Backing Plate: Service and Repair
REMOVALNOTE: Before proceeding, Refer to WARNING.
NOTE: Make sure parking brake is in "released" position before raising vehicle.
1. Depress brake pedal past its first inch of travel and hold it in this position using a brake pedal depressor (holding) tool. This is done to isolate master cylinder from brake hydraulic system disallowing brake fluid to completely drain out of brake fluid reservoir once brake flex hose is disconnected.
2. Raise vehicle.
3. Remove tire and wheel assembly.
4. Unthread flex hose tube nut at wheel cylinder and remove hose. Cap end of hose.
5. Remove flex hose routing bracket screw and drive hose out of the way.
6. Remove brake drum.
7. Remove hub and bearing dust cap, hub and bearing assembly, and brake shoes from support plate.
8. Disengage and remove parking brake cable from support plate. This can be easily accomplished by placing a 13 mm box wrench over cable housing retainer, compressing retainer fingers, then pulling cable out rear of support plate.
9. Remove wheel cylinder mounting bolts.
10. Remove wheel cylinder and seal from support plate.
11. Remove 4 bolts securing support plate to knuckle.
12. Remove support plate.
INSTALLATION
1. Install support plate over knuckle spindle.
2. Install four support plate mounting bolts. Tighten mounting bolts to 61 Nm (45 ft. lbs.) torque.
3. Install seal on mounting surface of wheel cylinder.
4. Install wheel cylinder on support plate. Install and tighten mounting bolts to 13 Nm (115 in. lbs.) torque.
5. Insert parking brake cable into support plate. Push cable housing into hole until retainer fingers lock into place.
6. Lubricate six shoe contact areas on support plate and anchor using Mopar Brake Lubricant or equivalent.
7. Install brake shoes, hub and bearing, and hub and bearing dust cap.
8. Adjust brake shoes to drum diameter using brake shoe gauge.
9. Install brake drum.
10. Attach flex hose routing bracket to support plate. Tighten routing bracket screw to 13 Nm (115 in. lbs.) torque.
11. Thread flex hose tube nut into wheel cylinder port. Tighten tube nut to 17 Nm (145 in. lbs.) torque.
12. Install tire and wheel assembly. Tighten wheel mounting nuts to 135 Nm (100 ft. lbs.) torque.
13. Slowly rotate wheel and verify that brake drum lightly drags on shoes.
14. Lower vehicle.
15. Remove brake pedal depressor (holding) tool.
16. Bleed affected wheel cylinder/circuit as necessary.
17. Road test vehicle stopping in both forward and reverse directions. Automatic-adjuster will continue to adjust brakes as necessary during road test.