I hate new cars!!!
 

Sorry about the rant but my wife has a 04 pt looser and I am doing a brake job on it, the rear shoes are gone. Took two different trips to the auto store to get the right shoes, tore down all the brakes to find out they are the wrong shoes, pt's that year had two different size shoes, finally got the correct shoes ordered yesterday. Got home today, tore the brakes apart again, put everything back together and the brake drums won't go back on because the shoe is too thick. Brake adjuster is all the way in. Now have to get the drums turned in order to get them back on. I have never bought a shoe where the factory drum had to be turned in order to fit.........this is turning out to be a pain in my but. I would rather work on the A any day!

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

sometimes bad counter men and cheap parts can be a problem. you shouldnt have to machine the drum to make it go on. somethings up...make sure your e brake is off.. lol

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

That is what I thought but the parking brake is off.

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

i did a look up on my parts web site. non abs cars use an 8.66 brake shoe and drum and abs cars use a 9.00 brake shoe and drum. maybe you got the 9" shoes ?? the 8.66 part # is 759 and the 9.00 is #810. ck your box or they can be boxed wrong also

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

Obviously the hot summer temperatures have caused the brake drums to shrink.


DON'T DO IT! Get the correct shoes. Maybe you just have to pay more and go to a Chrysler dealer and get the correct ones.

BTW, I sometimes buy Subaru and Toyota parts, and there are some places that sell genuine parts on the Internet at a significant discount. They are actually the parts department of an official dealer, but they are sort of coy about it, probably to avoid p***ing off the manufacturer.

For example, once I needed rear shocks for a Subaru. The local dealer quoted me something like $105. The internet dealer said: "It lists for $95, but our price is $85". And they were genuine Subaru parts.

Doug

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

There is a reason Chrysler went bankrupt...

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

It dosent matter what brand, they are all garbage, work on them everyday. I will end my comment here but belive me I could go on and on.

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

I have a 2001 PT and it's been a great car except for front power windows that sometimes don't work. The shop can't trace the problem because they always work when they try them. I have disc brakes on the rear of mine so no drum problems. I'm doing a complete brake job on a 30 Model A as we speak and believe me that's no picnic either. Had the rear brake rods all connected at the drums and someone had cut an inch off the threaded ends so they wouldn't fit so that was fun too putting the new rods on the rears with the drums mounted. Gotta check I guess, never know what someone did before you.

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

barry replace the main power window switch they go intermittent all the time.

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

why would the dealer not know this?????

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

because most dealers are whistlers and if they cannot confirm the problem they wont touch it. thats why there are so many lemon law cases

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

I bought the 8.66 shoes originally and they were the wrong shoe, the 9.00 shoe is the only one that has the parking brake lever riveted to it like the original.

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

,and the PT Clown car is no longer being built. I bet in 50 years there will be a PTBARN.

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

Speaking as a long-time MoPar guy, NONE of the big three have built anything decent since the mid-to-late 1960's.

But then, I'm biased against "anything newer than me"... ( I'm a "1967 model"... ;))

I've owned (and still own) newer stuff, some of it decent, others a nightmare.

One of the better "new cars" I've owned was a '93 Ford Escort GT; bought it from a schoolteacher friend at 130,000 miles and had relatively trouble-free service for several years; finally PennDOT's "Car-B-Gone" started to get the upper hand...

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

grind the shoe lining and not the drum!

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

Really shouldn't need to grind either one. Something is up. This is not a bigger hammer fix.

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

I agree on the escort, I should have clarified, its all junk but some of it is to a lesser degree. I also confirm that the master switch is problematic with Chrysler vehicles, just pops out, dont have to remove the trimpanel, I would try and find a loaner too see if that fixes it, I would go to the dealer for the shoes and get the right ones no matter the cost. Give the the vin if neccessary, they will get the right shoes.
BTW in my opinion I cant think of ANYTHING GM has put out in a LONG time that is even worth giving a shot, Oh sure you get the one offs every once in a while that last a long time but you would have to get lucky.

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

Mitch, which one is the main power window switch in the PT? I assume it's the upper left and do you know if it just pops out? We don't have a local Chrysler dealer anymore so I have to rely on my garage guy. I love the car otherwise and with my 6-2 plus frame have plenty of room. When I drive it it reminds me of a 37 Ford slant back.

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

it just pops out no screws

Fig.4 Front Window Switch Remove/Installhttp://alldatapro.com/alldata/PRO~V1...77724/87677725

Re: I hate new cars!!!
 

Thanks Mitch. Which switch is the main one, drivers side window?
Barry