Hello -I have to replace the rear rotors on my 07 outlander and have never done them before. Are they as easy as the front rotors considering there are emergency brake shoes in the rears to consider? if I leave the e-brake off, will they come off over the shoes and will the new rotor just slide back over, or do I need any special knowledge or tools to deal with the e-brake shoes?-Thanks guys

 

nothing too special. you'll need to remove the caliper, just like you would the front. have the e-brake off. Think of the rear rotor system like this. Imagine a top hat, put your fist into the top hat, then extend your thumb out to the top hat...essentially that is what is happening. Once the caliper is removed, the rotor will come right off.

 

They are as easy as the fronts even with the parking brake shoes in them.

If you find the rotors break from the hub but a wiggling around and won't come off don't force them. You might have a ring of rust on the inside gripping the parking brake shoes depending on the state of your rotors.

Remove the rubber plug in the rotor hat, insert a screwdriver and turn the star adjuster. Count the number of turns until the shoes contact the drum should be 5 or 10 (good to know this number for new install). Now go back twice that amount in the other direction. Shoes should be contracted enough you can get the rotor off. If it won't budge be sure you're turning the adjuster in the correct direction and keep contracting the shoes.

No special tools. Just give the repair maintenance manual a read for torque specs and procedures to adjust the shoes after putting on the new rotor (will be a different fit) and how to adjust your parking brake lever inside the vehicle (may not need to do this step).

No auto adjusters in the parking brake because they really shouldn't be wearing. It's all manual if I remember correctly.

 

No need to replace the shoes, i just did mine with 110k miles on them and they still look new.

Just replace the rotors and the brake pads on the calipers just like you did the front. Leave the ebrake off.