The next difference is the piston doesn't get pushed back into the caliper. So DON'T try to use the tool you used on the front calipers!



As you can see, the piston in the rear has a cross pattern in it. These pistons actually rotate and screw back into the calipers. I hear autoparts stores rent a tool that makes this an easy job. I usually always try to use the right tool for the job. However, this time I just used some needle nosed pliers, opened them up to put the tips into the grooves, and twisted the piston back down. This works well, but go slow so the pliers don't slip out of the grooves.

Also, don't forget to hit the rubber boots around the pistons with brake cleaner to get the grime off.

 

After twisting the pistons back down, make sure one of the grooves aligns with a post on the back of the brake pad when you remount the caliper. You might have to give the piston a small little turn to make it line up. Make sure you do this.

After the caliper is back in place, replace the mounting bolts. They're torqued to 17 lb-ft.

Then replace the brake hose mounting bolt. Torque to 16 lb-ft.

Do the other side. Now the rears are done!

 

However, if you're like me, you don't like to replace the pads without turning (machining) the rotors. Since I bought my brake pads at Checker Auto Parts, they charge $5 per rotor to turn them. If you don't buy brakes from them, they charge $10 per rotor.

Turning them decreases the amount of metal left on them. When the thickness decreases, the chance of them becoming unsafe increases. The first step to make sure you can turn them is to check their thickness. The service manual calls for a maximum refinishing limit (minimum thickness to safely have them turned) of 21 mm, with a maximum difference between the right and left being 0.015 mm apart. The maximum refinishing limit for the rears are 8 mm.

 

My fronts measured in at 23 mm:

 

Although I forgot to get a shot of the rears, they were just over 8 mm. So this would be the last time I get them turned (I've had them turned at around 20K under warranty because the car was pulsating when using heavy brakes).

 

To remove the front rotors, you have to remove the brake caliper mounting bracket. There are two bolts to remove. After those bolts are removed, be sure to lay the caliper on something so you're not putting stress on the brake hose/fittings.

With the mount removed, look at the rotor and find two phillips head screws. Remove them. Keep in mind these are easier said than done. I actually had to take an electric impact wrench I have and use it on these screws in order to break them free. If you don't have the proper screwdriver, get one. The screwheads are larger than a standard phillips head, so using a standard screwdriver will strip these screws. If the proper screwdriver doesn't want to work, you might have to venture out to an autoparts store to see if they have a tool which the name escapes me now. But how it works is it's spring loaded and ratcheting. When you press down on it, pressure builds up. When it gets to it's release point, the mechanism unleashes and puts in a great amount of torque to turn the screwhead in a sudden "pop". Geez, I can't remember the name. If you know it, post it here.

So okay, you get the screws out. Next is to take the mounting bracket bolt (I think. It's been so long, I can't remember. If it's not this one, then try the brake hose mounting bolt. Either way, it's an 8 x 1.25 mm bolt that'll work here) and screw it into one of the threaded openings. Give it a few turns then back it out and put it into the other opening for a few turns. What you're doing is releasing the rotor from the hub assembly. After once or twice in each hole, the rotor should come free:

 

This is what it looks like with the rotor removed:

 

The rear is similar to the front. After the four rotors are off, take them to whereever you're getting them turned:

 

When you get them back, they'll look like this!

 

Replace the front rotor onto the hub assembly. Align the screw holes and replace the screws. Torque them down to 7.2 lb-ft.

Reinstallation of the rest is just as above. Torque the caliper mounting bracket bolts to 79.6 lb-ft.