RE: Check your caliper pins

From: Rick Barnes (rascal@scrtc.com)
Date: Thu Sep 28 2006 - 14:58:33 EDT


Holy crap, never heard of that before. I am glad you are okay after that
experience. I had a 1961 Chevy when I was 16, and as I approached a stop
sign onto a four lane road, the pedal went to the floor as well. I was
about to plow into a tree when I saw that if I turned right, no traffic was
coming....LUCKY...as I turned, I was going up hill and I just nursed it home
on the emergency brake. Underwear change was required as I pinched a hole
in the ones I had on...not to worry, about a month later I was run over by a
1953 or 54 Cadillac while riding a Yamaha. Ruined my entire day.

Rascal

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of Don Rey
Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2006 1:32 PM
To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
Subject: DML: Check your caliper pins

Hey list,
I've never felt very safe on the Dakota caliper pins... and yesterday
I was reminded why. SO remember to check those pins once in a while
and when you install them, apply the threadlocker liberaly.

I took my truck for it's first drive on East Beach in RI (got my
permit yesterday). What a thrill driving on the beach! Anyway, I aired
up my tires, left the beach, got to the first stop sign, and the brake
pedal dropped to the floor - S*#T! A quick downshift and what
remaining braking ability I had left stopped me in time. I find brake
fluid squirting... hmmph, must have whacked a brake line while
bouncing around on the sand.

So, I jack 'er up, pop the wheel off... the fluid is coming from the
fitting on the caliper! Why the heck would that happen... oh! I'm
missing a caliper pin. I'm convinced the pin fell out some time ago,
and either the bouncing around on the beach or just plain coincidence
(and the loose caliper) shook the fitting free. Well, I tightened the
fitting, limped over to the nearest Autozone, picked up a set of pins,
and got her back together again. I guess with little 3/8" hose I could
have even bled the brakes on the side of the road... but I didn't
think about it, and limped home on a sponge.

Anyone else had a caliper pin shimmy free before? I guess I'll keep a
spare pin and that 3/8" hose in my truck from now on.

Don in CT
89 Dakota Convertible 318mag NV3500 4x4
74 Dart Sport 340
pbase.com/radon220/mopars



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Oct 01 2006 - 01:35:53 EDT