Dodge Grand
Caravan Rear Disc Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the rear disc brake pads on
a fifth generation 2008-2014 Dodge Grand Caravan minivan with photos.
2013 Grand Caravan Rear Wheel |
Slightly Loosen Lug Nuts |
Raise Rear of Vehicle |
This
automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist
owners of the 5th generation or "Generation V" (2008, 2009, 2010,
2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014) Dodge Grand Caravan in changing the
rear disc brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins. Owners of other Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or RAM vehicles such as the Avenger, 200, 300, Town & Country, Challenger, Charger, Dart, Durango, Journey, Patriot, Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, Compass, 1500, 2500, 3500, C/V Tradesman and ProMaster may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful. A few compatible replacement sets of new rear brake pads with their part numbers include the following: Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1326, Raybestos ATD1326C, Bendix D1326 CQ, ACDelco 17D1596CH, EBC UD1326, Wearever Ceramic PNAD1596 and ProStop PR1326C. The items required to complete this procedure include a floor jack, two jack stands, a lug nut wrench, a 13mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench, a disc brake piston tool such as the Lisle 28600 or a pair of needle nose pliers, and a packet of brake parts lubricant grease. |
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Please verify the correct replacement parts for your Grand Caravan at the Amazon Part Finder website. They may vary by model year or trim level. A few compatible sets of new rear brake pads for the 2014 and 2015 model years are as follows: Wagner QuickStop ZD1326, ACDelco 17D1596CH and Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1719. |
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Spin Off Lug Nuts |
5 Lug Nuts Removed |
Caliper, Bracket & Rotor |
The first few steps
are to park the minivan on a level surface, make sure that the emergency /
parking brake is released and chock both sides of the front wheels to
prevent the vehicle from moving. Slightly loosen the 5 lug nuts on the front wheel by turning them counterclockwise with the tire iron. Raise the rear of the vehicle with the floor jack and securely support it with the two jack stands. (I prefer to work on one side of the car at a time to keep three wheels on the ground for extra safety.) Spin off the 5 lug nuts and set them aside in a safe place. Pull off the rear wheel to reveal the caliper, bracket, rotor and suspension. |
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Rear Brake Caliper |
Loose Lower Caliper Bolt |
Loosen Upper 13mm Bolt |
The rear brake
caliper is held in place to the bracket by two bolts on the back side of the
caliper. Loosen the lower caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 13mm socket and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench. Loosen the upper 13mm caliper bolt by turning it in the clockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the minivan). If the caliper slider pins turn as you are trying to loosen the caliper bolts, hold them in place with a wrench or a pair of pliers. |
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Spin Out Lower Bolt |
Remove Upper Caliper Bolt |
Pull Off Rear Caliper |
Spin out the two
caliper bolts and set them aside in a safe place. Pull the rear caliper out of the bracket and carefully rest it on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord. |
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Screw In Type Caliper Piston |
Remove Old Outer Pad |
Wear Bar Bottom Outer Pad |
Pull
the old inner and outer brake pads out of the caliper bracket. Make a mental note of where the wear indicator or "squeal" bars were situated on the old pads. On this 2013 Grand Caravan, the wear indicator bars were located at the bottom of both the inner and outer brake pads. |
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Wear Bar Bottom Inner Pad |
Replace Pad Abutment Clips |
Remove Lower Slider Pin |
If your new set of
rear pads included new brake hardware, pull out the old metal pad abutment
or "anti-rattle" clips from the top and bottom of the bracket before
installing the new ones in their place. In order for the brake caliper to work smoothly, the two caliper slider or "guide" pins need to be well lubricated. Gently pull the two pins out of their rubber dust boots, apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to each one, and then re-insert them in to their rubber dust boots. |
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Lubricate & Replace Pins |
Test Fit Piston Tool |
Twist Off Brake Fluid Cap |
In order for the
brake caliper to fit over the thicker new pads, the "screw in" type rear
caliper piston will need to be turned backwards. First move to the right rear area of the engine bay (near the driver's seat) and twist off the brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction. Removing the cap will allow the brake fluid to more easily travel back through the lines when you retract the piston. Test fit the different sides of a disc brake piston tool, such as the Lisle # 28600, to find which side has the best grip on the piston. |
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Attach To Wrench |
Turn Back Caliper Piston |
Replace Brake Fluid Cap |
The side of the
cube shaped tool that seemed to fit the best was the side with two pegs or
