You said you have enough experience to just replacing brake parts, so look to see if you installed the calipers on the wrong side. I have seen this happen and the result is sluggish brake peddle pressure. The bleeder screws should be at the top of the calipier, if they are located at the bottom the pistons will not operate correctly.

 

Calibers will work correctly even if they are on the wrong side. My 97 had calibers on wrong side ever since I had it. Only noticed when I had to replace a busted line. I did have to bleed the calibers using the bolt that holds the flexible brake hose on but I was able to bleed the caliber that way. It is not correct and should be on the correct way but caliber will work if properly bleed.

Just posted up pics showing the mess and I did correct it today when replacing a hub.

Leave engine off. Have plenty of brake fluid on hand.
Make sure the bleed screw is above the hose bolt.
Start at front passenger side.

1. Have friend press brake peddle all the way to the floor.
2. Loose bleed screw once air or fluid has stopped coming out of bleed screw.
3. Tighten bleed screw.
4. Tell friend to let the peddle come up.

repeat steps 1-4 about three times. Top off the master cylinder. Then bleed the drivers side using the steps above. Repeat in needed but that should do it. If bleeding wheel cylinders and calibers start with the one furthest away from master cylinder.

 

Try a reverse bleed.
Where you pressure the caliper and blow everything back to the master.
Yes, you need the equipment to do it but sometimes its what it needs.
Had to do it on a motorcycle once.
It worked.

 

try bleeding the rear brakes first starting with the right side then the left rear then the right front then the left front. the p valve is probable tripped not allowing you to get all the air out of the abs module. also you can try the stab and hold methiod. basicly how it sounds. open the bleeder have someone stab the brakes to the floor and hold them there well you close the bleeder. i have never used a scan tool to bleed brakes on a dakota or a dingo and iv owned several and worked on 100s

 

Hiya, I just learned that a valve can stick in teh abs system causing low pressure one way. I had did all four new calipers on 02 escalade ext and new break lines, a few months later ( dec 2020) had no front breaks. My regular guy wanted to do a abs bypass. Another suggested a valve issue. Not sure how he did it but got it working.