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kdawg
Dodge Dakota
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5/18/2004
15:51:36
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 Subject: Quad Cab Questions........
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I am seriously looking into buying a Quad Cab Dakota. I have a truck now but it's on it's last legs and I want another truck and thought that I should go this route. I have a few questions though that I hope I can get some help with.
First off, should I go with a V6 or a V8? I want to get good gass milage (good for a dakota anyway) but I have heard that there really isn't much differenct between the two when you get down to it.
Second, I have a 10" Sub in my truck now and I am trying to figure out where in a Quad Cab it could go. I know that MTX makes boxes that go behind the seat, but is there any room underneath the rear seat to fit a sub?
Also if you guys have any cool interior mods that you have done and have pictures of them I would love to see it to see what can be done.
Thanks in advance for any resposes that I get since this is my first reply.
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
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5/18/2004
16:37:03
|  RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Gas mileage sucks. Period. V6, V8, doesn't matter. So just get the V8 and don't worry about it.
There's not room in the cab for much of anything permanent. The back seat is bolted to the rear of the cab. And there's about 4" of space under the seat.
However, the trade off is that it's a great truck, very comfortable and easy to drive, with gobs of torque. The rear of the cab has anough room for a surprising amount of cargo, and is not uncomfortable to sleep in.
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mechanic
Dodge Dakota
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5/18/2004
16:50:22
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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kdawg
Get the v8. You will not regret it. Here's my mileage to date. .boB may have modified his truck and that may be the reason for his poor mileage, I don't know. He didn't comment on what he is driving. Mine is stock except for muffler and Amsoil air filter. 04 Sport RC 4.7 4x4 5spM 3.55.
Date Gallons Mileage Miles Mpg
1/28/04 Fill 90
1/31/04 13.7 333 243 17.7
2/5/04 16 619 286 17.9
2/10/04 15.7 891 272 17.3
2/18/04 16.8 1171 280 16.7
2/25/04 16.6 1481 310 18.7
3/6/04 13.5 1736 255 18.9
3/20/04 16.7 2029 293 17.5
4/6/04 12.9 2247 218 16.9
4/17/04 15.6 2549 302 19.4
4/29/04 12.1 2782 233 19.3
5/8/04 16.7 3078 296 17.7
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
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5/18/2004
20:18:31
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Mine is only slightly modded: CAI, synthetic fluids, and Hypertech. The hypertech actually added a little mileage. Around town I get 13, 2 lane blacktop I get 18, fast highway (80+ mph) I get 15. Towing I get about 10'ish.
'01 QC, 5.9, auto, 4x4, 3.92 LSD.
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DakotaGSXR
Dodge Dakota
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5/18/2004
20:57:17
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Get the 4.7L v8, a good blend of gas mileage and peformance and reliability.
As far as rear subs go, I put in an Infinity Subwoofer behind the driver's seat, in the passenger foot well. Unless you want to replace the rear bench seat (I believe there is a kit out there to do that), there's no room for a sub of any kind back there... I end up losing the utility of the rear passenger seat behind driver, but that's life...
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
5/18/2004
21:27:58
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Get the V8, easy answer there.
I have a 10 inch Rockford Fozgate P2 sub that pounds loud as hell for only one sub. I've got the 1 cu foot ported box behind my passenger side rear seat. It took some surgery to do this but... it's well worth NOT having the sub on the rear floor like my forst one was.
Here's how my seats look after the mod to get the sub back there. I moved that seat forward 1.5 inches by modifying the seat mounts on the bottom and extending the latches on top.
Here's the sub shoved in there. It barely fits.
And here's the access to the amp.
I cut down the extansions on the rear seat latches so that to gain access behind the seat I just lift up on the front and the back will unhook and fold down.
Click on my mods pic for more info.
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eddy
Dodge Dakota
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5/18/2004
22:18:53
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Here's what youll hear around here from alot of V6 owners: "My mileage isn't much better than with an 8, but the power SUCKS! DAMN, I wish I woulda got a V8."
Here's what you'll hear from most V8 owners: "Dammit, gas mileage sucks but at least it ain't a V6."
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Michael
DakotaEnthusiast
5/18/2004
23:09:41
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Here is a pic of one of the only interior mods you can see other than installing an electronic mirror with temp/compass display. They are Infinity Kappa Seperates.
Z-Tube, R/T Rims, SSB Rear Disc Conversion, Alpine Head-Unit, Infinity Kappa Speakers, SilverStar Headlights, HO Cams & Intake installed.
