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Soft Brakes - weak brakes - sponge brakes 2021 3500 - merged threads

Bozo

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Normal for a 3/4-1 ton.... when im driving my wife's car the first time i go to hit the brakes i get quickly reminded to ease up on the pressure lol
LOL! I can relate! My wife happens to have a hybrid car, was a curious buy, but has been a trouble free car and has a lifetime battery for original owner(me). Only reason I tried it. That thing has the best brakes of anything I have ever driven. When you get on the binders it will throw you into the windshield. The regenerative braking must have something to do with it. Huge surprise when I first had a panic braking moment. Has a weird lag between that and throttle though(serious dead pedal for a few moments).
 

Brutal_HO

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farmallboy

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After reading about the braking system in this thing I started "braking harder " and was able to really get the result I want. In fact now I'm slowing too quick. Just different I guess. Cant believe it took this long.
 

bht222u

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I also have wondered about my6.7 2500's brakes being weak. I've read this thread some time ago and about a week ago, I had a person stop quickly in front because of something in front of them. Well I stomped on the brakes, and now I have a dent in the front of my Ram lined truck bed from 2 4inch cap blocks that showed a great deal of support for the Newtons first and second laws of motion.
 

elephantrider

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I don't really notice it, after 35k miles, until I jump in my mini common rail. I can barely drive it for the 1st few miles. get back in the truck and it feels like a lumbering dinasaur...
 

Ramit530

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On my 2500 Hemi I had a pretty firm pedal when I got it but after they had to replace the ABS pump and module it feels a bit soft and has more travel.
@jerryw1000 Can you share why they had to replace your ABS module? Last night had to slam on my breaks and found my rear wheels locked up leaving nice skid marks, which I found interesting.. I then did a few intentional power stops just matting the brake pedal at 30/35 MPH and the rear wheels would immediately lock up, and I would barely feel the ABS kick in towards the end keeping the front from locking up???? I know this does not sound correct and wondered if you might have had the same?
 
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jerryw1000

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@jerryw1000 Can you share why they had to replace your ABS module?

My symptoms were getting the ABS Not Available, Adaptive Cruise Not Available messages on start up and regular cruise control saying Not Available when I tried to turn that on. They replaced my ABS Pump and ABS Module and it still was throwing codes. The tech traced out the wiring and found when the ABS pump went bad it fried the ABS module AND burned a pin in the cable connector that plugged into to the ABS module.
 
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Ramit530

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My symptoms were getting the ABS Not Available, Adaptive Cruise Not Available messages on start up and regular cruise control saying Not Available when I tried to turn that on. They replaced my ABS Pump and ABS Module and it still was throwing codes. The tech traced out the wiring and found when the ABS pump went bad it fried the ABS module AND burned a pin in the cable connector that plugged into to the ABS module.
Thanks for the feedback, I don’t have any of those indicators lit that something is wrong. Off to service mine will go!!
 
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Lary0071

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I just traded a 2019 Ram 2500HD CC/SB 6.4L in on a 5/21 production date Ram 3500HD CC/LB dually and I immediately noted that the brake pedal on the new one is firm and right at the top. On my 2019 I would often "double tap" the brake pedal to get it firm and up top. On this 5/21 build they are like that on the first hit. I am happy about that because it did slightly annoy me in the 2019. Maybe it is totally random, but I know that there is a very big difference in braking feel in this one. Or maybe a 3500 dually has larger rotors/calipers?
 

Ramit530

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So after talking with the dealership regarding rear wheel lock up, (Slamming on brakes to prevent hitting an object that rolled out into roadway) as I figured, their response was "Unless there are ABS or other indicator lights lit in the gauge cluster, it most likely is operating fine" Gee thanks for that great diagnostic feedback . I wonder if anyone would take a moment to test this function for me. An empty parking lot or a lonely road, truck at about 30 MPH or so, slam on the breaks and see if rear wheel lock up occurs and or ABS kicks in and is felt in the break pedal and such. As I mentioned above, it was only after a hard power stop did I feel any ABS activate and it was at the very last point before stop, during the entire stop the rear wheels were locked up so I assume it was activating due to front wheels. Maybe its cause I have no weight in the rear of a short bed? I am only speculating. Thanks to anyone who checks this out for me!!
 

copcarguy

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Glad I found this thread. I have almost 600 miles on my ‘21 3500 CC LB 4x4 and I feel like I have to use 1/2 the brake pedal before it seems like anything happens. I noticed if I do a small brake application and then a “real” second press of the pedal the travel seems less and the brakes grab “higher” on the pedal. I guess this pedal feel is normal if everyone else notices it too…

The only other thing that I’m not happy with is little or no FM radio reception as I live in a rural area. AM comes in good, and SiriusXM does too, but FM will just sit and scan and not pick up anything.
 

