At 7:32 AM -0400 8/29/00, Y2KDakuda@aol.com wrote:
> I know many many people with dakotas I run a
>National Dakota Truck club and I am a member of the Dakota Mailing
>List most of them need new rotors and pads before
>15,000 miles. I have owned a lot of cars and trucks and the dodge is the
>only one I have owned that needed brakes that fast most lasted 30,000 miles
>or more.
I find it amazing that people needed new rotors! Turning the
rotors didn't help?
Depending on the pad material and how you drive, going through a
set of pads quickly may not be a big surprise (but 15K is too soon I
agree). But, destroying a set of rotors takes a lot. My Subaru
Turbo usually requires the rotors to be turned every 15K miles
because they warp. So, I get them machined and re-assemble with the
old pads. The pads last 30-40K. The only time the rotors need
replacement is when they are worn beyond the thickness limit. That
happens about every 60K miles.
So, if so many people are replacing pads *and* rotors ever 15K
miles, something is seriously wrong, like the rotors are too thin, or
perhaps the rear brakes aren't providing enough braking force.
Hence, forcing all the braking to occur through the front brakes. I
know the 2000 and earlier RAM trucks have a serious problem with
this.
Please elaborate on your experiences with this problem. My new
DAK QC 4x4 is coming soon and I want to understand what to expect
with the brakes. Between warping rotors on my Subaru and poor
front/rear balance on the brakes on my Nissan pickup, I have decided
if the brakes are screwed up on my new DAK, I'm immediately going out
to replace the entire brake system, no matter what it takes. I'm
sick of vehicles with poorly designed brakes.
Mike
P.S. In case anyone was curious.... The Subaru brakes are excellent
when the rotors aren't warped and the Nissan's brakes just need to
have the proportioning valve to the rear brakes adjusted so the rear
wheels provide more stopping power. I have tried this, and the
Nissan stops real well after making the adjustment.
____________________
Mike Lohmeyer
mike@akhara.com
(408) 486-5281
San Jose, CA
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