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Town & Country brakes

D

Don-Wi

Well-known Member
Yesterday I did a front brake job on our 2010 Town & Country, and after the test drive the rotors were hot. Really hot. Turning straw color hot, which puts them right around 400-450 degrees, on a short 4 mile drive. Braking power seemed fine (no fade that I noticed) and they don't feel like they're dragging any extra.

I used new rotors pads. Tell me where I went wrong. Going on a trip to Minnesota next weekend, don't want any issues far from home. Old parts weren't completely gone, but it's had a shimmy in the steering wheel for a while so it was time to do it.

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
Maybe a stuck caliper or bad wheel bearing? Does the steering pull to one side? I just did my wife's Toyota brakes and almost put an extra shim on, where there was just supposed to be one. Are there shims with the pads? Maybe a shim was put on backwards and it's dragging.

I'm heading to the beach next month and should probably be doing my 2013 Town & Country brakes. My rotors are a little warped and shake.

Bret
 
Wheel bearings are fine, doesn't pull. There weren't any loose shims in the pack. Everything went together loose (didn't have to force the caliper over the pads/rotor)

I'll have to look them over again today or tomorrow

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
Just went through the same problem with my Chev PU. Replaced rear pads and rotors were hot as heck afterward. Needed to replace both calipers next. I figure the new, thicker pads put the old caliper piston in a position it hadn't been in for some time and some crud or corrosion made them hang up.
 
I need to do the front brakes my wife's T&C the next time I change oil. I have rotors and pads on a shelf in my shop just waiting for the time to do it. I'll have to take a good look at the calipers.

I once did the rear disc brakes on it some time ago with no problems.
 
What kind of pads did you use??? I have had the "long life" ceramic do that as they seem to be much harder than the regular pads. I have found that the ceramic ones EAT the rotors up. So the pads last longer but your rotors are shot by the time the pads are gone. I buy the better regular pads and have had much better luck.
 
I went with the WAGNER OEX1327 pads. Says they're ceramic. Went for a little better stopping (it is the family cruiser, after all)

Used RAYBESTOS 780683R rotors. Those are rated as daily driver on rockauto and not too teribly expensive.

The van has just over 80,000 miles on it, and had new pads installed when we bought it not quite 3 years ago with 35,800.

I did the rear pads at around 60,000.

Was planning to bring the old rotors to work, measure them, and if still within tolerance I was going to turn or mill them flat/clean again. I kinda miss having the blanchard grinder that I had access to at the last shop. Could resurface rotors like no other.

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
When you pushed the pistons back into the calipers, did they go in with normal pressure, and go in straight? Did the caliper drop onto the rotor without binding? Would the wheel turn easily after reassembly?

If yes to all, there should not be anything wrong with the calipers or installation.

Try taking it for another drive, use the brakes normally. Immediately jack the wheels up and give each a turn. If they turn freely, no excess heat or hot smell, all should be well.

If they are hot, binding, crack the brake line loose at the master cylinder. If fluid comes out under pressure and the wheels free up, the master cylinder is not fully returning. (You have to do this quickly before everything cools down.) Master cylinder not returning can be caused by mechanical adjustment, the booster holding the piston in slightly, a corroded master cylinder that is binding and not returning, or worse case, oil has been used instead of brake fluid!

Did the brake job fix the shimmy? Warped rotors will only cause shimmy when the brake is applied, and you'll feel it in the pedal. If it shimmys all the time, or intermittent at different speeds, conditions, that's usually bad tires, wheel ballance, bent wheel (aftermarket wheels), or loose suspension components.
 
We have a 2012 town and country. I have
never seen a vehicle eat brakes like
that thing. The brand or grade of pad
does not seem to matter. I have tried
the high grade Napa and the lowest
grade auto zone and I only get about 5-
6 months out of them. I have put on new
rotors pads and calipers at the same
time and had the same trouble,six
months later wife rolls in and says my
van brakes are making be that sound.x
Chrysler garage told me to make sure I
file the ears of the pads so they move
freely in the slots as they might not
be releasing when the brakes are not
on. I tried that and I tried no
hardware kit in the alot no xhanges in
brake life. I paid Chrysler to put OEM
back on it and had the same result. My
solution at this point is to stock
front pads and rotors and check them
with a small dentist mirror po
periodically. It gets a set of back
brakes once a year. The thing only has
105k on the clock I do n think the
brake deal is a little excessive. Next
van will be a Toyota awd. That should
cure the Chrysler product's problem at
my place lol. Good luck
 
Caliper pistons can stick, and as they get older and the O rings get stiff the O ring doesn't
retract the piston as much. It only pulls it back a tiny bit anyway. And I have heard, maybe on
this forum, that some calipers now have a plastic piston that causes some problem with age. I would
say you need to get new calipers, or at least try and free up the ones you have possibly by getting
some lube on the pad side of the piston where it may be sticking in the cylinder. New or rebuilt
calipers would be best, surest, and easier.
 
I bought one used and have put 60000 miles on it and have not had trouble with the brakes. Matter of fact all I have done to the van is change oil and filter when it needed it. My son and his wife have one and no problems either.
 
