Question about 99 Ram brakes
From : bob m
Q: hey guys. i have a question i hope one of you can answer for me. i was working on my brothers truck yesterday doing some maintenence. i also replaced the headlight switch since his fog lights werent working and i also replaced the rwal speed sensor on the rear differential. the truck is a 99 ram 1500 auto with the 360. the brake light on the dash as well as the dash abs light were on. the truck would have a tendency for the wheels to lock up even when applying normal brake pedal pressure. speedometer worked fine. after changing the sensor on the differential the lights remained on. so i disconnected the negative battery cable for a few minutes. after reconnecting the cable and starting the truck the lights were out. we drove around the block and everything looked good. no warning lights and when i told him to stomp on the brakes they didnt lock up anymore. well he just called me a few minutes ago and said while driving to work this morning about 15 miles both the brake light and the abs light came back on again. i noticed yesterday when i put the emergency brake on that there was very little to no resistance in the pedal. also the truck rolled backwards and it appeared the emergency brake was not holding the vehicle. what id like to know is this. is the emergency brake adjustible if so how do i adjust it would a bad or misadjusted emergency brake cause the abs and brake warning lights on the dash to come on also hes never had new brake shoes put on the rear wheel of his truck. hes done the front pads but not the rear. would this also cause the two warning lights to come on fluid level is fine. or could it be a bad sensor i dont think the sensor is bad but i guess a new one could be bad. my bet is on the back brakes needing to be serviced but i want to confirm this with you guys. truck has just under 100k on it. i do have the factory service manual here on a cd from when i owned my 01 ram. thanks. bob .
Replies:
From : bob m
tom lawrence wrote after changing the sensor on the differential the lights remained on. so i disconnected the negative battery cable for a few minutes. after reconnecting the cable and starting the truck the lights were out. we drove around the block and everything looked good. no warning lights and when i told him to stomp on the brakes they didnt lock up anymore. this will happen if the cab controller anti-lock brake module loses power. check the wiring at the little black box next to the master cylinder. thanks tom. at least i know where to start. bob .
From : ed h
i have great respect for your technical knowledge of ram trucks but when ive adjusted my rear breaks ive raised the rear wheels then turned the star adjuster until the breaks just starts to drag then turn it back until there is no drag - usually 1 spoke of the star adjuster. thats from the factory service manual. does your method preclude the need to lift the rear wheels if the cables adjusted properly it could be the rear brakes themselves are out of adjustment. theres an adjuster mechanism on the bottom of the brakes accessible through some oval holes in the back side of the brake backing plate might have rubber plugs in the holes. you can ratchet the adjuster wheel with a flat-head screwdriver using the screwdriver as a lever you want to turn the adjuster wheel in the up direction. it will click as you turn it. the procedure is to turn it until it wont go anymore brakes shoes pressed against the drum then rotate it back 5-10 clicks. you make need a second screwdriver to push the adjusting arm out of the way to allow you to rotate the wheel in the down direction. .
From : tom lawrence
there is no drag - usually 1 spoke of the star adjuster. thats from the factory service manual. does your method preclude the need to lift the rear wheels right - you dont need to lift the wheels. in your method which is also perfectly acceptable when you start to feel drag you can still advance the adjuster wheel several more clicks. the end result of both methods is roughly the same give or take a click. .
From : jim flaherty
is it normal to get 100+ out of rear brakes mine1998 ram 4x4 still looked good at 123k but i had them replaced anyway. the fronts seem to require replacement every 45k+/-. seems like the fronts must be doing mostall of the work. i love my truck but i am unimpressed with its braking capabilities. is this what most folks are seeing there is no drag - usually 1 spoke of the star adjuster. thats from the factory service manual. does your method preclude the need to lift the rear wheels right - you dont need to lift the wheels. in your method which is also perfectly acceptable when you start to feel drag you can still advance the adjuster wheel several more clicks. the end result of both methods is roughly the same give or take a click. .
From : roy
is it normal to get 100+ out of rear brakes mine1998 ram 4x4 still looked good at 123k but i had them replaced anyway. the fronts seem to require replacement every 45k+/-. seems like the fronts must be doing mostall of the work. i love my truck but i am unimpressed with its braking capabilities. it would seem that you were only stopping with your front brakes. thus the unimpressive braking capability. id suggest that perhaps you manually adjust your rear brakes at every oil change or 5k miles to ensure they are helping to stop your truck. is this what most folks are seeing i hope not. .
