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Craig
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2005
02:24:42
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 Subject: "New" style Dakota?
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I know the title of this thread is vague, but the question is a little bit complicated. I have a 2004 Dakota. It has the "old" body style- the mini-Ram style that lasted if memory serves, relatively unchanged from '97-'04. I bought my truck at the end of '03, in November as an '04 model. It has the 3.7 with 5 speed manual.
Question is, when did the "new" style dakotas come out that look more like the new Durango? I thought that they were available for 2004, but now I'm not so sure... Just a curiosity question more than anything, but I'm wondering if it will affect me looking up Mopar accesories, whether I should consider my truck as an '04 or an '03. Does that make sense?
Like if the '04 is my "old" style dak, or if the '04 is the first year "new" style dak. Of course I could be way wrong on my model years too, but I thought for sure they switched mid-year.
Any help here is appreciated.
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Billy Bob
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2005
04:34:20
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2005 model year was the crapola looking daks.
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yellowR/T
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2005
14:49:55
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it was definitely 2005 when the new dakotas came out. the style that killed the dakota!!! if you have an 2004 you have the old (best looking body style) of the dakotas.
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STS
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2005
15:48:20
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Not only was it the style but also the unimpovement in power and off road performance the killed the Dakota. I just asume to buy form GM now.
You got V6's from both Toyota and Nissan that out powers the larger 4.7L V8 when it comes to HP and also eqauls in toruqe.
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deerridge
GenIII
9/06/2005
16:28:32
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Not quite in torque. I sure would't try and pull my three horse trailer with either of those and expect it to hold together. The 4.7 really will do truck work. I wouldn't expect it of those little v6's. The 4.7 matched with the 5-spd auto is a strong little truck. I've pulled 7-8000 lbs loads quit a bit without a hick-up in my little RC 03.
Real Horsepower
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Craig
Dodge Dakota
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9/06/2005
16:32:41
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Yes, well, I didn't want to imply that the new truck looks pretty lousey, but seeing that there is no love for the new style, I agree that it's ugly. It seems Chrysler was on it's way to making cool-looking cars again until the new Durango, and now Dakota. I mean they did a nice job on the Magnum, Charger, 300M, PT Cruiser, but the design team on the Durangp/Dakota really screwed up.
It could have been worse I suppose- they could have copied the Nissan Fronteir!!
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Joe.C
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2005
15:47:10
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Unless you talking about the H.O 287 Magnum. Those smaller V6s from the Tacoma and Fronter would give the regular output 4.7 a run for the money. Toruqe is still toruqe and if you was to get in a drag race with a camper trailer hooked to both your truck and the other guys with the same size boat. You might be suprised.
Also, both Toyota and Nissan offer 5 speed autos that makes the powertrain pull very strong,
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Dean
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2005
15:57:31
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I pull heavy loads with a v6 3.9 all the time just last weekend i had a 8000lbs bobcat and a 2000lbs trailer hung on the back of mine and its got a stick and you want to hear the big $hit and griner ...... it pulled it better then my dads 88 fullsize with an auto and a 318 got better fuel and pulled it easyer pulled it up hill through sand and grass hell I even pulled it though a ditch (in 4 low of course) and even hit the trailer tail on the ditch picked the tires off the ground had it hung between the a$$ of my truck and the beaver of the trailer and flat drug it through that ditch. so dont tell me a v6 dak with a 168,000 cant pull. Of course knowing how to drive dont hurt non eather.
Dean
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Oh come on...
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2005
16:50:16
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To you guy guys that have actually convinced yourselves that a V6 can out pull a V8...You need to educate yourselves...you are all beginning to look very silly to the rest of us who know better. The V6’s make their peak HP and torque at much higher RPM’s…not good for towing, period.
And as for the new Dak style, the rest of you need to get over it. The new Dak is here to stay and besides that most of the owners of the 1st and 2nd generation Daks thought your trucks (3rd gen) were hideously ugly when they first came out too. I remember because I was one of them. I love them now though.
