Update to 01 dakota brakes grabbing

From : rh

Q: here is a previous post i made a few weeks ago... i just replaced the rotors and pads on my 01 dakota quad cab 3.9 last summer.i noticed it beforebut even more since i changed them that there seems to be no gradual brakingits all at the end of the pedal travel and it grabs hard on both sidesnot just one. i havent checked the rears yet as we had a ice stormbut i really noticed this in the snow lol. is this just how the dakota stops or is this a sign of a bad master cylinderetc its like the first 90% of the pedal travel doesnt do much and then when you push harderthey lock up. well i took it in today.the brakes are totally finethe linings and drums are good.fluid is finethe whole system is fine.i just find it hard to believe it stops this hard but they said they would adjust it for me. the bad part is on replacing the front tiresthe frickin ball joints are badso tires and ball joints cost me $1000. great!!! god i wish this hunk of garbage would explodeit is by far the biggest hunk of crap i ever driven.its got 60k milesits a 3.9 v6 and it gets 150 miles to a full tank of gas in the city.i really wish it would catch fire. do i sound bitter today lol .

Replies:

From : gary

i dont know if it applied to all dakotas but when they recalled the rams with bad ball joints i got a letter that for my 01 dakota 3.9 they were extending the ball joint warranty to 10 yrs/100k miles. might be worth some research. gary b. .

From : roy

here is a previous post i made a few weeks ago... i just replaced the rotors and pads on my 01 dakota quad cab 3.9 last summer.i noticed it beforebut even more since i changed them that there seems to be no gradual brakingits all at the end of the pedal travel and it grabs hard on both sidesnot just one. i havent checked the rears yet as we had a ice stormbut i really noticed this in the snow lol. is this just how the dakota stops or is this a sign of a bad master cylinderetc its like the first 90% of the pedal travel doesnt do much and then when you push harderthey lock up. well i took it in today.the brakes are totally finethe linings and drums are good.fluid is finethe whole system is fine.i just find it hard to believe it stops this hard but they said they would adjust it for me. iirc sombody told you to adjust the rear brakes. the bad part is on replacing the front tiresthe frickin ball joints are badso tires and ball joints cost me $1000. id guess it is a 2wd so the parts are around $150.00 the tires around $150.00. so if you did it yourself you would have saved around $650 -$700 great!!! god i wish this hunk of garbage would explodeit is by far the biggest hunk of crap i ever driven.its got 60k milesits a 3.9 v6 and it gets 150 miles to a full tank of gas in the city.i really wish it would catch fire. do i sound bitter today lol .

From : rh

here is a previous post i made a few weeks ago... i just replaced the rotors and pads on my 01 dakota quad cab 3.9 last summer.i noticed it beforebut even more since i changed them that there seems to be no gradual brakingits all at the end of the pedal travel and it grabs hard on both sidesnot just one. i havent checked the rears yet as we had a ice stormbut i really noticed this in the snow lol. is this just how the dakota stops or is this a sign of a bad master cylinderetc its like the first 90% of the pedal travel doesnt do much and then when you push harderthey lock up. well i took it in today.the brakes are totally finethe linings and drums are good.fluid is finethe whole system is fine.i just find it hard to believe it stops this hard but they said they would adjust it for me. iirc sombody told you to adjust the rear brakes. the bad part is on replacing the front tiresthe frickin ball joints are badso tires and ball joints cost me $1000. id guess it is a 2wd so the parts are around $150.00 the tires around $150.00. so if you did it yourself you would have saved around $650 -$700 ive got no tools other than a socket set and i have never even seen a ball joint and i use it to travel about 120miles round trip to my summer place every weekend so i figured i would just have it done right. i can do the front brakes but i have no clue about much else with suspension and brakes unfortunately. .

From : jmc

suddenly without warning gary exclaimed 3/16/2008 1110 am i dont know if it applied to all dakotas but when they recalled the rams with bad ball joints i got a letter that for my 01 dakota 3.9 they were extending the ball joint warranty to 10 yrs/100k miles. might be worth some research. gary b. applied to my 2001 dakota were replaced @ no cost to me. jmc .