Last week, I had a caliper seize on me. By the time I got home, the rotor was smoked too. Got Pads, rotors, and reman calipers from the parts joint. Put it all together, bled it up nice and oh no, I ended up with 1st Gen Spongy Brakes Syndrome, This is a recurring subject on any Dodge truck board. Some have fought the syndrome by switching to Chevy brakes, some give up, some just live with it. All the normal spongy brake cures like leaks, bleeding, rear adjustment will have little or no effect. And its not the MC or the RWAL or flex hoses either. If any of the above fixed your truck, you truly did not actually have 1st Gen Spongy Brakes Syndrome. The biggest problem with our trucks is the garbage caliper sliders that wear and let the calipers hang all over the place. This results in the "working" surfaces of the caliper piston and body not being paralel with the rotor. The situation on my truck was worsened by reman calipers that seemed to have very stiff seals that were actually pulling the pistons back into the calipers when the brakes were released.
Therefore on a brake application, some of the MC stroke was taken up pushing the pistons back out, some more was taken up when the initial pressure forced the caliper into a paralel plane with the rotor and then there was very little stroke left for actually stopping the truck.
I went to the speed shop and bought a Wilwood 2lb inline residual pressure valve for 20 bucks. I installed it between the MC and the distribution block. The difference is amazing. Now, any amount of pedal movement results in instant braking. The 2lbs residual pressure is enough to keep most of the slop taken up, but the brakes don't drag at all. There is still a bit of stroke wasted forcing the caliper into square, but as the pads wear in I expect that to diminish.
Sorry for the length of this post, but I wanted to explain as best I could.

 

wow good to know.

 

Yeah, thanks for the info. I'm going tomorrow morning to get one and see if it works. Again, thanks! Oh, any more info. we should know. Part # are there different 2lb. 'ers. Or just the one. Thanks!

 

Did you install it just on the front line?

 

Yes, I just put it in the front line, as close to the MC as possible and ahead of the p valve.
There is only one kind of 2psi valve. They are blue. You can also get red ones that are 10 psi and are for drum brakes only. I may install one in the rear line just to see, but I think its not really needed. To do the job, you will also need a pair of adapters from 1/8 male NPT to 3/16 inverted flare(although some valves are sold as a kit and include them). You will also need the special flare nuts for the MC and P valve. Mopar store or boneyard. Or if you don't care chop the nuts off your original hard line.

 

Can you post a picture of said installed valve?

 

the only problem with installing these pressure holder, in the rear brake lines lines. Is that if your rear abs module is still hocked up, you my not allow the fluid to return to the MC after a panic stop..........


Flash

 

i wanna kno more and see pics! tractor fix you should do a write up!!!!!

 

interesting, i too have the same problem. I just ordered one from Summit.com. I hope it solves my problem also.

 

WOW! Very interesting. I had never thought of that but I HAVE dealt with this very problem at work. The only difference is that I work on import stuff (Yotas). They do the same thing, even tho the slider design is obviously different the same principals apply, one of the pins seize causing the caliper body to rack unsquare...same crappola pedal feel. I have just had a "V8" moment (smacks forehead). GREAT tip.

 

Hmm....coincidence that this thread hits DTR and my breaks getting slopping in the past couple of days...or is it a sign?

 

Well atleast you now know how to fix you're upcomming problem.

 

Whats the current practice for lubricating these sliding surfaces? I've always used that silver antisieze grease on the Yota bolts. But, When I needed my CTD rotors turned (in a bad way) but didn't have the time or shop space to do myself I took it to the Dodge dealer over the winter. Then, this past weekend, I was changing out the flex lines and after taking the calipers off noticed that Dodge hadn't put anything on the sliding surfaces. Which is correct, to grease or not to grease? I realize that grease can also attract and keep gunk so does greasing hurt instead or help?

 

Well, on the Yotas I like to use a dedicated brake lube, usually a silicone based grease, this is what we use at work http://www.castlepackspower.com/Cata...brakelife.html . I have found that silver grease (anti seize) tends to dry out over time and does not work as well, but it is better than nothing. On the Dodge calipers though, seeing as how the caliper slide assy is exposed to the elemnts anti seize would probably hold up better, but I would check it/re-apply it from time to time (when rotating tires?).

 

Permatex disc brake lube. Cool synthetic green. Resists wash-out better than anything else we have found here in the notorious Massachusetts rust belt. I use it on everything as a preservative coating . . . A little spendy but worth it.