I need to change my rear brake pads on my 2000 Maxima. Is it difficult to do myself? I've changed pads on my 89 Maxima before and it was a easy. Are the 2000 maxima brakes with ABS more difficult to change? Any advice is appreciated. I was surprised that the rear brake pads are down to 5% remaining with only 18k on them. Usually the front brakes wear out faster but the dealer told me that maximas are designed to have the rear brakes initiate the braking first to maintain handling. I'm plan on getting OEM pads. Anything better for money?

 

Changing rears aren't very hard: one thing to remember is you can't put a clamp to the rear piston to retract it into the caliper. You have to "screw" it in; the book calls for a special tool but I've always used a large set of needle nose pliers to catch the pawls in the piston cup and screw it in. Be sure to clean everything really well and use high temp brake grease on the caliper pins and pad locating springs. Of course you might recall all this, but it doesn't hurt to go over it.

ABS doesn't make it more difficult, just look for the wires and sensors and make sure you don't damage them with tools, jack stands or lift.

Losing the rear pads at 18k seems early... I've never had a car lose the rear brakes that soon. Some things to check: could your emergency brake be misadjusted causing them to drag? are the caliper pins dirty/greaseless/damaged not letting the caliper "float" on the bracket? are the pad locating springs damaged not letting the pads and caliper retract properly?

Good luck
BuddyWh

 

Okay, thanks for the info.

 

but mine are almost gone where almost gone at 26K. Fronts are fine. I also suspected the ebrake. But that doesnt appear to be happening and MANY 2k's need rears at less than 30K. Fronts seem to be holding up alot longer.

 

Wow... that makes me a little nervous... I think I will check mine (at 36k now) even though the rears still had lots of pad left when I had the fronts replaced under the TSB at 24k .

This is my first Nissan... so early rear pad wear may just be something else for me to get used to.

BuddyWh

 

I didn't know about the TSB on front brakes...where can i find that TSB?

 

Go back to the forum thread list and look up....

 

i would definately check out wuts goin on. cuz i heard exactly the opposite just like a few days ago. i started hearing a loud squealing noise and nissan said my front brake pads were worn out. and i asked if i should change the rear, he said the front brakes are first to catch and the rear catch later and not as strong, and i should change my rear brakes once for every two times i change my front ones

 

that the rear brakes would "apply" first. I you are zipping around a corner and apply rears before fronts...that might/possibly/could cause a balance issue with the car. I was under the impression that they both "applied" at the same time, but with different bias? I.E. 60/40 or something like that. Note: the 60/40 number is an example, not fact.

I would agree with the fact that replacing rears so soon indicates some kind of issue with the rear brakes. And if pad wear on both side are even, I would believe it would point to ebrake type malfunction.

 

That may be true but the nissan dealership didn't seem to be concerned with needing new pads at 18k. I've decided to change the pads myself using Raybestos lifetime pads. I know you enthusiats are gonna fry me for being penny pinching and going with cheap pads but I'm broke.

 

4th gen rear calipers are notorious for sticking, which usually causes accelerated pad wear. I don't doubt the same is possible for 5th gens.

Mine on the 99 were gone about a year ago, but I haven't replaced them yet as I'll also have to re-build the calipers.....

 

it could be that I constantly use my parking brake. religiously, so I wont load the tranny when parked. that would keep them continually adjusted and close to the disk. Maybe thats the difference between our wear?

 

I do this also, but becuase I have a 5-spd (I do leave in 1 or R also). I have my wife trained to do this also. Put it in Neutral. Pull parking brake, release foot brake and then put into park. She has a 02 Focus and I am monitoring the brakes very VERY closely as they (Ford) have been written up extremely poorly for their brakes going anywhere between 5K (no joke) and 15K. They "supposedly" have the issue fixed, but I am suspicious at best about the situation.

It would be an interesting comparison to those that have rear brake issues to how often they use the parking brake. What do ya'all think

 

Currently I have problems with a rear caliper sticking. I have played with the ebrake trying to get it unstuck but nothing seems to work. Sometimes it sticks really bad and it feels as though the car is pulling a trailer. My rotors are warped as well so I need to replace them as well as put new pads on. Anybody installed rotors on their 5th gen themselves?

 

Yeah, but do you consistantly use your ebrake. Once the problem occurs, using it will not help.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Colonel
[B]

I do this also, but becuase I have a 5-spd (I do leave in 1 or R also). I have my wife trained to do this also. Put it in Neutral. Pull parking brake, release foot brake and then put into park. She has a 02 Focus and I am monitoring the brakes very VERY closely as they (Ford) have been written up extremely poorly for their brakes going anywhere between 5K (no joke) and 15K. They "supposedly" have the issue fixed, but I am suspicious at best about the situation.



Any man that can train his wife to do anything is MY HERO!! Can you give me the details so I can try it on my girlfriend BEFORE I make her my wife!

 

When I took my car to the dealer to perform the TSB on my front rotors being warped, the technician told me my rears were at 15% and I had 26K miles. I asked why do they wear down so fast when the fronts normally go first. He said the Nissan engineers designed the Max brakes to perform at 50/50 instead of 60/40 for control, mainly to prevent weight shifting all to the front on hard braking. Since the rear pads are much smaller than the fronts, they wear much faster and need to be replaced sooner than the fronts.

Kinda weird IMO...you'd think they would also increase the size of the rear pads to compensate for the 50/50 but I guess that would also decrease the amount of increased revenue from Max owners constantly replacing rear pads...