1999 Dakota v6 4wd 2dr


Hey guys, a few years back I inherited this truck. It's used primarily to do landscaping projects around the house (not professionally), driven in the snow and to the dump. I don't beat on it, has 75,000 miles and before I had it (with 65,000 miles on it) it spent most of the time sitting as for my wife's father was sick.


I usually don't have too many issues I need help with, but in this case as a ford guy, I don't want to start throwing money at the issue.


The problem is intermittent, so that doesn't make things easy.


The moan radiates through the body and chassis at low speeds. It can't be heard outside vehicle. At times it's fine others it's horrible.


Feels and sounds to me like it's from the front passenger side, I checked and cleaned rear brake shoe setup and appears to be fine.


Pressing on the brake pedal makes it go away immediately, even a light touch.


Front brakes are fairly new, new rotors and new oversized pins (these brakes are a poor design). Caliper on right hand side is new too, it was chipped up, made sound before and after caliper. Brakes were done about 6 months before sound appeared. I have reinspected fronts, don't see or feel anything out of the ordinary.


The E brake works and depressing it has no effect on sound, but does slow truck down.


The noise happens with foot on accelerator, coasting, in neutral and reverse at times.


Putting the truck in 4wd has no effect.


While it does happen randomly, i'd say it's far more likely to happen after driving for 15 minutes or more. Maybe some type of heat issue?


Hard to say if left or right turns make a difference.


At speeds above 25mph or so, you can't hear it.


Ball joints and tie rods seem ok.


On other vehicles I've had bearing issues, but this doesn't sound or feel the same. But I've also only owned awd before not 4wd.


I did rear u joints about two years ago, can't remember if I did the front (or if they are even removable), but the fact that putting it in 4wd doesn't affect the sound would lead me to believe that's not the issue.


I've jack up the front, spun wheels, felt ok, same with the rear in the air. No grinding.


Short of changing the hub bearing and redoing the brakes, i'm not sure where else to look.


Sorry for the long description, it's just been driving me nuts. Really sounds like something is being ruined when the noise is happening.



Thanks for any input,
Joe

 

I like your choice in toys.

With the dakota, the front driveshaft is always spinning, engaged or not. That said, I'd rule out U-joints since it is there under drive and coast.

Since brake pressure makes it go away, it resonates, and you can't hear it outside, AND it's only when hot, I would look at a wheel bearing. But they'll only make noise going straight and turning one way. Turning the other will have the noise go away.

 

Thanks magnet,
I do feel like it happens more when I turn left, but I make a right to get on my own street and it did it today when I made that turn, although it still felt and sounded like it came from the right side.


I had a hub bearing go on my explorer and shifting the body weight by turning it completely altered the sound, so i'm familiar with that.

 

I just had a thought (you can thank DAKAZ for this from a post long ago). Our front brakes, as you figured out, were designed by a 3rd grader. The pads do not slide well on the carrier, and I am wondering if maybe you have a pad sticking and It's vibrating against the rotor.

 

You know, I was trying my best as a new guy around here not to insult the dodge designed brakes on this thing. So i'm glad you said it.
I'm kinda shocked you have a 2001 and this design was still around two years after mine. May possible be the worst designed major wearable component on any vehicle I've ever seen.


I normally submerse the pins in bearing grease, don't specifically remember doing it (remember I changed the caliper long after I did the brakes the first time), so i'll check again, but my norm is to dip them in the can.


What i'm afraid of is the pins being stripped, not sure how many times you can pull the self tapping pins out and expect them to go back in. One side already has 2 oversized pins, even though the package says not to do 2 on the same side. If it was a daily driver, i'd replace the spindle, but this truck rarely sees more than 20 miles round trip anywhere.

 

Uh-oh! Where have I heard that before ? LOL (different thread).

May also want to check the condition of your truck's A-frame bushings as well. Bad bushings can cause all kinds of racket.

 

3 of my 4 are oversize, don't worry. I've had them in and out and locktited back in and back out and re-locktited back in. And I beat the living crap out of mine. But i'm still careful and go at it with the driver in my hand and watching between the spindle and carrier with a flashlight to make sure they go in right.

If it makes you feel better, you can get the "Mopar Performance" oversized brake pins from the dealer...which are the exact soem ones you'll get at o'rielly, but they come in a little baggy that has a DCJ-Mopar branding and part number on it. ROFLOL

BTW, my wheel bearing was beyond roasted (the bearing race was charred) and never had the ratcheting feel that most people relate to a bad bearing when spinning the tire by hand. But it roared like a lion.

Also, I run the $15 el-cheapo o'reilly brake pads. I don't think my front wheels will ever be silver again and they may not last 100,000 miles, but there is so much more stopping power.

 

Does Dodge use the same brake style they have on the Jeeps?

(My Dodge experience is either trucks from the '50's, or 2nd Gen and up the 3/4 and 1 ton RAM's)

The pads wear a groove in the 'slider' like in the pic below.

The pads can get stuck in the 'notch' and cause all kinds of noise.

And when you change the pads and/or rotor, the new stuff can actually lock up the wheel when they get stuck.

XJ004.jpg

These can be welded in, and ground back into shape.

 

I don't think they improved much if at all, for the later Dakotas of this generation. My brakes have never inspired confidence and I have discs all around on this quad cab. First thing I did was change front rotors and passenger side front caliper. Someone had wrung off the bleed nipple, broke the tip clean off. Even today, I feel like the brakes are weak for the weight of the truck.

Don't use bearing grease, it's too heavy and the petroleum attacks the rubber boots. Use high temp caliper lube like Silgyde.

 

Yea same problem they force your pads to wear lopsided also