From : tom lawrence
is it normal to get 100+ out of rear brakes mine1998 ram 4x4 still looked good at 123k but i had them replaced anyway. when out of adjustment and unused theyll last darn near forever do you have an automatic transmission .
From : nunya
is it normal to get 100+ out of rear brakes mine1998 ram 4x4 still looked good at 123k but i had them replaced anyway. the fronts seem to require replacement every 45k+/-. seems like the fronts must be doing mostall of the work. i love my truck but i am unimpressed with its braking capabilities. is this what most folks are seeing there is no drag - usually 1 spoke of the star adjuster. thats from the factory service manual. does your method preclude the need to lift the rear wheels right - you dont need to lift the wheels. in your method which is also perfectly acceptable when you start to feel drag you can still advance the adjuster wheel several more clicks. the end result of both methods is roughly the same give or take a click. your rear brakes are adjusted every time you apply your emergency brakes. make sure you apply your e-brake every time you stop your truck. even with this i still have to manually adjust the rears occasionally. takes about three spins of the adjuster with a screwdriver and i dont even have to jack it up off the ground. as to the braking of late 90s dodge trucks i am with you on the weak feeling brakes. remember that the fronts are the same undersized kelsy-hayes units that are on gm products. i had wear issues that were totally screwy too. i started using raybestos front rotors and a very high quality aftermarket brake pad and started getting an extra 15k out of the front brakes. in order to get my 97 to actually stop many times i would two foot the brake pedal and not even feel like i was slowing down if there was a load on the truck i did this. better rotors better pads constant adjusting of the rear brakes and one more thing. i dont recommend this to others but it really worked for me. i disconnected all of the antilock features. it is still almost impossible to get it to lock up with my big michelin ats. i tested the truck before and after the neutering of the antilock and i got a 25 to 30 percent decrease in stopping distance from two different test speeds. of course i am the same guy who removed his airbag completely from the steering column. those mid 90s airbags are more dangerous than bouncing off the steeering wheel i.m.o. be careful when you alter a vehicle from its original design. if you screw it up you can kill yourself or others. michael .
From : ed h
i thought they only adjusted when you came to a full stop in reverse with the brakes applied. is it normal to get 100+ out of rear brakes mine1998 ram 4x4 still looked good at 123k but i had them replaced anyway. the fronts seem to require replacement every 45k+/-. seems like the fronts must be doing mostall of the work. i love my truck but i am unimpressed with its braking capabilities. is this what most folks are seeing there is no drag - usually 1 spoke of the star adjuster. thats from the factory service manual. does your method preclude the need to lift the rear wheels right - you dont need to lift the wheels. in your method which is also perfectly acceptable when you start to feel drag you can still advance the adjuster wheel several more clicks. the end result of both methods is roughly the same give or take a click. your rear brakes are adjusted every time you apply your emergency brakes. make sure you apply your e-brake every time you stop your truck. even with this i still have to manually adjust the rears occasionally. takes about three spins of the adjuster with a screwdriver and i dont even have to jack it up off the ground. as to the braking of late 90s dodge trucks i am with you on the weak feeling brakes. remember that the fronts are the same undersized kelsy-hayes units that are on gm products. i had wear issues that were totally screwy too. i started using raybestos front rotors and a very high quality aftermarket brake pad and started getting an extra 15k out of the front brakes. in order to get my 97 to actually stop many times i would two foot the brake pedal and not even feel like i was slowing down if there was a load on the truck i did this. better rotors better pads constant adjusting of the rear brakes and one more thing. i dont recommend this to others but it really worked for me. i disconnected all of the antilock features. it is still almost impossible to get it to lock up with my big michelin ats. i tested the truck before and after the neutering of the antilock and i got a 25 to 30 percent decrease in stopping distance from two different test speeds. of course i am the same guy who removed his airbag completely from the steering column. those mid 90s airbags are more dangerous than bouncing off the steeering wheel i.m.o. be careful when you alter a vehicle from its original design. if you screw it up you can kill yourself or others. michael .
From : jim flaherty
on tue 13 mar 2007 204821 -0500 tbone tbonenospam@nc.rr.com wrote actually those lights on together mean that there is something wrong with the anti-lock system which may or may not be major. in most cases it indicates that the speed sensor in the rear axle has failed but that is not always the case. either way at worst it indicates that your anti-lock system is no longer functional and if you have just the rear anti-lock brakes i dont see it as any real loss at all. it is unlikely that the anti-brake light would illuminate due to a fluid leak. well well fords are a bit different w/the warning lights then guess you know who is the ass this time when i a$$ume d. my bad the op did look anyway for leakage which would make me feel alot better about using my truck w/the warnings lit. .
