Rear brake swap questions... (i've searched)

dodgeneonzl · Post by **dodgeneonzl** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:50 am

Ok, so i was doing my rear disk brake swap last night... and apparently i ran into every possible problem that i can imagine...

So, first thing's first... how the hell do you get the bolt out from the knuckle for the two lateral arm!?!? i took the nut off... but are we suppose to turn the bolt? or just hammer it out? I tried impact wrench it, and also hammer it until the bolt seem to be damaged on the head that i can't put the nut in... so i got so fustrated that i use a dremel and cut the bolt off... i figured i'll get another from the dealer or something... So, that's only one side... i'll have to do the other side tomorrow... so any suggestion on how to get it off is definitly helpful!

So, second thing... my brake lines don't fit???? maybe? I got the srt 4 brake line... and i can't seem to fit it to the caliper after i mounted the disk brake... the strut seem to be in the way with the metal part hose of the brake line... am i doing something wrong? I have the regular neon tokico blues for 04 neon... and i can't seem to be able to fit the brake line to the caliper in order to put the banjo bolt in. I sure hope that both the strut and line are compatiable... anyway, i literally spent 3 hours just on one side cutting and stuff to get the new disk brake on... but then ran into the brake line problem. so help!! Thanks!

dodgeneonzl · Post by **dodgeneonzl** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:38 am

Ok, so since i packed everything up and i'm just sitting here thinking what the problem might be, and i came up with a possibility... is it possible that i switched the caliper from left to right by accident? and thus couldn't mount the brake line to the caliper in a correct angle? since i can't go out to test it right now, i just wanted to be sure, so i have a quick question... is the bleeder screw under the brake line or above? Right now from the mounting on the other disk brake... it seems like the bleeder screw is on top of the area where the brake line connects... is this correct? thanks!

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:57 am

Errr wtf? Dude it was a very straight forward bolt on job, I would say it took me like an hour at the most (Well technically 3 days since one of my calipers was fucked and they had to order me one)

I am not exactly sure what you are asking but yes that main bolt DOES come off with a huge ass socket. No need to have it dremeled out.

excon · Post by **excon** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:46 am

I think he's talking about the bolt in the strut that you have to hammer out to get the old backing plate off and put the new backing plate on. It does take some force to get it out.

latief · Post by **latief** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:56 am

your talking about the bolt that connects the rear lateral arms to the rear knuckle right?if i remember correctly, just remove the nut, it should slide out after that (although it is snug in there).... maybe it was rusted-in or slightly bent causing it to seize on your car?

get a new one from the dealer if this got banged up....

I'm not sure about the brake swap because I have not done one....

thttxboy · Post by **thttxboy** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:45 am

You dont have to remove the knuckle, I explained this in another thread. all you have to do is remove the drum brake backing plate and then attach the rear disc backing plate. they use the same knuckle.
Ill find a link to the other thread.

EDIT: I found the link. This was a real good topic that covers what u need to know. Go about half way down and start reading and you'll see the pics that I posted it should help u alot.

viewtopic.php?p=467419&highlight=#467419

dodgeneonzl · Post by **dodgeneonzl** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:31 pm

Trust me guys... i know it's straightforward... What i was talking about rusted parts was the two lateral arm that connects to the knuckle... i guess some people call it control arms? That bolt was rusted in good... so i guess i'll just swap the backing plates on the other side then.

So, i still haven't figure out my second problem which is the brake line... I think i might have gotten a different brake line, because i got mine on ebay and when i got the package the brake line was disconnected from the caliper and without the banjo bolt. That makes me suspect that they just throw two brake lines that they thought would work in there. Here's some picture of the brake line problem.

See the brake line hitting the strut when i tried to put it in? from the above picture.

Does you guy's brake line looks like this? It's like a rounded end which a shaved side...

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:59 pm

Doesn't the line go on the other side of the strut? Which would mean that you have the sides mixed up. I'm not 100% about that though

*Edit* Scratch that. I think it is supposed to run on the inside. But something with the angle it's running doesn't look right.

thttxboy · Post by **thttxboy** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:51 pm

Actually the brake line is fine but it runs up and then down to the caliper not straight across. I took a decent pic hope it helps.

I had to crawl under a lowered car for this not too easy lol.

*edit* man that rim is filthy I know what im doing this weekend while putting coilovers on.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:22 pm

Yeah slacker, clean your damn wheels

That's the angle I was thinking of. I knew something didn't look right.

dodgeneonzl · Post by **dodgeneonzl** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:40 pm

alright, cool guys, and i appreciate you crawling under your car to get that pic

, ok, i think i figure it out... i think they gave me both driver side caliper... and since i'm working on the passenger... i can't get it to fit right... here's a picture of both caliper... notice they're both the same? instead of being symmetrical?

