Wheel size

Apr 15, 2006 25 Replies

No, they don't have "fine" brakes! The 94-2001 Rams were known for having poor brakes. And that has nothing to do with rotor quality, they needed bigger rotors and better calipers even more. When they decided to put 20" wheels as an option, better brakes were a necessity.

I've been driving, and buying new cars and trucks since 73. I never had a warped rotor, period, until my 1988 S10 Blazer got them at about 12K. The dealer turned them, and they were ok, until about 30K, when it came back, right after I had to replace both front tires after running over a huge pile of screws in the street. This time, I had to have rotors and the dealer replaced them under warranty. No more problems.

My next vehicle, a 93 Grand Cherokee, warped the fronts by 6K, and had to have new rotors at 15K. They were so bad turning wasn't an option. Mopar gave me those, but refused to go for another pair about a year later when they were even worse than the first ones. I bought some hugely expensive aftermarket ones, and they were fine until I got rid of it in 99, when I bought a new GC, and it warped them by 7K, and needed new ones, that DC did do under warranty, at 14K. They were as bad as the first ones, but aftermarkets weren't so $$, so I went with them, and solved the problem.

The seats in the 99 killed my back, so I traded it on a 2000 GMC Sierra, and warped both front and rears within 6 months. The rears never warped again, but the fronts were turned twice and replaced under warranty. They warped really suddenly and really severely one morning during a rainstorm. I went and bought some cheap aftermarkets, and the problem was solved. Not to say the brakes, the ABS on the rears ever worked right, a small bump made the whole system freak out, and it's amazing that the govt hasn't made them recall them and fix it.

When the Sierra was wrecked, I got my present 2003 Ram QC 4X$, and at about 7K, the shakes and pulling started again. The dealer turned the rotors, and they were ok until 24 K, when they warped again. They turned them again, and they just were legal(I saw the reading). I will need front pads next spring, and rotors too. I will try powerslots or some other decent aftermarket rotors before wasting my money on factory junk ones. When the rotors are straight, my truck stops amazingly fast, and straight..

Side by side, the difference in rotors, even some of the crappiest aftermarket ones are noticeably heavier than the stock ones, and appear to be machined a lot better too. The difference between the stock Sierra rotors and the cheap aftermarkets was so obvious, just by looking at them side by side, it was clear the 25 buck each aftermarkets blew away the factory ones. They were much heavier too.

BDK

In theory thats true but the stopping distance of the newer Rams with

17" is about the same as the older 16" models. Aren't Fords and Chevy's still 16"? They seem to do just fine with em.

You know I had this same problem with my 98 Cherokee I had. The rotors were out of specs, or so the dealer said. They *were* scored up pretty badly, and at only about 40K. I had to replace them. What about non-metallic pads? Do they still make them? Would they be any better?

My 1500 still has its original drum brakes at 145,000 miles. The first three years of the trucks' life it towed a boat too!

Not certain how other trucks stack up as I've only owned a Ford F-150 before the Dodge, but I'd say that's a pretty decent lifespan for drum brakes on a light duty truck.

The front disks are a different matter. Replaced pads twice and rotors twice; once prematurely when the caliper jammed on its slide causing premature wear of the disk at 28,000 miles.

My local mechanics say *all* the vehicle disks are probably more cheaply made these days, and have greater tendency to warp, and of course the kids at the tire/muffler shops with their air wrenches don't help.

I've had new tires with the wheels so tightly torqued I've had to stand on a long extension to get them loose, and I have a feeling they weren't torqued up very symmetrically either.

When buying new tires, I always retorque with a torquewrench when I get home and haven't had rotor warping problems since.

SMH

Are you sure it's the rotors and not you? I've been driving since '75 and only had one warped rotor in my lifetime. I regularly pull a 9000# travel trailer behind a 2500. It has 43K miles on it and I'm still on the original set of pads.

If I counted correctly, you claimed to have warped/damaged rotors 12 times! How is it defective rotors flock to your vehicles. Any chance you're a little heavy on the brake pedal? Or maybe it's a conspiracy between the dealers, manufacturers, and auto parts store to send all bad rotors to you.

Remember, it's a truck, not a sports car.

It varies with make and model of vehicle for me. Here's the vehicles I've owned.

1964 Buick Skylark. 75K, changed pads once, no rotor troubles 1984 Nissan Truck. 95K, changed pads once, no rotor troubles 1988 Suzuki Samurai. 65K, original brakes 1989 Firebird. 55K, original brakes 1991 Suzuki 4 door sidekick, pads shot at 8K and again every 20K or so. Replaced under warranty 1st two times. Brakes were same as on earlier 2 door model, too small! No rotor issues. 1993 Nissan Truck. 145K, changed pads once, no rotor troubles. 1993 Nissan Altima. 95K, changed pads once, no rotor troubles. 1999 Isuzu Amigo. 55K, original brakes. 2000 Ram 4z4. Rotors warped at 10K, replaced under warranty. DC buyback at 30K for continued transmission issues. 2001 Ram. Pads glazed at 15K (sanded and were fine after), rotors warped at 25K (turned, no problems since). Replaced pads at 65K. 2004 Durango 4x4. Rotors warped at 5K. Replaced under warranty. Known problem with many complaints and TSB issued. Warped again at 36K but have not turned/replaced them yet.

My problems with rotors are only with Dodge vehicles. No complaints with brakes on other vehicles except the Suzuki Sidekick. Just too small of brakes for weight of vehicle.

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