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Posted on Aug 25, 2010
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I changed the rear rotors on a 2004 dodge caravan. i had to loosen the self adjuster on the parking brake to remove the rotor. should i re adjust the self adjuster or will it reset itself? i manually reset it and a mechanic said he had to take the rotor back off and re-adjust the parking brake. i don't understand why he had to take everyhting apart when there is slot to adjust the parking brake behind the rotor. can u help explain why he needed to do this or did i get ripped off.

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mechanic144

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  • Posted on Aug 25, 2010
mechanic144
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Okay. In order to change the rear brake rotors, you DID NOT have to loosen off the adjuster to get it off. sometimes between the rotor, and the hub it sits against, corrosion develops and this will cause the rotor to be "stuck" so to be speak. A good hit in between the wheel studs with a hammer, a good solid hit, sometimes multiple time using a good penetrating fluid like WD40 will loosen the rotors. and in order to set the parking brake cable yes the guy did have to remove the rotor as there is a spring in the way of the adjuster. The spring there holds the adjuster in place from backing or getting any tighter upon moving forward or rear ward. So please next time just use a hammer in between the wheel studs, i'm sure you will see it pop off easily. If not, then hit the face of the rotor from behind which is the caliper side. You are going to replace them anyway so damage won't matter. That usually works too. good luck!

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