I am having a front brake problem on the 98 durango. I've replaced the pads, and the bolts because the previous owner stripped them out so i used the oversized rethreading bolts and when I drive for about 10 miles and take turns after stopping at a light or stop sign it does some kind of vibrating, then i put my foot on the brake and it goes away...but then i let off the brake it does it again. What could this be? It mostly does it on the drivers side but does it on both sides. My ABS light is on but it was on when i got the truck and my speedometer dont work until after about 20 mph. I dont think that has anything to do with it but im no mechanic. Does anyone have any idea what this could be? Thanks!!

 

the abs light and speedometer problem are most likely the rear wheel speed sensor on top of the rear differential,

when you did the brakes did you put NEW rotors on it? if not id say they are warped and you need new rotors

 

no i didnt but thy was cut tho

 

once the rotors are warped the integrity of the material is compromised (the heat/cool cycles that warp the rotors also weaken the intermolecular bonds, this makes the material more brittle, harder too, but more brittle and vulnerable to warping again) it will take very little effort to warp a set of cut rotors a 2nd time if they were warped to begin with

 

I dont think they are warped, i guess i forgot to mention that it only does it every once in awhile and at slow speeds and at turns. In example....Stop at a stop sign, turn and it does it. If im just going straight it doesn't do it. =/

Thanks for your help in advance!

 

Most likely the speedometer issue is a bad rear ABS sensor located on the top center of the rear differential. Replace it.


As for the brakes. If you didn't grind the pad slides flat on the knuckle the pad hangers can get stuck in the groves that the old pad arms wore into the knuckle slides. When you do a pad change you are supposed to grind the groves out of the knuckles or the pad arm slide into the groves and the pads will crack and that could cause the vibrations. You are also supposed to lubricate the slides and the knuckle slides and arms with brake grease. Also if the rotors are worn out of spec's the pads can vibrate.

 

Ok, thanks! Ill look into that tomorrow or when i get a minute.

 

I had the same problem on mine. It only did it while turning at slow speeds. It was the wheel bearings. I replaced the whole hub assembly last year and have'nt had a problem since.

 

You have two entirely seperate issues going on here...

The ABS light is most likely the speed sensor on the rear differential, but could possibly be the speed sensor on the transmission. (I guess it could also be a sensor on one of the front hub assemblies, but investigate the other two first. They're more likely to be the cause, and also much cheaper to fix.)

Now we come to the vibration issue. You said that the original holes were stripped and you replaced with oversized. That is the correct procedure to repair that problem, but I can tell you from experience that you'd damn well better get it EXACTLY right when you do it. When you redrill those holes you have to be exactly, 100%, PERFECTLY straight. Even the tiniest bit off and the calipers will stick, you'll overheat your brakes, warp your rotors, and experience exactly the type of vibration problem you're describing.

Again, this is coming from first hand experience with the same problem, and when I went through it there was only one step up from standard as far as oversized studs go. If you messed up, even slightly, when redrilling and tapping those holes, (and it sounds like you probably did), there's not another bigger size available to try again, you're now stuck with replacing the steering knuckle.

(Well, that's "close" to the correct procedure. The TSB from Chrysler actually recommends using the standard size studs and Heli-Coil inserts to fix the threads, which would be better because of the way Heli-Coils work, and the material they're made from. But either way will work. Just have to get the holes perfectly straight.)

SIDE NOTE: I don't know what Chrysler did with these steering knuckles, but it seems to be very common for those holes to strip. NAPA even sells the Heli-Coil set, oversized studs, and correct size drill bit together as a kit. I stripped mine out with nothing more than a standard sized Allen wrench using light pressure by hand. I don't know WTF they were thinking when they specced out the alloy for these, but warm butter would probably hold the thread better than the crappy iron they built these knuckles from....