First off, did any of the Gen2 Rams have factory rear disc brakes? What year, if yes.

If no, what is the diameter of the most common front disc, and depth...or hat thickness?

The reason I ask is because this year one of my projects is to make my 1998 Ram 4 wheel disc like I did to my 1998 Durango.

On the Durango, I bought the parts from a factory 2003 rear disc setup, and I modified the brackets on the axle to accept the caliper brackets. Tricky, but possible.

If the Gen2 Ram didn't ever get factory rear discs, I was thinking of a hybrid system that uses the Durango caliper bracket and caliper, and Ram discs...since the lug pattern was totally different.

I'm basically just needing to know if the Ram disc is the same size and dimension as the Durango rear disc, so I know it'll fit in the 17" rims I have and the caliper will work on the bracket with no extra modifications.

If none of the Ram front discs match, I'll have to measure these Durango rear discs and basically find a disc with a 5x5.5" pattern and the same diameter / depth to make this hybrid system work cheaply.

The benefit is MUCH improved stopping. The difference on my Durango was night and day. I didn't have to change anything but the drum to disc parts. The lines were a little hacked but that was because between 1998 and 2003 they changed the routing of the hard lines and they didn't bolt anywhere close to each other. Everything else up to the master worked great and my Durango stops incredibly quickly now...and I want that for my Ram.

 

Didn't the 01 Rams have rear disk as an option?

 

I can't find any information on rear disc brakes existing on the 2001 Dodge Ram. I've searched the parts stores and online sources like RockAuto and can't find simple things like rear caliper, rear rotor, rear pad...

...I can only assume drums were the only factory option.

Anyone have a standard duty front disc they can measure for me? Diameter and thickness of both disc and hat please?

 

Didn't the 3rd gens come with 9.25's and disc brakes?

 

Are you talking about swapping a Gen3 Ram axle onto my Gen2 Ram?

 

No, just go to a online store and put in an '02 ram 1500 for rear calipers, rotors, etc...

 

I have been there and tried this you will need 17" rims for it to work (I only have 16 and the calipers would not clear the rims), you will need all the rear brake lines and E brake cables and mounting tabs,other than that it's a R&R up deal.

Just some pix to show the clearance issues with the 16" rim

 

Do the '02 calipers bolt to the same flange than the rear drums bolt to?

The problem I encountered on the Durango was that the flange for the drum hardware was spaced out toward the tip of the axle tube about 1/2" further than the flange on a disc brake axle.

If I don't have to cut out and relocate the flange then great that's good news.

Can the brackets be bought or are they salvage yard stuff?

 

For a 2500. But may spark an idea or two.

http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech-article-30.html

Here's the manufacturer's web site. http://www.egrbrakes.com/index-main.htm

Wonder if they work well?

 

Oh man, rotors staked on from the rear on the back brakes too? That sucks.....