Brakes.. whoaaaaa

[GoHot229]

The brakes on my B250 are ok... but just ok. They have new discs and pads as well as shoes in the rear, however the rear drums appeared to be good for another shot, with no groves or high ridges, all looked nice and flat, and the appearance as of a day or so ago was that they were getting the full contact ie. arc of drum and shoe @ 99%.( longwinded) However the front seems lacking, or the whole system seems lacking. Sure it stops great at grocery getter service and does stop well, but that abillity to lock them up seems a bit distant What I mean is that it would be unlikly to easily lock em up at say 35 or 40. I know your thinking WHY? but what I'm trying to get across is the lack of NUT's, Brute braking on the B250. Would different pads be an item to look into? or a specific shoe? or possably drilled disc's. I[m not ready for Wildwood's or exotica, just an advantage on the OEM stuff. Just a note, the van is typically empty except for a spare a floorjack and handle and a couplr odd QTs of oil stuffs in the side door compartment. It does have the folding rear seat/bed, but is of minimal weight, mabe 100 lb's or less. And it is the step up from the 'Shorty' by about 24" or thereabouts,but not the honkin long, long buss version

[alloro]

What year?
How old is the master cylinder?
Rear wheel anti-lock?

[GoHot229]

1986 and the master cyl. dosnt bleed down or anything and is original I'd think, it appears to be. Not sure on the anti-loc, but tend to think that was later years like the mid 90's that they were introduced, so off hand I'd say no on the anti's and no it does'nt thump and dudududud when your really on the brakes

[B-300]

Drilled rotors?...they have less area and unless the brakes get hot enough to fade they reduce braking abilty.
If you put new pads and rotors in it will take some miles to seat them in... There should of been instructions with the pads on how to do this.
Also does the booster work... While parked start the engine with your foot on the pedal and it should go down slightly, if not the booster isn't working. Turn the engine off (while parked) with the pedal up and apply the brakes and it should go down to the same level as if the engine was on. (This tests the booster check-valve for function.)

[leeann]

My '90 had rear anti-lock, so don't assume you don't have it.

After we replaced front pads and rotors, plus rear wheel cylinders, and bled the whole system, my B250 would make you a believer in seatbelts. It braked really well, even with a trailer.

[landyacht318]

I have replaced nearly all my brake components, and got to say they work as good or better than they ever have since I've owned it, but are a little anemic. I doubt I could get the fronts to lock up on dry pavement.
When I drive a new car I always slam up against the seatbelt the first application of the brake.

My friend says it's all about the pads. The longer life ones just don't have the friction.

[97B2500CCV]

Dodge started using the RWAL on the 1989 year models.

[GoHot229]

Landyacht318, thats more in the line of what I'm thinking, while it stops 'good enough' like I say its not quite got that agressive Bark to the bite. Mabe the pads should be addressed with sintered, or a metalic type 'one in the same'? I mean it is sufficiant, I'v only had 1 eye opening 'holy stuff' experiance, and drive rather sedate actually. Perhaps I'll invest in the Hi-Po metalics, cant be too much $ for the pads. For all of those that responded, thank you........and for those who just thought about it, well it might be good info when 'Brake' time comes up amd you think about replacements

[B-300]

Now that it's been mentioned, I used regular pads once and replaced them with semi-metalic pads twice on my 78. My 71 has carbon-metalic pads up front and Willwood rear disc brakes....I live on a mountain road so brakes are important when pulling a trailer.
Harder pads don't glaze so readily but do require proper break-in to bed them in. (This means having the rotors surfaced or replaced.)

[leeann]

The pads we put in were Raybestos semi-metallic, and they were the second level of semi-metallic (I told the parts guy I would be towing).

[GoHot229]

Rotors are cheap,like 25 or so, so new rotors and the metalics is a fairly inexpensive deal, do recall the difference it made in 'FEEL' and 'STOPPING'?? How did you like them?

[GoHot229]

I did change exerything so my rotors mabe have 1000 miles by now, likely no wear on them, still a turning may be wise.

[leeann]

With the Raybestos pads and new rotors (plus a really good bleeding), the difference was palpable. You hit the brakes, the van stopped. Period...even with the trailer. Before that, braking was anemic, just as you have said.