Got H.O. ?
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
5/18/2004
23:28:30
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Those are mids and tweets?
I just added tweets in my front doors. It made a BIG difference especially because I am running all the stock speakers directly off of the deck.
Whats funny as sh*t about my tweeters is I added them just opposite where the mirrors are, where most tweets would be form the factory.
Sooo, I dropped the wires down to the stock speakers in the lower section of the doors and soldered the wires to the tweets. When I got to the second door to do the other tweeter I noticed just behind the plastic air barrier behind my new tweets there was already PLUGS for tweets!!! All I needed to do was plug them in! CRAP. Too bad I didn;t notice the plugs early on!!
I love my sub tho. It's pretty loud for one sub. It vibrates the metal a little too much behind the cab though. Some day I may put in a band pass enclosure in the truck box and make a blow through into the cab. Then that seat can be moved back to stock.
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Michael
DakotaEnthusiast
5/19/2004
00:06:26
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Nope just the dome for the tweeter. Looking at the picture it does seem that way though almost looks like a 2-way. The mid bass is in the factory door hole. The crossovers are behind the deck. Oh and I too am back to the factory infinity deck with the cd changer I mounted under the rear seat. The alpine I had gave me a headache at night, reason why it has a BBE button on it thats bright as daylight. The factory looks better in the din and a half hole better to.
Later,
Michael
Z-Tube, R/T Rims, SSB Rear Disc Conversion, Alpine Head-Unit, Infinity Kappa Speakers, SilverStar Headlights, HO Cams & Intake installed.
Got H.O. ?
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
5/19/2004
00:46:34
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Mine came with a single disc cd player. But, I had my $400 mp3/cd player so installed that right away. Next thing MAY be a XM/Sirrus receiver. But can;t have another monthly bill right now until I pay off some of my other toys. It's getting to the point where I HAVE to have some overtime to pay my month to month bills!
If you go back into your front doors look just opposite where your outside mirrors are and look for a plug behind the plastic. It's for the factory (available) tweeters. Makes a easy install.
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kdawg
Dodge Dakota
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5/19/2004
08:25:40
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Hey guys thanks for you help with my questions. I was planning on getting a 4x2 only because I don't do any off roading and I don't see the need to waste gas milage. Does anyone have a 4x2 Quad or know someone who does cause I would really like to see the MPG on one of those. Don't get me wrong you guys helped me a lot.
Also on the Sub question. The sub looks really good. I just wish there was a way to mount under the seat but maybe there isn't. Can any one send me a picture with the rear seats folded up just to see how much room there really is? And DakotaGSXR do you have any pictures of yours just so I get an idea.
Thanks guy for all your help.
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Doug4.7
Dodge Dakota
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5/19/2004
09:11:18
|  RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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I have the 2WD version of the 4.7 with the 3.55 rear. My mpg is similar to what mechanic gets with his 4x4. The one difference is when I do all highway driving, I can top 20 mpg if I keep it under 70. Of course, keeping it under 70 is difficult. When you do get the 4.7 QC with the 3.55, be careful of your speed. When getting on to the freeway, it is VERY easy to get to 85 without knowing it. You wonder why everyone is going so slow, then you look down and see you speed approaching 90. Where I live, the police frown on that type of speed (i.e., they will write very $$$$$ tickets).
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kdawg
Dodge Dakota
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5/19/2004
09:22:10
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Thanks Doug4.7. That is probably the truck that I am going to go with. I was debating between the V6 and the V8 but if the MPG are about the same then I will probably go V8. And trust me I get into trouble now with my current truck so I hope to keep it out of trouble but it probably won't take long. Have you done any mods to yours?
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Lurkin
Dodge Dakota
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5/19/2004
09:28:07
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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kdawg, for the sub you have some options, but they are limited. For a 10" sub, the T-form for the QC is one way to go, or you'll need to custom make a box for the passenger side. The driver's side would limit the airspace too much for a 10, unless, like the T-form, you can mold in some extra space. I'm also assuming that you don't want to remove a seat, or have a box on the floor between the front and rear seats.
Under the rear seats is not an option, without some mods to the seat brackets.
What I have is a single 8" L7 in the Q-logic truck box. It squeezes into the driver's side space quite nicely. I power the crap out of it to overcome some of the box and 8" limitations.
Note that I am talking about sealed enclosures here. A ported enclosure, as someone mentioned above, will need more airspace and probably interior mods.
