Kaysee

Does anyone know the minimum thickness spec for the front and rear rotors on a 2003 2500 Crew Cab Deisel?

Totallyrad

I thought it was stamped into the rotor.

Rod_Montana

On view #4 and some other pages, you mentioned a PPE. Sorry, couldn't figure out what that refers too. Context didn't help me and I'll probably bang my head on the wall when you tell me.

My inner pads on my rear brakes are down to less than 1/4" while the outers look like about 1/2" Calipers must not be sliding on the pins or something like that, so I'm going to have to do them soon. Hopefully just fix that issue and hang new pads. Rotors look fine.

Great article by the way.

gilbertsdodge

ppe= personal protection equipment

Totallyrad

Rod, thank you very much. If I can help further just let me know.

Gilbert, you're spot on.

Smithereen

Any one know where to purchase the socket needed to for the wheel bearing nut?

thenrie

Thanks for the great DIY. Got 'er done.

Just for info, I found I didn't need to loosen the adjusting cable on the e-brakes, or do any adjusting to the e-brake shoes, to remove the hubs. I just released the emergency brake pedal and everything came apart without a problem. During the reassembly, I removed the rubber plugs and adjusted the emergency brake shoes before I reinstalled the caliper brackets and calipers/pads. With the truck in neutral I could spin the hub/rotor and back adjustment off until the shoes just quit rubbing.

While I was at it, I removed the diff cover and drained and replaced the diff oil. The AAM LS axle DOES NOT require the LS additive to the oil. I went with the Mopar 75-90 synthetic. Expensive, but you don't have to do it very often.

thenrie

On the rear bearings you don't need a socket. Remove the spring clip, pull the key and the nut may spin off with hand pressure (mine did). If it doesn't, just use a punch or the nose of a pair of tweezer-nosed pliars to get it started. The nut has holes in the face of it that make it easy to do. To tighten it, you may need to nudge it snug with the punch and a couple light taps to seat the bearings fully, but don't over-tighten them or you'll damage the bearings. Like Totallyrad said, tighten them until snug, then back off to the first notch for the key.

Totallyrad

Thanks for the feed back thenrie.

stony

Bringing this one back from the dead to say thanks. it worked awesome. with one exception. My bolts that hold the rotor to the hub were a STINKER!!! ended up breaking 2. Just wanted to add to this by saying dont try to easy out them out it wont work. what will work is welding a nut to the broken stud. The heat generated from the welder broke free the broke bolts and they turned right out. SO what im trying to say is heat is your friend.

In addition dont do this right after driving as everything is hot. Let it sit for a couple hours and once you get the hub off apply heat to the hub one bolt at a time and they come right out. Then wire brush (i used a grinder with a wire wheel ) all the old thread lock out of the threads on the bolts and tap out the holes. Then apply new thread lock. After fighting for 4 hours to get everything apart it all went back together in about 30 minutes!!

stony

BTW thanks for this thread it saved me 1300.00 brake job at dodge.

Totallyrad

Welding on a nut the end of a broken bolt is a great way to extract it. Spending the additional time do a thorough job on clean-up is important as well.

That's great! Thanks for the feed back.

metalbasher

Thanks for the how-to Totallyrad. I was looking for some info on doing my rear brakes and found some info on another forum. It told me to just heat up the rotors and hammer them off Thankfully i came across your thread, saved me from possibly damaging my truck. Excellent show and tell.

Totallyrad

Thanks Metalbasher, glad it helped!

gadget.35-06

One silly little perplexing detail: I see your axle has a couple of spacers between the bottom (heaviest) leaf and the axle spring perch. Must be a 4X4, my 2WD doesn't have them. Makes getting the upper caliper floater bolts out a major pain-----you have to loosen the U-bolts. Nice goin', Daimler-Chrysler!