"nubs". Attach the piston tool to a small extension bar and a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench. Slowly turn back the piston in the clockwise direction until it is flush with the rubber dust boot. Repeatedly check the level in the brake fluid reservoir while you are turning back the piston to make sure that it does not over flow. Clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately since it can easily damage painted surfaces. Replace the brake fluid cap as soon as possible since brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air). Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, brake caliper and the lug nut studs with some brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow air with your mouth to clean off the brake hardware since inhaling brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust may be carcinogenic (causes cancer) if inhaled. Spread a thin layer of brake parts grease to any surface where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer face of the caliper piston. Do not apply grease to the friction surface of the new pads. If your vehicle previously exhibited shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations while braking, you may need to have the rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or it may be easier and less expensive to just replace them with new rotors. If this is the first rear brake job on your Grand Caravan and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just replace the pads with great results. To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, remove the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Then loosen the old rotor with a rubber mallet, pull it off, and slide the new one in its place. Be sure to properly tighten the two bracket bolts with a torque wrench. |
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Wear Bars - Bottom Both Pads |
Install New Brake Pads |
Push Pads Against Rotor |
Install the new
brake pads in to the bracket with the wear indicator bars situated at the
bottom of the inner and outer pads. Push the pads flush against the rotor. |
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Lower Caliper Over Pads |
Spin In Lower Caliper Bolt |
Replace Upper Caliper Bolt |
Lower the caliper
down in to the bracket and over the new pads. If the caliper won't fit over the new pads, you might need to turn back the caliper piston a bit further. Line up the bolt holes in the caliper with their corresponding holes in the slider pins within the bracket. Spin in the upper and lower caliper bolts by hand a few turns in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) to prevent them from becoming cross threaded. |
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Tighten Upper 13mm Bolt |
Tighten Lower Caliper Bolt |
Rubber Valve Cover |
Tighten the caliper
bolts by turning them counterclockwise (as seen from the outside of the
minivan) with the 13mm socket and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench to just past
hand tight or about 26 ft lbs of torque. Double check that both the upper and lower caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps. |
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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve |
Replace Rear Wheel |
Spin On 5 Lug Nuts |
If your brake pedal
has previously been feeling soft or "spongy", the brake fluid may be
contaminated with water droplets or the brake lines may contain air bubbles. It would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time in order to flush out the old fluid and replace it with fresh DOT 3 brake fluid. For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With An Assistant DIY Guide or alternatively the Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With A Power Bleeder Guide. The brake fluid bleeder valve is located underneath a rubber cap on the back side of the caliper just below the upper caliper bolt. Replace the rear wheel and spin on the 5 lug nuts by hand in the clockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded. |
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Slightly Tighten Lug Nuts |
Lower Vehicle From Stands |
Torque To 102 ft-lbs |
Slightly tighten
the lug nuts in a "criss cross" or "star" pattern with the lug nut wrench. Lower the vehicle from the jack stands using the floor jack until the rear wheel holds enough weight to keep it from spinning. Continue progressively tightening the lug nuts in a star pattern to about 1/8 to 1/4 turn past hand tight or about 102 ft lbs of torque. It would be best to use a torque wrench or an impact wrench with a 100 ft lbs torque stick to properly tighten the lug nuts. Sit in the driver's seat and firmly pump the brake pedal a few times to restore the brake line pressure. Check the brake fluid reservoir in the engine bay and verify that the level is correct. If it is low, add some new DOT 3 fluid. Take the car for a short and cautious test drive with the window down so you can hear any noises when you press the brake pedal that may indicate a problem. To break in your new pads, just drive normally for the first few hundred miles while trying to avoid any hard or "panic" stops which may glaze over the new pads and cause them to be noisy and not perform as well. It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway for drops of brake fluid which may indicate a leak, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir, and also check that the lug nuts are still tight. For more,
check out my other
Dodge Grand Caravan DIY Maintenance Guides. |
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