Dodge Dakota - Quad Cab

dustyk · April 2004

The info on the new 5.4 F150 is third party information. My son-in-law said that his 4x4 SC can beat his brother's '04 conventional cab with the 5.4 and that it's been repeated by others with older 5.4s. The '04s may be a tad heavier.

Regards,
Dusty

dustyk · April 2004

H.O. intake manifold for 4.7L V8 - Mopar Part #53031739AD

Dusty

sunburn · April 2004

The 04 F-150 is about 400 lbs heavier than the previous version. Any of the reviews that I have read have expressed disappointment in the performance of the 24V 5.4L. Right now, the best mid-sized V-8s appear to be the Nissan 5.6 and the Dodge 5.7.

furrydog1 · April 2004

Greetings,
we want to put in a sliding rear window in our '02 QUAD CAB but we have a few questions before we move ahead and we were looking for some feedback: 1)Is there any particular brand of sliding window I should be looking at 2)what sort of price have people paid 3)how noisy is it when it is open?(we have a topper on the bed) 4)anything else I should be concerned with? Thanks for the help.

slickwilliedj · April 2004

hey I tried to find that part listing on the mopar.com site but was unable can you post a direct link to that page. I also for heck of it email mopar asking what performance parts they offer for the 4.7. **Might be a good thing for all of us to do and start asking why there are no Mopar engine performance parts avail for the 4.7l engine.

dustyk · April 2004

Try:

http://www.dakota-durango.com/parts_manifolds.htm

Best regards,
Dusty

quadmeister · April 2004

Gents,

You can add my '03 QC 4X4 to the warped front rotor list... at only 17000 km. Actually I started noticing the shake and shimmy at just over 10k and thought it was probably just winter crud build-up, however it persists and my dodge dealer confirmed the front rotors are warped and are replacing them under warranty Saturday. I hope it isn't going to be a regular thing... replacing rotors every 15 - 20k.
the brake rotor thing is not just a Dodge thing either. My buddy's '01 F150 had the same problem around the 25 - 30000 km mark. They tried turning them a couple times before admitting the rotors were junk and replaced them. He said the other day he was starting to feel some shake in the brake pedal again (at 55k)
My '97 F150 XLT SC 4X4, that had LT285s and was subjected to more than occasional woods road driving and trailer pulling, still had one of the original rotors on it with over 247000 km when I traded it in. The other rotor was changed around the 215000 km mark (and took about 2 hours to get the thing off the hub). It was worn out, but not warped.
It's unbelievable how auto manufacturers can scrimp on something as important as brakes in order to save a couple dollars in manufacturing costs, just so they can make a couple extra dollars in the end.

"...sad but so, 'tis the world we live in." - me

mopar67 · April 2004

It's unbelievable how auto manufacturers can scrimp on something as important as brakes in order to save a couple dollars in manufacturing costs, just so they can make a couple extra dollars in the end.

I call it penny wise, pound foolish. However, bonuses are based on cost cutting, not product content so there you have it.
its also the reason I got rid of my trouble prone Dakota.

quadmeister · April 2004

...mm_hmm, and which way to turn? ;-)

mopar67 · April 2004

is to replace the junk factory rotors with aftermarket units like Raybestos or Powerstop. Others have done this with success.

I would have done so as well, but other issues "broke the camel's back" so to speak, and the Dakota and I parted company.

Just so you know, I had the front rotors replaced 4 times in about 27K. yes, you read it right, 4 times.

quadmeister · April 2004

Considering the low mileage on mine I'm not surprised you had your's replaced 4 times in such a short time. If it continues to be a problem, as soon as it starts costing me $$ to replace them (I think the warranty coverage on the rotors is 1 year) I will switch to an aftermarket set. That goes against my usual practice when it comes to something as vital as brakes as I usually try to fix it right the first time, but I didn't buy a brand new, almost 40 thousand dollar (Can$) truck to have to pay more $$ to keep it up to snuff.

