Has Anyone Tried Dorman Caliper Covers

[Graygoose]

Well I installed my Dorman caliper covers this afternoon. The covers look GREAT! However I could not get the rear clips to sit good and the contacted the rotors and squealed bad... I tried again to get them to fit better, no luck! I removed them...Dorman was a NO go for my Ram!...

Even my MGP's need some convincing to fit the rears....but I bent the clips to fit better.

 

[Midnight Storm]

Mine were touching until I tightened the lock nut. That pulled it off a couple hairs and it’s clear.

 

[skijake]

They do look nice and they are easier to install then painting.
The biggest issue with brakes is heat. The design of these cover will retain the heat in your calibers and also the heat on your rotors will also increase. Causing many issues including fading brakes when you need them the most also chance to warp your rotors.
If you tow or travel hills you may want to consider painting instead of covering.
Seen people on Corvettes have to remove them due to issues.

 

[Kevin Pine]

I ordered a set this weekend. Thought I would give them a try.

 

[TomB 1269]

They do look nice and they are easier to install then painting.
The biggest issue with brakes is heat. The design of these cover will retain the heat in your calibers and also the heat on your rotors will also increase. Causing many issues including fading brakes when you need them the most also chance to warp your rotors.
If you tow or travel hills you may want to consider painting instead of covering.
Seen people on Corvettes have to remove them due to issues.

I would likely disagree with "warping" rotors. I highly doubt that anyone here has ever "warped" a rotor, unless it was in a sports car i.e. corvette, or track car, or a truck capable of pulling more than our 1500s can. I will make an exception, it is possible the guys that live in the rockies (i.e. out west) may have had a hung caliper and got a rotor hot enough on a mountain road. Steel has to be at 2700*F to bend. "Warping" is caused mostly by pad material adhering to the rotor surface under a hot stop due to bad braking/ seating process or cheap pads. The attached Raybestos training article goes even further to wear on the rotor due to improper rotor install (i.e. not cleaning hub mounting surface) or my favorite improper (i.e. over torquing) of the rim. I have actually experienced this just had tires balanced, and hit the highway, and had to take a long down hill off ramp. Went to the parents house, upon leaving I notice a pulse in my nearly new brakes, i.e new rotors and all, and yes I clean everything, as well as custom fit each brake pad to assure it slides with as little force across the carrier tabs before adding a skim of brake grease.

http://www.hendonpub.com/resources/article_archive/results/details?id=1787

In any case, I like the idea of these covers, as painting the caliper is a PITA, and some of the replacement calipers are coming coated so they do not accept paint well, ie.e rust proofing coating.

 

[TomB 1269]

One question for all of you, do these fit the 2019 Ram 1500 classic with stock 17in Rim? I looked them up on amazon and they say they do not fit the 2019 nor the 2019 classic. Does any one with a 2019 classic tried these?

 

[Tray Burge]

They do look nice and they are easier to install then painting.
The biggest issue with brakes is heat. The design of these cover will retain the heat in your calibers and also the heat on your rotors will also increase. Causing many issues including fading brakes when you need them the most also chance to warp your rotors.
If you tow or travel hills you may want to consider painting instead of covering.
Seen people on Corvettes have to remove them due to issues.

I've read just the opposite, they act like heat sinks and pull the heat away from your calipers and discs. I've had to break pretty hard with mine and had zero break fade?

 

[Graygoose]

One question for all of you, do these fit the 2019 Ram 1500 classic with stock 17in Rim? I looked them up on amazon and they say they do not fit the 2019 nor the 2019 classic. Does any one with a 2019 classic tried these?

I have on my Classic, but no 17's...the nuts would hit. I have 20's

 

[Jhuss96]

I will definitely be looking into a set of dormans. Can't beat the price and a little cleaner looking than the ram or hemi ones.

 

[Big Blue Hemi]

I have them and really like them... you can't see them real well with my new wheels but here's a picture. They are very solid construction and were easy to install.

View attachment 169514

I've actually been looking at those wheels. They look good on the computer.
Do you have a full broadside photo that would give a better view.

 

[stimpy433]

I've actually been looking at those wheels. They look good on the computer.
Do you have a full broadside photo that would give a better view.

 

[Tray Burge]

I had a van in the seventies with wheels like that, they were called "turbines" back then and very popular.

 

[TomB 1269]

I have on my Classic, but no 17's...the nuts would hit. I have 20's

If one wanted could the nuts be ground down to clearance the rim or is it just to tight?

 

[Graygoose]

Its pretty tight, in my 2015, I had a 17" spare, and I had to carry like 8mm or 10mm around, in case I had a flat to remove cover before changing tire. My bet is they don't fit at all with a 17" rim.

 

[stimpy433]

I had a van in the seventies with wheels like that, they were called "turbines" back then and very popular.

That's one of the reasons I bought them..... good old fashion turbine rims were thing to have when I was young.

 

[Tray Burge]

That's one of the reasons I bought them..... good old fashion turbine rims were thing to have when I was young.

Ha, ha. Funny how some things are timeless, they were the bomb when I was 17 also. lol

 

[JimmieRT]

I have them on mine and actually really like them and get a lot of compliments on them not sure how good you can see them in the picture

 

[Kevin Pine]

I put them on last night. Very easy to do. You don't have to take the wheels off. I think they look great.

 

[Lucy Girl]

okay time for me to catch a verbal beat down here... but here I go anyways:

I don’t like the way my dirty, silver Caliper look on my truck that is never dirty, and has no other silver on it.

I came across these metal dorman 11-0005f on amazon (also on eBay) which are way less expensive and I like them more than the rivited “HEMI” or “RAM” ones we’ve all seen that are quite expensive and not quite to my taste. I’m not hatin’ On guys that have them tho. Still better than stock.

These dorman ones are a little more subtle and I have some pops of red on my beast that would tie into them nicely. IMO!

I went for amazon for the easy return if they suck or don’t fit.View attachment 169513

I don’t know why I would need caliper covers. Please tell me.

 

[Midnight Storm]

I don’t know why I would need caliper covers. Please tell me.

They’re not a need. They’re a want.