Check around with a few brake shops. Some shops are able to reline brake
shoes and pads. Any good brake shop will have listings of shoes, pads and
linings for the various models and years available.
When I lived in Winnipeg, I used to deal with a firm in Brooklands called
Brake Band & Supply (firm died in the late 1970's). The fellow there was
able to get linings for my 1949 DeSoto and relined the shoes. He also
relined the emergency brake shoe.
And at that time Canadian Brakeblok (Canadian subsidiary of American
Brakeblok) had their warehouse on Elgin Avenue. They could cut the size
needed if they did not have the factory supplied stuff - all they needed was
the outer diameter of the shoes plus the width and length of the lining.
And they were able to bond the linings to the shoes (in case you have
forgotten, bonded linings were a Chrysler "first"). Can't remember the
Winnipeg distributor of Raybestos linings right now.
So, call around. You might find someone with the needed linings in stock.
A little dusty perhaps. Or at least a firm that can reline what you have.
As for parts prices - welcome to the 21st century. European and Japanese
manufacturers have been charging those kind of prices for years. Four
years ago the previous owner of my 1983 Imperial bought an inside door
handle from the dealer - C$100.
Bill
Vancouver, BC
> Yesterday, when I removed the rear brake rotors from my 1990 Imperial, I
> noticed that the small brake shoes that make up the parking brake
mechanism
> were in poor condition. The linings were not worn out, but rather they
were
> simply dried up and crumbly. I removed them from the one side so I would
> have a sample set to show the parts drone when looking for replacements.
I
> found no replacements listed at my most convenient parts location (CDN
> Tire), so I called the dealer. (BTW, CDN Tire didn't list the rotor
either.
> They listed A rotor but not the correct rotor for my car. The rotor
listed
> for my car at the dealer is part # 04383551 and lists for $50.35
(remember,
> these are CDN prices). I thought that sounded fairly reasonable for a
> dealer part so I will probably buy them there.) What really got me was
the
> price for the parking brake linings. The linings (#05073647AA) list for
> $89.30 for the set! Now, these linings are very small etc and that price
is
> outrageous, but, I would probably buy it if that was the end of the story.
> Parts guy then told me that the current part is a change-up and I would
have
> to buy three more parts for EACH side. Adjuster screw (04509503 $20.00),
> Nut (04383539 $25.60) and Socket (04509504 $23.45). So, that adds up to a
> total of $227.40 just for the parts to change the parking brake linings!!!
> Who does Chrysler think they are dealing with??? What makes a company
think
> they can charge such outrageous prices for parts? I mean, $25.60 for that
> little nut on the adjuster screw??? That whole adjuster screw assembly
> should sell for $5.00 or less!!!
>
> I have no alternative to scour the salvage yards for a wreck with a decent
> set of rear parking brake linings in it. If anyone else has any other
> suggestions, I'm all ears!
>
>
>
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