2006 DRW Ram 3500 brake problem/advice needed

[Megaman]

Hi everyone I am new to posting, but been a TDR member for a few years. I have a question about my 2006 ram 3500 DRW with 69,000 miles, I was recently on a 700 mile trek when my I made an abrupt stop. After this took place I had white smoke bellowing from my driver side rear wheels. I had a strong smell of brakes. I assume my caliper locked up, so I pulled over. I exercised my parking brake a few times and I left it sit for an hour, unfortunately I had no choice, but to continue on my journey to Ohio. It did not seem to give me anymore problems, but now I am paranoid. I will be going to NY in about 3 weeks and don't want anymore problems. I just got home and I am going to tear into this brake. I want to know if calipers lock up often and, will I need to replace anything else. I was not sure if the heat from when the caliper failed would wreck any of the internal seals. Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[cerberusiam]

Yes, the rear calipers can hang up. Any of them can but the rears seem to be the worst. If you are running in lots of salt or other corrosives it gets worse.

It is a possibility that it got the hub hot enough to hurt the seal. Not as likely if it was the first time it happenede but possible if the dragging has been ongoing. Something that needs watched. Since the truck has composite rotors they shed heat a lot better and it does take some long term heat to mess up the seals. Odds are seals are fine but calipers probably need replaced as well as the possibility the rotors are warped.

Since you have a DRW removing the rotors will require removing the hub to unbolt them. You can check seals then.

FYI, working the emergency brake will do nothing for a hanging caliper. The emergency brakes and regular brakes are on different pads and actuators.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Same thing happened to me and my brakes were probably just as hot. No damage to the seals at all though - these trucks are built tough! In my case it was because I had dipped the back end into salt water a couple of times while launching a buddies boat. It took close to 2 years before problems starting happening.
In your case it's time to replace both rear calipers and pad sets or this will keep happening more and more often, until one day when your quite literally "stuck".

 

[Megaman]

Thanks for the replies. I have replaced both rear calipers and pads as you have suggested. I saw that both of the caliper piston seals were in very poor condition. Rotors looked good and I saw no evidence of any leakage that the hub seals went bad. I am really happy about that! Thanks for the help, I sure am glad this forum is on TDR. It is the best resource in the world!

 

[cerberusiam]

Rotors looked good and I saw no evidence of any leakage that the hub seals went bad.

Thats good. Just keep in mind if you run into vibration problems sometime in the future you would surpised how much warped rotors will cause even though they check good.

 

[Megaman]

I will definately keep that in mind. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[jelag]

On the Fords that I owned we'd get the pads/calipers so hot we'd damage the boots around the pistons and dirt would get past the pistons and lock them up... . I've not had problems with the Dodges. .

One thing that I do is carry a point and shoot temperature gauge... . I test the temperature of the tires, rotors, drums, and hubs on the truck and trailer... if you have a caliper or brake shoe hanging up... it will be 150-200* hotter than the other ones... .

One test that I use to test for a hung up caliper is to set the truck on a slight grade. . stop light, parking lot, etc... and take my foot off the brake pedal and see if the truck starts to roll... than lightly touch the brake and stop the truck and release it... . if the brakes release... it will start to roll again... .

Hope these simple tests help... .

 

[Prairie Dog]

When mine started hanging up they would stop the truck for me. Not sure how hot they got since my infrared gun only goes to 550. .

 

[Megaman]

I never owned a temp gun, but I will pick one up now. Thats great advice. Thanks!

 

[huwenfut]

The same thing has happened to my front brakes a few times. Every time it happens after a long down hill run. I can feel the brake dragging and the truck will stop by itself and the front passenger side is really hot. I have about 85k on the brakes and its the original set. There's still a lot of brake pad left. Do I need to replace everything?

 

[cerberusiam]

Probably time for calipers and pads. If they hang every time they get hot replace or rebuild is really the only choice.

 

[gtobey]

Glad you got it fixed. I wasn't ready for rear pads yet, but my internal rear axle seal failed on the passenger side, and coated my parking brake shoes with axle grease. Found it at 85K miles when I went to rotate my tires. I had to go through everything, and while there, I went ahead and did a complete job... new parking brake shoes, new brake pads, replaced the rotors, and exchanged calipers. Hopefully I wont have to go through all that again for a long, long time.

 

[jelag]

If you are having problems with the brake caliper sticking and than releasing let me explain the most common cause... the brake piston rides on a quad ring seal in the caliper... this seals in the brake fluid and the boot between the piston and caliper seals the dirt out of the piston and seal from the outside... if the boot on the piston/caliper has failed, is not seated, or has been damaged and dirt can get behind the seal, that dirt will migrate into the seal... dust, dirt, moisture, road grim will get on the piston, and it will extend to apply the brakes but the dirt will slow down or prevent the piston from retracting back into the caliper... remember that brake shoes have springs to retract the shoes... disc brakes have no mechanical means to retract the piston in the caliper. . the fluid pressure drops off... and as the fluid flows back to the master cylinder. . the piston retracts a few thousands of an in from the surface of the rotor...

I've shared before that if you pull the caliper down and its a metal piston and the chrome is lifting... its scrap... if the chrome is pitted. . its scrap... if it's just dirty. . than buff it off... I gently clamp the piston in a vice and run emery cloth around the surface. . usually 60 grit. . but chrome is so hard don't worry about doing damage. . just get it clean... if you have phenolic pistons, and if they are scratched so you can catch a finger nail in the scratch. . its scrap... if its just dirty... I use 180-220 grit emery cloth to polish it and return it to service... in either case if the ring, where the boot interfaces with the piston is damaged I replace the piston... . when I'm done polishing and done cleaning out the caliper... I wash in hot, hot soap and water... dry and lube with brake fluid when I assemble them and return them to service...

Where the caliper rubs against the mounts I make sure there are no worn edges... wire brush them off... sometimes take a flapper wheel to that surface and never seize the surfaces... very lightly when I re-assemble...

 

[Prairie Dog]

Mine did that once and didn't give me any more trouble for many months. Then it did it again, and then a week later later it did it real bad and I had to replace everything.
Don't push it any farther. Get some new calipers and brake pads before you do even more damage.