The problem is probably sticking calipers. On most disk brake designs, the calipers slide on sleeves on the mounting bolts. These should be disassembled and lubricated when you change the pads.
 
(quoted from post at 10:15:40 08/20/16) When you pushed the pistons back into the calipers, did they go in with normal pressure, and go in straight? Did the caliper drop onto the rotor without binding? Would the wheel turn easily after reassembly?

If yes to all, there should not be anything wrong with the calipers or installation.

Try taking it for another drive, use the brakes normally. Immediately jack the wheels up and give each a turn. If they turn freely, no excess heat or hot smell, all should be well.

If they are hot, binding, crack the brake line loose at the master cylinder. If fluid comes out under pressure and the wheels free up, the master cylinder is not fully returning. (You have to do this quickly before everything cools down.) Master cylinder not returning can be caused by mechanical adjustment, the booster holding the piston in slightly, a corroded master cylinder that is binding and not returning, or worse case, oil has been used instead of brake fluid!

Did the brake job fix the shimmy? Warped rotors will only cause shimmy when the brake is applied, and you'll feel it in the pedal. If it shimmys all the time, or intermittent at different speeds, conditions, that's usually bad tires, wheel ballance, bent wheel (aftermarket wheels), or loose suspension components.
Click to expand...

The new parts fixed the shimmy, as the old rotors are warped. Felt it a little in the pedals, but more in the steering wheel. everything dropped together freely. I'll take it for another drive once the rain quits, and get it jacked up right away to check it out some more.

No worries about oil in the brake system, as that's never been touched

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
It has been our family's experience that driving and braking habits are the life of brakes.
Dad taught me not to rush at stop signs or traffic lights, then try to stop on a dime.
Do not ride the brake pedal for any reason.
Do not follow other cars too closely, follow the 2 second rule always.
Vehicle in front passes a post or marker, count a minimum of 2 seconds before you pass the marker.
Works at all speeds, it is the law in Alabama, maybe elsewhere.
My 2010 GMC Terrain has 100,00 and the original brakes are still going strong.
 
(quoted from post at 11:56:27 08/20/16) It has been our family's experience that driving and braking habits are the life of brakes.
Dad taught me not to rush at stop signs or traffic lights, then try to stop on a dime.
Do not ride the brake pedal for any reason.
Do not follow other cars too closely, follow the 2 second rule always.
Vehicle in front passes a post or marker, count a minimum of 2 seconds before you pass the marker.
Works at all speeds, it is the law in Alabama, maybe elsewhere.
My 2010 GMC Terrain has 100,00 and the original brakes are still going strong.
Click to expand...

I've heard lots of Town & Country and Caravan owners of the same body style complain about the brakes, best they get is around the 40,000 mark. These brakes would have been good for a little while yet, but the shimmy was driving me crazy.

They also complain that they like to burn a little oil, basically a quart low 1/2 way to an oil change. Found that to be true as well. Thinking about going to synthetic at the next oil change to see if it makes any difference.

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
When we had ours, my wife could smoke a set of rotors in no time. She did 3 sets before 30,000 miles. I went and bought the most expensive pair of pads and rotors I could buy from our local auto parts dealer. Took care of that.
 
Don-everything that Steve says down below,and check for caliper hoses being pinched shut with external rust build up around the hose.That acts like a one way check valve:lets brake fluid pressure to the caliper but not return to the master cylinder.Mark
 
Turns out the shims were already on the pads, do they went on. I removed them and did the same test drive, breaks aren't nearly as hot. Although nite it appears I blew a radiator hose or something, the bottom of the hood was wet and inside the engine compartment was pink, and smelled like coolant.

Just can't win...

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
The y in the heater hose is leaking at the seam. $110 at O'reilley's for a Dorman one with poor reviews, or around $55 on Amazon for a Gates one that looks better but has no reviews. Either one needs to be ordered, can have the Gates one by Tuesday. I figure that's worth it. Many who left reviews for the Dorman one said it split in a few months. Can't have that when it's cold outside.

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
My wife has a 2008 T&C that eats a set of brakes per year. I used to fix 'em myself but after the fourth or fifth time I started letting the local brake guy do it. Same results but I don't have to mess with it anymore. As long as she wants to keep the van the repairs can come out of her paycheck. I've never seen such an under designed brake system. The next van won't be Chrysler for that reason.
 
That unit under the vans to change the amount of braking power front to rear when loaded is the problem, those things are set to put just about all of the brake use on the front wheels and the way they are set you might just as well have no brakes on the rear. After we figured out the problem on my 80's-90's Caravans and readjusted the pierce of junk on there the brakes lasted longer but it could not be adjusted far enough to make the brakes work as they should. Cars do not have that on them. And if you guys think a set of brakes every 3 months is bad think what I was having with doing a brake job every 2 weeks or less. After I learned how to do them when it started squalling I would pull in home and in 20 minutes I would have the bad brake repaired with a turned rotor and back on the route in 20 minutes. 150 mile per day averiging 2-3 stops per mile. Before I learned to do it myself the garage decided to try what thy called a postmans pads, the ceramic as called now. They did not last as long as the regular pads had and realy tore up the rotators as well. The garage never used thos type of pads again on any cars.
 
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