[Carbon Hog]

I noticed from the day I left the dealer that the brakes on the car seemed, I don't know, not really great. I figured that they needed to be "bedded in" and after a few quick stops, i thought the job was over. They kinda remind me of the brakes on my 2005 Avalanche, they barely stop the truck, both feet, anchor out, etc. Is this normal? Yesterday while approaching a stoplight, i braked, the car began to slow, then the brake pedal dropped an inch and got my attention!! I managed to get it stopped just off the bumper of the truck in front of me! Shouldn't 4 wheel disc brakes do better than this? Taking it back to the dealer is just going to get every tech, writer and service manager seat time in killing my rotors and telling me everything is fine. Been there with the Avalanche.......is there an upgrade in pads? 2010 FF auto

 

[StealthChallenger]

The braking on the R/T is where the difference between the SRT-8 and R/T is most apparent. I have the Super Track Pack option, which helps as it upgrades the brake pads. I still am not overly impressed with them since the pedal still feels a little spongy, but the braking is more than adequate for a car this size. Putting the Brembos on from the SRT-8 would create the best stopping for you but can be pricey. You could also look at the pads that came with the Super Track Pack option, which would be the cheaper way to go to improving the brakes.

 

[Carbon Hog]

Exactly!! The brake pedal does feel sponge-bobish, and the car does have the Super Trak-pak....You can hit the brakes hard from 55 mph and the car stops ok, but the pedal travel is damn near to the floor...low speed stops seem even worse..the pedal drop thing is the most scary because you don't know when it will happen, it's not every time. Other than having no whoa, the car is great!! They truly did justice to the original Challenger, they even kept the same lousy brakes!!

 

[Kean]

....if your pedal is dropping an inch in the scenario you described, I would definitely have it looked at. I also have the STP option but also drove a Challenger without it. While "feel" is a different story I never noticed that the brakes felt inadequate for normal driving. I have also been in several situations where I needed to hit the brakes hard and the vehicle had no problem coming to a stop.

 

[19johned53]

No problems with the "standard" brakes on my R/T C.

For street use, they seem fine to me, no issues at all.

 

[Kean]

....if your pedal is dropping an inch in the scenario you described, I would definitely have it looked at. I also have the STP option but also drove a Challenger without it. While "feel" is a different story I never noticed that the brakes felt inadequate for normal driving or emergency maneuvers (I have had to hit the brakes hard a couple of times in the year Ive owned my R/T and the vehicle had no problem coming to a quick stop).

 

[Jay6spdRT]

The brakes are not great, but not the way you describe. I have a good firm pedal and no issues. Driving normally, they're fine. The issues begin at very high speeds - above 100 mph. Let's say you hit the brakes hard at 140-150 mph - by the time it slows to 110, they heat up and there's noticeable vibration in the steering wheel, and the braking power decreases.

I would say if you have a SPONGY pedal at 55 mph, you'd better get it checked out. That is NOT right. Good luck.

 

[Hemi57]

I think they are fine.... The stupid neighbor kid also thinks they are great as he decided to use his skate board as a surf board.... Needless to say I left some skid marks on the road and he left some in his drawers!

 

[PRPLHZE]

Sounds like you have an air bubble in your system. I have non of these issues with my RT. I would get them checked out for sure.

 

[Carbon Hog]

Do you think i can bottle bleed this system or does it need an Act of Congress with the ABS stuff?

 

[thomasgf]

The brakes on the R/T are just fine...not the best but good enough. Something is not right on your R/T and highly recommend getting them checked.

When I am ready to upgrade my brakes I think I am just going to get some stainless lines, drilled and/or slotted rotors, and some high performance pads, probably ceramic. Oh and probably paint my calipers.

 

[Hal H]

if you're experiencing the pedal level dropping while holding the brakes, thats indicative of the power brake booster issues.

Even when the ABS system activates, the pedal level stays about the same.

Air in the lines would cause spongy pedal feel and low pedal level all the time.

 

[txroamer]

I love my brakes. I have the Super Track Pack and mine stop the car like Superman just grabbed the bumper. Compared to my truck or my Jeep, these brakes are incredible.

 

[Carbon Hog]

Every now and then, the pedal level drop will happen at low speed only, just as the car backshifts into 2nd, the pedal will drop and you really gotta stomp the pedal harder....very strange. i want superman grabbing my rear bumper too!! Car has 1200 miles on it,brakes act like they have 60k on them, and nope, I only did one sissy little brake stand with it at 900 miles, shouldn't have hurt it.

 

[spookyfish]

Do you think i can bottle bleed this system or does it need an Act of Congress with the ABS stuff?

You should probably take advantage of your warranty and have it looked at.

 

[aarcuda]

i agree. mine stops great. never had to question the brakes.

 

[REDDOG]

This is why soon after I got my car I got rid of the stock brakes and went with a Stop Tech big brake kit.

 

[chris1992]

The stock R/T brakes are fine, but if you do a lot of racing it may be worth it to upgrade..I love my brakes now

 

[Aircop]

Brake problems

First off, Check the simple stuff first. Have your rotor thickness measured and check the pad thickness against new ones. Even if the pads are ok, your rotors could be worn thin. Your pedal goes down and is mushy if your stroke in the Master Cylinder is not meeting with enough resistance from the components it is pushing against. It uses up all the stroke in the bore and get soft. Also,Your brake light would be on if your proportioning valve, Master Cylinder or ABS was acting up. Try this test: With the car off, pump up the brake pedal, then press firmly. If it's the Master Cylinder or air in the lines, the pedal will sink to the floor. If the pedal doesn't go down, then rule out those components. My two cents

 

[HemiSam]

If you drive aggressively, road race, etc... I highly recommend upgrading the brakes. REDDOG pointed me in the right direction. The StopTechs are absolutely incredible.

If you don't want to go that route, sounds to me that at minimum you need your brakes inspected. There's a good thread on how to bleed brakes on the LXforums and I've used it perfectly well. I know have a power brake bleeder to get it done more quickly and surely before events.

I'd take your car to the stealer under warranty and have it checked out. While the R/T brakes are fair at best for the weight of our cars, yours sounds like it's not right. Bleeding can't hurt but if you're under warranty, let them do the work for you.

HemiSam

How to bleed your brakes: Quick and Dirty - Lx Forums | Dodge Charger Challenger Magnum | SRT8 | Chrysler 300 Forum

this is what I use now...
Amazon.com: Motive Products Power Bleeder Fits late model Chrysler vehicles: Automotive