2010 Rear Brake Pads

[09Routan]

2010 Routan SEL 4.0L 50k miles and rear brake pads are gone. Rented the tool from AutoZone to compress the brake piston. (It turns the piston as it applies pressure) Removed, cleaned and re-lubricated the guide pins. Slight Lubrication on the ears of the new ceramic brake pads. Put everything back together for the passenger rear brake, I noticed a 1/4" - 3/8" gap between the piston and the inner brake pad. I observed that when the brake pedal is pressed, the piston moves and causes the brake pads to clamp the rotor. I also noticed that when you activate the emergency brake the same thing occurs. But with either braking application, when you release the brake, the piston returns too far into the caliper piston shaft. I activated and released the parking brake several times and didn't notice any difference in the piston's return location. When I took the van for a test drive I noticed that in order to keep even braking pressure the pedal will travel deeper into the floorboard. It still stops the van, but the brake pedal shouldn't keep traveling just to keep the same braking pressure. Is there anyway to adjust the brake piston? I'm thinking that it maybe causing the soft pedal behaviour.

[58kafer]

2010 Routan SEL 4.0L 50k miles and rear brake pads are gone. Rented the tool from AutoZone to compress the brake piston. (It turns the piston as it applies pressure) Removed, cleaned and re-lubricated the guide pins. Slight Lubrication on the ears of the new ceramic brake pads. Put everything back together for the passenger rear brake, I noticed a 1/4" - 3/8" gap between the piston and the inner brake pad. I observed that when the brake pedal is pressed, the piston moves and causes the brake pads to clamp the rotor. I also noticed that when you activate the emergency brake the same thing occurs. But with either braking application, when you release the brake, the piston returns too far into the caliper piston shaft. I activated and released the parking brake several times and didn't notice any difference in the piston's return location. When I took the van for a test drive I noticed that in order to keep even braking pressure the pedal will travel deeper into the floorboard. It still stops the van, but the brake pedal shouldn't keep traveling just to keep the same braking pressure. Is there anyway to adjust the brake piston? I'm thinking that it maybe causing the soft pedal behaviour.

Did you check the fluid level by any chance, and did you bleed the brakes afterwards? Always a good habit to rebleed the brakes after a brake job.

[09Routan]

I did not bleed the brakes. The levels looked fine that's why I didn't bleed them. But I suppose you're right. I will bleed them this afternoon and see if that helps. Thanks for the quick reply!

[58kafer]

I did not bleed the brakes. The levels looked fine that's why I didn't bleed them. But I suppose you're right. I will bleed them this afternoon and see if that helps. Thanks for the quick reply!

No problem, one burp and you got an air pocket.

[09Routan]

*UPDATE* I re-rented the tool that turned the piston into the caliper. I took the caliper apart again and reversed the piston about 1/2 turn. Put everything back together and now see that there is no gap between the piston and the inner brake pad. (30 min) The brake pedal is a bit firmer but still a tad soft. The more I drove it the better it got.

Will bleed the brakes this weekend to see if that brings us back to the nice firm brake pedal we used to have.

[58kafer]

There is a specfic procedure for bleeding the rear brakes with the IPB(intergrated parking brake), it does not bleed like a normal caliper does as it must have something with the function of the parking brake mechanism. I read the procedure and it seems a bit wack to me, but then again I didn't design the brakes, so it might make perfect sense. But I think your gonna need to rent that tool again. At this rate you might as well have bought one from Harbor Freight. Do they just charge you a rental fee and then give it back when you return it?

I also suggest to all if your gonna do any repairs on these beasts you download the service manual. I posted the link to it on here before a few weeks back. There is one for $11 and another for $17. I did the $17 because I read a few guys that had the Grand Caravan went the cheap route and it doesn't have everything. It's the equavilent of a $200 dollar manual, it's OEM and worth every penny. Use the search function on here to find the link as I don't want to post it too many times and it gets yanked off the download site, so if you think your even going to remotely do any repairs download it. It only covers from 08-10 Routan, DGC and T&C's. Put 2 and 2 together on the search function, it should be the second thread