How to Change the Brake Pads on a 1992 Dodge Dakota

The 1992 Dodge Dakota features front disc brake pads and rear drum brakes. The front brakes work three times harder than the rear brakes, so they will need to be replaced more often. While the brake rotors should always be inspected for scoring, grooves or rust pits, it is sometimes possible to just replace the pads (as long as the vehicle is not experiencing a vibration or pulsation when the brakes are applied.)

Instructions

1

Apply the parking brake to the Dakota after parking it on a flat, hard surface. Release the hood latch and then place a wheel block behind one of the rear tires.

2

Open the hood and remove half of the brake fluid from the master cylinder in the engine compartment with a brake fluid baster. Discard the fluid. Replace the cover to the master cylinder.

3

Loosen the front lug nuts a quarter-turn with the lug side of the jack wrench.

4

Jack a front wheel high enough to place a jack stand under the frame rail or lower control arm. Lower the jack so the truck is supported by the jack stand and then repeat the step for the other side.

5

Remove the loosened lug nuts and wheels.

6

Remove the outboard pad spring clip from the caliper by prying it off with a small pry tool. Be careful not to bend it in case the replacement pad set does not include a new one.

7

Place the 6-inch C-clamp over the caliper so the top of the clamp contacts the inboard housing of the caliper and the drive of the clamp contacts the backing plate of the outboard pad. Tighten the C-clamp to compress the piston until it is fully seated inside the caliper housing bore. Remove the clamp.

8

Remove the upper and lower caliper bolt slide using a 3/8-inch hex-head socket and a ratchet.

9

Remove the caliper and pad assembly from the rotor and support the caliper to the front chassis with a length of mechanics wire so it does not dangle from the rubber brake hose.

10

Pry the outboard pad off of the caliper housing using a the small bar and then pull the spring clips of the inboard pad out of the caliper piston. Install the new pads onto the caliper in the opposite fashion (inboard first and then outboard).

11

Clean the caliper and knuckle mating surfaces (upper and lower) with a stiff wire brush and apply a light coat of anti-seize compound to the mating surfaces.

12

Place the caliper and assembly over the rotor and then clean off the caliper sliding bolts with a shop rag. Apply a light coat of anti-seize compound to the slides (not the threaded section at the ends of the bolts). Align them into the caliper and tighten them to 25-foot pounds with the torque wrench and 3/8-inch hex-head socket.

13

Perform the replacement procedure for the other side and then replace the wheels and tighten the lug nuts snugly to the hub of the truck.

14

Raise the Dakota back up with the lifting jack high enough to extract one jack stand at a time and place the truck back on the ground.

15

Torque the front lug nuts with the torque wrench and socket to 100-foot pounds in a star pattern.

16

Pump the brake pedal until it feels firm, recheck the master cylinder brake fluid level and then add new brake fluid to top off the reservoir if necessary.

17

Remove the wheel block, release the parking brake and then test drive the Dakota.