Attempting To Change Brakes Soon
#1
10-17-2011 | 12:53 PM
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From: Philadelphia, PA
Attempting To Change Brakes Soon
My truck doesn't stop as well as I'd like. My '01, with dual-piston calipers, seemed to stop much better. There isn't anything really wrong with it, no odd sounds, no pulsing or pulling, but it takes more distance then I'm comfortable with. , and there seems to be a fair amount of pedal travel
The pads look like they have about 1/4 life left in them, but I want to change them out with new ones to see it improves. Brake fluid looks clean, and is full. A few questions:
1- Any reccomendations on brake pads? Nothing too expensive as I'm on a budget, but maybe something that will give me a nice pedal feel and nice braking. Should I just go to Pep Boys or Autozone and get something there?
2- I changed the front brakes on a friend's Pontiac Montana minivan, and it was pretty easy and straightfoward. Any tips or tricks, or any specific tools I'll need to do brakes on our trucks?
3- I want to check out my rear brakes, too. What do I look for when I take the drum off? Just look at the amount of material left on the brake shoes, similar to how you check front pads? Any adjustments I should make when I'm back there?
Any suggestions would be greatly apreciated!
The pads look like they have about 1/4 life left in them, but I want to change them out with new ones to see it improves. Brake fluid looks clean, and is full. A few questions:
1- Any reccomendations on brake pads? Nothing too expensive as I'm on a budget, but maybe something that will give me a nice pedal feel and nice braking. Should I just go to Pep Boys or Autozone and get something there?
2- I changed the front brakes on a friend's Pontiac Montana minivan, and it was pretty easy and straightfoward. Any tips or tricks, or any specific tools I'll need to do brakes on our trucks?
3- I want to check out my rear brakes, too. What do I look for when I take the drum off? Just look at the amount of material left on the brake shoes, similar to how you check front pads? Any adjustments I should make when I'm back there?
Any suggestions would be greatly apreciated!
Last edited by Bob5151; 10-17-2011 at 12:54 PM. Reason: spelling
#2
10-17-2011 | 01:36 PM
I'm not intimately familiar with Dodge truck brakes, but I have a few general comments (as usual).
1) For what they cost (not much), I'd replace the calipers and rear wheel cylinders, no matter how good they look. Fifteen years is a long time.
2) Get new brake hardware for the rears (springs, clips). Replace the adjuster cables too, which usually aren't part of a hardware kit.
3) Obviously, completely flush out all of the old brake fluid. It should be changed every couple of years at least, which hardly anyone does. When it absorbs water, it loses some of its effectiveness at transmitting hydraulic force. Maybe that's part of your problem, come to think of it.
4) Replace the rubber hoses on the front brakes. For what they cost, and what they do, it's worth it.
5) If you're planning on keeping the calipers and rear cylinders, start soaking them right now with your favorite penetrating oil. Try freeing up the bleeders. If they snap off, your decision about whether or not to replace calipers/cylinders is made for you.
6) Get new rotors unless they look absolutely perfect.
7) If the drums aren't scored and can be kept, I like to get rid of the glaze on them by sanding them down with fine (150 grit) sandpaper, or a flap wheel on a drill. If they're scored, sometimes it's almost as cheap to get new ones as it is to have them turned. New ones will work a little better than turned ones anyway (fit the shape of the shoes better).
8) I like to break in new pads by the "panic stop" method. Gets them really hot and burns off some of the residues from the manufacturing process that cause gases to build up between the pad and rotor, reducing braking power. Let the brakes cool off again really well before you park it. (This can also help to cure "warped" rotors; "warped" in quotes because some credible people say that rotors hardly ever actually warp, they just feel that way because brake material builds up on them, and this helps to burn it off).
OK, that's about all I can think of. No recommendations on pads and shoes, except to say that ones wear out faster usually do a better job of braking, so don't just go for long life.
