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Chrysler 300 Rear Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the rear disc brake pads on a 2nd generation 2011 to 2017 Chrysler 300 sedan with the part numbers.

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2016 Chrysler 300 Rear Wheel
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Slightly Loosen 5 Lug Nuts
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Raise Rear of Car
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the second generation (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017) Chrysler 300, 300C or 300S sedan in changing the rear disc brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins.

Owners of other Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM vehicles such as the Town & Country, 200, Pacifica, Avenger, Charger, Journey, Challenger, Dart, Durango, Magnum, Grand Caravan, Grand Cherokee, Renegade, Wrangler, Compass, Liberty, Patriot, ProMaster, 1500 and C/V Tradesman minivan may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The tools and other items needed to complete this procedure include a floor jack, two jack stands, a lug nut wrench, a 15mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratcheting, an 18mm wrench, a "C" or "F" clamp and a tube of brake caliper grease.



 

Please verify the compatible replacement part numbers for your Chrysler 300 sedan by using the Amazon Part Finder website. The correct brake pads may vary depending on the model year, trim level and transmission type (RWD - rear wheel drive or AWD - all wheel drive).

A few rear brake pads that are compatible with this 2016 Chrysler 300C sedan include the following: Bosch BP1057, Akebono ACT1057A, Bosch BP1057A, Dura International BP1057, Raybestos ATD1057C and ACDelco 17D1057C.

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Spin Off 5 Lug Nuts
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Five Lug Nuts Removed
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Rotor, Bracket, Caliper
The first few steps are to park the car on a level surface, make sure that the emergency / parking brake is not engaged and place wheel chocks on both sides of the front tires to prevent the vehicle from moving.

Then slightly loosen the 5 lug nuts on the rear wheel by turning them a 1/2 to 1 turn counterclockwise with the tire iron.

Raise the rear of the vehicle with the floor jack and securely support it with at least two jack stands.

I prefer to work on one side of the vehicle at a time to keep the other three wheels on the ground for extra safety.

Continue spinning off the 5 lug nuts in the counterclockwise direction and set them aside in a safe place.

Pull off the rear wheel to reveal the caliper, bracket, rotor and the suspension.

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Rear Brake Caliper
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Loosen Top 15mm Bolt
The rear brake caliper is held in place to the bracket by two bolts on the back side of the caliper with the bolt heads facing in towards the center of the car.

Loosen the upper caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 15mm socket and a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench.

If the caliper slider pin rotates as you are trying to loosen the caliper bolt, hold it in place with an 18mm wrench.

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Loosen Lower Bolt
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Spin Out Bottom Bolt
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Remove Upper Caliper Bolt
Then loosen the lower 15mm caliper bolt by rotating it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle).

Spin out the two caliper bolts by hand and set them aside in a safe place.

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15mm Caliper Bolts Removed
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Pull Caliper Off Pads
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Rest Caliper On Suspension
Pull the caliper out of the bracket and carefully rest it on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord or tie it up with some twine.

If you have trouble removing the caliper from the bracket or off the old pads, double check that the emergency / parking brake has been released.

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Wear Bar - Top Inner Pad
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Wear Bar - Bottom Outer Pad
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Replace Pad Abutment Clips
Pull the old outer and inner brake pads out of the bracket.

Make a mental note of where the wear indicator bars or "squeal" bars are situated on the old brake pads.

On this 2016 300C, the wear bars were located at the bottom of the outer pad and at the top of the inner pad.

If your new set of rear brake pads included replacement hardware, pull the old metal pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips from the top and bottom of the bracket.

Apply some brake caliper grease to any area where the new clips will come in contact with the bracket or the new pads before installing them in to the bracket.

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Pull Out Slider Pins
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Lubricate & Replace
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Attach "C" Clamp To Piston
In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins or "guide pins" installed in the bracket need to be well lubricated.

Carefully pull the upper and lower caliper slider pins out of their rubber dust boots, apply a thin layer of brake parts lubricant grease to each before pushing them back in place.

In order for the caliper to fit over the thicker new brake pads, the caliper piston needs to be compressed back.

