Hello Fellow Ram Maniacs!
Any other than me had their Parking Brake Shoes replace on their Ram that has four wheel disc brakes? Notice a month ago I was not getting any "holding" when I applied the parking brake, I do used it all the time... moral is never use it or use it all the time, which I do. Seems this is a very time consuming repair, it's not just the brake shoes, no... you have to remove the tire/rim, brake rotor as the parking brake shoes uses the inside the hub of the rear rotor for the parking brake shoes... follow me so far? Well to get to the actually brake shoes for replacement you have to pull the axles, so now we are talking time... 3 quarts of gear lube, posi-traction additive and hell at this point why not replace the seals... YEP, my '03 owned since NEW it was a no-brainer, at this point a few more $$ means not having to do it sometime in the near future. I am now 57, survived Melanoma (2013) and have my local repair shop do the whole job and was billed $530... Yeah, I could have used the other type of parking brake, rock behind the rear wheels... but I still love my ride so much, I'm not afraid to send the $$... cost less than a monthly payment. Look at my photos and you have to agree it's the right thing to do.

Any for you who want to tackle the job shade-tree style, figure 4-5 hours to do the complete job. Oh, and used silicone gear grease in the rear. OEM recommended.

 

FYI You don't have to remove the axles for this job though by doing so its a heck of a lot easier but more time involved I changed a friends 04 6 months ago(with axle still in truck) in about a hour per side his wife run 120 miles with e brake half set and ruined the shoes
This may be a dumb question but did you try and just adjust your E brake mine was not holding and going to the floor I adjusted mine now they catch less than half way down to floor

 

I actually had a repair shop do the brake replacements… They looked it up on their service data base (computer) and it allowed two hours for the removal and replacement of the brake shoes, one on the left-side was disintegrated. The brake adjustment wouldn't have helped.

 

Oh Ok Just Saying Basically So Others Reading Thread Would Know

 

Just wanted to let others know what the cost to have a professional repair shop charge, and that must have been knuckle-buster to get to all the drum hardware being so close to the axle… I commend you for your skill and persistence. Like I said previously, at 57 yrs of age, and just survived Melanoma (skin cancer), I'd rather pay the $$ to have it done.

 

I had to pay to have it done. Same problem, except I had pad separation too. After messing with the brakes on just one side for 4 or 5 hours (really rusted), I gave up and took it to the local shop. He charged just a $100 to pull the axles, do both drum brakes, replace the diff fluid, and do both calipers and pads. I hated giving in since I've always done my own brakes, but doing those parking shoes was my breaking point. For $100, it was well worth it for me.

Just a foot note, if anyone wants to do the parking shoes on their own, get the shoes from a dealer. The shoes I got from Advance, were not right. I compared with the shoes at O'reilly and Napa, but they were the same as Advance.

 

Wow Buggsy, you got a deal!
I've had several repairs done at my local shop including radiator replacement, shocks, rack & pinion assembly… and I trust them. Can't believe $100 total? The synthetic gear lube as $14/quart, takes 3 quarts + another $15 for the posi additive… I need to have my repairs done at your shop!
Have you had any issues with your steering (rack & pinion)?
Not a cheap repair either!

 

I Understand hey it was no piece of cake and if I could have gotten it done for 100 bucks like buggsy them pulling axle and all I might have paid to have it done too

 

also a little side note on the rear park brakes, my trucks a 07 1500 and when i pulled the rotors,axles and shoes that the rear dust sheilds were in very bad shape (very rusted) so i orderd new ones through a local parts place, they ended up being wrong, they are dorman parts, no parts stores had the correct ones they only listed one number, and when i called dodge they said the only way they sell the rear dust shields is complete with ebrake shoes, adjusters, springs attached, at a low cost of 250 perside! so i had to make due with my old rusted backing plates.

connor

 

Guess I lucked out after all, my '03 Quad Cab Laramie Hemi, has been garaged kept since new, and being in the snow belt (Michigan)… I have almost zero rust anywhere on my ride. Seems that some parts are worth the aftermarket making… bummer! Glad mine were in good shape and reused.