How to Replace the Rear Wheel Brake Cylinder on a 1999 Dodge Stratus

The Dodge Stratus was introduced in 1995. The 1999 Dodge Stratus was available with three engine options; a 2.0-liter in-line four-cylinder, a 2.4-liter in-line four-cylinder, and a 2.5-liter V-6. The 1999 Stratus drum brake wheel cylinder can go bad over time, or blow piston seals due to overly worn brake shoes. The wheel cylinder is responsible for pushing the brake shoes outward onto the brake drum to create the friction to stop the car. Replacement of the rear brake shoes is required, and replacing the rear drums is strongly suggested following a ruptured wheel cylinder.

Instructions

Open the hood on the Stratus. Remove brake fluid from the fluid reservoir with a small bottle siphon, until the fluid is about 1/2 inch below the "Full" mark. This will compensate for the thickness of the new brake parts that will need to be installed to complete this project.

Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts, using a tire iron. Raise the rear of the Stratus with a jack. Place jack stands beneath the rear axle beam, approximately one foot inward form the rear wheels. Lower the Stratus onto the jack stands. Remove the rear lug nuts completely. Remove the rear wheels from the Stratus.

Remove the rear brake drum from one side of the car, by hand. If the brake drum will not come off by hand, remove the small rubber stopper on the rear of the drum brake backing plate, using a flat-head screwdriver. Insert the screwdriver into the hole in the backing plate, and turn the "star" shaped self adjuster forward to release the tension on the rear brakes. The star is mounted horizontally on the forward-facing brake shoe. Remove the drum by hand.

Remove the self adjuster actuating spring from the self adjuster assembly and the rear-facing brake shoe, using a brake drum hook tool. Remove the upper return spring from between the two brake shoes, with the hook tool. Remove the lower return spring. Remove the brake shoe retainer springs, using the circular spring tool to rotate the spring cap. Align the spring cap with the flattened end of the pin, holding the pin with your thumb on the rear of the backing plate. Use needle nose pliers to hold the pin through the middle of the spring, if needed.

Remove the forward-facing brake shoe from the brake assembly, with the self adjuster. Remove the self adjuster assembly from the shoe, using the hook tool to release the small spring between the forward shoe and the self adjuster. Remove the rear-facing brake shoe, and remove the parking brake cable from the parking brake lever. This model has a permanently attached brake lever to the rearward brake shoe. Do not attempt to remove the lever and reuse the brake shoe.

Attach a brake line clamp or needle nose pliers onto the flexible brake hose, just behind the wheel cylinder. This will ease the bleeding process following installation. Remove the banjo bolt from the brake line, using a ratchet and socket. Remove the two mounting bolts from the rear of the wheel cylinder, using a ratchet and socket. Pull the old wheel cylinder off of the brake backing plate and discard it. Spray the backing plate thoroughly with aerosol brake cleaner, to remove all brake fluid from the backing plate.

Install the new wheel cylinder onto the brake backing plate, and hold it with one hand. Insert two new mounting bolts through the backing plate, into the new wheel cylinder by hand. Thread the bolts inward a few turns to ensure no cross threading of the bolts. Tighten the bolts to 97 inch-pounds, with a 3/8-inch-drive torque wrench and socket. Install the brake line onto the rear of the new wheel cylinder. Install the banjo bolt onto the brake line, and tighten it to 145 inch-pounds.

Pull the parking brake cable outward with pliers to install the lever onto the cable. Install the new brake shoes and hardware, by reversing the removal directions. Use the hook tool and circular tool to assist the installation. The forward-facing shoes are marked "LH" and "RH" to designate which side of the car they go on. The driver's side is the left, and the passenger side is the right side of the car in mechanical terms. Install the adjuster onto the new forward shoe with the adjuster in the completely forward position.

Inspect the brake drum prior to installation. If the brake drum is severely scarred, pitted or saturated in brake fluid, replace the brake drum. Measure the opening on the brake drum, using a tape measure. If the opening on the drum is larger than 7 7/8 inches, replace the brake drum. Spray the old drum thoroughly with brake cleaner if you are planning on trying to reuse the old drum.

Repeat steps 3 through 9 to complete the brake shoe replacement on the second side of the Stratus. Replace the wheel cylinder on the second side if needed. Install a single wheel lug nut against the brake drums on each side of the car by hand. Proceed to the "Bleeding and Adjusting the Rear Drum Brakes" section of this article.

Spray the bleeder screw with rust penetrant on the old wheel cylinder, if you did not replace both cylinders. Allow the penetrating spray to set for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Go to the front of the Stratus, and fill the brake fluid reservoir completely. Install the reservoir lid and lock it in place by hand. Ask your assistant to gently sit in the driver's side of the Stratus, once the penetrating spray has set.

Place a drain pan beneath the drum on the side that you are working on. Instruct your assistant to depress the brake pedal to the floor of the Stratus and hold it. Open the bleeder screw on one wheel cylinder, with an open-end wrench. Allow the large air pockets to escape the cylinder for few seconds, then tighten the bleeder snug again. Instruct your assistant to release the brake pedal, and allow it to extend upward completely. Repeat this step at least three times on both rear wheel cylinders. Check the brake fluid reservoir and refill it if needed.

Instruct your assistant to pump the brake pedal at least five to seven times, or until the brake pedal becomes very difficult to depress. Tell your assistant to keep his or her foot on the brake pedal, as it travels to the floor of the Stratus. Tell your assistant to hold the pedal to the floor. Open the bleeder screw to allow the smaller air bubbles still in the line to escape along with the contaminated brake fluid into the drain pan. Close the bleeder screw with your wrench until it is snug.

Repeat step 3 of this section at least three times on both sides of the car, or until an even flow of brake fluid is expelled from the rear of the wheel cylinder. Remove the single lug nut from both sides of the car. Install the rear wheels on the Stratus when you have completed the bleeding process, and tighten the lug nuts snug with a tire iron.

Spin each rear wheel by hand. If the wheel only turns one complete rotation, the brakes are adjusted properly. If the wheel turns more than one complete rotation, then the brakes are under adjusted, and the self adjuster needs to be turned rearward. Install the rubber dust stoppers back into the backing plates on both sides of the Stratus.

Raise the rear of the Stratus off of the jack stands. Remove the stands from beneath the car. Lower the Stratus to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts to 95 foot-pounds, using a 1/2-inch-drive torque wrench and wheel nut socket. Proceed to the front of the Stratus and fill the brake fluid reservoir if needed.