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Dodge Dart Rear Disc Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the rear disc brake pads on a 2013-2016 Dodge Dart with the replacement part numbers and photos.

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2013 Dart Rear Wheel
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Slightly Loosen Lug Nuts
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Raise Rear of Vehicle
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Dodge Dart in changing the rear disc brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins.

Owners of other Chrysler, Dodge and RAM vehicles such as the Town & Country, 300, 200, Avenger, Charger, Journey, Challenger, Durango, Grand Caravan, and Ram C/V Tradesman minivan may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The items needed to complete this procedure include a floor jack, two jack stands, a lug nut wrench, a 14mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench, a 14mm wrench, a disc brake piston tool (Lisle # 28600) and a tube of high temperature synthetic brake parts lubricant grease.

A few compatible replacement sets of new rear brake pads with their part numbers include the following: TRW TPC1647, Monroe CX1647, ProStop PGD1647C, Centric 105.16470, Power Stop Z23-1647, Raybestos PG-D1647C, Bendix D1647, and Wagner QC1647 or Wagner ZD1647 Ceramic.



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

Slightly loosen the five lug nuts on the rear wheel by turning them counterclockwise with the tire iron.

Then 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 vehicle at a time to keep three wheels on the ground for extra safety.

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

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

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Rear Brake Caliper
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Loosen Lower Caliper Bolt
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Top Bolt - Socket Won't Fit
Loosen the lower caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench.

I wasn't able to fit the socket and ratcheting wrench over the upper caliper bolt due to the parking brake cable bracket being in the way, so instead I used a 14mm wrench.

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Wrench - Loosen Top Bolt
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Bottom Bolt Removed
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Remove Top Caliper Bolt
Loosen the lower caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the car) with the standard 14mm wrench or a thin cone spanner wrench.

Remove the two caliper bolts and set them aside in a safe place.

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Two Caliper Bolts Removed
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Pull Caliper Off Old Pads
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Two Metal "V" Springs
Pull the caliper out of the bracket and off the old brake pads.

Rest the caliper on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord.

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Remove "V" Springs
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Lower Spring Removed
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Wear Bar - Bottom Outer Pad
Remove the two metal "V" shaped springs that are attached to small holes on the outer edge of the old brake pads.

Remove the old inner and outer brake pads while making a mental note of where the wear indicator or "squeal" bars are situated.

On this 2013 Dart SXT, the wear bars were located at the bottom of the both the inner and outer brake pads.

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Wear Bar - Bottom Inner Pad
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Replace Pad Abutment Clips
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Lubricate Slider Pins
If your new set of rear pads included replacement brake hardware, remove the metal pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips from the top and bottom of the bracket.

Apply some brake caliper grease to the new pad abutment clips before installing them in to the bracket.

In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins or "guide pins" need to be well lubricated.

Pull the caliper slide pins out of their dust boots and apply a thin layer of brake lubricant to the pins before pushing them back in to their rubber dust boots.

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Replace Caliper Pins
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Caliper Piston Tool
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Attach To Wrench
The Dart is equipped with screw-in type rear caliper pistons that need to be turned back with a disc brake piston tool such as the Lisle # 28600.

If you don't have the piston tool, a pair of needle nose pliers can also be used to carefully turn back the piston.

Attach the disc brake piston tool to an extension bar and the 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench.



 

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Twist Off Brake Fluid Cap
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Turn Back Caliper Piston
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Replace Brake Fluid Cap
Move to the right rear area of the engine bay and twist off the yellow plastic brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction.

Test fit the various sides of the piston tool until you find the side with the nubs/pegs that have the best grip on the piston.

Slowly turn back the caliper piston in the clockwise direction until it is flush with the rubber dust boot surrounding it.

Repeatedly check the fluid level in the reservoir to make sure that it doesn't over flow.

Once the piston has been turned back all the way, replace the brake fluid reservoir cap by twisting it on in the clockwise direction.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means that it easily absorbs moisture from the air.

Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, and the brake caliper assembly 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 (cancer causing) if inhaled.

If your Dart 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 car's first rear brake job and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just change 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.

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 pistons. Do not apply brake parts lubricant to the friction surface of the new pads or to the rotor.

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Install New Outer Pad
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Install New Inner Pad
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Replace Lower "V" Spring
Install the new brake pads in to the bracket.

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

Re-attach the two metal "V" springs to the new brake pads.

If your new brake pads don't have the holes on the outer edge to accommodate the "V" springs, you can just save them for the future in case you install new OEM pads.

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Install Top "V" Spring
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Lower Caliper Over Pads
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Spin In Lower Bolt
Carefully lower the caliper over the new brake pads and in to the bracket.

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

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

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Replace Upper Caliper Bolt
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Tighten Top Caliper Bolt
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Tighten Bottom 14mm Bolt
Spin in the two caliper bolts a few turns by hand in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the car) to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Tighten the upper caliper bolt with the 14mm wrench in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the car) to just past hand tight or about 25 ft-lbs of torque.

Tighten the lower caliper bolt by turning it in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench to just past hand tight or about 25 ft-lbs of torque.

Double check that the two caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps.

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Rubber Valve Cap
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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve
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Replace Front Wheel
If your brake pedal previously felt soft or spongy, the brake fluid might 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 next to the upper caliper bolt.

Replace the front wheel and hold it in place with one hand.

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Spin In 5 Lug Bolts
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Slightly Tighten Lug Bolts
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Torque To 110 ft-lbs
Spin in the five lug bolts a few turns by hand in the clockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

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

Continue tightening the lug bolts in the clockwise direction in a "star" or "criss cross" pattern to about 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight or approximately 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 car and firmly press 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, add some fresh 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/or 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 verify that the lug bolts are still tight. Be sure to record the brake pad change in your service records.

For more, check out my other 2013-2016 Dodge Dart DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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