OK - did the install today. Everything went pretty smoothly. I have a couple of minor corrections to the installation instructions, which were otherwise excellent:
1. On the rear calipers, my EPBB motors were held on by two T30 Torx screws, not 5mm allen SHCS like the manual says.
2. Additionally, the three long bolts that hold the new EPBB solenoid to the new caliper bracket are 4mm Allens, not 5mm as stated
And my one suggestion for a slight modification is to the three spacers used to space the EPBB solenoid off of the bracket - these spacers are just a hair too large to sit in the counterbores of the solenoids, and sit flush with the body (seen here in a pic from the manual):
If I were making these spacers, I'd make them 1/4" longer, and turn down the last 1/4" .062" or so, such that they would fit down into the counterbores. As they stand now, torquing the three bolts above to their suggested 8ft.lbs. was enough to JUST start press-fitting the spacers into those counterbores, but only by a whisker (1 whisker ~ .03125 or so... about twice the diameter of a CH). I will most likely turn my own spacer/standoffs as indicated above... one of the nice things about having a lathe
@SRG_Joe - just some feedback for Rotora to consider.
But beyond that, everything with the kit was flawless. Even though the instructions don't call for it, it's definitely worth the time to remove the inner fender liners (bunch of 7mm screws, and a few christmas tree fasteners). We got away with it on the left-front, but the right-front bit us in the butt when it came time to reconnecting the hard brake line to the bulkhead fitting. There's VERY little play in the hard line, and just not enough room to work without removing the fender liner. After struggling for about 15 minutes, we yanked the liner down, and had a RELATIVELY easy time of re-attaching the brake line. Ram couldn't give us another 1/2" of hard line?! ****ers...
We wrapped up the install after a late lunch, and will go back tomorrow to double-check everything, bleed the system, and do the break-in procedure.
Important tip - we couldn't get the truck out of Accessory mode on the ignition "switch"(button). It wouldn't shut off. Here's why:
Like most home mechanics, we got ahead of ourselves - and it wasn't until the truck was up on the lift with the wheels off that I remembered we had to put it into brake service mode (to relieve pressure to the rear calipers). But, due to my symmetrical lift, I had disconnected the transmission (little orange-teathered handle/lever below the EPB switch), so I could roll the truck into position on the lift (when in the right position, the columns won't let the door open).
So, climbing up on the lift, and leaning in through the window, we turned the ignition on (*) to get into UConnect settings (long arms), and put the braking system into service mode. That's when we realized the ignition would no longer turn back off. We left it like that, because a) I had a battery tender on it, and b) I just didn't care enough.
* We turned the truck on with the transmission disconnected. This made the truck mad, because it sensed it was no longer in park (though the shifter was in park, the trans. was mechanically disconnected - so the park pawl was useless). The truck won't turn off if it thinks it's out of park. MF... fast-forward to the end of the day, and I don't feel like leaving the truck like that overnight. So, climb back up, lean in, ignition to run (UConnect back up), disable brake service mode (need long stick to step on brake pedal for this action), then pull lever to re-engage transmission, THEN the truck would shut off. Note to self... remember to release transmission again tomorrow, else you're never getting the truck out from between the lift columns - at least not without a winch.
Some quick snaps from the finished front:
Will take some pics of the rear tomorrow - was too tired to get them tonight (yes... my phone is heavy, OK?
