2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission dually front brakes

[justinemmons]

i have a 97 3500 dually 4x4 and was told the front brakes are 80% warn. i had a tire out of balance and with that fixed i can feel the brakes grind a lot now. i have never taken the tire off since i recently got the truck in march of this year, its a weekend warrier with not many miles driven. Are there any recomendations on pads and rotors? i will have the rear drum brakes taken care of by the shop because i have leaky rear axel seals. ive read for the best performance are drilled and slotted rotors. also is there any good instructions on changing them since this is my first dually. i notice by looking that it looks a litte different than normal truck behind the rim. Thanks,



-Justin

 

[HHhuntitall]

IIRC, it's the same as a regular truck, you just have to unbolt the dually extension before you can drive out the studs and remove the brake rotor. Personally, I'd just have the rotors turned, if they have enough metal left in them. Most parts shops will turn them for free if you buy the pads from them. As for brand and style, that's the start of WWIII..... personally, I think the slotted and drilled rotors are a bit overkill, but for some, it's not.



As for the grinding, check the caliper bolts that attach it to the backing plate. I've seen several that the bolts had fallen out of, and when you applied pressure to the brakes, they would cant out against the inside of the wheel, making the grinding noise. Also, there are several threads on here with pictures showing you how to pull the rotors, so if you do a search for "rotor" in the 2nd gen forum, you'll find plenty to read up on.

 

[justinemmons]

ill try searching rotor. i searched brakes and didnt find what i was looking for. thanks for the help and advice.

 

[Road Dog]

If you search this forum for "front rotor replace" or "front rotor unit hub" you'll find some threads. In '97 you have to pull the unit hub and knock out the studs to get the rotor off (I think).