I'm still getting tons of clunking up front when I brake. Even just barely tapping the brake gives me a significant clunk. So I went to see if the caliper pins needed greased. They were dry as a bone and when I went to tighten the pins up, both of them on the drivers side act like they're stripped. Is this normal or are they easy to strip? Midas has supposedly replaced all the brakes, rotors and calipers all the way around in the three years just before we bought it. Seemed to me the pins being dry was not good so I put some think heavy duty lithium grease on them.

 

They will strip easy if you're not careful, and if they are stripped you need to either replace them with oversized ones (they come in a kit at most auto stores) or install helicoils in the knuckles.

 

Wow, really? I've never had pins that you didn't need to tighten well. Hopefully then they'll hold out a couple of days until I can get new oversized ones. The brakes on this vehicle are the worst sore spot for me about my Durango. Very sub-par for the size and weight of the vehicle and I've only got the 5.2L in there.

 

I really doubt caliper pins have anything to do with clunking. I'd just take it all apart and see what things look like. Don't go by anything that happen in the past, like someone elses repair. It does what it does for a reason. Go find it.

 

I didn't say not to tighten them, you just need to make sure you don't over tighten them. The proper torque specs will be listed in the service manual (PDFs are in the DIY section). Tight is tight, too tight is broke.

 

If they are stripped it is kinda dicey putting in Helicoils as there is not enough material around the hole to be safe after drilling out to the Helicoil tap drill size. Also note that if you have to use Helicoils it is very important to get the hole straight, so avoid trying to do it freehand with a hole shooter. I had to do this to one of mine as the pin was seized in the hole and stripped upon removal.

 

I'm getting the feeling then that we're leaning towards the oversized pins. The clunking is consistent at all speeds, during braking, acceleration, and taking my foot off the brake as well. Would tie rods do that? I know also that my suspension is worn as are many of the bushings. I checked wheel bearings and they seem to be fine.

 

I'm getting the feeling here that some of you think the pins are involved in the force of stopping of the vehicle, such that they can make noise when brakes are applied. All they do is let the single piston caliper slide sideways. There is no real force on them at all, ever. The force is all on the pads and knuckle. I know this sounds like a grade school answer, but as I said, from the above prose, I'm not sure everyone is on the right page.

 

I was addressing the issue he mentioned that the pins seemed to act like their stripped. Also while there is little lateral force on the pins if they are completely stripped the caliper can **** slightly binding and making noise, I have seen this happen. There is the possibility that he could be trying to use an allen wrench to remove the pins in which case it will give a person the impression that it is stripped as you need to use a torx bit, I have learned this hard way.

 

Nope, I used a torx on them. I removed them and reinstalled them with not much effort. I just over-tightened them is all.