Something tells me that this camping season the trailer brakes will have to be set up to work a little harder with this truck compared to the last one.

sunburn · May 2004

I made a trip to the landfill the other day, and on my way back out across the scales, my QC weighed in at 5230 lbs (driver + full tank of gas). That's well above the advertised 4450 lb curb weight. I expected maybe 4700-4800 lbs, but not 5200+ lbs. With a GVWR of 6010, it doesn't leave much payload capacity. Add the wife and 2 young kids (350 lbs), small trailer with a tongue weight of 300 lbs, that leaves 130 lbs for cargo. I know I've had more than 130 lbs of stuff in the back of my QC when going camping, so I've probably been in excess of the GVWR several times. Of course, as the kids get older, that 130 lb margin will decrease. Might have to upgrade...

dustyk · May 2004

Now you've done it!

It's time to fess up. How much of that was you?

(:>)

Regards,
Dusty

P.S. Twenty-four gallons of gasoline weighs roughly between 139 and 147 pounds.

sunburn · May 2004

OK, I will admit that 220 lbs of it was me. But still, with a full tank of gas and no driver, it is still 5010 lbs. That only leaves a 1000 lb payload, which is quite easy to exceed. Granted, my truck is a 4x4, 4.7/auto, which definitely weighs more that a 4x4, V-6, manual tranny.

dustyk · May 2004

Sunburn, I went onto the Dodge site earlier to try to find the vehicle weights. I thought that Dodge had them there at one time, but I couldn't seem to find them.

Somewhere I seem to recall what I remembered as a Dakota QC that weighed a heck of a lot more than I would've guessed. I don't remember the exact figure, but I think it was in the vicinity of 5000 pounds. I had a discussion with a guy at work who doubted that any Dakota would go over 4000 lbs., that's why I remember it.

My '03 Club Cab, 4.7, auto, sport & off road packages is listed as 3918 pounds on the shipping invoice. However, the registered weight is 4008. I'm not sure where the other 90 lbs. came from. But I seem to recall that those weights differed from other information I got at the time I purchased it, not be a huge margin like yours. More like 250 pounds or so.

It might be interesting to have mine weighed just for the heck of it.

Bests,
Dusty

zonk · May 2004

I haven't posted in quite a while. Good to see Bookitty still posts. The lease on my '01 QC Sport 4x2 was coming due in June; my son needed a reliable vehicle. So, I am buying it for him. 39,000 miles and not one problem (knock on wood). However, I am wondering if I should buy an extended warranty for the remainder of the purchase (4 years). my truck has been great so far, so I am looking to see what it's future might hold in terms of problems. If I do get an extended warranty, what do the members suggest? I have been researching on the net - has anyone heard of Warranty Warehouse? Comments would sure be appreciated - Zonk

dustyk · May 2004

Zonk,

This has been discussed in the Dodge forum before. There are people who weigh-in on both sides and both have good reasons. If you're not a gambler and would feel more secure, then maybe the extended warranty is something you should consider.

For myself I would rather put the same money away and collect a little interest. I've known people who have obtained the warranty then had very few issues with the vehicle. They end up thinking it was a waste of money, and in those cases they were right.

A lot depends too on how your son will treat and take care of the vehicle. If he's particular about his machinery then the law of averages are probably on your side. If he's a drive-it and park-it type, again, the warranty might be a good thing.

I just received a solicitation from Chrysler on the extended warranty for my 2003 Dakota. Depending on the coverage I'd want, they go up to over $3000. I can put in a transmission and rebuild the front end a couple of times for that.

Of course, it's just like rolling dice when it comes to automobiles. The only vehicle I thought I would never need one is our '99 Avalon. I was wrong! The one I thought I'd need one was the Dakota. So far I think I've changed my mind.

Good luck on your decision.

