How do you change the rear brakes on a 2001 Chrysler Town and Country?

Answer 1

I just replaced the rear brake pads and rotor on my 2001 Chrysler Town & Country:

Tools needed:

1. 7mm Hex Bit Socket and ratchet (prefered) or 7mm hex Allen wrench

2. rubber hammer

3. large c-clamp

Step 1:

Remove the wheel.

Step 2:

Remove the top part of the caliper by unscrewing the caliper guide pins with your 7mm hex Allen wrench. DO NOT REMOVE THE 4 HEX BOLTS THAT ARE TOWARDS THE INSIDE! THE REAR BRAKES ARE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE FRONT!

Step 3:

Use the large c-clamp to push the caliper piston it a little bit. To do this, put the fixed end of the c-clamp on the back of the upper caliper (being carefull not to damage anything). Then put the screw side of the caliper against the old outer brake pad plate. Just screw it in a little bit so you can free the pads off of the rotor disc.

Step4:

Lift the top caliper from the left side first and then all the way off.

Step 5:

I just rested the top caliper assembly on top of the big leaf spring. Just make sure not to damage the brake line.

.

Step 6: Removing the rotor. (Big pain in the arse).

The key to this is to understand the emergency brake thing. The rear rotor is shaped like a top-hat. The emergency brake is a drum brake that has two shoes that push against the inside of the top-hat. The problem is, that even though the emergency brake is not engaged, it wants to engage as you try to pull the rotor off. So what I ended up doing is to use the rubber hammer to gently pound the emergency brake tab that sticks out of the back of the assembly. You can find it by following the emergency brake line to the where it connects to the tab. Gently pound it towards the rear to loosen the shoes just a little and hopefully break some rust away. Then rotate the wheel back and forth. Then pound the rotor out a little. You will notice that after you pound the rotor out, the wheel doesn't turn anymore. That is because the brake is engaging a little from you pulling the rotor out into a rusty area and the shoes are pushin against the rust. So you have to keep repeating these steps:

- Pound the emergency brake tab back.

- Turn the wheel back and forth.

- Pound the rotor out a little.

- Pound on the sides of the top-hat and square the rotor up again.

- Keep repeating until the rotor slowly works itself off.

Step 7: Take a coffee break or beer break.

Step 8: Put the new rotor on.

Step 9: Use your large c-clamp to push the caliper piston all the way in.

Step 10: Push the new inner pad into the bore in the caliper piston.

Step 11: Install the new outer pad onto the top caliper. Note: There is a right and a left outer pad. Make sure to that the long part of the plate spring is to the rear. Hook the spring under the protrusion on the caliper and wedge the right "arm" of the outer pad plate on top of the protrusion on the caliper. So now the rearmost part of the pad is in. Then push the foremost part of the pad down (just opposite of how you remove the old pad).

Step 12: Put the top caliper back in place. Re-install the caliper guide pins with your 7mm Allen wrench.

Step 13: Inspect

Step 14: Put the wheel back on.