I just replaced the lower ball joint on drivers side of my 1999 Durango SLT 4X4. When I was about to reattach the brake caliper I noticed there was an old helicoil coming out of the top thread on the steering knuckle. I can’t tighten the mounting pin into it. At first I though about just replacing the whole steering knuckle but then after calling around to junkyards around interior bc, realized it’s harder to find one than I thought. Im back to thinking I should just replace the helicoil and be done with it. I read on here and other forums that there is a repair kit made specifically for this problem but I couldn’t find the exact kit anywhere and wasn’t sure how it would work with taking out the old helicoil and re tapping it to put a new one in. Any advice is appreciated!

 

It's already tapped to the correct thread for the helicoil, just need to take the old one out, and put the new one in. (with some red locktite..... ) Local parts store should be able to get you the repair kit.....

 

I found an actual kit from the helicoil company at a swap meet years ago, and it's even labelled as a spindle thread repair kit for Dakota and Durango. I had to buy it, got it cheap back then, have used it several times and not just on my trucks either. I think I need to get some more helicoils to refill the kit. Comes with the drill, the tap, the helicoil driver and originally like 10 inserts.