Well intentioned and Novice when it comes to mechanical repair. Need some advice on what to get to replace my front brakes and rotors. I let the pad replacement go way to long and I am pretty sure from everything I have read up on I have damaged my current rotors.

1998 Dakota 3.9L Magnum V6 - Currently just an everyday driver in Northern VA

 

You need tools, pads and rotors, obviously. Among the tools, you need a C clamp for retracting the brake piston and jack stands. Also a can of brake cleaner and some caliper lube for the slide pins along with DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid.


You can walk up to your truck and run your finger over the rotors (when cold, obviously). If you have grooves cut into them, you need to replace them. Feel both sides of the discs. Some say resurface them but you can get them cheap enough to not make it worth it. It's important that you grease caliper slide pins with the lube. Also note that brake pads have warning tabs that make a racket when the brakes go low, to warn you. That doesn't necessarily mean your rotors are scored. When you hear heavy grinding , that's when damage is being done.


A few things to note. When you compress the pistons, the brake fluid can overflow in the reservoir, so take some out first. Also, do not press the brakes with the calipers off. Finally, spray new rotors with brake clean after you put them on. They come oiled to prevent rust and you'll dirty them anway.

Plenty of youtube videos showing you how to perform brake jobs, probably even on your specific truck. Have fun.

 

Thanks for the advice. I am planning to replace the Rotors anyhow as I do hear more of a grind than any other sound. I've kept it parked in the driveway as much as possible to prevent any further damage. I'm pricing everything out and making my list now. I have the tools just need 3-ton stands and fluids. Found a Front Rotors and Pads kit on RockAuto (POWER STOP KOE2137) for $85 w/ shipping that should handle my needs. Gonna keep my eye out for some Black Friday deals and hope to hit this next weekend. Youtube has been a big help already.

Thanks again.

 

and BE CAREFUL with the slide pins. They cross-thread easily. So easily, the dealers have a part number for oversize pins and helicoils.

 

Update... Thanks again for all the advice/help. Here's the culprit and the final product.



Passenger Side Inboard pad was completely gone

 

Nice job! I always replace the rotors when doing brakes, there cheap enough. The steel is not what it used be since most of our mills in the USA are gone. Warping occurs easily if they are heated up and when they are cut it makes the rotors more suseptable to causing problems from hard brakng to a shimmy at high speed.

 

Did you check the face of the brake pad seat for notches this happens too often and can be why one brake pad wore out and the other was ok. These notches cause the shoe to sit crooked or lock in one position I had to file out the notches to fix it. Many have had this problem on the 98 to 2001 Dakotas.

Be sure to lube up the slide pins well with the proper lube or they will start sticking silicone goop is the best SIL-GLYDE BRAKE LUBRICANT is the name I believe. Also the slide pin stiff rubber bushing in the caliper they slide in can become worn out they are replaceable and cheap if worn out the brake pad will not seat proper and cause uneven pad wear.

The older 97 to 2001 calipers were not the best and didnt wear pads properly and had problems with sticking locking up so making sure everything is in great shape is important.

 

Good job! All these pics remind me how primitively Dodge designed these brakes. Looks like they were built by a blacksmith.

 

98DAKAZ -
I didn't notice any notches. Then again, I wasn't really looking at the time but none the less nothing stood out as a glaring "that's not right". The slide pins where surprisingly clean and came out easy enough that I don't think it was a lubricant issue. I made sure I cleaned them off and re-lubed them up with SIL-Glide pretty well and the boots before putting them back in.

I was thinking that the wear may have been from the bad alignment that went too long and too many miles that may have helped with the uneven wear. Is that possible?

Either way, My plan is to replace the Calipers and Brake lines the next time I have to do a brake job on it. I am planing to do a brake flush in the near future soon as I can get an extra hand. I probably need to do a coolant flush in the near future too.

 

New calipers and flex lines would be a good idea. a DOT 3 flush is a must for these the fluid gets mucky in the back lines if you flush just the back brakes your good.