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Thread: 03/04 Front Brake Conversion

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    Always Annoyed

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    Default 03/04 Front Brake Conversion

    I'm in the process of doing the 03/04 Front Brake Conversion with spindles sourced from a local junk yard and all new rotors, fully loaded calipers (caliper, bracket & hardware), brake lines, ball joints, hubs, tie rods, sway bar end links, etc. from RockAuto. Only thing I don't have is the bolts to mount the caliper bracket to the spindle. The junk yard didn't throw those in with the spindles I bought from them and they weren't included with the complete caliper package I got from RockAuto. My question is what size (thread/pitch and length) are these bolts?
    Paul
    Dearborn Heights, MI


  2. #2

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    14mm x 2.0 Sorry don't recall the length.

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    Always Annoyed

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    Thanks, I'll just grab a couple different lengths and will find the one that works.
    Paul
    Dearborn Heights, MI


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    M14 x 2.0 x 35mm

    I bought and used these:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-M14-2-0x3.../261308392606?

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    Sorry for replying to a semi-old thread, I'm sure you found your bolt but replying for people who find this thread by searching.

    https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/UBP84509

    03 rangos used the same spindles as 03/04 daks so it should be the same mounting bolt AFAIK. I used these which NAPA lists for 03 rangos. They were a tad too long and hit the rotor so I ground off the flat part at the end and then they worked fine.

  6. #6

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    Says those are 2.33" (around 60mm) which is 25mm longer than stock. M14 x 2.0 x 35mm is the correct length - I bought an OEM one for ~6 bucks and measured it, then went on ebay and bought the 10.9 ones I linked to (10 for 17.50).... only needed 3 more but figured I would take the 7 spares for the same price.

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    Always Annoyed

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    I bought 35mm and they worked out perfectly. Just finished the swap along with replacing all the control arm bushings, ball joints, tie rods, sway bar end links, coil springs and shocks. Did a brake bleed last night and will be going to have it aligned tonight. I've very curious how it's going to be after all of this work.
    Paul
    Dearborn Heights, MI


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    wh23g3g's Avatar
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    I want to do this to my 99. I remember from earlier threads but can't remember what all is needed. I just wiped out another set of spindle threads just swapping out a caliper because of a leaking bleeder screw. Turned the screw all the way in by hand like you're suppose to and barely turned it with a ratchet to snug them up. It just cleared out all the threads. The bottom one is still ok. It's just amazing how easily the threads can be stripped out on the knuckle mount calipers. I'm ready to do this conversion if it's an easy one.

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    Quote Originally Posted by wh23g3g View Post
    I want to do this to my 99. I remember from earlier threads but can't remember what all is needed. I just wiped out another set of spindle threads just swapping out a caliper because of a leaking bleeder screw. Turned the screw all the way in by hand like you're suppose to and barely turned it with a ratchet to snug them up. It just cleared out all the threads. The bottom one is still ok. It's just amazing how easily the threads can be stripped out on the knuckle mount calipers. I'm ready to do this conversion if it's an easy one.
    Did you find all the info you needed? Try to get the caliper bracket when you get the spindles and mounting bolts. The bolts are metric and hard to come by from my experience. I also had clearance issues between the bracket & wheel. I needed to grind off quite a bit to stop the wheel from rubbing on the bracket.
    99 DA CC R/T
    13.97@100 w/modded kegger & ported TB
    12.96 @103
    10:8-1 .30 over forged bottom end
    R/T ported heads
    Detroit locker 4:56 gears
    Built 46RE MSaine 3500 stall Ultra Billet
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    wh23g3g's Avatar
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    I hope I found all the info. I mainly had to search old threads. I've got the used spindles, core brackets, bracket bolts, and core calipers so far. I only want the Cardone powder coated caliper w/brackets. One of the spindles I got on ebay had the hub bearing stuck on it. I've got the shop still trying to get it off. They've already tried a press, jaw puller, welding and pulling. Now they have to cut the hub off to get to the bearing. It's just not coming off. The other one the junkyard gave me already had the bearing off so I knew they couldn't get the other one off. As far as I know it appears that everything should just bolt on. While in the junkyard I swapped some 99 brake hoses to a 2003 and it all fit. The ball joints fit, hopefully the tie rod will too. The bearing is the same. I've already got the 03 rotors, pads, hoses. Just trying to save enough to get the calipers. I hope nothing has to be shaved off since they used the same wheel in 03 as 99. I'm using stock wheels. I'm hoping it's just going to go on. The shop that's going to do it for me, fabricates frames and does custom engine swaps so I believe he could figure out whatever needs to be custom fitted. It will be a few weeks before I get it done.
    Last edited by wh23g3g; 03-03-2019 at 06:58 PM. Reason: shorten

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    9t9-5.2's Avatar
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    Hopefully the spindle is good, once the old hub bearing is removed. Would it have been less $$ to find another spindle than the ongoing shop labor?
    I installed the 03 Durango TRW version brakes on the front of my 99. I used new Durango hoses, needed new anyway. Everything bolted up good, no interference anywhere, though my alignment was massively off (expected it to be off, not as much as it turned out).

