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If you're replacing brake calipers on your 03+ Dakota...

17K views 25 replies 8 participants last post by  6shooter 
#1 · (Edited)
I learned this the hard way today. Bought new front calipers because one of the old one's was draggin on the rotor and not releasing properly. The new caliper kits came with all that's needed including new caliper mounting brackets (mounts the caliper to the wheel hub) I didn't check to see if the two bolts/slider pins (which attaches the caliper to the hub mounting bracket) were tight because when picking them up out of the box, it all felt like they were put together well, like they sould be.

Not quite... After a few days I started getting this crazy rattling noise in the front end when going over bumps and could feel it through the steering wheel. Had a mechanic check out the front end cause I was thinking it was suspension related, or maybe ball joints going bad. Everything was tight as it should be. They couldn't figure out what it was untill I put my hand on the caliper, and I just about freaked. On the left side caliper, both bolts securing it to the mounting bracket were gone, so it was barely hanging on while bouncing all over the place and even hitting and scratching up the inside of the wheel. The other caliper was missing one bolt, the one remaining was close to falling out.

Got new bolts in their, and TIGHTENED so I'm safe now!
 
#3 ·
The mechanic their said he's seen a similar thing happen to someone's car, only it came all the way off and got lodged up into the rim, put a nice hole on it too.
 
#5 ·
I learned this the hard way today. Bought new front calipers because one of the old one's was draggin on the rotor and not releasing properly.
Question: why replace the caliper instead of rebuilding it? $5 for a caliper rebuild kit vs $50-80 for a new caliper.

Pistons, more often then not, will hang up like that when the rubber o-rings inside the piston bore are damaged or worn out. Its the thicker of the two o-rings that pulls the piston back from the rotor. When it goes, the piston won't return to its neutral position and the brakes will drag. Simply replacing the o-ring will solve the problem.

Just sayin'...
 
#9 ·
unless the piston bore is worn out or pitted, then you're fucked and have to buy a new one anyway. why fuck around with all that when you can spend a bit more cash and you 1) know they're not worn or pitted in the piston bore and 2) have a lifetime warranty so you only need to replace them at cost once. ive checked on kits when i replaced mine on multiple trucks in the past, and parts stores dont even list a kit for them anymore.
 
#6 ·
I dunno how to take those apart though...
 
#7 ·
Its fairly simple. Remove the piston, remove the old o-rings, lather the new o-rings in new brake fluid, install the o-rings in the piston bore, put the piston back on, and bleed the system. Its a fairly universal procedure.

Do a search for "how to rebuild caliper" on YouTube.com to see a good video series on it from 'expertvillage'. They break up the steps into multiple video's. Kind of annoying, but the guy explains things pretty well.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Scary shit!
 
#15 ·
I spent $240 in total and got $100 back for the cores, had to wait a day but the brakes still worked if I needed to stop. I'm fine with that if I'm able to take a few bolts out, swap parts and have it all done in an hour and a half.

When the noise came this went on for 4 or 5 days and got progressively worse until we found the real reason behind it all. Spent $40 to have it lifted and a couple caliper bolt kits (not exactly the right kit, but the bolts fit) purchased and hopefully I won't have to worry about anything else for a while.
 
#16 ·
i had a bolt in my 05 GMC's front caliper come out. every time i hit the brakes i heard metal on metal and was like what the fuck, these pads are 3 months old! no way! pulled it apart and found my caliper had worn a nice ring around the inside of my rim from pushing out every time i hit the brakes. it was a hardened metric bolt i needed and it was a total bitch to find.
 
#26 ·
i just stated in response to your "rebuild it, dont replace it" opinion that i would rather just replace it and gave 2 reasons why. then you took the reasons and picked them apart. i said you get a lifetime warranty on reman calipers (2 stores verified this to me.) you said "oh ive never seen a reman caliper with a warranty. since youve never bought one, it doesnt exist? as for the shipping thing, i said i wont wait for parts i buy online to save $20-$30 bucks when i can go down the street and buy them same day to make sure my truck is usable. then gocartone jumped on that and i guess took it as me thinking the internet and online parts suppliers are the devil.

as for the continuation of the discussion, i mentioned FACTS that i got from the local parts stores about parts and about repairing vehicles from personal experience. and again, you picked them apart basically disputing everything i had just said. specifically post 17, where YOU tell me what a parts store will and will not carry when i need it, which is just idiotic, unless you're the one im buying my parts from. i gave examples of what happened to me in the past. and you basically said thats not how things work. so am i lying? thats what pisses me off and gets under my skin. the hundreds of vehicles ive worked on in NY, with brakes being one of the biggest repairs due to harsh winters, and since you had one vehicle ten years ago that didnt have problems, thats supposed to discredit my post? im not clear on what you're trying to accomplish for the most part. all i see is every time i give an example of a past experience and what ive learned form it, you have 3 reasons why what i learned is wrong.
 
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