2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Brake Job

Aggie67 · 02-04-2009, 03:19 PM

Starting a thread for DIY'ing a brake job, pads and rotors, on my truck. Got an estimate Monday for $850 while I was getting the tires done. I inspected the rotors, pads, boots, hoses, etc, myself while it was up on the lift, so I know all I need are rotors and pads. The parts are only $240. That $610 will come in handy.

I have done brakes before many times, I just never took pics and posted them. I'll post pics the day I do it. Hopefully it will inspire someone to save some money and do it themselves.

Going to pick up the rotors tomorrow. I'll probably do the job Saturday morning.

gotboost · 02-08-2009, 09:38 AM

Why do you need rotor's,did the brakes go metal to metal,or after messurement they are under spec..

Aggie67 · 02-08-2009, 10:48 AM

The fronts were 1.031 and 1.033, which is right at the minimum. Rears had a bit of meat left, .844 and .851, but if I'm doing the front, I'll do the rears as well. There's a guy up the street from my shop that cuts them for $20 a pop, but weighing the cut time versus cost for a new rotor, I'd just as soon pop new ones in. I'll keep the rears in stock for insurance.

I'm still waiting for one of the rotors to come in. Hopefully I'll have it Monday morning. Nobody stocks anything anymore.

Aggie67 · 02-11-2009, 08:06 PM

Got busy at work, gotta make hay while the sun's shining.

Scuba_Dave · 02-11-2009, 08:36 PM

I did the brakes on my wifes last car
They wanted over $600 front & back
Rotors were fine, the better pads were just over $60

I've helped a few friends out with their brakes too

More & more they want to change out the rotors at the same time
Even if they aren't needed

KHouse75 · 02-12-2009, 12:22 AM

Brakes on the Dodge RAM 1500 are pretty easy to work on. It's very strange that your rotors would have worn out so quickly though.

I have a 2002 Dodge RAM Quad Cab that I've driven every day since May 2002. I've only replaced the brakes once and the rotors have almost no wear.

Aggie67 · 03-21-2009, 08:53 PM

I can't believe it's been a month, and I still haven't done my brakes. The wife got on me to paint the kitchen, which turned into minor drywall repairs, replacing all of the crown molding, and refinishing the hardwood floor. But I have to live up to my word. I will post photos, but I have no firm schedule when I will do this.

My rotors are shotski. I usually have some sort of load in the back (threading machine, or a welding machine, etc). Plus I live on a steep hill. I basically have to ride my brakes all the way down through the neighborhood to the main drag.

brokenknee · 03-22-2009, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotboost

Why do you need rotor's,did the brakes go metal to metal,or after messurement they are under spec..

Wear is only one reason to turn/replace you rotors'. Warping is the other; warping can be from a few different reasons, Aggie already stated one reason.

Another way to warp your rotors is when you change a tire when the brakes are hot (such as a flat tire on the freeway). When changing a tire make sure you tighten the lugs in the right sequence (criss/cross, star pattern). Also make sure not to overtorque the lugs. Although there is different torque specs for different vehicles, a "general" rule of thumb is about 90 ft pounds of torque.

I rarely turn my rotors, I replace them when needed. Most rotors now days you can only turn one, maybe two times (this varies with condition of rotor and skill of the shop) before they are out of spec. Once turned they are also thinner, so more susceptible to heat build up/warping. The cost saving is usually not significant and I would have to wait for them. If I buy new they usually have them in stock so there is no, or very little additional down time waiting for parts.

kenmac · 03-24-2009, 12:01 AM

Rotors for that Dodge are around $45.00--$50.00 ea.

brokenknee · 03-24-2009, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenmac

Rotors for that Dodge are around $45.00--$50.00 ea.

And to get them turned would be twenty to twenty five each. So half the price of a new rotor is paid for.

ltmayhem · 03-26-2009, 01:27 PM

I did the brakes on my '04 RAM 1500 quad cab last year. Had the rotors turned instead of putting on new ones. Big mistake. The oem rotors are crap on these things. Shop said the rotors could only be turned once, that they were already worn too much (at 4 years old, with 36k miles). Anyway, just over one year later, we're doing the brakes again, due to rotor warping. These brakes haven't had much hard use...I pull a car trailer once in a while, but overall, the truck gets round town usage with no load.

I'm currently working at a diesel repair shop, and we've gotten quite a few of the newer dodges in, for brakes and for ujoint wear...This was my first New car ever...and I'm sorry I bought it...Too many "soft" oem parts in this thing.

I guess the point i'm getting at here, is that the Dodge 1500 oem brakes are crap, and when you change them, DON'T BUY OEM!

Just my .02

kenmac · 03-26-2009, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brokenknee

And to get them turned would be twenty to twenty five each. So half the price of a new rotor is paid for.

I guess that depends on location ....$12.50 ea here

brokenknee · 03-26-2009, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenmac

I guess that depends on location ....$12.50 ea here

That's cheap, I would probably get them turned for that price.

KHouse75 · 03-26-2009, 06:35 PM

Dodge must have changed something after 2002. I just checked my rotors and brakes and they still have very little wear since changing the pads a couple of years ago. I drive a mix of city and highway but I'm not on the brakes hard all the time.

When I changed the pads a couple of years ago I want to say I used Bendix brand. They had a blue rotor surfacing material which is supposed to help remove the glaze from the rotor allowind the pad to seat better without having to rough up the surface with sandpaper or turning them.

I did have some bad vibrations at highway speed but it turned out to just be poorly balanced tires. I had them rebalanced which resolved the problem.

I did have the U-Joint problem which feels like the transmission is slipping. The OEM U-Joints are pretty cheap and don't have a grease fitting. I replaced them with a much better ones with grease fittings.

I've had this 2002 Dodge RAM 1500 Quad Cab 4.7L since new and I've been very happy with it. I've replaced the U-Joints, changed the brakes once, replaced the spark plugs a couple of times and changed the brakes lights once (lt even tells you when a lamp is out). It's a very solid truck.

johnnyboy · 03-26-2009, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenmac

I guess that depends on location ....$12.50 ea here

duralast?

lifetime warranty or not, it still gets old changing them every 1-2 years. I just put on a set of raybestos, but even those are starting to be made in china. ughh you can't get away from it.