2003 Ram 3500 brake issues!!

[clayhardock]

I agree with above post about the unit bearing being toast. Seen this many times on many vehicles. Toasted bearing lets the wheel(and rotor) tilt over and put pressure on the pistons in the caliper pushing them back into their bore. The next time you push the brake the first few strokes have to refill the pistons giving a soft pedal.

Jack up the front end, grab wheel and 12 and 6 o'clock and alternately push and pull and see if it moves.

This is an excellent site for all years dodge diesel. Dodge Diesel - Diesel Truck Resource Forums - Powered by vBulletin 2003 is a 3rd gen truck.

 

[BuilderML]

I have yet again more info to add. Today i jacked up the front of the truck. Not good:hissyfit:. I do have play when grabbing wheel at 12 and 6 positions not alot but some, also looks like the ball joints have play as i take a pry bar in between the axle and ball joint and i have movement up and down on the ball joint. I did have someone push on the brakes while turning the spindle to see if the caliper was releasing and it is. So from what i can see at this point looks to me like the play would be pushing in the caliper as others have said. So for now looks like its not a brake issue. Bad news looks like over $1000 in parts to get the front end back to normal. I'll be doing upper and lower ball joints, front axle u-joints, and hub spindles. Sounds like a weekend of knuckle breaking fun. Again i will be keeping you guys posted with what i do and find out. Anymore ideas keep them coming. The thing i fear is once i get the front end back into spec is that i will still have the same issue. Looks like only time will tell.:mur:

 

[sd455dan]

I have yet again more info to add. Today i jacked up the front of the truck. Not good:hissyfit:. I do have play when grabbing wheel at 12 and 6 positions not alot but some,


OK- how much can u move the outside of the tire ?

total amount of side to side movement would you estimate??


asking because i have seen some with a 1/4 inch and that was not enough to affect pedal travel at all-although the bearing did need replacement.

 

[BuilderML]

I have yet again more info to add. Today i jacked up the front of the truck. Not good:hissyfit:. I do have play when grabbing wheel at 12 and 6 positions not alot but some,


OK- how much can u move the outside of the tire ?

total amount of side to side movement would you estimate??


asking because i have seen some with a 1/4 inch and that was not enough to affect pedal travel at all-although the bearing did need replacement.

I would say about 1/4". By the time you add the play in the bearing and the play in the ball joint i would think that might be enough.

 

[sd455dan]

The ball joints ( king pins) play is not additive to the unit bearing with respect to the rotor to caliper piston clearance...

 

[Clint S]

Ok the suspense is getting to me any update...............
....

 

[Wayne64SS]

I have yet again more info to add. Today i jacked up the front of the truck. Not good:hissyfit:. I do have play when grabbing wheel at 12 and 6 positions not alot but some, also looks like the ball joints have play as i take a pry bar in between the axle and ball joint and i have movement up and down on the ball joint. I did have someone push on the brakes while turning the spindle to see if the caliper was releasing and it is. So from what i can see at this point looks to me like the play would be pushing in the caliper as others have said. So for now looks like its not a brake issue. Bad news looks like over $1000 in parts to get the front end back to normal. I'll be doing upper and lower ball joints, front axle u-joints, and hub spindles. Sounds like a weekend of knuckle breaking fun. Again i will be keeping you guys posted with what i do and find out. Anymore ideas keep them coming. The thing i fear is once i get the front end back into spec is that i will still have the same issue. Looks like only time will tell.:mur:

You will have the same issue when it's back together.

 

[crashz]

We replaced the brakes in my father's 2011 Chevy a month ago or so. Similar problem but worse. His had a soft pedal all of the time, yet no sign of brake line leakage.

What we found was that the pads were wedged into the seats by the stainless steel slides. Rust got behind them and wedged the pads tight to the rotor. It wrecked the rotors and pads. The unique thing with trucks with hydro-boost is that they will push so hard that the pedal feels mushy, all the while the calipers are seized. The mushy-ness comes from other flex, like the rubber brake lines under very high pressure.

Once we replaced the rotors (wrecked), pads and cleaned the tracks, it stopped perfectly.

BTW his truck is a 2011 2500HD 4x4 with only 20K miles. The truck sits in a barn with a dirt floor, is used to plow snow in the winter, and is being eaten by rust at an alarming rate. I've been harassing him about taking better care of it until recently, when I found my 2012 (same truck basically, but is driven more, does not plow and is babied) is doing the same thing! I can't wait to spend $1000 on my brakes too...

Question for the OP - Does the Ram sit around much until you need it? Seems like sitting causes them to rust, and rust is killing them.

 

[sd455dan]

We replaced the brakes in my father's 2011 Chevy a month ago or so. Similar problem but worse. His had a soft pedal all of the time, yet no sign of brake line leakage.

What we found was that the pads were wedged into the seats by the stainless steel slides. Rust got behind them and wedged the pads tight to the rotor. It wrecked the rotors and pads. The unique thing with trucks with hydro-boost is that they will push so hard that the pedal feels mushy, all the while the calipers are seized. The mushy-ness comes from other flex, like the rubber brake lines under very high pressure.

