Brakes 98 Ram 1500

Pads and shoes are pads and shoes, just as drums and rotors are drums and rotors. On most vehicles the ABS magic happens elsewhere.

Well, the front pads were easy to replace. But the rear shoes - blah, I had to go buy a book and check the pictures to get all the springs hooked up, and heck, I really didn't even have to replace the darn shoes - they were fine. I didn't pull them first because it's hard to drive to the store with no rear brakes (but not impossible, lol)

Yes; when you push the piston back on the front calipers and the cylinders back on the drums - open the bleeders and block of the hoses (clamp them lightly) to avoid pushing dirty fluid up the hoses and into the brake system. Most systems DO NOT like dirty fluid being PUSHED backwards, and pushing caliper pistons back often dislodges dirt - right into the ABS controllers, etc. When pistons are back, release the clamps, and leave the bleeders open - and the system will gavity bleed for you. The more and cleane rthe fluid you add the better.

Failing to do this can prove to be very expensive on some systems (90's Ford F series, GM light trucks - and most others!)

Also saves the bleeding hassle!