Doing a front brake job (pads, rotors AND calipers since the boots around the pistons are shot) on my '02 4WD Dakota.  Ran into a problem with the lower mounting pin: the threads in the steering knuckle that it screws into are toast.  I did not use excessive force screwing it in, but it just kept turning.  I took advantage of a free brake inspection at Sears a few days ago (hence the brake job) and I'm worried they pivoted the caliper up to inspect and then cross threaded the pin putting it back.  Here's a pic of the lower bolt hole in the steering knuckle.  I'm thinking heli-coil, but I've never done one, don't have the special taps, and, worst of all, there's not much edge distance in this bolt hole.  If heli-coil doesn't work I'm guessing my only other option is to replace the steering knuckle?  YIKES!  Any thoughts?  Would love to hear them.   Thanks, Dave

There are specific Heli-coils for that application. Yer right...ain't much meat there to start with. There are also some oversized, self-tapping bolts for caliper mounting. Might check with your local NAPA store first, and see what they have available.
Heil-coils normally come with the correct taps, installation tool, and instructions. If you can drill/tap a straight hole, it's not too complicated.


btw....we see cars with the caliper bolts stripped out all the time these days. In a lot of cases, the bolt is gone completely. When the car is moving, and you hit the brakes, the caliper can swivel up and lock onto the wheel. Not a good thing. I wouldn't blame the guys that worked on it before, tho they may have overtightened it...it would eventually happen anyway. As you noted, there just ain't a lot of metal there to hold the threads...a by-product of weight reduction in all vehicles....


|UPDATED|8/14/2012 4:33:01 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Thanks much, Joel.  Definitely going to look into the self-tapping bolt at my Napa store.  Glad to hear that this is a common occurrence, so there may be some options out there.  I won't try to go back on the guys at Sears.

Does yours still have the drum brakes in the rear? If so, check or replace the two rear wheel cylinders. My 96 ram 1500 kept eating front pads and rotors and never seemed to stop right. Someone told me that the Dodges from this period were prone to the rear cylinders  gumming  up and stop working so you would be stopping on the front brakes only! Replaced the wheel cylinders (and shoes). Put the Power Slot rotors and EBC brake pads (I believe they were the 5000 series) on the front. Got everything from Summit Racing. Now it stops great and the best part is no brake dust in the front! Good luck!

|UPDATED|8/14/2012 2:04:24 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Yup ...go for the bigger bolts...should work fine! Until the next time!

You guys ROCK!  Napa had the oversize self-tapping bolt (looks like it had been on the shelf for quite a while) -- and it's on and works and everything is put back together and I have a hard pedal with great new brakes.  Thanks a bunch.