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Bill55AZ
Dodge Dakota
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2/17/2004
02:46:35
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 Subject: Jeep Liberty and Dakota axle match
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Did some research, the Jeep Liberty axle is an 8.25, and is flange to flange almost a perfect match for 87-95/96 Dakotas. (Don't know when Dakotas went to the wider axle) You get disc brakes with this swap, and choice of 3.7 or 4.1 ratio, possibly a trak-lok, and will have the 29 spline axles, and both axle shafts are the same length so there is no problem with an offset center. I think Jeep is still using the 4.5" 5 lug wheel pattern, and Jeep is the only one out there in the 4.5" that also has the same size center hole. All is needed then is to replace your front rotors with 5 lug from earlier Dakota, and you also have gotten rid of the odd 6 lug wheels problem. You have to get rid of all the coil spring stuff, and weld on spring perches, but get a lot in one package, if you can just find a wrecked Liberty with a good rear axle at a good price.
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WipLash
R/T
2/17/2004
13:28:49
| RE: Jeep Liberty and Dakota axle match
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Hey,
Good information! I have been starting my own search concerning this and you just answered one of my questions. I have always wondered if the 2wd Jeep Cheroke had the same front hubs with just 5 bolts instead of six. I plan to search some bone yards to find out. The Jeep Comanche looks just like a gen1 dakota. That was about the time Dodge bought out Jeep/Eagle. I bet most of the Comanche parts will interchange with the older Daks and if they will interchange with the Comanche then they will interchange with the Cheroke. You know they are using as many parts as they can that are the same so they can save money.
I knew the rear axles were the same, but didn't know if they were close to the same width or not. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is probably closer to the overal width of the Dakota axle than the Liberty is. The Grand has disc brakes front and rear also.
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Bill55AZ
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/17/2004
14:21:23
| RE: Jeep Liberty and Dakota axle match
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Actually, the Jeep Comanche and Cherokee share the same platform, and there is little commonality between them and the Dakotas. Most Jeeps use Dana rears, but some had the Chrysler 8.25. I don't have specs on the Grand Cherokee yet. There is a lot of commonality between Dakotas and the Volare/Aspen/Diplomat/etc. cars, such that some Dakota parts can be used on the cars, but not much the other way around. Diplomat cop car wheels are 7"x15" and are heavy duty, with 6 slots, and they should work well on early Daks. I am using dakota springs on a volare wagon, the front segment length is the same but the rear segment is 2" shorter, so I had to move the rear spring shackle mount forward that much.
2wd short bed, std, cab Daks are the same track and wheel base as the Volare/Aspens 4 door cars, etc. but the rear axle is 2" wider due to using different backspacing on the wheels.
Almost all modern vehicles have gone to much deeper backspacing that the early (76-90?) cars, so axles are wider with same track dimensions.
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WipLash
R/T
2/17/2004
19:51:54
| RE: Jeep Liberty and Dakota axle match
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A 2wd Jeep Grand Cherokee ought to have close to the same rear end as the Dakota with the exception of all the attaching components. A torch and a welder can easily remove and attatch the brackets on both axles.
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DakotaGuy
Dodge Dakota
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2/19/2004
12:35:59
| RE: Jeep Liberty and Dakota axle match
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I would look at late model XJ's, regular cherokee's 4x4's, many of them had the chrysler 8.25 as well. The axle shafts should pop right in place on dakota's just make sure it is a newer one with 29 splines. I'm not to famaliar with dakota's yet, but what would you do with the front end?
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WipLash
R/T
2/19/2004
13:20:35
| RE: Jeep Liberty and Dakota axle match
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I will either have a custom set of hubs CNC machined with the 5x4.5" pattern or figure something else out. Surely there is another vehicle in the dodge/jeep line-up that has the same front hub deminsions as the Dakota. If not, that's what they make machine shops for.
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