Russell Brakes for the Dodge Neon: Which Parts Fit

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

Russell does not make pads, rotors or calipers for the Dodge Neon. What it makes is brake hose, and the part that fits is the Russell 694310 stainless steel braided brake line kit for the 2003-2005 Neon SRT-4. It replaces the factory rubber flex hoses at the wheels to cut hose expansion and firm up the pedal. If you own a regular (non-SRT-4) Neon, this kit is not listed for your car.

Below is what the kit does, how to tell whether your hoses need replacing, what the SRT-4 brake system looks like, and what to pair the lines with if you are going further, up to a full front big brake kit.

What Russell Part Fits the Neon, and Which Neon

The fitment we carry is specific: the Russell 694310 stainless steel braided brake line kit for the 2003-2005 Neon SRT-4. The SRT-4 is the turbocharged Neon, and its brake parts are listed separately from other Neon trims. Hoses are shaped and fitted to the caliper, bracket and body mounting points of the car they were designed for, so a kit listed for the SRT-4 should not be assumed to fit a base or SXT Neon.

Russell sells this kit as part of its street legal hose line. The dealer description lists stainless steel braided hose with zinc-plated fittings, factory assembled so you are not crimping or assembling ends yourself, and designed as a direct bolt-on replacement for the original rubber hoses. It is stated to meet the U.S. Department of Transportation brake hose standard, FMVSS 106.

Why Braided Lines Change the Pedal

The flexible hoses at each wheel are the only soft part of the hydraulic path between the master cylinder and the caliper pistons. The hard lines along the body are steel. When you press the pedal, fluid pressure rises, and a rubber hose swells slightly under that pressure. Every bit of swelling is fluid volume that goes into stretching the hose instead of pushing the pistons, and you feel it as extra pedal travel and a softer, less precise pedal.

A braided hose surrounds the inner hose with a stainless steel weave that resists that swelling. The pad clamps sooner and the pedal feels more consistent from the first stop to the last, which is why braided lines are a common first brake upgrade on a turbo car like the SRT-4 that sees hard driving and occasional track days.

Federal rules take hose expansion seriously too. FMVSS 106 exists, in its own words, to reduce deaths and injuries from brake system failure caused by hose rupture. It sets expansion limits measured at several pressures, a burst test, and a whip test in which the hose is flexed on a machine for 35 hours without failing. Hoses are also marked with the DOT symbol and a type code: HR for regular expansion and HL for low expansion. When you shop for any brake hose, that marking is what tells you it was built to the federal standard.

Signs Your SRT-4 Hoses Are Due

These cars are now 20-plus years old, and rubber brake hoses age whether the car is driven or stored. Check the hoses at each wheel for:

• Cracks or crazing in the outer rubber, especially near the fittings where the hose bends.
• Bulging when a helper presses the pedal hard with the engine running.
• Wetness or fluid residue at the crimped ends or the banjo bolt at the caliper.
• A soft or sinking pedal that stays soft after a proper bleed.
• A caliper that drags or a car that pulls to one side. An old hose can collapse internally and hold pressure on the caliper after you release the pedal.

A soft pedal has other causes too, including air in the system, old moisture-laden fluid, a worn master cylinder and pads worn near the end. Bleed and inspect before you blame the hoses. If the hoses are original and show any of the signs above, replace all four at once rather than one at a time.

The SRT-4 Brake System in Brief

Knowing the factory setup helps you decide how far to go. The SRT-4 runs disc brakes at all four corners. DBA lists the replacement rotor sizes for the 2003-2005 SRT-4 as 280 mm diameter by 28 mm thick at the front and 270 mm diameter by 11.9 mm thick at the rear. The thick front rotor handles most of the heat, and the thinner rear rotor does less of the work, which is normal for a front-drive car where weight shifts forward under braking.

For most owners, fresh brake rotors, good brake pads, new fluid and the Russell braided hoses make a clear improvement on a stock-wheel car. That combination fixes the most common complaint on an aging SRT-4, a long, soft pedal that fades on a hard run.