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prophet
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2005
16:59:17
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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
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Craig
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2005
17:51:24
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I was not referring to powertrain when I took a shot at the fronteir- just the styling of it. I could have bought either a Fronteir or a Dakota when I bought my truck. I chose the Dakota for 2 main reasons- it was bigger and more confortable, and it looked cool. Reliability on the Dakota has also been good, so I like that too. I looked at a Toyota as well, but I found it to be even smaller than the nissan, and it was about $4000 more than the similarly speced Dakota I bought.
I can't knock the drivetrain on any of the above mentioned trucks though.
As for the fact that a V6 can't tow as well, it's generally a truth I agree. Many V6 guys like to exaggerate their towing power, just like V8 guys love to tell you what great fuel econemy their truck gets.
I know for a fact that my truck doesn't have much trouble towing a load of about 4500 lbs, but I don't do a whole lot of towing with it- that's not what the Dakota is really made to do. If I was towing a lot, I would have ordered a 3500 RAM with the Cummins or a F-350 with the 6.0 liter diesel.
And why should we "get over" the styling on the new truck? Frankly it's ugly and I probably will never buy one. I hope that it will hit sales hard enough to make Chrysler redesign it. As of right now if I was buying a new compact pickup, I would probalby buy the Toyota Tacoma. Frankly I'm not planning on buying a new truck for a while so I don't really care that much anyway- I really only wanted to know about the new style for the purpose of ordering a toneau cover and some other accesories.
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Dean
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2005
17:53:35
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I didnt say it would out pull any v8 now did I... no I didnt. See I love people on here that like to read things they want to read them then reply like a smart a$$. What you forgot to do sir is read what I said. (just so your not confused i'll say it again) it pulled it better then my dads full size (thats one truck)now just to inform you i have pulled full size chevys and fords backwards but thats because of drivein skills we beat trucks on a day to day basis around here,some of the videos i've seen people "wheelin" as they call it i get a giggle at I got holes around here that will swallow fullsize trucks on 38's let alone a Dak. So I'll tell ya what Mister Jump to play the big man Get in your fullsize get in your dak i dont care come on up here to Monroe MI. and not only will I pull it for ya I'll show ya how to drive that mother
Dean
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Andrew
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2005
19:39:50
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Damn Dean...you should consider limiting yourself to one or two cups a day...
Your statement indicates that your V6 out-pulled a V8...period! Quite frankly, I think your full of poop. However, if you want to puff out your chest regarding you V6...by all means...commence.
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Dean
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2005
19:49:59
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I did out pull a v8 but I wont out pull any v8 their our some v8 guys out there that have the same know how as I and will flat out drag me backward unless I just plain out drive them. see what you all dont know is their is an art to pullin most everyone out there will just hook and pull no no no no no thats not how its done. Tell you what take to trucks of the same make model year and what not chain em and pull see which out pulls which then switch drivers 90 % of the time the same driver but different truck wins. Pullin is a skill that most do not have. I'll prove it right now... Question for ya all when pullin how why and when do you use the breaks. (pullin meanin hooked to another truck) lets see who the drivers are shall we ;)
P.s. I dont drink coffee
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Craig
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2005
20:37:06
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Dean is right in a lot of respects here- driver skill does an awful lot to increase your towing capacity. I still wouldn't go out and make a V6 Dakota the best towtruck in the world, but I don't think that Dean ever said or implied that in his post.
I would also tend to agree that a 3.9, especially a newer one can probalby outmatch an older 318 in a fullsized Ram. No offense to those that own a 5.2 Ram, but they barely get out of their own way.
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Dean
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2005
22:05:55
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Thank you Craig .......
and it is tru the little magnum motors run very well compaired to their counter part unless you do some work. I for one am not fond of the magnum head, its a chevy design and I for one liked being different from the ford and chevy guys, but I have to give it credit they run well. My first Dak a 93 sport v6 stick 2wd would run right with if not beat the 5.0 stang guys I was even in denile the first time I raced a friend for giggels and was door to door with him. and then i got my first 5.2 and was not happy my v6 would out run it but my v8 did in fact get better gas mileage, 2 miles to the gal to be exact. then i got a full size offical pace truck with the big 5.9 (360) and all that jive and it was such a turd till I put twin turbos on it and a bottle then it would move. soon after it bounced #3 main off the track along with half the crank. the magnum blocks are not cast as strong as the l.a. blocks and That you can take to the bank
Dean
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Craig
Dodge Dakota
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9/07/2005
22:34:26
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I can't mess with the 360. It's got to be among one of the best performance/dollar values in all of hotrodding, probably right behind the 350 chevy. I'm not a chevy fan myself.
