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Pickups Dodge Dakota Dodge Dakota Braking Issues
115 messages, Last post on Dec 04, 2009 at 5:54 PM
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i am doing a front end break job on my 2002 dodge dakota. i have depresssed the piston with a c clamp. my repair manual sas that i need to remove the mounting pins. i have located two monuting pins, but how do i remove them. they look like they have a rubber dust boot covering them. do i need to remove that too?
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Replying to: toneman (Jan 05, 2008 10:44 am) It is often best to pull the pins back just a bit (perhaps 1/2 inch) instead of removing them completely. This protects from dirt gettting into the sliding surfaces. The pins slide inside those rubber boots as the pads wear down to keep the caliper centered on the rotor. This is known as a "fully floating" caliper design because the caliper is said to hover or "float" the pads over the surface of the rotor. BTW: How the heck did you compress the piston BEFORE losening the pins and removing the caliper???? The usual process for Dakota brakes is; 1) Losen guidepins and pull them back a tad. 2) Work caliper off of rotor (including pads) 3) Remove pads from rotor 4) Install used pad backward and use C-clamp against it to compress piston. (WATCH TANK FOR OVERFLOW!!) 5) File smooth the surfaces which the pads slide against. 6) Apply hi-temp lube to same surfaces. (quality pads come with lube and stainless-steel sliders) 7) Install new pads into caliper. 8) Slide caliper over rotor. 9)make certain guidepins are NOT cross-threaded. 10) USE TORQUE-WRENCH to finalize toque on guidepins. NOTE: Some folks prefer to only loosen ONE of the guidepins and then rotate the caliper off the rotor using the other guidepin as a pivot-point. |
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Hi, My 98 dakota 4wd 3.9 is giving me a hard time. Most of my driving is short distance around town. Occasionally (especially if I've been on a longer trip than usual), as I come to a stop, one of the fronts will just grab and lock up. I've replaced both calipers and the pads, but not the rotors (they don't produce the pulsation I'd normally associate with warped/distorted discs). There are times when I do feel pulsation as I come to a stop, but I can't understand how with warped rotors this wouldn't be present all the time. Regarding the slide surfaces, I figured with fresh calipers I should be good, although if I remember correctly, one of the slide surfaces is on the knuckle/spindle assembly, not the caliper itself. I didn't file down these surfaces (yet). Does it sound to you guys like uneven slide surfaces could be my problem? There have been times when they were grabby just after I got off the interstate when I wanted to blame the power booster (a high vacuum state?)... Hoping Bpeebles or Dustyk can help me out with this one, before I pull my hair out! Thanks in advance! James
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Replying to: latonick (Jan 28, 2008 4:46 am) As for the calipers locking up, are they both locking ? if so, I would be looking at the brake master cylinder as the cause of this problem. On my 2002 quad cab both fronts would lock and then release after about 15 minutes. I went to the dealer for answers since I had never encountered that in 30 years of driving. The mechanic said it was the brake hoses. against my better judgement with my 26 years as an aviation mechanic I fell for it ( I can see one side failing with a callapsed hose but not both at the same time with separate hoses) but that was not the problem. I ended up replacing the master cylinder which had caused both calipers to fail and fry. I also replaced the rotors that were warped with by .010 " and I could feel it in the steering wheel everytime I would hit the brakes. A problem with the booster would probably make the brake pedal feel quite hard. Good luck and keep us posted of the progress. Robert
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Replying to: latonick (Jan 28, 2008 4:46 am) I assume you have already done the "feel test" to see if he lugnuts are hot to the touch after driving on the highway for awhile. (lugnuts SHOULD be almost ambient temp.... never more than slightly warm)
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Replying to: cubansky (Jan 28, 2008 3:40 pm) Thanks for your reply. Both sides will lock up, but not at the same time. I've thought about replacing the brake hoses, but can't wrap my head around how worn hoses could create increased hydraulic pressure... Sounds like your master cylinder got to a point where it just wouldn't release? My fronts will release ok, just grabby as heck (but not all the time). I may pull the wheels off in the next couple days and give some close inspection to those sliding surfaces. Maybe I'll even grab some fresh rotors, I'm running out of parts to replace (ones that make sense, anyway). Thanks for your help, and I'll post back whatever I find. James |
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Replying to: bpeebles (Jan 28, 2008 6:30 pm) Thanks for responding. I'm feeling a little stupid for not having done the "feel test", just never had the idea that there was any dragging going on while I was moving. Will try this today and report back. I suppose if I find the lugnuts are warm (and the calipers just replaced) this would indicate rotor distortion or possible master cylinder not releasing (like cubansky's problem)? Again, thank you guys for the help... James
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Replying to: latonick (Jan 30, 2008 5:22 am) In the past I've only replaced rotors when they give a consistent pulsating feel when brakes are applied, but I'm starting to think I should throw some fresh rotors on there just to see what happens. Any thoughts? Thanks, James
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Replying to: latonick (Feb 07, 2008 4:11 am) NOTE: this may not be the fault of the calipers. If BOTH sides are dragging, then suspect the brake-booster on the master-cylinder or perhaps the ABS system is acting up. Most often grabby brakes on ALL the wheels is caused by a faulty brake-booster. Dont forget that the rotors are expected to be hot if you just used the brakes. Did you perform the "feel test" after running on highway and coming to stop with mininal use of the brakes? (I dp the "feel test" after coasting into a rest-area and use the emergancy brake to come to a stop... but you have to know what you are doing!) |
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Replying to: moquelvog (Dec 06, 2007 7:11 am) Cheers, Omen BTW, 97 Dak 4x4 5.2L
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