Has anyone done a brake upgrade on a '00 Dak/Dang? To be more specific, is it worth the trouble of switching from the smaller sized factory '00 brakes to the larger '03 ones (front discs)? If so, what is required? What parts need to be changed besides the obvious (rotors, calipers, pads)? Steering knuckles?
brake upgrade
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So this guy doing this upgrade is working on a 4wd and I have a 2wd. He didn't seem to be sure whether or not this same process would apply to the 2wd. Do you know if this is the same, or if there are other discrepancies that would be specific to the 2wd?
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Brake line are different too
I have the '03 front brakes on my '00 R/T and also have the entire '03 9.25 rear end with disc brakes in my garage waiting to go on. Front swap was simple. Locate donor truck in junkyard. Must be 2wd. Grab spindles/hubs, caliper brackets, and calipers for each side. Use JY calipers as "core" for new calipers. Buy new 03 front brake lines. Remove stock spindles, install '03 spindles. Would be a good time to replace balljoints if you haven't done them recently. Install new rotors, install caliper brackets, install new pads, install new calipers, install new front brake lines. Bleed brakes. Take truck out for proper bed in procedure for new pads/rotor.
Before installing calipers and caliper brackets, would be a good idea to clean them up and paint them color of your choice.
Before installing calipers and caliper brackets, would be a good idea to clean them up and paint them color of your choice.
brake swap
Thank you all for your input. One thing that caught my eye in the pics above is that on the external hub surface of the '03 rotor is that it's stamped "DAKOTA-ONLY". My vehicle is a '00 Durango. My understanding is that the Durango is identical to the Dakota at the front half of the vehicle. Anyone have any thing to say about this?
Thank you all for your input. One thing that caught my eye in the pics above is that on the external hub surface of the '03 rotor is that it's stamped "DAKOTA-ONLY". My vehicle is a '00 Durango. My understanding is that the Durango is identical to the Dakota at the front half of the vehicle. Anyone have any thing to say about this?
Thanks, again, for your input on this matter. I will be doing this upgrade soon. Nothing is more irritating than spending good money on repairs to have it let you down in a short time. This is one of many shortcomings w/this vehicle. I have 2 Daks (an '00 R/T, now a parts vehicle, & a '94 Sport w/ V6), and this Dang. I like the vehicles, but they have their issues.
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I put 03 dakota steering knuckles and upgraded duel pistons on my 01 Dakota and when you go to bleed the brakes it acts like its bled with no air in the lines by the caliper but up at the brake pedal it falls to the floor ..even after I fixed the back drum brakes and bled all the lines good ..I realized the abs system is upgraded and different I guess because the wires aren't even the same color or connectors don't match and less wires. So can't change it over.. so I guess its back to old steering knuckles which I changed because how weak the metal they use for them ..the thread in part for caliper completely broke off so Its not worth the work to change it all over and realize abs system is different
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I like my 2001 Dak SLT 4.7 but the front brakes are for crap really. Even with new pads and rotors the brake feel and power relative to pedal effort is lousy. What does everyone have to say about doing the 03 and later brake swap?
Better feel? Better power? Less effort/better control? I'd also plan to replace the rear drums to discs. May just get the salvage yard parts from a 03 Durango instead of from a Dakota.
Better feel? Better power? Less effort/better control? I'd also plan to replace the rear drums to discs. May just get the salvage yard parts from a 03 Durango instead of from a Dakota.
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