that is where he started the project from, i think in the thread entitled 'towing big enclosed trailers'

 

Sorry for the delayed response... got through the trauma of the upgrade, kids finished school, bought a toy hauler, been out "living", working, yadda yadda.

Indy, I don't know if it's just the swap from 98 --> 03 spec front brakes, the fact that I'm using upgraded components beyond just OEM parts, or the combination thereof, but there is a HUGE difference in the braking. I put on Baer drilled and slotted rotors along with matched Baer ceramic pads. With the ceramics, they take a little time each drive to come up to temperature before their stopping ability is optimized, but once you get used to that, and once you get going, the stopping is amazing. The fronts have so much grabbing power now, that I actually have to be conscious, when the truck is empty, not towing, and if I really STAB the brakes hard, of what the back-end is doing so that it doesn't come around.

I can also say that with the stock brakes, I would never have considered towing anything more than my 800lb utility trailer. With the new brake setup, especially given the electronic trailer brakes on the new toy hauler, I have no qualms whatsoever about sticking a 5000lb trailer behind the truck, with my family in it.

A note about the upgrade and the write up from Dan Keller - he was upgrading a 2001 Dakota to 2003 Durango specs. I was upgrading a 98 Durango to 2003 Durango specs. There are apparently mid-run changes that took place in the Gen 1 Durango/Gen 2 Dakota in getting from the 97/98/99 models, to the 03 Gen 2 Durango/Gen 3 Dakota. Specifically, the lower ball joint was made bigger, it appears to be in model year 2001.

Going into this exercise, I thought I'd only need the 03 spindles, brakes and calipers to make this upgrade work. What I found out is that my 98 lower ball joint (and yes, it had previously been replaced about 5 years ago) was too small and sank to the bottom of the taper when the mechanic installed it. Good thing for me he's a smart guy, noticed that it wasn't right, and thought to try an 03 lower ball joint (to go with the 03 spindle). It fit like it should (obviously) into the spindle, but more importantly, it allowed all of the other connection points to also fit together. It did leave the alignment pretty far out of spec, but they were able to correct that on the alignment rack and everything seems fine after about a month of using the new setup.

The issue with the brake pads being "loose" seems to have been a combination of the bolts that came with the remanufactured calipers, and the fact that when first installed, there's no pressure in the system and the caliper pistons are pushed all the way into the housing. With the swapped caliper pins, and everything pressurized, it seems to sit fine.

Anyway, 5 weeks down, new trailer has been on several trips, including one from the Bay Area up to Donner Summit (near Truckee) on I-80 (that's about 7000', and the brakes at least seem to be doing just fine. Next project (and yes, I'll be pinging you guys for input!!), is how to help the engine run cooler, and get more power. I do not like racing the big rigs for last place up the hill at 4000 rpm, in second gear, at 30 mph, with the temp guage climbing. But for that... a new thread (if I can't find some insights already posted elsewhere - feel free to send me links of where to look!).

 

glad to hear it worked out, and just hoping that maybe you could post up a list of parts that you needed form the 03 or something along those lines just for anyone else who decides to attempt it.

 

If I remember I helped you through that swap over and I'm glad everything worked out. I didn't know the shanks were bigger on the lower ball joints of the 2001-2003 than those of the 1999-2000 until we had that talk.

Anyway, I will be heading up Donner Pass in 2 weeks and I can't wait......LOL......Heading to Klamith N,CA to see the Redwoods.