How to Remove the Rear Drum Brakes on a 2005 Sebring

The 2001 Chrysler Sebring was equipped with front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. The rear drum brakes on the 2001 Sebring include brake shoes, hardware and springs, brake drums and wheel cylinders. Replacing the brake drum parts will add strength to the entire brake system of the car. The 2001 Sebring was equipped with a 2.7-liter V-6 engine in the base model, with an optional 3.0-liter V-6 engine available. Replacing all parts in congruity on both sides of the vehicle, will add stability to the rear brake system.

Instructions

Rear Drum Brake Replacement Instructions

1

Loosen the rear-wheel lug nuts with a tire iron. Raise the rear of the Sebring with a jack. Place jack stands beneath the rear axle cross member. Lower the car onto the jack stands. Remove the rear-wheel lug nuts completely, then remove the rear wheels from the Sebring.

2

Remove the brake drum screw with a Phillips screwdriver or Torx bit hand driver. Remove the rear drums from the brake assembly by hand. If the drums do not come off easily by hand, remove the rubber stopper from the rear of the brake backing plate. Insert a flat-head screwdriver into the hole in the backing plate, and adjust the self-adjuster wheel on the brakes upward to loosen the brake shoes from inside the drum. Tap the drum on the sides to the front and rear of the car, to further loosen the shoes. Remove the brake drum.

3

Remove the shoe-to-lever spring between the brake shoe and adjuster lever, using a brake spring pick tool. Remove the adjuster assembly from between the two brake shoes. Remove the retainer spring from the bottom of both shoes, with the spring pick tool.

4

Remove the brake shoe hold-down springs and caps, using a cylindrical brake tool or nut driver. Turn the cap until the slot in the cap lines up with the flattened head of the hold-down pin. Release the cap and pull the pin out of the rear of the brake assembly by hand. Repeat this step to pull the hold-down spring off of the second brake shoe.

5

Remove the parking brake lever from the rearward shoe with a flat-head screwdriver. Open the retainer on the parking lever and remove the lever from the pin on the shoe. Remove the horseshoe-shaped retainer completely from the brake shoe, and remove the pin from the shoe by hand. Remove the brake shoes completely from the vehicle.

6

Inspect the wheel cylinder for damage or cracks in the rubber boots, on both ends of the cylinder. If the boots are cracked at all, the wheel cylinder needs to be replaced. Pull the banjo bolt off the rear of the wheel cylinder with a line wrench. Remove the brake line from the cylinder. Remove the two cylinder-mounting bolts with a ratchet and socket. Install a new wheel cylinder, and tighten the mounting bolts snug with your ratchet and socket. Install the brake line and banjo bolt, and tighten the banjo bolt snug.

7

Insert a parking brake lever pin into one of the new rearward facing shoes, according to the directional letter stamped on the shoe. The rear-facing shoes have an "L" to indicate the driver's side, or an "R" to indicate the passenger side, because they are designed to fit only one side of the car. The primary (front) shoes have no letters, and can go on either side. Insert the horseshoe clip onto the pin, and use your flat-head screwdriver to lock the clip and pin into place.Install the parking brake lever on the pin, and install the whole assembly onto the car.

8

Insert the hold-down pin for the rearward brake shoe through the backing plate and the brake shoe. Install the spring onto the pin, followed by the hold-down cap. Turn the cap with a cylindrical brake tool until the slit in the cap and the hold-down pin form a "+" shape. Install the forward-facing shoe and the hold-down spring. Install the lower return spring between the two brake shoes, using a spring pick tool.

9

Install the adjuster assembly between the two brake shoes. Install the shoe-to-lever spring between the brake shoe and adjuster lever, using the pick tool. Install the upper return spring between the two brake pads, using the pick tool to set the spring.

10

Inspect your brake drums for severe pitting or gouging on the inside of the drum. Measure the diameter of the drum opening with a tape measure. If the drum opening is more than 9 1/8 inches across, the brake drum needs to be replaced. Install an old or new brake drum over the new brake shoes. Insert the drum retaining screw and tighten the screw by hand, using a Phillips screwdriver or Torx bit driver.

11

Repeat steps 2 through 10 to complete the drum brake replacement on the second side of the Sebring. Continue to the second section of this project for bleeding instructions, once you have completed installation of the entire rear brakes and drums. If you did not replace the rear wheel cylinders, disregard this step and proceed to Step 12.

12

Install the rear wheels and fasten the lug nuts snug, using a tire iron. Raise the rear of the Sebring off of the jack stands, and remove the stands from beneath the car. Lower the Sebring to the ground and tighten the rear lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds, using a 1/2-inch drive torque wrench and socket.

13

Sit in the driver's seat of the Sebring. Pump the brake pedal slowly two times. Start the Sebring, and place your foot on the brake pedal. Engage the rear parking brake, then put the car in reverse or "R" on the shift indicator. Release the brake pedal slowly and allow the Sebring to roll backwards slightly with the parking brake engaged. This method of backing with the parking brake on, will automatically set the tension for your new brake shoes and drums. Stop the car and put the car in park. Turn the car off and disengage the parking brake.

Bleeding the Rear Brakes

14

Ask an assistant to sit in the driver's seat of the Sebring. Instruct your assistant to push the brake pedal completely to the floor of the car and hold it down. Open the bleeder screw on the back of the wheel cylinder with a line wrench. Allow the air to escape the brake line. Repeat this step three times on both sides of the Sebring, to bleed the large air pockets out of the brake lines.

15

Instruct your assistant to pump the brake pedal slowly until the pedal becomes stiff and hard to depress. Instruct your assistant to keep pressure on the brake pedal as it travels to the floor of the car. Open the bleeder screw and release the air from the brake lines. Close the bleeder screw snugly. Instruct your assistant to release the pedal. Repeat this step three times on both sides of the car, or until no more air comes out of the brake lines while bleeding.

16

Install the rear wheels and fasten the lug nuts snugly, using a tire iron. Raise the rear of the Sebring off of the jack stands, and remove the stands from beneath the car. Lower the Sebring to the ground and tighten the rear lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds, using a 1/2-inch drive torque wrench and socket.