Best regards,
Dusty

rudedog · May 2004

I bought a Dodge Dakota Q/C. Was a menber here a year ago. I'm back just to down Dodge.
I paid 25K, truck still looks new, because of all the issues, I can't get more than 6K for my truck in trade. Dodge does not stand behine their product. Nothing is being done to help the people who bought an over priced pice of junk. 58K miles, 5 brake jobs, back brakes don't work with front, electronic problems, rearend and steering noise, clunk etc, 3 sets of tires with right front always wearing faster than the rest, front popping noise, no fixes execpt the brakes which lasted a few K miles and do it again. Cn't take the loss on trade. Can add aftermarket parts to fix at a big expense. By the time I could make this truck right, I could have bought a hummer. I think I will drive it until it cause a wreck and sue dodge or until it falls apart and make a mudbug out of it. Best thing I can say is I do like the looks and power. Motor seems good.
On a scale from 1 too 10, I give it a 3 for the price and trade value. If you buy the Dakota, you made a mistake unless money and value is no concern to you.
P.S. reviews from Edmunds and other sites do not reflect these problems unless it comes from the form. See yall next year.

dustyk · May 2004

>>>If you buy the Dakota, you made a mistake unless money and value is no concern to you<<<

Actually, money and value is a concern of mine and that's just two of the reasons I bought the Dakota. Sorry to hear of your dissatisfaction, but I don't believe I've made a mistake. Fortunately mine has been nearly a stellar performer with next to nothing for issues. At almost 25,000 miles it still seems new. Better than I would have expected from a Dodge, to be honest with you. And the Dakota owners I have had a face-to-face with over all seem nearly as pleased as I.

Dusty

ron35 · May 2004

rudedog - I'm sorry that you have had trouble with your Dakota. I have a 2K CC with a 4.7, 5 speed with 52K miles and have not had any significant problems. Brakes and balljoints have been fine. The only complaint I have is that I have had to change 2 headlights out because of condensation inside the housing.

Ron

hasel · May 2004

Have had my Q Cab for three years now, other than replacing front brake rotors/pads and a new battery last month its been a great truck, have 38000 miles the 4.7L V-8 with auto and 3.55 rear average gas milage for the 38000 miles is 17.58 miles per gallon. Hasel

mtrialsm · May 2004

2001 Quad 4x2, 4.7 auto,lim-slip. 43k miles.
Still on org. brakes. I've sanded front pads
and cleaned rotors once. Upper/lower ball joints replaced at 35k miles.Very pleased with this
truck. Have extended warr.
P.S. Co-worker has new Ford F-250 diesel 4x4,
he's dealing with Ford on a "buy-back" front end/steering problems big time! It's not just
Dodge!
MM

rudedog · May 2004

Then why are we reading so many post with the same problems. I don't think a 100% of the Dakota's are bad but too many have problems with no fixes. When I first got my truck, Dakotas were popping up everywhere. Now I'm lucky to see a Dakota runing around here. People in my area are getting rid of them. There are a lot of full size Dodges. Don't know how there doing. I'm done, good luck and thanks for letting me post.

hasel · May 2004

I spent 21 years in fleet maintenance I could order 26 vehicles all the same, made all in the same run and there would always be one that had nothing but problems. hasel

traumagas · May 2004

I have not a clue why but I am tired of this!!
I put power Slots on 8500 miles ago now Warped

Never used impact (made sure when tires rotated )
Never ran threw Puddles of water with brakes Hot
Yes I drove in the Rain

Spoke to ThePartsBIn.com salesman says they have warranty, Then return dept says NO warranty
does anyone Know

Also put Ceramic pads Do these Pads Run Hotter ?

Any Suggestions ?
Are only US trucks Having problems with Rotors ?

Looking at a TITAN a little closer

dustyk · May 2004

Trauma,

Well, you've upgraded rotors and pads so maybe that wasn't the problem. Ceramic pads don't wear as well, but I wouldn't think they could contribute to warped rotors.

