So it appears my Dakota 4x4 has the dreaded caliper stripping disease. Is there a replacement caliper from either another dodge/jeep/Chrysler line I could use in its place? Or a recommended method beyond a helicoil one can suggest? Also, it seems the peddle is a bit soft when running and applying brakes but when engine off stiffens up normally.

 

I hope you have better luck than me...1 month later and I still don't have brakes. I've replaced

all lines
all hoses
Mc twice
booster and check valve
both calipers
both drum cylinders
all new drums
all new drum hardware
new front pads
bypassed rear abs unit
changed front prop valve
bled at least 30 times using pedal pump, gravity vacuum and pressure
checked booster stem clearance
adjusted rear drum shoes

and I still have a firm pedal with engine off but straight to floor on vacuum with engine running. Very little rear braking and seemingly no front braking. The only odd thing I recently noticed is that my front calipers rock quite a bit when pressure applied. I don't mean to hijack your thread but you mentioned something about your calipers so maybe you know something about the caliper rock.

 

Sadly I can't say much about the calipers. In the last 30k miles the only thing ever replaced beyond the front pads (past sunday) was one of the front lines to the right side of
The vehicle because it rotted out

 

My 94 had brake squeal when I bought it. I just went ahead and replaced the calipers bearings and hose when I did the pads just because of the age. I cannot find the old emails, do not recall who I bought them from (I wanna think SSBC) but I got them online and am very happy with the result. I found this page on eBay https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...akota&_sacat=0
If you cannot afford a new caliper maybe have someone weld the hole then drill and tap it?

Robert it sounds like a leak but I am sure you know that. That has got to be very frustrating. I have no idea why the calipers might rock. I never got to look at mine when someone else pressed the peddle but they were hard solid when installed and have been solid when I take the wheels off. Can you rock them by hand? That might indicate an unusual leak in the caliper. Its just an idea I have no knowledge of such an issue.

 

It's not the caliper that is stripped but the knuckle/spindle or whatever it is on the 4x4 model.

 

It's more work but the knuckle can be removed and the hole welded, drilled & tapped. Or replaced. I've looked for a knuckle as I am posting and it seems this stripping of the caliper bolt hole is common to some dakota's. I found a left and a right on two different sites for less than one on some of the other sites. I still recommend you take it out plug weld the hole and retap it. That is the solution most guys whom have [posted have been happy with. If you get new chances are it will have the same defect.
http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/.../52067576.html
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...011%7CL3*15761
I did not find anything on rock auto for the 92 V8

 

I would bet that the "very little rear" braking you feel is about right, and the real issue is the front, would you agree?

Does the front bleed OK? If so, I'd double-check that the calipers are the correct ones. Where did they come from?

 

You really don't have much in the way of choices. If you want to go with the least amount of labor though, I'd get a helicoil kit.

 

When I was searching I found a site where guys were bitchin about this issue. One guy was on his 3rd helicoil fix. If money and labor is an issue it works but apparently you have to replace it after a while.

 

Thanks for that piece of information, I hadn't heard of anyone having so much trouble with the helicoils before.

For an even less labor intensive possibility, here's an older thread that mentions "oversize" guide pins from NAPA as a possible alternative. I would be a little skeptical of this approach, but you can look into it if they're still available:
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...uide-pins.html