***
Just re-read your post; you might just need some new front pads, and a "brake tune-up".
"My '01, with dual-piston calipers, seemed to stop much better".
Dual pistons will do that for ya. I think Brembro makes calipers with six pistons for some applications. They must work very well.
"There isn't anything really wrong with it, no odd sounds, no pulsing or pulling, but it takes more distance then I'm comfortable with. , and there seems to be a fair amount of pedal travel"
The rears are probably out of adjustment, and as I mentioned before, your brake fluid might be contaminated.
"What do I look for when I take the drum off? Just look at the amount of material left on the brake shoes, similar to how you check front pads? Any adjustments I should make when I'm back there?"
Sure, amount of material, just like the pads. Also leaking cylinders (and resultant contamination of the shoes), broken hardware (springs, adjuster cables), scored/glazed drums, shoe adjustment. The shoes should drag slightly when you rotate the drum; to adjust them, turn the star wheel until you can't rotate the drum, then back it off a couple of clicks. You'll probably have to slide the drum off again to back off the adjuster. If the adjuster is hard to turn, I like to disassemble them, clean the threads really well on a bench grinder wire wheel, and then coat the threads with copper anti-seize.
If the shoes look OK, I just sand them down a little with 150 grit to break the glaze, just like the drums. Don't breathe that crap in; have a vacuum handy. It's not asbestos, but I'm pretty sure that lungs don't like it.
And obviously, this is the time to repack your bearings. Get new grease seals. Check the bearings visually, look at the races for scoring. They seem to last a hell of a long time if kept well-greased, but of course they do go bad.
Long story short; you might be fine with only new pads, some grease seals, fresh brake fluid (from an unopened container), and some wheel bearing grease.
1) For what they cost (not much), I'd replace the calipers and rear wheel cylinders, no matter how good they look. Fifteen years is a long time.
2) Get new brake hardware for the rears (springs, clips). Replace the adjuster cables too, which usually aren't part of a hardware kit.
3) Obviously, completely flush out all of the old brake fluid. It should be changed every couple of years at least, which hardly anyone does. When it absorbs water, it loses some of its effectiveness at transmitting hydraulic force. Maybe that's part of your problem, come to think of it.
4) Replace the rubber hoses on the front brakes. For what they cost, and what they do, it's worth it.
5) If you're planning on keeping the calipers and rear cylinders, start soaking them right now with your favorite penetrating oil. Try freeing up the bleeders. If they snap off, your decision about whether or not to replace calipers/cylinders is made for you.
6) Get new rotors unless they look absolutely perfect.
7) If the drums aren't scored and can be kept, I like to get rid of the glaze on them by sanding them down with fine (150 grit) sandpaper, or a flap wheel on a drill. If they're scored, sometimes it's almost as cheap to get new ones as it is to have them turned. New ones will work a little better than turned ones anyway (fit the shape of the shoes better).
8) I like to break in new pads by the "panic stop" method. Gets them really hot and burns off some of the residues from the manufacturing process that cause gases to build up between the pad and rotor, reducing braking power. Let the brakes cool off again really well before you park it. (This can also help to cure "warped" rotors; "warped" in quotes because some credible people say that rotors hardly ever actually warp, they just feel that way because brake material builds up on them, and this helps to burn it off).
OK, that's about all I can think of. No recommendations on pads and shoes, except to say that ones wear out faster usually do a better job of braking, so don't just go for long life.
***
Just re-read your post; you might just need some new front pads, and a "brake tune-up".
"My '01, with dual-piston calipers, seemed to stop much better".
Dual pistons will do that for ya. I think Brembro makes calipers with six pistons for some applications. They must work very well.
"There isn't anything really wrong with it, no odd sounds, no pulsing or pulling, but it takes more distance then I'm comfortable with. , and there seems to be a fair amount of pedal travel"
The rears are probably out of adjustment, and as I mentioned before, your brake fluid might be contaminated.
