Front Brakes on fire

[05BlackQC]

Hey guys, my dad recently purchased a 2005 Ram SRT10 QC. Truck is beautiful condition, 20000 miles. We've been driving it here and there and put on maybe a few hundred miles in the past 4-5 months that we have had it. I drove it the week before and realized the brakes started to squeak but we just brushed it off and dust buildup or "normal" brake squeal. So yesterday we were taking some furniture down to Charlotte and the brakes were still squeaking. After driving the hour drive down and around where we were the wheel started to shake like it threw a weight. Then I started to smell burning clutch (of course this is the automatic) the shaking kept getting worse and the smell was stronger so we pulled off only to realize that the brake pads/calipers were on fire (small flames but flames none the less). We took it to the Dodge dealer nearby and they diagnosed it as a sticky caliper that cause the heat buildup and eventually fire. They suggested that we replace the caliper, pads and probably rotor along with the other side calipers as well and sent a quote of $3k. Sorry for the novel but does anyone have suggestions on if we should change both sides or just the one?

 

[Slitherbeast]

ya gotta do both.. seems a bit pricy.... call around and see if you can get a better price somewhere else and have towed.

 

[SRT10VENOMOUS]

Buy some aftermarket parts save some money,

 

[TheMoparConnection]

you can rebuild these calipers pretty cheap.

 

[earl lee]

I also want to add sometimes the front caliper pistons will seize so what you experience shouldnt be viewed as a (this truck is a pos) type of thing. Its a quirk and it happens on some trucks, has to do with the kind of pistons they use in the caliper.

Now I had a caliper start to seized on my srt-6 and I just replace that one caliper. I changed out the front brake pads and had the brake system flushed. Its been fine since, that was 2 years ago.

 

[beastmode1]

Brakes

Check with X2 Builders for a good set of Front Calipers, the rotors and pads should easily be sourced even on ebay and you should have a variety to choose from. Pads stick to the semi metallic as these trucks are heavy I used Posi quiet on mine all around no problems.Hope this helps

 

[VENOMOUS1 RACING]

Give me a shout boss I can save you lotsa $ sir
And have you stopping safely.
[email protected]

 

[shorty]

Here in TEXAS we change brakes every 100K as we seldom slow down. Course our city driving is like most of you guys highway driving.

 

[viperhauler]

where were you headed from charlotte?
i'm an hour and a half south in greenville, sc.

like was said, no more miles that were on the car, it's a stuck piston.
rebuild it and go on your way...

 

[ViperPete]

Check rock auto for calipers too. Pretty amazing deals over there

 

[mopar-or-no-car]

I also want to add sometimes the front caliper pistons will seize so what you experience shouldnt be viewed as a (this truck is a pos) type of thing. Its a quirk and it happens on some trucks, has to do with the kind of pistons they use in the caliper.

Now I had a caliper start to seized on my srt-6 and I just replace that one caliper. I changed out the front brake pads and had the brake system flushed. Its been fine since, that was 2 years ago.

The pistons aren't really the problem The caliper gets corroded causing them to stick. I haven't really seen an issue with the piston itself..