    "Excuse me if I have some place in my mind, where I go time to time"

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    "Excuse me if I have some place in my mind, where I go time to time"

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    I don't know why my parts-n-pieces didn't all match up perfectly. I got 03 Dakota spindles from a wrecking yard. Then, ordered 03 calipers WITH the brackets from NAPA. The wheels wouldn't turn when I as all done. So, had to grind where I saw the new paint on the brackets was mucked up. Go figure???
    99 DA CC R/T
    13.97@100 w/modded kegger & ported TB
    12.96 @103
    10:8-1 .30 over forged bottom end
    R/T ported heads
    Detroit locker 4:56 gears
    Built 46RE MSaine 3500 stall Ultra Billet
    http://imgur.com/a/lOVuZ

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    The shop got the old stuck on hub bearing off for me. No charge. I've ordered the powdercoated Cardone calipers for an 03 off of Rockauto so I'm going to be taking it to the shop in the next couple weeks. I was wondering can the spindles be powdercoated or were those pictured painted? Is there any different way you have to protect the bearing surface when powdercoating other than masking? The shields were bent back on the spindles I got with mine. So the shop told me just to leave them off. I couldn't ever get them to totally stop rubbing on the stock 99 spindles no matter how many times I swapped them out with perfectly straight ones. I'm seeing some who have tried this conversion have had clearance issues on here and other forums. Some with no issues at all. Is it with aftermarket wheels? Mine are oem silver, not chrome wheels. I think they actually came off of an 03 Durango R/T because the ones I had on my 99 were bent when I got the truck so I swapped them all out. What alignment specs will I follow 99 or 03? I'll have 03 spindles, 99 control arms and tie rods.

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    9t9-5.2's Avatar
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    Good deal they were able to separate the parts without damage and at no charge!

    The pictures I posted are with all parts powder coated. The shop protected the spindle surface when coating.

    I don't follow the comment about the rubbing shields on the "99". I bought complete 03 Durango, still assembled take-offs from a salvage yard. The shields on mine as purchased, were bent. The 03 shields are different from my 99's. I was able to find a new one of each side in different parts of the country and bought them. I am using my 99 OE hubs with new bearings, the Durango hubs were a bit crusty. My salvage yard brake calipers are TRW that I rebuilt. IIRC, the other calipers available were Bendix.

    My wheels are chrome Durango wheels, purchased several years ago and had been running them with the OE 99 set-up.
    I have mine aligned to the Hotchkis specs. I am using 99 ball joints/control arms, and tie-rod ends. Everything appeared to be the correct taper and fit.

    "Excuse me if I have some place in my mind, where I go time to time"

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    I'm hoping it all fits well. The shop verified the 99 ball joints fit the 03 spindles when I brought samples with me. I didn't have a tie rod with me at the time but the measurements were the same on the aftermarket parts. I verified the brake hoses from an 03 to a 99 in the salvage yard while I was there. I'm using the oem silver 17x9 Dakota wheels but I remember I swapped out at least 3 of them from a Durango R/T which appeared to be the same. It crossed over on the salvage yard cross reference anyway. I'm using the 03 Dakota Bosch calipers but the spindles actually came from Ebay from a salvage yard off of an 03 Durango. According to Chrysler they are the same number. I did go to the salvage yard to specifically get the bracket bolts too. I'm not going all out as far as powder coating, but I did give my spindles a good cleaning and paint with some black epoxy paint. The calipers/brackets are Cardone silver powder coated. The shields that came on the spindles were all bent so unless I find some brand new ones I'll leave them off. I'm going to go with some new Timken Hub bearings while I'm having it done. That's what the factory used, I got them on closeout on Rockauto. I just hope there won't be any wheel clearance issues with the stock wheels because I'm going to be having the shop do it. I don't want to pay them twice to put the old spindles back on in case the conversion ones have clearance issues, 99 seems to be an odd year when everything was different than the other years.

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    9t9-5.2's Avatar
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    The only place I could see there being a fitting issue, is if by some odd chance, the steering knuckles and the original brand of caliper (TRW/Bendix) were not intended to interchange. I could be wrong.

    Hope luck is on your side.

