DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION BRAKE SYSTEM Power assist front disc and rear drum brakes arestandard equipment.

Disc brake components consistof single piston calipers and ventilated rotors. Reardrum brakes are dual shoe units with cast brakedrums.The parking brake mechanism is lever and cableoperated. The cables are attached to levers on therear drum brake secondary shoes. The parkingbrakes are operated by a hand lever.A dual diaphragm vacuum power brake booster isused for all applications. All models have an alumi-num master cylinder with plastic reservoir.All models are equipped with a combination valve.The valve contains a pressure differential valve andswitch and a fixed rate rear proportioning valve.Factory brake lining on all models consists of anorganic base material combined with metallic parti-cles. The original equipment linings do not containasbestos. SERVICE WARNINGS & CAUTIONS WARNING: DUST AND DIRT ACCUMULATING ONBRAKE PARTS DURING NORMAL USE MAY CON-TAIN ASBESTOS FIBERS FROM AFTERMARKETLININGS. BREATHING EXCESSIVE CONCENTRA-TIONS OF ASBESTOS FIBERS CAN CAUSE SERI-OUS BODILY HARM. EXERCISE CARE WHENSERVICING BRAKE PARTS. DO NOT CLEANBRAKE PARTS WITH COMPRESSED AIR OR BYDRY BRUSHING. USE A VACUUM CLEANER SPE-CIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THE REMOVAL OFASBESTOS FIBERS FROM BRAKE COMPONENTS.IF A SUITABLE VACUUM CLEANER IS NOT AVAIL-ABLE, CLEANING SHOULD BE DONE WITH AWATER DAMPENED CLOTH. DO NOT SAND, ORGRIND BRAKE LINING UNLESS EQUIPMENT USEDIS DESIGNED TO CONTAIN THE DUST RESIDUE.DISPOSE OF ALL RESIDUE CONTAINING ASBES-TOS FIBERS IN SEALED BAGS OR CONTAINERSTO MINIMIZE EXPOSURE TO YOURSELF AND OTH-ERS. FOLLOW PRACTICES PRESCRIBED BY THEOCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINIS-TRATION AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONAGENCY FOR THE HANDLING, PROCESSING, ANDDISPOSITION OF DUST OR DEBRIS THAT MAYCONTAIN ASBESTOS FIBERS.CAUTION: Never use gasoline, kerosene, alcohol,motor oil, transmission fluid, or any fluid containingmineral oil to clean the system components. Thesefluids damage rubber cups and seals. Use onlyfresh brake fluid or Mopar brake cleaner to clean orflush brake system components. These are the onlycleaning materials recommended. If system contam-ination is suspected, check the fluid for dirt, discol-oration, or separation into distinct layers. Alsocheck the reservoir cap seal for distortion. Drainand flush the system with new brake fluid if con-tamination is suspected.CAUTION: Use Mopar brake fluid, or an equivalentquality fluid meeting SAE/DOT standards J1703 andDOT 3. Brake fluid must be clean and free of con-taminants. Use fresh fluid from sealed containersonly to ensure

proper antilock component opera-tion.CAUTION: Use Mopar multi-mileage or high temper-ature grease to lubricate caliper slide surfaces,drum brake pivot pins, and shoe contact points onthe backing plates. Use multi-mileage grease or GE661 or Dow 111 silicone grease on caliper slide pinsto ensure proper operation. BRAKE PEDAL A suspended-type brake pedal is used, the pedalpivots on a shaft mounted in the pedal supportbracket. The bracket is attached to the dash panel.The brake pedal is a serviceable component. Thepedal, pedal bushings, shaft and pedal bracket are allreplaceable parts. STOP LAMP SWITCH The plunger type stop lamp switch is mounted on abracket attached to the brake pedal support. Theswitch can be adjusted when necessary. RED BRAKE WARNING LAMP A red warning lamp is used for the service brakeportion of the hydraulic system. The lamp is locatedin the instrument cluster. The red warning lightalerts the driver if a pressure differential existsbetween the front and rear hydraulic systems or theparking brakes are applied.The lamp is turned on momentarily when the igni-tion switch is turn to the on position. This is a self test to verify the lamp is operational. POWER BRAKE BOOSTER The booster assembly consists of a housing dividedinto separate chambers by two internal diaphragms.The outer edge of each diaphragm is attached to thebooster housing. The diaphragms are connected tothe booster primary push rod. Two push rods are used in the booster. The pri-mary push rod connects the booster to the brakepedal. The secondary push rod connects the boosterto the master cylinder to stroke the cylinder pistons.The atmospheric inlet valve is opened and closedby the primary push rod. Booster vacuum supply isthrough a hose attached to an intake manifold fittingat one end and to the booster check valve at theother. The vacuum check valve in the booster housingis a one-way device that prevents vacuum leak back.Power assist is generated by utilizing the pressuredifferential between normal atmospheric pressureand a vacuum. The vacuum needed for booster oper-ation is taken directly from the engine intake mani-fold. The entry point for atmospheric pressure isthrough a filter and inlet valve at the rear of the housing.The chamber areas forward of the booster dia-phragms are exposed to vacuum from the intake manifold. The chamber areas to the rear of the dia-phragms,