I come from a more Ford oriented family, but if the smog era legacy of Chrysler is anything like that of Ford's in V8 construction, I would bet the magnum engines probably use a weaker 2 bold main. Ford 302s of the 80s and early 90s were cursed by lower quality 2 bolt mains. OK, many people said, we'll bolt in the stronger 4 bolt mains. Problem: these blocks were actually weak at the main webbing. 4 bolt mains only served to cause the main caps to pull out of their webbing. A main girdle can be used, but I think it involves some clearancing of the block, and it certainly ain't cheap.
Didn't know about the chevy head design deal. I know that considerable effort was put into the 4.7 and 3.7 (my motor) to reduce weight in the rotating assembly. I assume this is due to the rather peaky nature of the 3.7 in particular, and they probably wanted it to be able to rev faster. While it steps out hard with the 3.92s, there's not much going on until about 4500 RPM. 2 valve cylinder heads were probably chosesn to make a mor usable torque curve. In all though, I like my 3.7, but it's lack of low end power would make towing a heavy object more difficult.
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Kya
Dodge Dakota
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9/11/2005
15:53:12
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I am jealous that the newest style Dakota has coilover IFS. That is the only advantage I can see.
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Craig
Dodge Dakota
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9/11/2005
21:21:04
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I think that handling is one of the greatest advantages of the Dakota for any style over the competition. Way more stable than the Tacoma I drove. Certainly can outmaneauver any fullsize truck.
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Joe.C
Dodge Dakota
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9/14/2005
15:51:05
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So what you saying is that your 4.7 V8 could out pull Nissans 4.0L DOHC V6 that has about the same amount of toruqe and also has shorter gear ratios in the transmisson. And BTW you say that V8's make there peak toruqe lower? well what about the Hi reving reving Hemi? 4200 RPM?
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Dean
Dodge Dakota
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9/14/2005
16:28:50
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Ok Joe ....
You have to put into play that the new hemi like the 426 hemi was actualy never ment to be in a truck why on gods name chrysler put the new hemi in a truck is beyond me. Whats the hemi most known for ???? Racing! Look at the cam profile of the new hemi and the old hemi take into thought the 76ci differance and you'll see the cam profile is kinda the same but on a smaller level. Now I think Chrysler never ment for the hemi trucks to work however we do it I think it was ment to be more of a hot rod much like the srt10... would you hang a 35ft trailer off your $50,000 srt10. noooooooooooo it wasnt ment to do that I would be amazed if it would even pull it, its a hot rod. Hot rods were not ment to pull. But if you want to void your warr. and change the cam in your hemi you would find out that the only things that would out pull it is the diesel's. Cam profile is what makes a motor what it is and what it does best. As for your rice burner that great that it has the same torque as a v8 but it doesnt have the same hp as it. Once again i stress that pullin power has a fine line on things, that v6 might have great torque till lets say 3500 (where your makin your most torque) compaired to mopars 4.7 that makes the same torque @ 2500 who do you think is gonna make it to there peak torque first if we hook them together the dodge will pull it backwards everytime cuz the only way that rice will make it to its peak torque is by breakin the tires loose then where are ya???? stuck in drive goin backwards! Just to make it easy for thoes who still dont got it I dont know the numbers so i'll just use 200ft lbs as peak torque. If ya hook them bumper to bumper and pull and not break the tires loose will the rice reach 3500 rpm (where its peak is at) noooo but will the the dodge reach 2500 mmmmm prolly not will just say they both hit in the ball park of 2000 rmp the dodge would be makin 150ft lbs vs. the rices 75 or 100 ft lbs. Now whos out pullin who
Dean
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