I also saw one person who put bucket seats in the back, and put a sub box between the seats. Too much modification for my talents though.
If you want to drop down to 8's, there is my solution, multiple 8's behind the passenger side seat, or removing the front center seat section and making a box (8's only I think...).
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kdawg
Dodge Dakota
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5/19/2004
10:24:47
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Thanks Lurkin. I might end up going with 8's. The amp I have now will certainly power two 8's I just have to get a truck and figure out how to go make it work.
I was wondering if someone had a way of checking on a truck for me. I have the VIN # but I don't want to pay. I wasn't sure if someone was able to do this for me. I did the basic thing and it said that there were 9 things that came up. The truck is a '04 with 20k V8 and a 4x2 and it's only going for 20k. VIN # is 1D7HL48N54S509017 . Can someone hook me up?
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
5/19/2004
10:34:01
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Yeah. There's NO room UNDER the rear seats at all! The seat is literally on the carpet when it is folded down!
As for me. A long excursion (high end) 10" sub is BARELY enough for me. Going to an 8" just wont cut it.
My Rockford Fozgate HE speaker had blown up for the 3rd time. I have the 4 year warranty from Best Buy. So, they no longer made the same exact speaker. So, they said the P2 or whatever was the next series, blah blah etc. So I got that one in there now. I had to pull my sub and shorten the port because it sounded like total crap. I get looking at the data sheet and of course the specs are DIFFERENT. That SUCKS that RF would not have the same sub anymore!
So I altered the port to the correct length but I think I may build a new box (sealed, no port) and I believe it is only .75 cu. feet.
You still have to thave the box deep enough to clear the magnet, etc. The new sub came with a plastic cover over the magnet which I had to discard to fit in my existing box.
I'll get some new pics of my seat brackets after work tonight if I can.
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Doug4.7
Dodge Dakota
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5/19/2004
10:45:13
|  RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Almost no mods (or at least none compared to what others on this site have done). I have added:
1. camper shell
2. power locks on the tailgate and camper shell
3. heavy duty rack on the shell (the camper shell will collapse before the rack will)
4. receiver hitch
5. trailer light connector
6. Line-X liner, under rail, over tailgate
7. heavy duty mats
8. Roadmaster active suspension
9. supercharger
10. nitro injection
Okay, the last two are not true. The truck is a secondary commuter vehicle, weekend camping trip/bike trip/yard work vehicle, and kid transport (I have 3 of them). With the kids, the back seats stay down almost all of the time. I just throw things in the bed.
So far it has been a great truck. I've never had this much power in a vehicle before (previously owned mostly small imports), so it takes a much lighter foot than I was used to. The folks on this site that say the 4.7 is a dog are insane.
Problems have been the ball joints (upper ones already replaced by DC, lowers to follow) and Lake Dakota in my passenger floorboard (also fixed once under warranty, have not checked this year yet).
It is a lot more fun than I needed, but I don't mind. The only other vehicle I looked at was the Ford quad cab. It was nice, but a bit too big and WAY too $$$$$.
You should enjoy the QC.
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kdawg
Dodge Dakota
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5/19/2004
13:52:52
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Yeah that is what I plan on using mine for and I was looking at the ford's too. They were just too big for me so I thought that I still wanted 4 doors but I don't need full size. Ball joints have been the big thing that I have read about going bad. What happened to cause Lake Dakota and was it easy to fix?
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ALBERT
Dodge Dakota
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5/19/2004
18:38:51
| RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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There is some nice subs for the club cab which replaces the tray underneath the rear seats with one big box. Go to tweeter and check it out.
the club cab does not have enough room in the back for an adult to ride comfortably
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Doug4.7
Dodge Dakota
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5/19/2004
19:08:16
|  RE: Quad Cab Questions........
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Lake Dakota is the 'water in passenger floorboard' problem that many on this site have had (you can do a search and find LOTS of threads). It seems there are quite a few problems that end up causing water to pool in the passenger floorboard. It's almost funny. On mine, the problem was a cracked/broken gasket. When they resealed it, the problem went away. Since it was under warranty, I have no idea how hard it was to fix. It was an SEP (somebody else's problem). I've just checked it again and it is still dry (I've already been using the A/C a lot this year). BTW, if you are getting a camper shell, get one with side 'windoors'. That way it is easy to reach junk near the front of the bed (if your gopher, i.e., small kid, is not available to climb in and get whatever you need). I haven't figured out how to mount power locks on the windoor locks yet, so i have to use a key.
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