From : nunya
i thought they only adjusted when you came to a full stop in reverse with the brakes applied. snip actually holding the brakes down while in reverse will spin the adjusters also. but if you will engage your emergency brake and release it 10 to twenty times you can feel thre brakes tighten if the adjusters are already close. if it is way out of adjustment crawling under the truck is the quickest and most efficient way. michael as to the braking of late 90s dodge trucks i am with you on the weak feeling brakes. remember that the fronts are the same undersized kelsy-hayes units that are on gm products. i had wear issues that were totally screwy too. i started using raybestos front rotors and a very high quality aftermarket brake pad and started getting an extra 15k out of the front brakes. in order to get my 97 to actually stop many times i would two foot the brake pedal and not even feel like i was slowing down if there was a load on the truck i did this. better rotors better pads constant adjusting of the rear brakes and one more thing. i dont recommend this to others but it really worked for me. i disconnected all of the antilock features. it is still almost impossible to get it to lock up with my big michelin ats. i tested the truck before and after the neutering of the antilock and i got a 25 to 30 percent decrease in stopping distance from two different test speeds. of course i am the same guy who removed his airbag completely from the steering column. those mid 90s airbags are more dangerous than bouncing off the steeering wheel i.m.o. be careful when you alter a vehicle from its original design. if you screw it up you can kill yourself or others. michael .
From : nosey
is it normal to get 100+ out of rear brakes mine1998 ram 4x4 still looked good at 123k but i had them replaced anyway. when out of adjustment and unused theyll last darn near forever do you have an automatic transmission yes 46re .
From : tom lawrence
be careful what you ask god for http//.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3044178.stm lightning hits preacher after call to god the service electrified the congregation a congregation in the united states was left stunned when lightning struck a church moments after a visiting preacher asked god for a sign. church members in the town of forest in the state of ohio said the preacher had been emphasising the importance of penance when in the course of his prayers he called on the heavens above. the lightning struck the steeple then hit the preacher himself when it travelled through electrical wiring to his microphone. local authorities said he was not injured. it was awesome just awesome said church member ronnie cheney who was among the congregation when the strike hit told the findlay courier paper. . 222 332062 eptjh.12656$td2.8172@read1..pas.earthlink.net when out of adjustment and unused theyll last darn near forever do you have an automatic transmission yes 46re yeah... that would explain things. as others have mentioned the adjusters dont really work when going in reverse like backing out of a parking spot and braking to a stop. regular use of the e-brake will keep them adjusted which most of us dont use in an automatic. my 99 was a stick so i used the e-brake all the time and the rears always stayed in adjustment. my 95 is an automatic and i need to keep the rears in adjustment manually because i never remember to cycle the e-brake. .
From : tom lawrence
after changing the sensor on the differential the lights remained on. so i disconnected the negative battery cable for a few minutes. after reconnecting the cable and starting the truck the lights were out. we drove around the block and everything looked good. no warning lights and when i told him to stomp on the brakes they didnt lock up anymore. this will happen if the cab controller anti-lock brake module loses power. check the wiring at the little black box next to the master cylinder. i noticed yesterday when i put the emergency brake on that there was very little to no resistance in the pedal. also the truck rolled backwards and it appeared the emergency brake was not holding the vehicle. what id like to know is this. is the emergency brake adjustible if so how do i adjust it it is... if its just the e-brake theres a tensioner on the cable about mid-way back along the drivers frame rail. follow the brake cable from underneath the cab and youll find the adjuster. you need either a really deep 1/2 socket or a ratcheting box-end wrench you could also do it with a regular wrench itll just take longer. tighten this adjuster to remove most of the slack from the cable. you dont want it too tight or the brakes will drag. if the cables adjusted properly it could be the rear brake
From : jim flaherty
when out of adjustment and unused theyll last darn near forever do you have an automatic transmission yes 46re yeah... that would explain things. as others have mentioned the adjusters dont really work when going in reverse like backing out of a parking spot and braking to a stop. regular use of the e-brake will keep them adjusted which most of us dont use in an automatic. my 99 was a stick so i used the e-brake all the time and the rears always stayed in adjustment. my 95 is an automatic and i need to keep the rears in adjustment manually because i never remember to cycle the e-brake. thanks ill give adjusting the brakes a go. .