rear bake shoes

[dwstover]

OK guys, it time to replace the brakes on my 1998. 5 Ram 3500. I’ve done my home work and have decided to use the Performance Friction Carbon Metalic brakes on the front, now I need to decide what I should use on the read drums. I’m a full-time fifth wheel pulled. Bumper-to-bumper weight approximately 21000 lbs. . I have an exhaust brake and I have trailer brakes. I’ve done the (search) thing on the wep page and no one seems to ever talk about the rear brakes. I know that Raybestos Super Stop are available for the rear drums, but I’m concerned that they will wear out the drums just as they seem to wear out the rotors. What say all of you about this?

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The Crazy New Mexico Cowboy
Don Stover

 

[TowPro]

don't think I have seen that much posting about rear brakes here. They are always so far out of adjustment they never seam to go bad (except when the oil seals go and distroy them).

When its my turn, I will look for ones that stop better, instead of ones that wear longer. ONly because they last so long, and you could always use more stopping power. Also when its time, I will replace my 2500 wheel cylenders with the larger 3500 ones, and don't forget to replace both axle seals!

Originally posted by dwstover:
OK guys, it time to replace the brakes on my 1998. 5 Ram 3500. I’ve done my home work and have decided to use the Performance Friction Carbon Metalic brakes on the front, now I need to decide what I should use on the read drums. I’m a full-time fifth wheel pulled. Bumper-to-bumper weight approximately 21000 lbs. . I have an exhaust brake and I have trailer brakes. I’ve done the (search) thing on the wep page and no one seems to ever talk about the rear brakes. I know that Raybestos Super Stop are available for the rear drums, but I’m concerned that they will wear out the drums just as they seem to wear out the rotors. What say all of you about this?

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• 98 ISB,QC,5spd,2wd,3:54lsd. Stock with BD brake and Gauges!
• 2000 Terry 305G 5th wheel

 

[dwstover]

TowPro, that sounds like wise council. As long as your in that far, you may as well replace the seals too. Thanks for reminding me.

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The Crazy New Mexico Cowboy
Don Stover

 

[B.G. Smith]

If you haven't replaced the front pads a couple of times already, you are going to find that the rear shoes are not anywhere near worn out. Depending on how many miles you have on the truck, you might not want to do anything to the rear. bg

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White 99 3500, QC, 3:55, auto. most options except leather, Line-X bed liner, fiberglass running boards Rancho 9000s, bug shield and window vents, black vented 5th wheel tailgate, 100 gal. aux. fuel tank.

 

[Cooker]

Just replaced the shoes last week on my '96 2500. Unfortunately I had not yet read about the 3500 wheel cyls or I would have done that also.

I agree now is an excellent time to do the axle seals. It really didn't take that long after I had the right tools. On a DANA 70 the nut is a rounded 2 9/16". I bought a part at NAPA to remove the nut for $28, and the seals were a measly $4 each.

As far as the shoes go, I like the Raybestos PG Plus. Think I paid around $60 for the set. The PF shoes at Auto Zone were only $20 with the lifetime warranty (the Raybestos had no warranty), but I have had good luck with the Raybestos in the past so I went that route. IMO they stop very well too.

Personally I don't think we need to be as concerned with the rears as the front, especially if you have and exhaust brake and good trailer brakes, but it is worth the extra piece of mind to put on a good set of shoes.

 

[rhoads]

Have pulled trailers-bumper-5 th-and goose
most of the time 40 ft and above 16k-30+ use 'ed napa prem. replaced at 580k the first time and being i had 215k in the first year you know i don't stand still long.
And do complete service every week and a half- two weeks and adj the rear brakes when needed(can tell by stopping/or by how far the emg. brk. pedel needs to depressed.
Be it also note'd i don't ride the other guy's bumper and time most light's.

 

[sam peterson]

Guys Carbon metalic shoes are also available for the rear. Want more info, let me know.
Sam--Brake & A/C

 

[dwstover]

What size socket do I need to remove the wheel nuts? As to removing and replacing the seals, did you use a special tool, or did you just driver them out and back in with a block of wood and a big hammer?

I had a real big problem on my front disk brakes that I didn’t even know about. It seems that I had a stuck caliper that ground my rotor down to a point I could not even get it turned. Some where along the way, I suppose the disk pad just disintegrated and the bare metal pad holder was really doing a number on my rotors. It took two of us two days to complete the front brake job. Like you, I made several trips to the parts store to get all the right tools.

The bad caliper was on the drivers side and the bad pad was the usual outer one. Both OEM inner pads had almost no wear while the other/remaining outer pad was down to about an 1/8 of an inch. I have almost 70K miles on the OEM brakes. From reading the other posts on front brakes, I guess mine lasted beyond the usual point (except for the one that disintegrated).


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The Crazy New Mexico Cowboy
Don Stover