Scary braking experience

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On my last trip pulling my 12,000 lb 5th wheel down from the high sierras I had a scary experience. I had just come down some hair pin turns on hwy 50 and pulled over to check the temp on the trailer brakes, they were warm but not hot so I proceeded my descent. After a few miles with my TC locked up I was pretty cofident about slowing down from 45/55mph to 35mph or so for the upcoming turns. What started is I felt a sort of bumping feed back on the brake pedal and the more preasure I gave it the more vibration. The next slow down the when I applied brakes the truck and trailer began violently shakeing, I keep preasure on the brake pedal until the rig slowed down to 35, let off on the brakes and it went away. I kept going slow until I had a safe place to pull over and when I did the front left wheel was smoking. It went away and I finished up the trip without any other braking problem.
Did I just over heat my fron brakes or was this related to the rear wheel ABS? I never have liked the way the rear brakes just seem to drop out when stopping hard.
I need to fix this before our next mountain trip in the springtime or my wife says she won't ride along. Thanks

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'98 12V 3500 Dually Std Cab, Auto, 3. 54, Banks Stinger Plus, Sun Coast TC. BD valve body, BD Pressureloc



[This message has been edited by Roger Ledbetter (edited 12-20-2000). ]

 

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Dodge brakes are marginal at best, given the weight of the truck... Ford did a much better job in this department! As long as you have the lock-up equipment, dont do the mountain thing again until you install an exhaust brake! They are a life saver whether you're loaded or unloaded... and to answer your question, yes, you overcooked the fronts. Once they are hot, stopping is a bad idea. What happens is, you get the rotor really hot, and if you stop and keep your foot on the brake pedal, the pads will draw extreme heat to one spot and warp the rotor! They can also warp without the pads even touching... just by stopping and putting your truck in 'Park' you can warp your rotors. They like cool, fresh air going over them. I used a US Gear Decelerator for years... great product!

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97 2500 CC 4x4 3. 54 5spd, Green, #12 plate slid all the way forward, 4inch open exhaust, 235/85 Michelins, RS 9000's, PrimeLoc, Red Tops, TDR cloisonae grill badge!

 

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<FONT color=blue>Roger, you might want to remove your left front tire and take a good look at your brake rotor, my experience has been that after just one overheating episode the rotors will develop cracks. <FONT color=green>

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1997 2500 Ext Cab 4X4,5 spd,3. 54's,Pac brake,Rancho 9000's,Centerforce clutch,K&N airfilter,Missing Cat,Isspro gauges,and #11plate(280hp/680tq)AFC medium spring

 

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As stated above you definitely need to look at the front brakes on the truck. You also need to look at the trailer brakes. If you have the 12X2 brakes they are only good for about 15 or 20 thousand miles and they have to be adjusted about every 4 or 5 thousand miles to work good. If they are not worn out, you need to turn up the heat on them a little and save the truck brakes. 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.

 

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I agree to keep the trailer brakes in top condition. The Dodge or any other 3/4 or 1 ton truck is not designed to do all the stopping of both truck and towed item. That's why the max camper weight is many times less than the max towing weight.

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2001 HO 6 speed Regular Cab SLT 4x4 3. 54 anti spin 2500. Used for the daily grind and sneaking away to some secret Baja beaches toting a cabover

 

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Roger, you may want to repack the your front wheel bearings soon, especially the wheel you smoked the brake on. Excessive heat can cause the grease to liquify and run out of the bearing.

Vaughn

 

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Roger, my brother in law has a truck similar to yours and tows a trailer that is too big for the truck. He too has had a few incidents such as yours. He has found that changing the brake fluid(complete bleed job,out with the old, in with the new) before each towing season has really helped reduce brake problems. Overheating the brakes does the fluid absolutely no good.

Sam

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2001. 5 2500 QC HO 6sp LB 3. 54LS everything except leather, white/agate 2wd

 

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Roger, When i purchased my truck in the summer of 98 the local dealer here almost insisted that I install a bd exhaust brake. I had told him what I would be towing ( a 3 horse trail with a drop in camper in the truck) and he was very plain that the dodge brakes our not the best. the ford brakes were much better but then I would not have a cummins engine. We chose the dodge and when the truck was new installed the exhaust brake. We live and tow in the sierras all the time i WOULD NOT TOW anything of that size in the mountains without that extra control. I can desend highway 50 and hardly ever touch the brakes!, Good luck!

[This message has been edited by davedd (edited 12-22-2000). ]

 

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Vaugn is absolutely right. I had to replace a warped rotor due to a hung brake caliper on a Honda Civic. When I pulled the rotor, the wheel bearing grease (what little was left) had the consistancy of Crisco shortening. It had obviously liquified and re-solidified to a MUCH thinner state. Had the vehicle been driveable, she would have locked the bearings up. My old Pontiac did that in Riggins Idaho and literaly welded the race to the spindle. It couldn't be removed with heat and a cold chisle. Save your spindle, Re-pack now.

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2001 ETH 6spd 4X4 SLT

• Dark Garnet Red Pearlcoat
• A. R. E. MX Topper & Walk-thru Door
• 3. 54 Anti-Slip Diff.
• Trailer & Camper pkg.
• Turbo Silencer Ring in Glove Box
• Snow Plow Prep aka Moving to Colorado Prep

Nothin' could be sweeter than "Rammin' With My Newfys!!"

 

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Rodger

Make sure you stay on top of your rear brake adjustment, don't rely on the self adjusters.
This will help take some of the load off of the front brakes. I always run my trailer brake controller setting where the trailer brakes do a lot of the braking. I don't like where it is set at lower speeds, but at higher speeds, when you need to stop quick, it has save my butt a few times, especially in Utah, three times in two days.

Rodney

 

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I came off Monarc Pass running up to about55 and hiting the brake to drop speed to about 45. Done this 3 or r times before I got down to town. As I slowed down toenter town the front end shook like crazy. Stoped and both wheels were smoking. There was a dodge dearler right where I stoped. Pulled in and had them to gheck out the brakes. The rotors where warp and had boiled the grease out of the bearings. This was an 89 Dodge. The smoke was coming from the weel bearing grease
SamB

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97, Lamanie SLT, clubcab, driftwood, 3. 5 spicer 70 rear axle
96 Coachmen Royal 285rk 5th wheel, 11,000 #

 

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I agree with all the above, check rotor, pads even change to exhaust brakes and make sure you trailer brakes work well and do alot of the stopping for you... I agree with dodge brakes are not no where as well as fords and I haul a heavy trailer loaded with a john deer tractor alot and i always check adjustments on both truck and trailer and change fluid once a year weather needed or not... . and yes this only had to happen once and scares you enought to make sure you are safe the next time. My experance was that my trailer brakes were backed off all the way( go figure had employee do them) and were not working at all and came down a hill and needed less to say vibrating and then the worst trailer swaying, luckley no one was coming in other lane and I was able to stop. Oh and BYW this is Wendy and the employee was fired by phone. I could have killed him if i saw him.

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1996 3500 4x4 extended cab daul wheel cummins 12 valve, 1999 3500 4x4 quard door extended cummins 24 valve both 5 speed and plow trucks even thow the 1999 is my baby and the 1996 is my beater.