The calipers could be sticking. You could have a bad master cylinder that is allowing pressure to be held after the pedal is released. The front rubber flexible hoses will also cause this problem.

What are your braking habits like?

Best regards,
Dusty

dustyk · May 2004

Rude,

The natural propensity in elective forums is to find the negative comment and the dissatisfied. Human nature being what it is you are much more likely to hear criticism and complaint that praise.

I visit the other forums so I know that the Dakota is doing pretty well against competitive models based on the negative comments alone. Even the Tacoma forum has a large number of complainers.

Right now you are angry with your Dakota, angry with Dodge, and maybe even angry with American products in general. You will only see each and every complaint as validation of your current mindset. But, there are those feeling just like you in nearly every car and truck forum at Edmunds.

I knew about the brake complaints regarding Dakotas before I bought one. I would rather be dealing with a rotor and pad quality issue than piston slap and driveline issues that I've read in the GM and Ford boards. Fortunately the brakes on my Dakota are outlasting those of a great many other cars and trucks that I know of.

We own a Toyota Avalon. My neighbor has owned six Toyota products in five years. Our Avalon has had three sets of rotors in 56K miles. His last 4-Runner had two sets of rotors in two years. His new Sienna has had rear brakes completely rebuilt and they don't even have 7,000 miles on it. I have friends that own Ford trucks and my daughter and son-in-law have had Ford trucks for a number of years. I know better! Their complaints of short rotor life is just as numerous if not more.

Before blaming everything on the truck, maybe you should consider that you've received less than competent repairs. Or, could you be contributing to the early demise of some of these components?

When the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle (Rochester, NY) published a list of the cars and trucks that went through state arbitration or the Better Business Bureau in our area, a big surprise was that there was not one Dakota on the list! Oh yes, there were Dodge RAMs, and cars and vans. But not one Dakota.

Although this will not make you happy, the fact is that the overwhelming majority of Dakota owners are satisfied. The fact that you can count more complaints than praise in this forum is not a true statistical indicator! There will always be a population of any given make or model that will not be and they will be more vocal and found offering their negative opinion more often. I'm truly sorry that you're unhappy.

Dusty

traumagas · May 2004

Well
The rotors are not covered under warranty
found a set lifetime warranty Against Warping
will check this out tommorrow.

I am not lead foot Usually let of gas well in time
for gradual stop. I am user friendly !!
I do all my own Work when Possible.

The truck rolls freely and the rotors are free when truck running up on rack, Factory rims and tires
Has the heavy tow package Big rear brakes (Drum)
that are adjusted correctly, Does the trucks with 4 wheel disc do better with rotors since poss more even braking ?

dustyk · May 2004

I have little direct experience with respect to ceramic pads, but I know one person who changed the factory pads out for them on a 2003 Yukon because of the brake dust and he believes the vehicle doesn't stop anywhere near as good as it did with the factory pads. My local auto repair place doesn't like them, either.

I personally haven't heard any comments about the 4-disc brake versions one way or another. I wouldn't think that discs on the rear would make any difference to what happens on the fronts.

Now, are you sure that the rotors are warped? Your rotors may be scuzzed up or developed hard spots. This can be felt sometimes in the brake pedal, but not as a true pulsing sensation (ie: where the pedal cyclicly pushes back against your foot pressure).

If you feel what sometimes appears as an out-of-round tire (ie: the vehicle gives you the sensation that the front-end in going up and down very slightly, this could be hard spots or surface scuzz. Most of the time a long, hard stop will clean them off if its scuzz. Hard spots will never go away, unfortunately, although a resurfacing may reduce it quite a bit.

I think I picked up a hard spot just this past week on mine. And I know exactly how it happened. I had just returned to the house after a 18 mile trip, pulled in and immediately hit the truck with water to wash it. I may have quenched a rotor in one spot from the cold water causing a hard spot. We'll see if it goes away. It seems to at the moment.

