'96 Dodge 2500 Diesel; brakes

[KRS]

A few months ago I found a black boot under the front of my truck (see image, object at the bottom). I removed the caliper pin and replaced the boot. The boot is oriented with the large flange facing 'inward' towards the engine. There doesn't appear to be much that keeps this boot in place. None of the other boots (3 others) are even loose.

Now today, I go out to bleed the brakes and this boot was hanging on by 1mm.

Why is this thing coming loose? Should the flange be facing outward so that it can't slide through the hole in the caliper? I wonder if these were all installed incorrectly at the last brake job? The Haynes manual isn't detailed enough to show this/explain this.

Also, I looked at the rear drums and there is no way I can get a bleed wrench on there and turn it.... what gives with this? How to bleed the rear drums when there doesn't appear to be any room to do it.

Last question: I want to bleed the brakes because my left rear wheel has begun locking up for no reason at all. It's intermittent and very unsettling.

KRS

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: '96 Dodge 2500 Diesel; brakes

A few months ago I found a black boot under the front of my truck (see image, object at the bottom). I removed the caliper pin and replaced the boot. The boot is oriented with the large flange facing 'inward' towards the engine. There doesn't appear to be much that keeps this boot in place. None of the other boots (3 others) are even loose.

Now today, I go out to bleed the brakes and this boot was hanging on my 1mm.

Why is this thing coming loose? Should the flange be facing outward so that it can't slide through the hole in the caliper? I wonder if these were all installed incorrectly at the last brake job? The Haynes manual isn't detailed enough to show this/explain this.

Also, I looked at the rear drums and there is no way I can get a bleed wrench on there and turn it.... what gives with this? How to bleed the rear drums when there doesn't appear to be any room to do it.

Last question: I want to bleed the brakes because my left rear wheel has begun locking up for no reason at all. It's intermittent and very unsettling.

KRS

The rubber boot seems to be a cover for the bolt. In snow areas like MI, the keep the crap from rusting on the bolt and seizing the caliper. (in theory)
In AZ i wouldnt worry about it.
As for bleeding the brakes because they are locking up, i dont belive that will help. You probably have a shoe getting thin and the rivits are grabing metal, a drum out of round or it it not adjusted correctly. You really only need to bleed them if the lines have been apart or you ran out of fluid.
You may also have an ABS sensor failing, but i doubt it if the light is not on.

 

[KRS]

Re: '96 Dodge 2500 Diesel; brakes

Hadn't thought about a bad shoe.... let me pull the drum and see.

KRS

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: '96 Dodge 2500 Diesel; brakes

Those are a brake caliper anchor bolt, steel slide caller and insulator boot. If the boot fell out of the brake caliper I would recommend you take it back to the shop that installed it.

If you have rear brake lock up and you truck has drums it could be caused by many things. The first thing I would look for is a leaking a axle seal.

 

[kend301]

Re: '96 Dodge 2500 Diesel; brakes

I will second two things :
1 Yes that is a dust / element cover for the caliper bolt
2 I also agree with the leaking axle seal. Rear end grease will make a brake lock up in a heartbeat .

 

[bandit86]

Re: '96 Dodge 2500 Diesel; brakes

I just replaced 2 callippers on the drivers side of my suv, both calipers seized up after a hard brake, 3 months apart