Attach the "C" or "F" clamp to the caliper using the back of an old brake pad to evenly distribute the pressure across the piston.

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Driver Side Cowl
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Plastic Access Cover
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Twist Off Brake Fluid Cap
Move to the right rear area of the engine bay (near the driver's seat) and open the brake fluid reservoir access cover on the cowl.

Set the access panel aside in a safe place.

Twist off the brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction.

Removing the reservoir cap will allow the brake fluid to more easily travel backwards through the line when you compress the piston.



 

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Compress Caliper Piston
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Replace Reservoir Cap
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Replace Access Panel
Slowly turn the "C" clamp handle in the clockwise direction to push the piston back in to the caliper.

Continue compressing the piston until it is just about flush with the rubber dust boot surrounding it.

Try to avoid pinching or damaging the rubber dust boot.

Replace the reservoir cap as soon as possible by twisting it on the clockwise direction since brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air).

Close the plastic brake fluid reservoir access cover.

Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, brake caliper assembly and the lug nut studs with brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow with your mouth to clean off the brake parts since breathing in brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust can be carcinogenic (causes cancer) if inhaled.

Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to any area where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer lip of the caliper piston. Do not apply brake parts lubricant grease to the friction surface of the new pads or the rotors.

 If your 300 previously exhibited shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations in the rear end during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or just replace them with brand new rotors. If this is the first rear brake job on your car and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just replace the pads with great results.

Many owners are able to use the OEM rotors for 2 to 3 brake pad changes or "pad slaps". If you have any doubts, measure the thickness of the rotor with a micrometer and compare the results to the minimal thickness specification in the service manual.

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.

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Install New Brake Pads
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Push Pads Against Rotor
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Lower Caliper Over Pads
Install the new outer brake pad in to the bracket with the wear bar situated at the bottom.

Install the new inner brake pad in to the bracket with the wear indicator bar situated at the top.

Push the two brake pads together until they are flush against the rotor.

Carefully lower the caliper over the new brake pads and in to the bracket.

If the caliper won't fit over the new pads, you may need to compress the piston back a bit further.

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Spin In Top Caliper Bolt
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Replace Bottom 15mm Bolt
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Tighten Counterclockwise

Line up the bolt holes in the caliper with their corresponding holes in the slider pins within the bracket.

Spin the two caliper bolts by hand a few turns in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) to help prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Tighten the two caliper bolts by rotating them counterclockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 15mm socket and a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench to just past hand tight or about 23 ft-lbs of torque.

If the caliper slider pin starts to turn as you are attempting to tighten the brake caliper bolts, hold it in place with an 18mm wrench.

Double check that both the upper and lower caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps.

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Tighten Lower Caliper Bolt
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Rubber Valve Cap
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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve
If your brake pedal previously felt soft or spongy, the brake fluid may be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain some 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.

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Push On Rear Wheel
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Spin On 5 Lug Nuts
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Slightly Tighten Lug Nuts
Carefully replace the rear wheel and spin on the 5 lug nuts in the clockwise direction a few turns by hand to help prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Slightly tighten the lug nuts in the clockwise direction in a "star" or "criss-cross" pattern with the tire iron.

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Lower Car From Stands
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Torque To 110 lb-ft
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Rear Brake Pads Replaced

Carefully lower the car from the two jack stands by using the floor jack.

Continue progressively tightening the lug nuts in a "star" or "criss cross" pattern to about 1/8 to 1/4 turn past hand tight or 110 ft-lbs of torque.

It would be best to use a torque wrench or an impact wrench with a torque stick to properly tighten the lug nuts.

Sit in the driver's seat of the vehicle and pump the brake pedal a few times to restore the brake line pressure. Check the brake fluid in the reservoir and verify that it is at the proper level. If it is low, pour in some DOT 3 fluid.

To break in your new rear brake 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 or garage for drops of brake fluid which may indicate a leak, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir, and also verify that the lug nuts are still tight.

For more, check out all of my 2011-2017 Chrysler 300 DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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