Other than that the calipers could be sticking or the master cylinder is not releasing the pressure.

What year is this Dak and how many miles?

Best regards,
Dusty

traumagas · May 2004

The truck is a 01 4.7 4x4 Slt Loaded out Hd group

Love this truck only complaints Whinney Hinney but never any failure. and third set of rotors.

I have an o2 sensor light on and have found that it has two sensors and Factory ones are $$$$$$
Light is on yet to replace. I reset the light
and sometimes it goes for weeks before it comes back on came on more during the cold season.

I plan on changing out the Rotors and getting out of the ceramic Pad Business, They may work for others but not for me, will regroup. Also
ANY one considering POWER SLOT rotors I would Say NO to them I talked to company small fly by night company in Ca They could not tell me were their rotors are Casted ?????? so I suspect buying cheap rotors and Slotting them ??? Only a guess but Would NOT BUY THEM Buying a set of Wagners CAST in THE USA ! not Turkey or Third world.

Regards
Jon

traumagas · May 2004

Ok, I did the brakes with all wagner stuff and its so Smoooooooooooth now, I took the rotors to the parts house and had them Turn them, just to see how Warped, One Rotor required Two Passes and the other required just one pass. so I wrapped in oil cheese cloth and will store them for the Next time.
Unless anyone wants them just Pay the shipping !!

Now does anyone have any exp with O2 sensors Found a place on the net for 115.00 each I looked today while changing brakes and the one on the manifold has access but how the hell do you get to the wire fitting looks like its on Bell housing bettween the firewall, could always buy the o2 sensor without fitting and wire it myself,

any experience with this

Ps Dusty the truck has 75k on it and I would Buy another in a minute Not a squeak tight truck
Smoked a new f 150 and he was trying.
Gibson cat back and K&N thats it

Jon

dustyk · May 2004

I believe there was at least one person in here that has had a good experience with the Power Slots.

I'm guessing that you have the 9.25 axle assembly if you're complaining about whine. They're made by American Axle, now owned by General Motors. Funny, when I owned GM trucks I replaced two of them myself. Someone told me that in '03 they changed supplier, but I've not been able to verify that.

Oh, by the way. I noticed one thing a little different on mine from a few others I've seen. My rear drums are proudly embossed with Bosch. I've seen some '00s-'02s that didn't say anything on them.

Best regards,
Dusty

quadmeister · May 2004

How does $44.00 (which = 44 litres of fuel, not coincidentally) to travel 298.3 kms sound to you guys to the Southern side of the border?

'03 SLT QC, 4X4, 4.7l auto, lsd, 23000km

including:
-mostly highway driving, with cruise set to no more than 105km/h.
-maybe 30 - 50 mins city driving
-towed the 2000ish lb pop-up tent trailer approx. 60 - 65kms (all highway but about 5kms) this morning. O/D off, cruise set to 95km/h.
-carrying maybe 200lbs of stuff in the box.

Not complaining about MPG (because it is a truck not, not an economy car)... just curious what you all are paying for a tank of gas... self serve, regular.

...any word on when they are releasing the diesel Dakota? ;-)

dustyk · May 2004

Well, that's 16.0 miles per gallon. With that equipment and especially 4-wheel drive, I think that's pretty good.

Gasoline prices in the Rochester, NY area are around $2.19 for 87 octane at the brands (Mobil, Texaco, etc.) BP and others are around $2.11.

Best regards,
Dusty

quadmeister · May 2004

...never mind, I think I figured it out for myself. Using North Carolina prices @ $1.79/gal, that equates to about $20 US for a roughly half tank of gas(or $27.50 CAN)... Is that correct, or did I do that wrong?

You guys better not let me hear any complaints about gas prices down there ;-)

quadmeister · May 2004

...you must live on here, do ya? Yup, that's what I figured, 16.1 mpg, which, like you say isn't bad... much better than I was figuring on this past winter.

