How to Replace the Brakes on a 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan ES

After considering the cost of getting the brakes on your 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan ES fixed at a repair shop, you may find it beneficial to replace them yourself. Your brake pads wear out every 20,000 to 40,000 miles, depending on your driving style. Replacing the brakes can be done at your home with only a few tools and some free time.

Instructions

1

Loosen, but do not remove the front lug nuts using a ratchet and socket.

2

Jack up the front of the vehicle and secure it with jack stands.

3

Remove the front lug nuts and pull the front wheels from the vehicle.

4

Examine the rear of the brake caliper and locate the caliper bolts. These are the two bolts that hold the caliper to the bracket. There will be one at the top and one at the bottom.

5

Loosen and remove the caliper bolts using a ratchet and socket. The bolts will have 2-inch long pins at the end of them.

6

Pull the caliper from the bracket. The brake pads will remain attached to the caliper. Hang the caliper from the front strut using a bungee cord.

7

Remove the outer most pad by prying it toward the open side of the caliper using a screwdriver.

8

Compress the caliper piston by placing the c-clamp over the inner brake pad and screwing the c-clamp until the piston is completely inside the caliper.

9

Remove the inner brake pad by prying it out of the piston until you can grab it, then pull it the rest of the way out with your hands.

10

Place the new inner brake pad on the caliper by sliding the metal fingers into the caliper piston. Make certain that the pad is fully seated in the piston.

11

Slide the outer pad onto the caliper.

12

Place the caliper on the bracket and tighten the caliper bolts.

13

Torque the caliper bolts to 35 ft-lbs. using a torque wrench and socket.

14

Repeat steps 4 through 13 for the other side of the vehicle.

15

Replace the front wheels and hand-tighten the lug nuts.

16

Raise the vehicle from the jack stands using the floor jack. Remove the jack stands and lower the vehicle.

17

Tighten the lug nuts to 110 ft-lbs. of torque using the torque wrench and socket.