I am getting ready to replace the front brakes on 1999 dodge 2500 diesel. Is it hard to get the rotors off too replace? what rotors and pads do you recommend.

 

I like Brembo rotors and Hawk pads from www.tirerack.com
Long lasting, little dust, they are perfect match for each other.
Rotors come off easy starting on a certain 24 valve year, not sure which year though.
I have a write up on how to get the hard ones off here https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...6&postcount=10

 

Rotors are a pain, you have to remove the whole hub/bearing assembly while trying not to separate the bearing. Then once you have it off, it is easy. Knock the wheel studs out and remove old rotor. Then assemble in reverse order that you removed.

 

We use the Napa ceramix pads. I think the rotors with the slits cut in them will perform better for you. I don't currently have them, but that will be what I replace the next time I need to. Smokin is right on about the removal & assembly process.

 

Be careful, most ceramic pads will destroy rotors made for our trucks.

 

I don't know about you but I can have a side apart in about 20 minutes. The 4 bolts that hold the bearing assembly to knuckle are pie to get out, and then the bearing assembly just pulls right out of the knuckle.

 

I had ceramic pads installed on my car and could not tolerate them. Friction was so weaker on them, it noticeably affected braking. I threw them away after one week and bought Autozone Gold pads. Love them, $40. They are softer and have copper shavings in them, and grab very well. I would never buy hard pads again.
-P

 

I agree. I buy the cheap pads and find they perform better and do less dammage to rotors, pads are dirt cheap and easy to change, no big deal to throw a set of pads on and keep using the rotors.

 

Once you have had them out before, yes they pull right out. But when I first got my truck the brakes were shot. I dont think the hubs had been off in a 100K. It took forever to brake the rust loose. But now they are cake to get off.

 

Well, I bought mine at 128k with the originals, but the truck had come from a southern state so the under carriage is near-new. But anyways, I know where you're coming from...

 

Just finished a front U-joint job with new bearings/hubs on my 96 12v 4x4 5sp. what a PITA!!!

wasted lots of time hammering, wedging, prying, etc. trying to separate rotor from hub with zero luck.

key to separating hub/bearing and rotor is removing studs by pressing out and/or hamming out with a copper hammer.

what needs clarifying is studs has a flare, which force fits into hub not rotor. this means you cannot remove rotor without first taking out all studs.

having a 20 ton press to do this job makes all the difference!
Dodge has successfully screwed us with their bearing/hub design.
by making bearing non-serviceable means this job costs $$$$.

 

Many (all?) of the hub stud rotor setups use the old style ball joints which press into the knuckle rather than the newer setup that the joints press into the housing.

The ones that have the balljoint in the knuckle can be swapped for Ford parts for eliminating the unit bearing. The Ford parts don't have to clear the huge unit bearing, so they have much more friction surface for better braking.

Later "slip rotor" models often can be upgraded to third gen brakes but you need at least 17" wheels to clear them. If there's a bolt on bracket that the caliper slides on, it can be swapped for the third gen bracket, pads and rotors for unbelievably better braking. Uses your stock caliper.

 

10xxxxx on this!

 

please clarify part numbers.... ford to dodge
would LOVE to get rid of Dodge bearing/hub.
a cheap way installing manual lockouts sure would be nice.

those change out kits are high $$$$ ... spinning front hubs full time is a fuel waster.

 

Spinning hubs uses virtually no fuel. The fuel is wasted only if you have full time 4x4. The drag is from turning the ring and pinion, thus CAD equiped trucks use virtually no more fuel than manual hub trucks with the hubs out (big myth).

Having said that, if you have non-slip rotors you probably have the old balljoint setup. If you have the old setup with the balljoints in the knuckle, the Ford knuckles will fit.

Many vehicles use some version of the CAD system (for instance ADD on Toyota trucks) to accomplish this efficiency savings by disconnecting the long side inner axleshaft. When disconnected, the short side spins the diff carrier side gear, and the spider gears walk spinning the disconnected short shaft with virtually no resistance.

Of full time axles, reverse rotation is the worst because in 2wd the road effectively pushes the "coast" side of the gear which creates more drag than the "drive" side of the gear. Dodges use standard rotation gears, so there is less drag even in a full time setup. Don't expect big jumps in efficiency from this kind of mod. Expect serviceable bearings that are more precise, stronger, longer lasting brakes, tighter steering, no death wobble (t steering versus y) and instant in and out 4x when the hubs are locked compared with slow mo CAD system.

Here's a SICK writeup of the conversion to Ford knuckles/brakes http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=874442

Keep in mind that with this swap the diameter of the brake rotors is about the same, but the ID of the friction contact is much smaller, so the difference between the inner friction to outer friction surface is MUCH MUCH larger so you have dramatically more pad contact even though the diameter isn't really bigger. IE much better brakes.

Also, if you have 4wheel abs versus rwal you will need to address the reluctor ring/sensor issue on the hubs to make your abs system work. Dynatrac has these for their custom axles- they use a ring that presses on the inside OD of the hub and a mount for the sensor to tuck inside between the rotor and hub. Might require lathe work on the hub to machine the OD to match press fit for reluctor ring.