Newbie With Questions

From: Joseph R. Demers (jrdemers@mps.ohio-state.edu)
Date: Sun Mar 16 2003 - 20:55:46 EST


Hi All,

    I just joined this list and haven't even lurked yet, so if I break
etiquette particular to this list just let me know. I just purchased a 1995
Dakota 5.2 4x4 with about 120,000 miles on it. This 95 is the newest car I
have ever owned and the only one I have ever paid more than $1500 for. My
daily driver up until this point was my restored '70 240Z. If you are in
Southern California you may have seen me go zipping by with my longboard
hanging out of it. Anyway, the Z was getting beat up and it didn't fit my
lifestyle, so I finally broke down and bought a the Dakota. I still have the
Z and a Pro7 race car as well. I have been very involved and with the Z
community and even moderated the Z e-mail list for a while. That is how I
knew that something like this probably existed for the Dakota. Back to the
Dakota. As you can imagine I am finding all sorts of little problems with it
including a striped out front caliper mounting hole - that one will be fun
to fix. Also, the back axle has an awful lot of in-out play in it which is a
concern. And it is heating up a bit on hill climbs with the air on. I hope
it isn't a crack or a head gasket. Sigh....

Anyway, does anyone have a passenger side knuckle (what the caliper bolts
onto along with the ball joints) for this truck that they would be willing
to sell, or know the best place to purchase one? Does anyone have an idea of
how much replacing the ball joints and the knuckle will run me? I figure
that while I am replacing it, I might as well do all the ball joints on both
sides. I am also going to replace the calipers and rotors. Any
recommendations on manufacturer for the replacement parts?

On the rear axle, how much thrust should there be? I can't find this in the
manual.

Also, the truck is drinking a little bit of water and, like I said, heating
up on climbs with the air on. This one concerns me a bit. Anything that I
should be aware of before I start pulling the heads off?

Thanks!

JD



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