are exposed to normal atmospheric pres-sure of 101.3 kilopascals (14.7 pounds/square in.).Brake pedal application causes the primary pushrod to open the atmospheric inlet valve. This exposesthe area behind the diaphragms to atmospheric pres-sure. The resulting pressure differential provides theextra apply force for power assist. MASTER CYLINDER The master cylinder has a removable nylon reser-voir. The cylinder body is made of aluminum andcontains a primary and secondary piston assembly.The cylinder body including the piston assembliesare not serviceable. If diagnosis indicates an internal problem with the cylinder body, it must be replaced as an assembly. The reservoir and grommets are theonly replaceable parts on the master cylinder. COMBINATION VALVE The combination valve contains a pressure differ-ential valve and switch and a rear brake proportion-ing valve. The valve is not repairable and must be replaced as an assembly if diagnosis indicates this isnecessary. PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL VALVE The pressure differential switch is connected to thebrake warning light. The switch is actuated by move-ment of the switch valve. The switch monitors fluid pressure in the separate front/rear brake hydrauliccircuits.A decrease or loss of fluid pressure in either hydraulic circuit will cause the switch valve to shut-tle to the low pressure side. Movement of the valvepushes the switch plunger upward. This action closesthe switch internal contacts completing the electricalcircuit to the red warning light. The switch valve will remain in an actuated position until repairs to the brake system are made. PROPORTIONING VALVE The proportioning valve is used to balance front-rear brake action at high decelerations. The valveallows normal fluid flow during moderate braking.The valve only controls fluid flow during high decel-erations brake stops. FRONT DISC BRAKES The calipers are a single piston type. The calipersare free to slide laterally, this allows continuous com-pensation for lining wear.When the brakes are applied fluid pressure isexerted against the caliper piston. The fluid pressureis exerted equally and in all directions. This meanspressure exerted against the caliper piston andwithin the caliper bore will be equal.Fluid pressure applied to the piston is transmitteddirectly to the inboard brake shoe. This forces theshoe lining against the inner surface of the discbrake rotor. At the same

time, fluid pressure withinthe piston bore forces the caliper to slide inward onthe mounting bolts. This action brings the outboardbrake shoe lining into contact with the outer surfaceof the disc brake rotor.In summary, fluid pressure acting simultaneouslyon both piston and caliper, produces a strong clamp-ing action. When sufficient force is applied, frictionwill attempt to stop the rotors from turning andbring the vehicle to a stop.Application and release of the brake pedal gener-ates only a very slight movement of the caliper andpiston. Upon release of the pedal, the caliper and pis-ton return to a rest position. The brake shoes do notretract an appreciable distance from the rotor. Infact, clearance is usually at, or close to zero. The rea-sons for this are to keep road debris from getting between the rotor and lining and in wiping the rotorsurface clear each revolution.The caliper piston seal controls the amount of pis-ton extension needed to compensate for normal liningwear.During brake application, the seal is deflected out-ward by fluid pressure and piston movement.When the brakes (and fluid pressure) are released,the seal relaxes and retracts the piston.The amount of piston retraction is determined bythe amount of seal deflection. Generally the amount is just enough to maintain contact between the pis-ton and inboard brake shoe.

REAR DRUM BRAKE The brake systems use a leading shoe (primary)and trailing shoe (secondary). The mounting hard-ware is similar but not interchangeable.When the brake pedal is depressed hydraulic pres-sure pushes the rear brake wheel cylinder pistons outward. The wheel cylinder push rods then push the brake shoes outward against the brake drum. Whenthe brake pedal is released return springs attached to the brake shoes pull the shoes back to there orig-inal position. PARKING BRAKE Parking brake adjustment is controlled by a cable tensioner mechanism. The cable tensioner, onceadjusted at the factory, should not need further adjustment under normal circumstances. Adjustmentmay be required if a new tensioner, or cables are installed, or disconnected. PARKING BRAKE OPERATION A hand operated lever in the passenger compartment is the main application device. The front cable is con-nected between the hand lever and the tensioner. The tensioner rod is attached to the equalizer which is theconnecting point for the rear cables.

The rear cables are connected to the actuatinglever on each secondary brake shoe. The levers are attached to the brake shoes by a pin either pressed into, or welded to the lever. A clip is used to secure the pin in the brake shoe. The pin allows each lever to pivot independently of the brake shoe.To apply the parking brakes, the hand lever is pulled upward. This pulls the rear brake shoe actu-ating levers forward, by means tensioner and cables.As the actuating lever is pulled forward, the parking brake strut (which is connected to both shoes), exertsa linear force against the primary brake shoe. Thisaction presses the primary shoe into contact with the drum. Once the primary shoe contacts the drum,force is exerted through the strut. This force is trans-ferred through the strut to the secondary brake shoe causing it to pivot into the drum as well.A gear type ratcheting mechanism is used to holdthe lever in an applied position. Parking brake release is accomplished by the hand lever release button A parking brake switch is mounted on the parking brake lever and is actuated by movement of thelever. The switch, which is in circuit with the redwarning light in the dash, will illuminate the warning light whenever the parking brakes are applied. BRAKE HOSES AND LINES Flexible rubber hose is used at both front brakes and at the rear axle junction block. Double walled steel tubing is used to connect the master cylinder tothe major hydraulic braking components and then to the flexible rubber hoses.