"What do I look for when I take the drum off? Just look at the amount of material left on the brake shoes, similar to how you check front pads? Any adjustments I should make when I'm back there?"
Sure, amount of material, just like the pads. Also leaking cylinders (and resultant contamination of the shoes), broken hardware (springs, adjuster cables), scored/glazed drums, shoe adjustment. The shoes should drag slightly when you rotate the drum; to adjust them, turn the star wheel until you can't rotate the drum, then back it off a couple of clicks. You'll probably have to slide the drum off again to back off the adjuster. If the adjuster is hard to turn, I like to disassemble them, clean the threads really well on a bench grinder wire wheel, and then coat the threads with copper anti-seize.
If the shoes look OK, I just sand them down a little with 150 grit to break the glaze, just like the drums. Don't breathe that crap in; have a vacuum handy. It's not asbestos, but I'm pretty sure that lungs don't like it.
And obviously, this is the time to repack your bearings. Get new grease seals. Check the bearings visually, look at the races for scoring. They seem to last a hell of a long time if kept well-greased, but of course they do go bad.
Long story short; you might be fine with only new pads, some grease seals, fresh brake fluid (from an unopened container), and some wheel bearing grease.
Last edited by John D in CT; 10-17-2011 at 02:05 PM.
#3
10-17-2011 | 01:43 PM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 82,706
Likes: 3,425
From: Clayton MI
For upgrades, get the Light Duty 3/4 ton calipers. They are a direct fit on your truck, and have larger piston diameters. (more stopping power for the same pedal effort.)
Might also consider replacing the front soft lines with some braided stainless lines. They don't expand as easily. (firmer pedal feel)
Pedal travel is controlled by rear brake adjustment. Have a look at them, and if they are still ok, make sure they are adjusted up nice. (stock adjusters don't seem to do a bang-up job there....)
At the very least, have your front rotors turned, to get rid of the glazed surface, so the new pads will bed in nicely. (I use the same method of breaking them in as John D.)
Go for the BEST pads you are willing to pay for. That will make the biggest difference in braking performance.
Might also consider replacing the front soft lines with some braided stainless lines. They don't expand as easily. (firmer pedal feel)
Pedal travel is controlled by rear brake adjustment. Have a look at them, and if they are still ok, make sure they are adjusted up nice. (stock adjusters don't seem to do a bang-up job there....)
At the very least, have your front rotors turned, to get rid of the glazed surface, so the new pads will bed in nicely. (I use the same method of breaking them in as John D.)
Go for the BEST pads you are willing to pay for. That will make the biggest difference in braking performance.
#4
10-17-2011 | 01:43 PM
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 83
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To adress the low pedal you are experiencing... If you had four wheel disc brakes your pedal would always be at the factory desired height assuming that your fluild is clean and there are no air bubles present. Since you have rear drums you will need to make wure that the rear shoes are prperly adjusted. To see if they are you should first put blocks under the front wheels, place the truck in nuetral on level grouns, and the lift the rear of your truck. When you turn the rear wheels you should feel a little bit of resistance. If you do no feel this resistance go under neathe the truck and adjust the rear star wheels to a point where when you spin the rear wheels you feel a slight amount of resitance more thanbefore. you will only be able to turn the adjusters one way due to a safety mechanism that doesn't allow them to loosen. This is also importan informatino fro removal of the drums. make sure you adjust them down to clear the common rust lip that forms on drums.
Im sure if you serch google you can find some more good information on this subject of rear drums and how to keep them within specifications. I would certainly purchase a hardwar kit for the rear, I think I got a kit for both wheels complete with springs etc for under $5 on rockauto.com. they are an awesome website check em out!
Im sure if you serch google you can find some more good information on this subject of rear drums and how to keep them within specifications. I would certainly purchase a hardwar kit for the rear, I think I got a kit for both wheels complete with springs etc for under $5 on rockauto.com. they are an awesome website check em out!