How to replace the rear rotor for my Town and country

My T&C 2003 van makes noise when I brake. I replaced the 2 rotors in
the front. I am sure the noise is from the rear. I need to replace
the rotor, or at least take it out, and find out what's going on inside
it.

I take all the wheel, caliper, brake pads, but the rotor just does not
come out. It moves a little bit, but does not come out. I even unhook
the thing on the back of it (is it a parking brake or something), but
it just does not come out.

I even use a pulling device that mount around the disk, pull around it,
and push in the middle, but it just does not come out.

I wonder if I miss any nut/bolt or any steps?

I read about using the caliper whole to put a nut in it and "walk" the
rotor out. Study this carefully, and it seems very risky thing to do.
I am afraid the caliper mounter will bend, but the rotor would not come
out.

I also bang the rotor real hard (hehe, that contribute to the rotor
warp a bit), and it just doesn't move.

What should I do to get this out?

Thank you very much for any info or help.

 

First, before doing ANYTHING more, have you followed ALL the
steps in the FSM (Factory Service Manual) If you do NOT have a
FSM then you are an absolute fool to be screwing around with brakes.

Are you sure this is the rotor moving, and not the entire wheel just moving
in the bearing?

That will work but it really needs a lot of force,
probably more than most of these kinds of flimsy pullers can generate.
It's also extremely dangerous, as the rotor deflects more and more your
building up a huge amount of energy, if anything slips (like the puller
jaws)
or snaps you could be hurt badly.

Where are you banging?

When you hammer a rotor to get it off you bang on the edge, with the force
going
sideways, not back to front. The idea is the sudden jar at right angles to
the axle
will make the rotor shift a tiny tiny tiny amount sideways, this will break
the rust
bond that is holding it on. And you don't need to hit it very hard, you
just need to
hit it with something massive. Unfortunately, this is hard on the bearings.

What a shop would probably do if the rotor does not come off with gentle
hammering with a sledge, is heat it up quickly, to a dull red, with an
acedelyine
torch then hammer it off with a sledge. Propane isn't going to help here.
The
key is to get the rotor hot very quickly before the heat has a chance to
work
into the hub and expand that, or melt all the grease out of the bearings.

And keep in mind all this is general steps for a rotor that assume the rotor
isn't
bolted on to the wheel. That is why you need to review the FSM.

Ted

 

Thank you for the reply.

When you talk about FSM, do you mean those guide you can buy from the
auto store, such as Advance Auto Parts? I checked, but they didn't
have 2003. I'll check again today.

I am sure the rotor move a little bit, using my hand without much
force, I can easily move it back and forth about 2/10th of an inch (not
around) with relative to other stuffs. The wheel, 5 nuts, caliper, 2
pads are already taken off.

I also tried to see if I can take out the rotor on the other side, but
it also stucks the same way. So, I wonder if there is any thing I
missed.

Originally, there was metal noise, but not from the rotor (even when I
don't brake). The tire on this side makes noise when I drive, and worn
out quickly.
That's why I start looking into this. I am afraid something is wrong
with the bearing in there.

 

No, the FSM is the *Factory* Service Manual. Get it from Chrysler.

 

NO! An FSM is a FACTORY Service Manual. Buy one at a Chrysler dealer, or
order online. Haynes/Chiltons/etc. that you buy at parts stores are garbage.

 

If you're attending Drexel University which was once an engineering
school, there are some very inexpensive auto mechanics right near your
campus who can give you some support. Just ask. Some are cheap. Some
are not. So ask.

 

Also, one of the country's largest depositories of automotive texts and
materials is within walking distance of Drexel. It's in the main branch
of the Free Library, the science section, Logan Circle. I am not sure
if it's as accessible now or up to date since Mayor Street has cut
funds drastically. If you cannot find a used copy, the new copies can
be quite expensive from $60 to $100 and on up.

 

Thank you all for the advices. I'll try to get my hand on the FSM
later. For now, I'll see if I can put some rust solvent, and see if it
helps. Is it ok to use the rust solvent here?

I looked at the Haynes book for 2002, it seems very straight forward,
so it probably just stucks.

On Drexel U. I graduated several years ago, and have since left
Philadelphia. But thanks for the advice and keen eyes.

