DS rear piston does not screw in. | Required | shop |
| Brake spoon or long flat screwdriver Star-wheel adjusting spoon Backs off the parking brake shoe adjuster through the access hole so the rotor clears the shoes. | Required | shop |
| Dead-blow or 3 lb hammer Non-marring or sledge with block Frees rust-bonded rotors from the hub face. | Required | shop |
| Bungee cord or wire hook Short Hangs the caliper from the coil spring or frame so the brake hose isn't stretched. | Recommended | shop |
| Wire brush drill attachment Cup brush, 2-3 in Fast cleanup of the hub flange and rotor hat mating surface. | Recommended | shop |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 20-150 ft-lb Sets lug nuts to 130 ft-lb and the bracket bolts to spec. | Required | shop |
| Torque wrench (small) 3/8 in drive, 10-80 ft-lb Accurate torque on the smaller caliper guide pin bolts. | Recommended | shop |
| Brake parts cleaner Non-chlorinated, 2 cans Removes the protective oil coating from new rotors and cleans the dust off the backing plate. | Consumables | shop |
| Silicone brake caliper grease High-temp synthetic, for guide pins and pad ears Lubricates the guide pins, boots and abutment clips so the caliper slides freely. | Consumables | shop |
| Anti-seize compound Nickel or copper, small tube Thin film on the hub face stops the new rotor from rust-welding on. | Consumables | shop |
| Rear brake pads DS Ram 1500 rear set (semi-met or ceramic) The wear item being replaced. | Parts | shop |
| Rear rotors Pair, 13.8 in vented with integral park brake drum Rear rotors on this truck include the parking brake drum surface. | Parts | shop |
| Brake fluid DOT 3 Top off the master cylinder if needed after pushing the pistons back. | Consumables | shop |
| Safety glasses and nitrile gloves Brake dust and cleaner spray. | Safety | shop |
| Dust mask N95 Avoid breathing brake dust when cleaning the drum area and backing plate. | Safety | shop |
Tool sizes are identical across the 3.6, 4.7, 5.7 and 3.0 EcoDiesel - the rear axle and caliper hardware do not change with the engine. Rotor diameter grew slightly on 2013+ and heavy-payload trucks, so order rotors by VIN, not by engine. Trucks with the optional rear air suspension need service mode before lifting; that is the only trim-specific difference.
| Wheel lug nuts | 130 ft-lb (176 Nm) |
| Rear caliper guide pin (slide) bolts | Approx. 24 ft-lb (32 Nm) - verify in the service manual |
| Rear caliper mounting bracket to axle bolts | Approx. 130 ft-lb (176 Nm) - verify in the service manual |
| Brake hose banjo bolt (only if hose removed) | verify in the service manual |
Lug nuts (22 mm, 130 ft-lb) and the 13 mm guide pin bolts are solid for this generation; the caliper bracket bolt is 18 mm on most trucks but some builds and replacement brackets use 21 mm, and caliper bolt torques should be confirmed against the FSM for your year.
Almost always the parking brake shoes inside the rotor hat. Find the rubber plug or slot in the rotor face or backing plate and back off the star-wheel adjuster with a brake spoon, then the rotor will slide over the shoes. Rust bonding at the hub flange is the other cause - tap the hat between the studs with a dead-blow.
The caliper guide pin bolts are 13 mm (a few builds and reman calipers use 15 mm), and the two caliper bracket bolts into the axle flange are 18 mm, with 21 mm found on some builds. Lug nuts are 22 mm.
No. Because the parking brake uses separate shoes inside the rotor hat, the rear caliper piston pushes straight in with a C-clamp or spreader. Twisting it will only damage the piston and boot.
130 ft-lb (176 Nm) in a star pattern for the DS-generation 1500. Torque them with the truck on the ground and re-check after about 50 miles.