    "Excuse me if I have some place in my mind, where I go time to time"

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    9t9-5.2's Avatar
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    Durango Brakes
    Attached Images Attached Images

    "Excuse me if I have some place in my mind, where I go time to time"

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    Corey's Avatar
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    ^^ Looks good! I removed all of my dust shields.
    DRTC #1176

    2000 Bright White CC (1/553)
    Dyno'ed 07/05/13 (126,000 Miles) 230 Hp / 308 Tq
    14.6 @ 93 mph (2.18 60 ft.), 4130 lbs.(1/2 tank gas)
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    1985 Kawasaki GPz550
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    1973 W100 Powerwagon


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    As long as the donor was RWAL and RWD, it doesn't matter if the steering knuckle came out of a Dakota (03-04) or a Durango (03). You just need to match the caliper, bracket, and rotor to each other (Dakota or Durango).

    When I did my 03 durango swap in my 99 R/T, the brackets hit my stock wheels. The rotor also sat all the way in the back of the bracket instead of centered. I chocked it up to be because I had Napa calipers and new brackets, the mounting flange on the bracket was a bit too long so I took a grinder to it and now it sits fine.

    -Justin

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    Oh I hope it just goes on for me. I'm having the whole front end rebuilt while I've got it in the shop, plus alignment. So that's why I'm having them do the brake swap. I'm putting the original control arms back in rebuilt with Energy Suspension bushings and new ball joints. He's going to do the same to the upper arms since they are still on the truck. Also having some new outer tie rods, shocks, and sway bar links. I bought the remanufactured Cardone powder coated calipers for a 2003 Dodge Dakota which came with powder coated brackets too. I hope there's no grinding or anything that has to be done.

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    9t9-5.2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Corey View Post
    ^^ Looks good! I removed all of my dust shields.
    Thanks!

    If I hadn't found the two shields I did, I wouldn't have them either.

    "Excuse me if I have some place in my mind, where I go time to time"

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    wh23g3g's Avatar
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    Today I'm dropping of my 99 R/T to have the front end bushings swapped to Energy Suspension and the 03-04 brake conversion. I'm going to wait a couple weeks to get the alignment when I have the new tires installed. Still trying to figure out the best shop for the alignment since caster/camber numbers are different between 99 and 03. My 99 fsm doesn't even have a separate chart for the R/T. Is a big chain tire store going to be best for alignment?

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    Quote Originally Posted by wh23g3g View Post
    Today I'm dropping of my 99 R/T to have the front end bushings swapped to Energy Suspension and the 03-04 brake conversion. I'm going to wait a couple weeks to get the alignment when I have the new tires installed. Still trying to figure out the best shop for the alignment since caster/camber numbers are different between 99 and 03. My 99 fsm doesn't even have a separate chart for the R/T. Is a big chain tire store going to be best for alignment?
    Get the alignment done now. You're having suspension work done, you should just get it over with. No reason you need to wait for the new tires.

    As for where to get an alignment, good luck. Nobody likes aligning these trucks because you have to take the wheel off to do it. Chain shops will most likely tell you it's fine, get the truck on the rack, then hand you back the keys and give you some bullshit story along the lines of "the bolts were seized" (which they're not, they're just torqued down tight as frig) or "sorry we can't align this". Ask me how I know. I've been turned down by at least 5 chain stores for my 99.

    I'd say whatever shop you're having the bushings done at should be the one doing the alignment.

    As for the alignment specs, there's not really a factory "R/T alignment spec". Most OEM alignment specs are generally something along the lines of 0 toe and 0 camber or possibly slightly positive. If you want, you can look up the Hotchkis alignment specs that came in their lowering kit for R/Ts. Those are pretty good specs. Maybe go with 0 toe instead of the toe in they spec though, I had too much toe in and it destroyed the outside of my Kumho's in a few thousand miles.

    Good luck.

    Oh, and DOUBLE CHECK THAT THEY TORQUED DOWN YOUR ALIGNMENT BOLTS!!!!
    They're supposed to be something along the lines of 155 ft/lbs. Most places will undertighten them and as soon as you hit a bump you'll lose the alignment you just paid for.

    -Justin

  25. #25

    Corey's Avatar
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    If you have the Hotchkis Kit, this might help you.

    DRTC #1176

    2000 Bright White CC (1/553)
    Dyno'ed 07/05/13 (126,000 Miles) 230 Hp / 308 Tq
    14.6 @ 93 mph (2.18 60 ft.), 4130 lbs.(1/2 tank gas)
    Truck Pictures --> http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v9...Clough/Dakota/

    1985 Kawasaki GPz550
    2003 SV650S (Race)
    1973 W100 Powerwagon


    Mater: I don’t need to know where I’m goin’, I just need to know where I been!

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