[Rattlesnake]

I went to have regularly scheduled maintenece(oil change, transmission fliud, etc.) and it ended up costing $350!!! They sent me a coupon in the mail for a free brake check with an oil change so I went ahead and let them check them. I've had my truck for 2 1/2 years and 38k miles and never heard the first squeak or had any trouble stopping. Anyway, they said they needed too be replaced. They looked fine to me but I don't know much about them so they replaced them. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[woody]

I have a set of pads at home with over a 1/4" of pad material on them. Dealer claimed they had only 1/32nd of an inch left...

I was NOT thrilled. however, I _could_ see that if the tech wrote 7/32, but the service-writer couldn't read it write, that it would have been a misunderstanding.

I bought some new pads, and then found out after tearing everthing apart that the stock ones were fine.

This was at 20K miles

Upside was that the new pads stop better than the old. New ones are Raybestus ones.

 

[Rattlesnake]

So I'm not the only one with this problem. What's the deal with this anyway? One of my Mom's friends let his slide after the dealer told him that they needed to be replaced and it ended up costing him over $700!!!

 

[Badboy4453]

Haven't you heard of the new brake pads that cost 700$? HA! Dealers are a joke, they told me at 15K that they wanted to do the 15K once over, where they don't do **** except grease a few zerks and check some fluids. I asked the price, 350$!! I told him I would pass, but not in such a nice way.

 

[Rattlesnake]

Did that 15k "once over" include greasing the front and rear ends and checking the transmission fluid? If so they tried to get me with that one as well. I wasn't sure how often to keep the front and rear greezed but I knew it wouldn't at 15k miles. I did let them change the transmission fluid the last time at 38k. I figured it was time for that. They also told me that it was time for a fuel injection cleaning that would cost over $200. After I asked about fuel injection cleaner(Simple STP or something) that you pour in, he told me that it would the same thing just "not as in debth."

 

[Badboy4453]

Yeah, I think it did include the front/rear ends and trans fluid also. Dealers are a joke, when I took my truck in about the pulling problem they first told me it was because the brakes hadn't been broken in, then they replaced both calipers(or so they said) Then they told me they could replace the ball joints, but it could correct the problem, or could make it worse...why are they even there? What a shot in the dark. I could take a sledge hammer to it and maybe make it better or maybe make it worse.

 

[DieselRam]

well i kinda got mud in my brakes and messed up the pads and then when they got really hot it warped the rotors luckily i can work on all that stuff myself so all it cost me was 300 for the parts i know the dealer would have charges atleast 800 what a JOKE. anyone have any good tips to get mud out of your brakes before it screwed everything up?

 

[ruffram]

I could see how if you got enough mud caked in there they could overheat if used a lot while the mud was still there. I would try to not get the brakes hot while they are caked with mud. Wash them out bfore a big trip or a lot of miles. THat will probably help to get some life out of them.

 

[Rattlesnake]

Thanks Ruffram, I'll have to remember that.

 

[apoclyps]

At least Im not alone in the getting screwed over brakes department, except mine wasnt at a dealer, and it still cost me 700$ when everything was all done. It still annoys the hell out of me when i think about it. :evil: Grrr....

 

[JasonB]

I bought new pads, calipers and rotors and paid about $350 and did it all myself in an hour.

As for greasing things, I like to top of the zerks wiht every oil change. BTW, on the Rams, there are only 5 zerks on the front end and none in the rear. Upper ball joints (2) lower draglink end (1) and tie rod end (1).

I have added servicable u-joints on my rear d-shaft so I get 2 extras.

 

[RootBreaker]

Brake is on the Right !!!!!
:lol:

 

[DieselRam]

yeah my only problem is up here in the mountains of Va we have to wheel up on top of mountains so we have to use ALOT of brakes creeping off the sides so we have no real way to not use brakes i always have my truck in low gear but these are tiny dirt roads they lead up to the mud pits and they just happen to have 30 foot cliffs to fall off of it u happen to go off the side of the road. (hope u don't meet a logging truck) this is why i am looking for an old cj that i can beat all to hell and not really worry to much about hell if it breaks i will just weld it back together

 

[Rattlesnake]

That's why we just bought our Willys!!!