Well first question, I know the cylinders that everybody uses are the NAPA Part # 37337, but what exactly are these from (model and year wise)? I don't have a NAPA close to me, just an autozone, and I called earlier but they couldn't cross reference the number.

Second question, most people I've read about who've used em were 98+, and I've got the srw 96 2500 with the dana80. So I don't know if that'd cause an issue.

Third question, what in all do you have to take off? Just the two big springs and that sideways diamond (or oval. however you want to look at it) "spacer", then pop off the line and two bolts holding the cylinder, and you're set? Cause I've lost all my special spring tools, so I don't wanna have to sit there fiddling with a pair of dykes trying to get all the springs back on lol.

Thanks for the help yall.

 

I told them I wanted brake cylinders for a 98 chev 1-ton. If you measure the OD of the cylinder when you pick them up, they should be around 33mm or so, if I remember right.

You will notice a bigger difference when you put yours in vs. those with 98 or newer. Older 2500's had 24mm cylinders, newer 2500s and all 3500's had the 27mm cylinders.

 

I put them on my 94.

 

Put them in my 96, couldn't believe the difference.

Floyd

 

I had them in my 01. The problem with them is that they are too strong. When I first put them in I would lock up the rear wheels under normal braking all of the time. Sevral months that fadded and they worked great. After what should have been less than half of the life of the brake shoes I noticed the rear wheels started squealing really load. I took the truck into the brake shop and they could not get the drums off of the wheels. When they finally did, after serious pounding to finally get them off. The brake shoe padding were in small pieces. These cylinders destroyed the brake shoes. They literally toar the brake pads off of the shoes. The shoes were totaly bare metal against the drums. The brand new drums were the worst they had ever seen. When I put these new cylinders on I replaced everything. Brand new springs, drums and shoes. These brake shoes were not cheap repadded shoes. I put the top of the line new shoes on the truck along with top of the line drums. They were very expensive.
I had to replace everything once again. New drums, shoes, springs and I went back to the stock cylinders.
I am sure other people have had no problems with them. I will never go back to them. I have Power Slot Cryo Rotors along with Hawk performance pads up front. Being that your front brakes do the majority of the work when stoping, the stock cylinders in the back stop my truck just fine.
With the experience I had with them, I would not recommend them to anyone.

 

Thanks for the info yall.

Giant, did you not loosen up the star-wheel adjuster any? Sounds like maybe you left it the same, and with a more powerful cylinder it's going to put more pressure on the shoes with less movement compared to the stock cylinder.

I'm gonna try em out anyways (seems these are cheaper than dodge replacements at autozone) whenever I get back into town. Stuck driving the toyoter at the moment cause the dodge is parked with a blown driver rear cylinder bleeding like a slit vein... Lordy I miss the power lol.

 

I took the truck back in after they installed them saying that the back wheels would lock up every time I hit the brake. They said they couldn't really adjust them any more. They said I could just wait and let the pads ware down a little and it should stop or that I should go back to the stock cylinders. They actually highly recommended me to go back to the stock cylinders. I decided to wait and see. After a while they did ware down enough to stop locking up the rear wheels. So I thought they were fine. That is until I started hearing the squealing.

 

Okay, I'm about to do go out and buy the parts so I can this mod. I couldn't get them to cross-reference the Napa P/N #37337, so I found this. Think it'll work? Cause I didn't know whether the 2wd or SWR was what I needed, or if I'll need a 4wd DRW instead...

Part Number: 33709
Application: With single rear wheels
Vehicle: 1998 Chevrolet Truck C3500 1 ton P/U 2WD 5.7L SFI

 

And I aint got anyone handy to help pump the brakes so I can bleed it, but I remember reading something about gravity bleeding. What do you do for that, just open up the rears, take the cap off the reservoir, and let it go for an hour or two, or...?

 

Take a small vac hose and place it over the bleeder and the other end in the brake fluid bottle. With the bleeder open slowly apply/release the brakes. Make sure the end of the hose does not come out of the fluid bottle and stays submerged. Repeat until all the air is out of the line and keep an eye on the fluid level in the m.cyclinder.

 

Ah, thanks on the info on one-manned bleeding.

Anyone got any thoughts on that part so I can go ahead and get it done? I'd be happy to take many pictures and write a little write-up for anyone else in the same boat wanting to do that same thing.

 

My preferred method of bleeding Dodge brakes is very simple.
You will need a glass jar with a metal lid, some brake fluid and a hose that goes over the brake bleeder. Punch 2 holes where you can slip the hoses through in the lid- one hose goes to the bottom of the jar, the other just a small bit into the jar. (Seal with a dab of RTV) Connect the "higher up" hose to the vac pump of the truck, and the other to the brake bleeder, open bleeder a little and watch the fluid coming out and getting sucked into the jar. Refill reservoir as needed, close the bleeder when you see fresh brake fluid without bubbles.
So there is no need to pump the brakes and maybe damage the piston seals of the master cylinder by moving it further than it's "used to" because there can be a little bit of a step in the cylinder if you exceed normal brake pedal travel on older vehicles.


Just my 2c

AlpineRAM

 

Ok, well I finally did this mod, but now I'm having a bit of trouble. Now my yellow ABS light and e-brake lights are both on. Test drove it, and it seems to do alright, no noticeable improvements over those stock dodge wheel cylinders, but those two lights being on has really got me miffed. And since I've bought the truck, there's never even been any of those three ABS relays plugged in, so I really have no idea why that ABS light would come on.

I believe I bled it right. You just go passenger rear, driver rear, passenger front, drive front, and you're done right?

 

There is a sensor on your rear axle that commonly goes bad. I have the same problem, although it went away. I think the sensor started working again.
There are also some other reasons for the lights to come on. There is some more information on this here: https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ight=ABS+light

 

who ever installed your shoes DID not know what they were doing. stock or non stock wheel cyl has nothing to do with not being able to back off the brake adjustment. it sounds like they did not have the park brake backed off, and by saying wait till they wear some tells me that they were so tight that they ruined the shoes by overheating them causing them to fall to pieces. If the starwheel is backed all the way off AND the Park Brake is backed off there is no way that the brakes would be that tight

Mine is an 01 and with GM 1 ton Wheel cyls and the rear wheels adjusted properly AND with the rear propotioning rod lengthened I have exceptional braking but even then I dont think the rear wheels are physically capable of lock up (I have only rear abs) If they did the ABS would over ride the lock up. and you would feel the ABS working. ABS can control the fluid that applies the rear brakes but the ABS cannot control rear wheel lock up caused by mechanical failure .

If I misinterpeted your post I appoligise.