That's being fairly light footed, and it makes a huge difference to keep her below 110km/h on the highway, and when towing, shutting the O/D off and keeping it in 95 - 100km/h zone.

slickwilliedj · May 2004

I recently had a front brake job done on my 01 q/c sport 4.7l auto 2wd lsd, and 4whl anti locks, with 30k on it. my rotors were really warped too. My mechanic used Wagner thermoquite pads and turned the front rotors. I have driven approx 3k since the brake job and I'm completely happy. What type of Wagner pads did you use? Did you have to replace the rear brakes?

Pat

spike50 · June 2004

I too have experienced some warping in my 1.5 yr old Power Slots (P-S). I do have 4-Wheel ABS ('00 Quad) and have always thought that the ABS might be a contributing factor. When I changed to P-S, I also went with the Raybestos ceramic pads. Although this cleared up the warp and brake dust problems, it was the combo in place when the P-S started to warp again. The pulsing is minor but you know how neurotic I am (you ought to see me working on that old motorcycle).

After the warp started, I did put my old OEM pads back in to see if that would eventually change anything. The warp stayed and has not gotten any worse. Interestingly, the excessive amounts of brake dust did not return. My conclusion is that the dust was coming from those crappy OEM rotors.

I'm actually pulling the P-S off today to be trued up. I guess this will carve into the P-S coating metallurgy but so be it.

One other point - While watching the many "tuner" shows on TV, I've noticed that the slots on their new rotor / brake upgrades rotate forward into the direction of travel rather than backward and away like the slots on the P-S. I've checked the P-S paperwork and I've installed the "L" is on the driver's left (driver's side of the truck) as instructed. To me, the backward / away slot orientation of the P-S makes more sense. Is this the orientation on other P-S installs or did I do it wrong thus contributing to the warp?

dustyk · June 2004

Spike,

First, I'm not sure how resurfacing the Power Slot rotors would affect the coating of the non-contact areas.

With respect to your concern about the direction of the slots, I'm currently of the opinion that there would be little to no difference, depending on what you believe the benefit of the slots to be.

To reduce potential gas build-up under the pad during heavy braking the rotational direction will have no bearing since the slots only function is to provide an orifice or channel to relieve escaping gas.

To clear the rotor surface of material lost during the high friction condition under braking, the slot acts as a channel to funnel lost material away from under the pad as the pad's contact surface passes each slot. Centrifugal force will expel this lost material regardless which direction the slots are turning, although with the slots facing rearward it could be arguably more effective at lower speeds.

If you believe that the slots also add a cooling effect by producing a turbulence down the slot then this would theoretically work to the optimum with the slots facing frontwards. However, without any knowledge of some empirical data demonstrating this effect, my opinion is that there is no extra cooling effect produced by sloting other than the minuscule increase to the rotor's total surface area.

This is my answer to a theoretical question. There may in fact be logical reasons why the slots should be arranged a certain way that I haven't considered. My guess is that you could use two "left" or "right" rotors on the front of the same vehicle with absolutely no noticeable effects.

But if that opinion is valid, then someone is bound to ask why anybody would go to all the trouble to make then directional in the first place. And it would be a good question, probably one that I'd ask if someone else suggested it.

But, then again I'm old and may be just a little touched in the head this time of day.

Good question, though.

Bests,
Dusty

spike50 · June 2004

Thanks dustyk for the feedback. I agree that probably there is little difference with slot orientation. Just an observation for watching car and truck shows.

I picked up the resurfaced Power Slots (P-S) yesterday for $25. I stayed with the P-S prescribed orientation scheme with "L" for the driver's side. The local shop took their time so as not to hurt the rotor's slots or their machine on the slots. Still have good slot depth and good shape edges.