Once we replaced the rotors (wrecked), pads and cleaned the tracks, it stopped perfectly.

BTW his truck is a 2011 2500HD 4x4 with only 20K miles. The truck sits in a barn with a dirt floor, is used to plow snow in the winter, and is being eaten by rust at an alarming rate. I've been harassing him about taking better care of it until recently, when I found my 2012 (same truck basically, but is driven more, does not plow and is babied) is doing the same thing! I can't wait to spend $1000 on my brakes too...

Question for the OP - Does the Ram sit around much until you need it? Seems like sitting causes them to rust, and rust is killing them.

So before the repairs, when you pressed the brake pedal almost to the floor- you had almost zero braking for the truck???

Because that is what the OPs first post says -unless i am reading it wrong...

also I thought the op already checked the calipers for free movement of the caliper bodies, pistons, and pads??

 

[LD1]

Just saw this thread too. I have a 2005, so I too am looking for an update.

Hope you didnt spend a ton of money on un-needed parts. The ball joints are supposed to have a little vertical play. The top one isnt actually a ball joint, just a pin in a sleeve. Only the lower one is a ball joint.

Its it in and out movement you need to be worried with on the joints. Grabbing the tire at 12 and 6 oclock, you try to push in at the top and pull out at the bottom and vice versa. IF there is play in the joints by doing that, then yea they need replaced.

 

[puckgrinder85]

Before I read any posts my first thought was the hub bearing worn/ loose causing this. I'd replace the hub assembly first and see if its resolves your brake issue. Either way, if its loose it needs to be replaced, whether or not it resolves two problems at once is up to you to find out!

 

[BuilderML]

Sorry for the delay in updates, But i don't have much to add yet. I have ordered all new front brake lines from the dealer.About $250. They should all be in by early next week. Not part of the original problem but its only a matter of time until they let go. So i figure i will be replacing the master cylinder and the front brake lines. At least i won't have to worry about blowing another line. I have not done any of the front end work yet. I still am not 100% sure of what the problem is.
To answer one of the questions in an earlier post. I drive the truck every day and is parked in the garage at night. This truck has never seen a plow. Dealer told me i could thank the state for the crap they are putting on the roads now a days that is causing everything to rust so fast. I do plan on replacing the hub, ball joints, and tie rod ends. Not all are due to the problem but still need to be replaced. I wish i had the time to work on it but work is so busy right now its tough to get it done.
The problem seems to come and go as of late. The newest thing happening with the pedal is while applying the pedal slowly with constant light pressure coming to a slow stop i hear a pop and the pedal jumps down. Once pumped back up its fine again. Sounds like its coming from the left front caliper (which is the wheel with the most play in it ) It doesn't happen every time. Maybe the slides are badly rusted causing the pads to stick some. A couple weeks ago when this first happened i had the wheel off and the wife pumping the brakes and the caliper would work as it should. So now i am thinking rusty slides,possible caliper, and or bad hub/bearing.
Thanks again for the great info guys it does help.
I will keep you guys posted as things happen and/or get replaced. I am pretty busy with work so it makes it tough trying to roll around under the truck on a Sunday. With my luck i'll need more parts and with it being Sunday i won't be able to get them so that is why i am waiting to get a couple of days off to try to get it fixed.

 

[BuilderML]

You will have the same issue when it's back together.

You don't think that if the hub gets replaced with the bearings being bad/play that wouldn't help? Or do you think i would have other symptoms or noise if it was the hub? I did see your earlier post about the hoses and caliper. Caliper seems to apply and release with the wheel off and turning the spindle. I guess that would suggest the pads them selves sticking.

 

[puckgrinder85]

You're better off starting by replacing known bad parts. Steering/ suspension components aren't going to be causing this, the wheel bearing is possible and very probable as you stated its loose. It needs to be replaced anyway so you're not out any money by just doing it to see if it resolves your issue. Just replace it already.

 

[BuilderML]

Update, I have had time to pull the front left wheel. I checked again to make sure the caliper was working and that the sliders were also not frozen. All looked well. I did notice the brake line going to the rear that i replaced a few weeks ago had a very small amount of moisture next to the nut. So i tightened the fitting some low and behold no more brake issue as of yet. I did spray the fitting with some brake cleaner to get it cleaned off. The leak is nothing that would of caused fluid to squirt out or drip down but was enough to show dampness on the line. I am waiting to replace my front brakes lines before i bleed the whole system again. Brakes feel great and pedal has not dropped. I do still need to replace parts in the front end but looks like this has taken care of the problem.
If the problem comes back i'll know this wasn't the issue but as of now looks good. Case closed as some would say.
Thanks again for the help. :drink:

 

[Mace Canute]

I suspect that a cup seal in your master cylinder has worn thin on the bottom and is folding back over on itself occasionally which will allow brake fluid to bypass the piston.