Rear Brake job

[TowPro]

Took the truck in for PA State Insp. today, I thought the guy would fail me for front brakes, (there close) but much to my suprise he failed me for rear brakes!



Now we all know the rear brakes don't hardly work on these trucks if you don't adjust them every week (which I don't) but my rear linings were all cracked from heat.



So I called around for parts. Shoe's were $85. 00 and I guess around $20. 00 to cut each drum ( I never asked)



Then I went outside and I pulled the drums and checked them out, they also have 1000's of small heat cracks. I went over them with some sand paper, and there not marks, there cracks, crap now I need drums. Even if these cracks could be cut out, it would take off to much metal, and hell, these factory drums were warped since the truck was about 6 months old!



So i call my buddy who works at a parts store.

New Raybestos shoes top of the line $43. 00 List $85. 00

New Raybestos Drums $63. 00 List $147. 00

I figure for only $50. 00 more then what the local parts place wanted, i got brand new drums, not ones cut real thin.



Jobs done, brakes feel better then they ever had.



Question is, If these brakes never really work well because there always out of adjustment, where did all the heat come from?



then I started thinking, (after I was done)

Since I had to replace the drums, could I have switched to the 3" wide brakes from the 3500?

 

[sam peterson]

Tow Pro---All the heat cracking on the shoes is common after several thou miles. Good idea to get them off. No the 3500 shoes won't fit . They are 3 1/2 inches wide and won't line up with the wheel cylinder shoe link. But you could have used a larger bore wheel cylinder to help rear braking. ---Sam

 

[Steve Campbell]

The other way to get more rear wheel braking is to shorten the proportioning valve link "slightly" at the left rear wheel.

 

[TowPro]

Sam, I have asked about this several times, and from what I hear, I already have them on my 98. 5? I have the Dana 80, 8800 lb option if it makes a difference.



See Specs: http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/brakespecs.htm



But then if I check Carparts.com (The only parts book I have) it shows a 25mm and 27mm.



The smaller one used in the earler 2500's was 23. 8mm



27mm is the bigger cylender, but 25mm is the size on the 2000-01's



Wish I knew the real answer, I should have measured mine. but a couple mm is hard to tell without taking the dust boot off.



also, while were on the subject, (and I got the experts attention) what brand of calapers would you recomend? There next

I have heard of guys getting some that were real loose, and others that fit great.



TowPro

Originally posted by sam peterson

Tow Pro---All the heat cracking on the shoes is common after several thou miles. Good idea to get them off. No the 3500 shoes won't fit . They are 3 1/2 inches wide and won't line up with the wheel cylinder shoe link. But you could have used a larger bore wheel cylinder to help rear braking. ---Sam

 

[TowPro]

Don't think the 2wd has one, but thanks! I have seen this TSB.

Originally posted by S Campbell

The other way to get more rear wheel braking is to shorten the proportioning valve link "slightly" at the left rear wheel.

 

[sam peterson]

Tow Pro--The only way to tell for sure is to measure the bore size. Its hard to do with the cylinder on the truck. Seems like some trucks come with 3500 cylinders from the factory and some not. If it has the 1 1/16 cylinders you could increase to 1 1/8. On vehicles that are loaded all the time we have used 1 3/16 for additional rear braking. Being a caliper rebuilder myself I can control quality, but there is a lot of junk on the market that goes thru the assembly line process. A good product that may be available in your area is ARI [formerly ACE] brand out of california. They may have a webb site to tell where there distributors are. I can tell you brands to stay away from but not on webb. Let me know if you need more info----Sam