As the miles accumulate (slowly at these gas prices), I'll post my impressions and observations. I did want to note that there was "sandy" mountain mud throughout the suspension and brake components from my off-roading weekend. Apparently my hosing procedures didn't get it all. Anyway, the truck wasn't moved since then and we have also had rain every afternoon (high humidity). Point is that the rotors were rusty when I took them off. It might indicate that the P-S surface metallurgy had already been scoured off and that the resurfacing really hasn't hurt anything. Eventually the rotors will wear through the surface treatment but I got there sooner.

slickwilliedj · June 2004

Hi, just thought I'd post a update.

I had the fluid changed last week and used Redline 80w-140 $8.00 per qt used about 2.3 qts. My mechanic ended recommending not breaking the factory seal unless nessary thus he sucked the case out and flushed it with reg gear oil before installing the redline oil... He said he got a lot of thick gray sedement like stuff out of it which concerns me however since he installed the redline oil the chattering rubbing noise I was exp is completly gone! I took the truck on a memorial day trip to Orlando Fl and put over 500 hwy mile it since and still no noise... So hopefully this fluid change and switch to redline oil solved my problem.....

My only concern was that gray sediment the mechanic mentioned finding?

spike50 · June 2004

Sounds like it's very finely ground steel from the gear set. Did the mechanic test it with a magnet? The amount and rate of production of these metal fragments has probably decreased from those initial levels experienced during those break-in miles. Obviously some is good while all of the surfaces are initally mating together but a lot all of the time spells trouble.

The "factory seal" isn't a big deal to achieve. In my experience with the prescribed Mopar silicone caulk, it takes time (labor $) to thoroughly clean off all of the old and wait a bit for the new to harden up before loading in the new oil. I also waited several hours before test driving (figure 8's to work the oil into the LSD) while the caulk around the plug cured.

It sounds like your mechanic removed some percentage of that muck. Removal is a good thing but a little is always going to be there, so don't worry. The next time you change the oil, remove the cover and look to see the amount of muck build up, the condition of the gear teeth, and the wear pattern on the teeth. It's sort of like reading the tea leaves to tell you about your past and to predict the future if all stays the same.

bpeebles · June 2004

I am curious if you noted any MPG improvement. You did not mention if you have 4X4 and manual tranny (like I orderd from factory)

When I changed over to RedLine in both Diffs, Xfer case and tranny, I immediatly noted 2-4 MPG improvemnet.... especially on the highway.

The manual-tranny shifting was also much improved.

dustyk · June 2004

The gray muck is from the clutch material and as Spike said there will always be some of this residue in the gear oil. However, in my experience the worst it ever gets is just after manufacturing. I think this is due to the initial loss of clutch facing material during break in.

Again, as Spike noted, using the correct Mopar RTV sealant leaks are never a problem unless it wasn't applied correctly. If you use the common RTV sealants you will eventually see a leak. There is a special differential gear oil resistant type that is required for differential covers.

When I changed mine out I literally flushed out the differential and the inside of the case with a solvent to get as much of the clutch facing material out. There is also a magnet glued to the bottom of the differential housing on the inside that should be checked for metal bits. You obviously can't do that if you don't remove the cover.

Best regards,
Dusty

davewarwick1 · June 2004

It has been some time since I posted so I wanted to give an update on tires. My dilemna last fall was in deciding on what tires to replace the OEM GoodYear tires with. I purchased the Yokohama Geolander H-T/S tires from Tire Rack. They have been excellent. The tires were good in snow. The best attribute has been the ride and it is much smoother now.

I have left the Edelbrock IAS shocks on as the new tires have more than compensated for the stiffer ride with the shocks. I would buy the tires again without looking at anything else.

Now that the truck is approaching the 50 k mark it is time to finally replace the brakes. The steering wheel is telling me it is time. Actually in looking at the rotors, it looks like there is a build up of material which in all likelihood is from the pads. I see there are many posts on brakes and pros/cons with whatever purchase is made (OEM vs aftermarket, etc..) so I will make a choice and see what happens.

dustyk · June 2004

Dave,

How many miles do you have on the tires and how do you judge the wearing?