MKEguy

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21' 3500 MC, I have been annoyed with the long and spongy brake stroke as well. Has anyone else noticed excessive front wheel brake dust? I think I may lift her up and bleed all the lines, maybe go with some higher end ceramic pads too.

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Rockcrawlindude

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Ive had my ram for just under two years and I also drive a few different vehicles each day. I do a lot of comparing even if by accident (one has R left and up on the stick and my car is right and down) etc

To me, the ram feels very heavy when you’re in normal braking scenarios around town. I don’t think “soft” or “spongy” would be the correct terms to use, as that indicates air in the line. I would describe as More brake pedal travel or lots of brake booster maybe. But, you can definitely feel the weight of the truck. If you really need the brakes in a hurry, they feel different. The ram brakes are excellent when called upon.

My truck is a hemi, I think the diesel trucks have different brake boosters.
 

copcarguy

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Ive had my ram for just under two years and I also drive a few different vehicles each day. I do a lot of comparing even if by accident (one has R left and up on the stick and my car is right and down) etc

To me, the ram feels very heavy when you’re in normal braking scenarios around town. I don’t think “soft” or “spongy” would be the correct terms to use, as that indicates air in the line. I would describe as More brake pedal travel or lots of brake booster maybe. But, you can definitely feel the weight of the truck. If you really need the brakes in a hurry, they feel different. The ram brakes are excellent when called upon.

My truck is a hemi, I think the diesel trucks have different brake boosters.
I have the 6.4 as well
 

Brutal_HO

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Ive had my ram for just under two years and I also drive a few different vehicles each day. I do a lot of comparing even if by accident (one has R left and up on the stick and my car is right and down) etc

To me, the ram feels very heavy when you’re in normal braking scenarios around town. I don’t think “soft” or “spongy” would be the correct terms to use, as that indicates air in the line. I would describe as More brake pedal travel or lots of brake booster maybe. But, you can definitely feel the weight of the truck. If you really need the brakes in a hurry, they feel different. The ram brakes are excellent when called upon.

My truck is a hemi, I think the diesel trucks have different brake boosters.

Diesel trucks have a hydroboost system that gets fed from the PS pump.
 

Nd79

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Ive had my ram for just under two years and I also drive a few different vehicles each day. I do a lot of comparing even if by accident (one has R left and up on the stick and my car is right and down) etc

To me, the ram feels very heavy when you’re in normal braking scenarios around town. I don’t think “soft” or “spongy” would be the correct terms to use, as that indicates air in the line. I would describe as More brake pedal travel or lots of brake booster maybe. But, you can definitely feel the weight of the truck. If you really need the brakes in a hurry, they feel different. The ram brakes are excellent when called upon.

My truck is a hemi, I think the diesel trucks have different brake boosters.
I think Rockcrawlerdude puts it perfectly, and I would even describe my diesel 3500 brakes in a similar way, even with them being boosted differently.

They definitely have a different feel from our 4th gen Ram 3500 and I noticed it right away. I'm still happy with the '21 brakes.
 

jeffn

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Or maybe a 3500 dually has larger rotors/calipers?
Rotor size is dictated by wheel size, the 3500 dually has 17” wheels. The rotor is a paltry 360mm. RAM could increase the number of pistons in the caliper but that is just one factor of braking performance and in the end increasing rotor size is where the biggest gain will come. Increase the factory wheel size and larger OEM brakes would follow. I don’t see the brakes as a problem on this model but they could be a lot better.

To put rotor size into perspective, my wife’s car has 440mm rotors with 10 piston calipers, and it weighs half as much as my truck. It is a performance luxury car, to be fair to RAM, but that is how big brake sytems are coming these days.
 

Lary0071

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Rotor size is dictated by wheel size, the 3500 dually has 17” wheels. The rotor is a paltry 360mm. RAM could increase the number of pistons in the caliper but that is just one factor of braking performance and in the end increasing rotor size is where the biggest gain will come. Increase the factory wheel size and larger OEM brakes would follow. I don’t see the brakes as a problem on this model but they could be a lot better.

To put rotor size into perspective, my wife’s car has 440mm rotors with 10 piston calipers, and it weighs half as much as my truck. It is a performance luxury car, to be fair to RAM, but that is how big brake sytems are coming these days.
Note that I dumped the 2019 2500HD for a 21 3500HD dually. The brake pedal is massively different, very firm, and his right at the top of the travel every time. It may be a hit or miss, or maybe the dually has different parts that equate to a much better feeling brake pedal.

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