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:50 pm

Ouch, it looks like they screwed you. They are supposed to be different left to right. Those are two left calipers

dodgeneonzl · Post by **dodgeneonzl** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 5:15 pm

yeah, this sucks... since i already thrown away my drum brakes... it seems like my car won't be able to be driven until i get my passenger side caliper... and i was hoping to get it down before thanksgiving and drive it during thanksgiving... damn, i hate that seller!! sorry had to rant...

On another note... anyone selling their passenger rear caliper?

thttxboy · Post by **thttxboy** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 5:36 pm

Maybe you can find out who he sold 2 passenger side calipers too and trade lol. Im sure hes having a fun time too. Sux that it wont be drivable, have you looked at like autozone or or napa may be they can get one quick.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 5:42 pm

Worst comes to worse, part #5114210AA...MSRP $134.00 for a new caliper from Dodge. It won't come with pads, but you have those already.

Only problem is that they are all in the National PDC. Depending on where in the country you are, it could take a while to get unless you live somewhere near Michigan.

dodgeneonzl · Post by **dodgeneonzl** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:11 pm

Hey, thanks for all the help guys, i really appreciate it... yeah, i've been replying slow because i've been running back and forth trying to ask for parts...

So i finally get ahold... advance auto parts can get me one by tomorrow morning... so that's 64 + 25core... which sucks because i don't even have a passenger caliper to trade it in... so i guess i'll come up to about 100 total... and hopefully i'll get it done before thanksgiving.

So right now i'm looking for a 10" long 7/16" bolt for the lateral arm

... i ordered one from dealer and it's 9bucks a piece, but will only be here on friday, so i need a temporary bolt. I'll be only swaping the backplate for the driver side... not gonna mess with the knuckle anymore...

The knuckle is the same right? So if i have srt knuckle on the passenger side and regular neon knuckle on the driver side... it shouldn't be a problem would it?

Thanks for all the help guys!

thttxboy · Post by **thttxboy** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:27 pm

yea u should be fine with the knuckles. Also why can you use the old bolt for the lateral arm???

Post by **occasional demons** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:29 pm

He dremmeled it off.

Tho I have to say, I'm proud of that dremmel!

04R/T · Post by **04R/T** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 8:13 pm

dodgeneonzl wrote:So i finally get ahold... advance auto parts can get me one by tomorrow morning... so that's 64 + 25core... which sucks because i don't even have a passenger caliper to trade it in... !

Just stick one of your old calipers in the box and take it back, the counter guy isn't going to know you gave him a left caliper.

dodgeneonzl · Post by **dodgeneonzl** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:54 pm

yeah, i dremeled it off because it was basically rusted shut... pretty much like welded in... i even bought an extra large hammer to hammer it out but with no luck... But yeah, I was actually thinking about 04R/T's idea about just bringing the driver side to them... they probably can't tell the difference

excon · Post by **excon** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:13 am

what's that guys username on ebay that screwed you? My guess is it's the same guy who screwed me.

dodgeneonzl · Post by **dodgeneonzl** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:56 am

The seller's name was ymj55... He was known as the TurboImportDismantlers store on ebay...
Yeah the seller wasn't all that great... he sold me a whole set and then once it got here he told me that he didn't have the rotors for it. He said and did refunded me 50 for the pair of rotors. Bu
Quick question... what size was the socket for the bolt holding the spindle in? I thought a 27mm socket would be large enough and boy was i wrong...

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:38 am

1.25" works

You should contact the seller, tell him of the mistake and see if you can do an exchange for the caliper.

excon · Post by **excon** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:00 am

and if he doesn't, do what i did and leave multiple negative feedback

dodgeneonzl · Post by **dodgeneonzl** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:23 pm

Yeah, i already contacted him, so just waiting for his reply...

Excon, was it the same seller that secrewed you too? What was it that you got screwed for?

latief · Post by **latief** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:27 pm

I bought something from this guy, and it was fine...

probably a mistake as i remember he was a power seller.....

hybrid-Srt2001 · Post by **hybrid-Srt2001** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:49 pm

i bought tail lights and srt front brakes from him, and everything looked good.

dodgeneonzl · Post by **dodgeneonzl** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:06 am

yeah, well, everything is on and running... i got the car running... i'll say there is a difference, but not as much as i would've hoped. But the ebrake was definitly a big improvement. I can actually lock up the rear wheels through the ebrake (something which i can't do in the past with the drum brake). So I went for some drifting (ass dragging?) lol. Well, it seems like now the rear brake looks larger than the front... lol... maybe that means it's time for an srt front swap? lol. Thanks for all the help guys! and Happy Thanksgiving!

Edit and Update: After almost a month of using, it does give a significant improvement on braking compared to drum brakes... After my pads and rotors' brake in period. i was wrong before

I highly recommend it!

Adionik · Post by **Adionik** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:48 am

Yes the difference is pretty minimal but it's really nice to not have ugly ass drums...that's the main reason i did it, aesthetics. It hurt my eyes to see the drums.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 9:12 am

Sweet! Another project under your belt

You do know that DIY modding is addictive, right? Gratz!