Best regards,
Dusty

spike50 · June 2004

davewarwick1 - I have a '00 Quad, 4WD, 4.7L, 5sp, 3.55 LSD rear, and 31x10.5-15 tires. My suggestion is to stay with the standard semi-metallic pads, similar to the OEM or stay with OEM. Although a good pad, ceramics appear to be more than necessary and expensive. Although I had run the ceramics for approximately 20K, I went back to my original OEM's that still have 75% - 50% of the pad left today at 60K. They appear to be a good product.

I don't know how you can test them before hand but good metallurgy is the key to getting a good rotor that doesn't warp prematurely and that doesn't create profuse amounts of brake dust. You could get lucky going OEM and that depends on what and when the supplier made them for Mopar. I have Power Slots ($) but they warped a little too and have been successfully resurfaced by my local shop. I guess rotors are available from stores like Advance Auto, Auto Zone, NAPA, etc. and could be good stuff but I have no rotor experience in that regard.

My experience with tires is the classic "double-edged sword". In hindsight, as the GY RT/S wore out wet-traction deteriorated and they became very dangerous. Gas mileage (19-21 mpg on trips) and ride-comfort (a low wife complaint quotient) were OK for a truck. Last November, I put on the Bridgestone AT - Revo and both my mud-bogging / snow abilities and wet-traction greatly improved but gas mileage and ride-comfort (she'd rather go to the dentist than ride in the truck) took a hit. Although these tires are light years ahead of the GY RT/S in the attributes that are more important to me, they are heavy, stiff-walled truck tires and are a bit noisier. I can't spin these (if ever) like the GY's but a 54 yr old should probably stay away from that adolescent behavior anyway.

jimt1 · June 2004

I haven't posted in some time, but have a couple of comments and a question. (2001 quad 4x4,4.7,auto, 3.92LS, Edelbrock IAS shocks, Airide air bags, 97,000miles). I replaced Goodyear RTS`s at 82,000 with Yokahoma Geolander HTS tires and am well pleased with them. Minimal discernable wear in 15,000 miles, good ride quality,quieter, and great on wet roads ( South Fl). Have had diff. problems despite fluid change to synthetic(factory) and have had total rebuild of rear. I am installing PML cast aluminum cover this week and return to synthetic fluid (Amsoil). I hope this will be end of rear problems, but dealer probably contributed to early demise. Transmission is now coming out of lockup when in overdrive at steady speeds ( ie. 65mph, level ground, on cruise control) I am afraid this is indication of further problem. It seems to occur less frequently when I drive manually as opposed to on cruise. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. JimT

davewarwick1 · June 2004

Dusty,

I now have 6k on the tires and just had them rotated. The front tires were just barely starting to get that "cupped" inner/outer edge. I would say the wear has been good and look to get in the 40k + range again. I do have access to a tire groover and should the ride still be good at 40K we can get a little more out of them and see if we can approach 50k with safety in mind. These tires would have to have something bad happen for me not to buy them again.

Spike - Thanks for the note on brakes. In all likelihood, I will go with OEM and see what happens. I have yet to see a DDQC that had front rims where you can see the color. By the way, my off roading is right after I swerve to miss deer. So far so good with the Yoko's.

Dave

spike50 · June 2004

I've really been surprised by the absence of brake dust since I change to the Power Slots from the '00 OEM rotors. Like I noted earlier, I'm using the same OEM pads so the previous condition had to be caused by the OEM rotors.

I've seen some poorly kept Durangos that had either black or rust colored front wheels. I still shake my head when I see a BMW, Mercedes, etc. with extreme amounts of brake dust on the front wheels. Either they are lazy owners or the car is leased.

Good luck on your choices.

Dodge Dakota - Quad Cab

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles