The 1998 Mercury Mystique was produced with a 2.0 liter, four-cylinder engine, and a 2.5-liter V-6. The models were called the GS and LS, respectively. The Mystique and its counterpart, the Ford Contour, replaced the Mercury Topaz and the Ford Tempo. The Mystique was short lived, with a five-year production run from 1995 to 2000. The larger Milan replaced the Mystique in the 2000 model year, as a bigger and more luxurious vehicle with many more options. The Mercury Mystique had front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. The process for adjusting the rear brakes on the Mercury Mystique and Ford Contour is identical.
Instructions
- 1
Loosen all the lug nuts one-half turn, to remove initial torque on the wheels. Raise the rear of the Mystique. Place jack stands beneath the left and right suspension arms, on the back sides of the wheels. Remove the wheels from the car.
2Use a flat head screwdriver to remove the lock rings that hold the brake drum in place. The lock rings are small rings around the lug studs, or wheel studs.
3Remove the brake drum by hand if possible. If you encounter too much resistance, tap the face of the brake drum with a metal hammer to vibrate the drum loose from its internal components.
4Spray 1/2 can of aerosol brake spray onto all of the rear brake hardware and brake shoes. This will eliminate any dirt, debris and brake dust that could inhibit your progress. Spray the inside of the brake drum lightly with brake cleaner, to remove excess dust.
5Locate the "star wheel adjuster," or self-adjuster, in the center bottom of the brake assembly. The self-adjuster is a shaft that connects the two brake shoes, and has a vertical star shaped gear in the middle for making adjustments. Press the teeth on the star shaped gear downward to tighten your rear brakes. Push the self-adjuster gear upward to loosen your rear brakes.
6Press the brake drum back onto the rear brake assembly. If the brake drum will not go on by hand, then the rear brakes are too tight, and the self-adjuster needs loosening. The ideal position for the rear brakes is when the shoes resist the drum slightly. If the drum just slides on with no resistance, then the brakes are too loose.
7Repeat steps 2 through 6 to complete the second side of the Mystique.
8Reinstall the rear wheels only when you have completed adjusting the rear brakes and installing the rear drums back onto the car. Lower the vehicle and tighten the wheel nuts between 95-100 pound-feet of torque, using a certified torque wrench.
