# '96 Dodge 2500 Brake issues



## MnTom (Dec 26, 2005)

I have a '96 Ram 2500 that had a caliper stick a couple of times. I pulled the calipers and plugged the brake lines to hold in the fluid. Well, one plug didn't hold and by the time I got back the master cylinder was empty for the front brakes. I thought no big deal. Put the new calipers on and filled the system. I tried to bleed the brakes and have not been able to get the brakes back. I have since replace everything except for the rear wheel cylinders and a few pieces of steel line. The pedal goes to the floor the first pump and pumps up then with steady pressure it drops to the floor. Far as bleeding the brakes I have gone through GALLONS not quarts of fluid. I have bled it in this sequence: MC, COMB. VALVE, RWAL VALVE, RR,LR,RF,LF. To give you a little background, I was working on brakes when there were drums on all four corners....... This is a simple system. What am I missing? 
Tom


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## 97'sonoma (Feb 15, 2010)

ur not alone ive had this happen before too,lrt me try to remember what i did first a few questions,do you have abs, if so unplug it and try to bleed umm also have some one pump the heck out ofem and hold open close and repeat and over and over.


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## MnTom (Dec 26, 2005)

Update.... Today I did something. I used a piece of clear vinyl tubing and ran it from the right caliper to the master cylinder reservoir. I opened the bleeder and sat there and pumped the pedal for about an hour. I kept seeing lots and lots of small bubbles. It seemed as the bubbles slowly got less and less but never went away completely. Now the pedal goes half way and stays there with no drop. The pedal is still spongy, but not as bad. I took it out for a drive and tried the RWAL and the brakes in general. The RWAL does work and I can lock the front brakes (on gravel) but the pedal is low and spongy. On gravel I can see a mark about a foot long from the rear wheels and feel the RWAL kick in. So to me it sure seems like air yet to bleed out.......


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

A lot of the newer stuff needs to be vacuum bled, especially if it has ABS> http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...d Tools&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a


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## MnTom (Dec 26, 2005)

There is no ABS on the front brakes. The ABS on the rear is a real stupid setup in my book. All it does is shut the brakes of and dump the pressure into an accumulator. This is a real simple setup, but it wants to be a real bugger.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Did you replace both calipers?? Did you get them mixed up?? Each caliper will have a different part number because they are "handed" ...one goes on the left hand side and the other on the right hand side. It sounds like you have the calipers on the wrong sides... the bleeder valve *must be on the top* after installation!!


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Vacuum bleeding will get the air out of the accumulator.


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## MnTom (Dec 26, 2005)

Yes, I changed both calipers and the bleeders are on top. 
Far as the accumulator there should not be any fluid in it unless the RWAL kicks in. I took the truck out for a drive and the front brakes are still weak so there must be some air in it yet.
BTW, I am going to be gone for a week so don't get to mad when I don't answer right away.


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

Do the master cyl. sit on a angle?
I had an old Cadilac where the MC sat on a fairly steep angle.
In order to bleed the MC correctly I needed to correct the angle first.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

you will need to vacuum bleed the brakes, if air gets in theirs no telling where it goes.


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## tom99S104x4 (Aug 10, 2009)

i have changed everything on a brake system but the master cylinder, i may be wrong but i remeber reading somthing about having to bench bleed the MC befor you put it on the car. maybe since yours ran dry this is what you need to do to get out all the air from it. just a thought.


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## 97'sonoma (Feb 15, 2010)

wolfen is right you will need to vacume bleed a dodge that is like 94, ond newer and bench bleeding is also very helpful also check you reservoir bottom for cracks around the outlets where it sets in your master cyl. but vac bleeder pumps are cheap and much faster. i use vac bleeding on all my trucks and cars now. no runing back and forth and most of all NO PUMPING. but if you dont want to buy a vac pump try gravity bleeding, open all bleeders and get a lot of brake fluid and just keep filling the reservoir with brake fluid till no more bubles are seen. also their is a hand pump that pumps fluid in to the brakes through the bleeders and these are even cheaper and are faster but if youre geting petal now you probably have air in your calipers thats not coming out.


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Found this about Dodge Brakes with abs hope it helps:

>BRAKE BLEEDING
Use Mopar brake fluid, or an equivalent quality fluid meeting SAE J1703-F and DOT 3 standards only. Use fresh, clean fluid from a sealed container at all times.

Do not pump the brake pedal at any time while bleeding. Air in the system will be compressed into small bubbles that are distributed throughout the hydraulic system. This will make additional bleeding operations necessary.

Do not allow the master cylinder to run out of fluid during bleed operations. An empty cylinder will allow additional air to be drawn into the system. Check the cylinder fluid level frequently and add fluid as needed.

The Brakes should be bled in sequence. First the right rear wheel then the left rear wheel. Then move to the front brakes and bleed the right front wheel then the left front wheel.

MANUAL BLEEDING
1.Remove reservoir filler caps and fill reservoir with Mopar, or equivalent quality DOT 3 brake fluid.
2.If calipers, or wheel cylinders were overhauled, open all caliper and wheel cylinder bleed screws. Then close each bleed screw as fluid starts to drip from it. Top off master cylinder reservoir once more before proceeding.
3.Attach one end of bleed hose to bleed screw and insert opposite end in glass container partially filled with brake fluid Typical Fluid Container And Bleed Hose Setup Be sure end of bleed hose is immersed in fluid.
4.Open up bleeder, then have a helper press down the brake pedal. Once the pedal is down close the bleeder. Repeat bleeding until fluid stream is clear and free of bubbles. Then move to the next wheel.<


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