Going Bigger: The Wilwood Front Kit

If you track the car or have added a lot of power, the next step is a front big brake kit. We carry the Wilwood Forged Dynapro 6 front big brake kit for the 2003-2005 Neon SRT-4 (140-16827-DR). According to Wilwood's product data, it includes:

• Forged six-piston Dynapro 6 calipers in red powder coat, with 1.62, 1.12 and 1.12 inch piston bores
• 12.19 inch drilled and slotted rotors, 0.81 inch wide, on an aluminum hat
• Wilwood BP-10 pads
• A 15 inch minimum wheel requirement, with clearance to be checked on your wheel

Wilwood states the kit is engineered to stay compatible with the factory master cylinder output and the factory ABS. One point matters for this article: Wilwood lists the brake lines as not included and names its own separate line kit for this brake kit. The Russell 694310 is built to fit the factory calipers, so do not assume it will connect to the Wilwood calipers. If you install the big brake kit, use the line kit Wilwood specifies for the front. The Russell kit's rear lines are a separate question, and whether you can use them depends on how the kit is split front and rear, so confirm before you buy.

Installing the Russell Kit

This is a driveway job for someone who has bled brakes before. The kit bolts in, so the work is mostly removing old hoses without damaging the hard lines, then bleeding.

1. Soak the hard-line fittings with penetrating oil the day before. Use a flare-nut (line) wrench, never an open-end wrench, on the tube nuts so you do not round them.
2. Work one corner at a time. Cap or plug the hard line as soon as the old hose is off to limit fluid loss and keep dirt out.
3. Use new sealing washers at any banjo bolt, and torque fittings to the values in the factory service manual.
4. Route each hose so it does not twist, rub the tire or pull tight at full steering lock and full suspension droop. Turn the wheel lock to lock and check.
5. Bleed the whole system with fresh fluid of the type printed on your master cylinder cap, from a sealed container. Follow the factory bleed sequence for an ABS car.
6. Check every fitting for leaks under firm pedal pressure, then road test at low speed before driving normally.

While the system is open, it is the natural time to replace old pads and rotors, and to look at the calipers. Sticky slide pins or torn boots are worth fixing now; see our brake hardware kits and brake calipers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Russell 694310 kit fit a regular Dodge Neon?

It is listed for the 2003-2005 Neon SRT-4 only. Brake parts are listed by trim, so check the part listing for your exact model before buying.

Are braided brake lines street legal?

Brake hose sold for road use must meet FMVSS 106. The Russell kit is stated to meet that standard. Look for the DOT marking on any hose you buy.

Will braided lines make my car stop shorter?

Not by themselves. Stopping distance depends mostly on tires, pads and rotors. Braided lines reduce hose swelling, which gives a firmer pedal with less travel and more consistent feel, especially when the brakes are hot.

Do I need to bleed the brakes after installing new lines?

Yes. Replacing any hose opens the hydraulic system and lets air in. Bleed all four corners with fresh fluid of the type on your master cylinder cap.

Can I use the Russell lines with the Wilwood big brake kit?

Not at the front without confirming fit. Wilwood does not include lines with the 140-16827-DR kit and specifies its own separate line kit for its calipers. The Russell kit is made to fit the factory brakes.

Sources

1. Modern Performance - Russell SS Brake Line Kit, 03-05 Neon SRT-4 - braided stainless hose, zinc-plated fittings, factory assembled, bolt-on, stated to meet DOT MVSS-106
2. Wilwood - Front Brake Kit 140-16827-DR, Dodge Neon SRT-4 - rotor size, caliper bores, BP-10 pads, 15 inch minimum wheel, lines not included, OE master cylinder and ABS compatibility
3. Cornell LII - 49 CFR 571.106, FMVSS 106 Brake Hoses - purpose of the standard, expansion, burst and 35-hour whip tests, DOT and HR/HL labeling
4. Redline360 - DBA 4000 T3 Rotors, Dodge Neon SRT-4 (03-05) - 280 x 28 mm front and 270 x 11.9 mm rear rotor sizes