 

Haynes is based on taking apart one vehicle. That is good. The problem
is that one vehicle represent maybe 10 years of all kinds of similar
vehicles. If that one vehicle is exactly like yours, you're home free.
If not, the diagrams and info will be almost correct, but not exactly,
which can be terribly confusing to beginners.

Sometimes on the internet you can find a description of what you are
trying to do. For example, I wanted to know about my front wheel
bearing. I found on the internet a full description of a car three
years from mine, but the same.

There is also a subscription services, www.alldata.com which has the
factory manuals and all online for $25 a year. That would probably be
your best and cheapest bet for solidinfo.

Also, I find that service managers in quiet suburbs will often give you
lots of advice, also the parts guy. Since what you are doing is
supposed to be pretty basic, unless the parts do not come apart, spend
some time, if you can, asking these guys. Sometimes you luck out and
they have good automotive experience.

About www.Alldata.com, it lists about all for your car:
Subscriptions Include:
Factory Recall and Technical Service Bulletins (TSB) These can be
quite handy for repairs that the dealer will provide for free if it's a
recall. Or repairs you might need to do that were found out about AFTER
the Shop Manual was published. They don't update the original shop
manual - I think.

This information addresses safety, reliability, performance and comfort
related problems with your car. Also provides fixes for common problems
and updated factory repair procedures
Illustrated Diagnosis and Repair Procedures
OEM Part Numbers
Diagnostic Charts and Trouble Codes
Component Locations and Diagrams
Factory Maintenance Schedules
And much more!
First subscription is $24.95 per year & additional
This is going to be much cheaper an initial outlay. And will include
materials not in the original Shop Manual. But if you have the money,
get it all, a Shop Manual on paper and CD and the Alldata.com
subscription which should give you the info from the source. I have
seen prices up to $200 for some manuals. I don't know but
DaimlerChrysler.com will sell to you directly as well as any dealer
will order the manual for you and probably save you shipping. Ask for a
small discount. Tell him you are going to be a big customer with the
way you are going

 

New manuals can be ordered from:

http://www.techauthority.daimlerchrysler.com. They offer manuals for
1995 and later models. eBay will usually be less expensive, if you can
find the one you need.

-Kirk Matheson

 

Loosen the lug nuts a bit on the wheels with the rusted on rotors,
drive about 5 mph and slam on the brakes hard. Do this several times
and it should break them free. This trick worked on my 300m which had
rusted on rotors all around.

 

Tap on it with a hammer while you work it back and forth, as I mentioned
before the direction of impact needs to be at right angles to the axle.

Ted

 

Thank you for the help, Ted. I'll definitely try that tonight.

 

Tapping on the thing, while using the pulling device (not putting too
much pressure, just so I don't have to move back and forth), I was able
to get it very far. I must say this is a wonderful suggestion. One
side goes far enough that it shows a little gap in the middle of the
rotor. I try to peek inside, but the stuck side is the one that I want
to see. However, the other side goes almost out, but stuck there. The
stuck is at around 2 o'clock position (this is driver rear wheel). I
reason this could be the handbrake that causes this. When the rotor is
pushed in, it can rotate around. When I move the rotor far out, the
rotor stop rotating. There must be something stopping this.

I unhook the emergency brake wire, but it does not help to release the
rotor. If I hook back the emergency brake and push the emergency brake
down, the rotor would stop rotating.

This car also has ABS. I wonder if I take out the 4 nuts which hold
everything (the bearing, the emergency brake, the base with 5 bolts
sticking out, etc.) would help me take the thing out. The FSM probably
be a good guide on this.

 

Right here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8005727387

And no whining at how expensive they are, if you think this is expensive for
a
set of manuals, you are -very- misguided.

Ted

 

Thank you, Ted. I am waiting for the manuals to come through the mail.
I was very surprised how good a deal that was. I feel really lucky to
get your help.

Again, thanks, and you have a good weekend,

-vd

 

Your welcome!

Ted

 

I got the book in the mail today. However, I think it's not the right
book. It's a set of diagnostic books which I think it helps to trouble
shoot problem using a scanner. Does FSM show how to disassemble and
assemble the van?

 

Yes. You got the wrong books.

 

No, not those. The ones he is referring to you need to buy directly from
Chrysler. The ones that auto parts stores sell are at times barely adequate,
and other times have missing information.