| From | Message |
Ross
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/05/2002
23:29:28
|
 Subject: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
Anyone who owns a Hanson bumper satisfied with it? I kind of banged up my bumper (its loose but cant tell its broke) and thinking about getting one. I have a safari bar so I'd have to sell that. Do Hanson bumpers go well with billet grills? I was kind of disappointed that the Dakota doesnt have any tow hooks.
Also, I have done nothing with my suspension and right now the truck stands at about 62inches. My garage is 88inches tall. I have stock 16inch rims with whatever stock tires Dodge uses. If I get a 3inch lift and offroad tires (33inch) how tall will my truck stand? Are Dakotas decent for offroading ie durable? Dakotas are pretty heavy compared to other small trucks. Anyone able to mud bog with a Dakota? I know people are having a blast with Ford Rangers and I've seen many Chevy Silverado's with lifts.
Reason Im asking if Dakotas are good at offroading is because 2 times I've tried, I've got stuck =/. I think it was because I didnt have the right tires or mud isnt a good thing to be driving thru??
|
arthur
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/06/2002
04:54:16
|  RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
ok Ross,
First off with a 3" lift and 33's you will be looking at about 4" more height. Stock your truck came with 31's.
I've seen the hanson bumpers first hand on two dakotas from this forum and they are sweet! If i had the $1000 to buy one, i would totally do it. They are great because they are durable, give tons of room in the fenderwells in the front, provide front tow hooks, give a perch for a recovery winch, have fog light options, and are just tough looking!
As far as whether our dakotas are set-up for off-roading, the answer is really no, but that never stopped us! The front axle in our trucks isn't exactly the strongest, though i've heard the front axles in the pre-2000 or in other words the Dana 35 are stronger than the 2000+ corporate 8".
First the bad news...
We have a similar axle set-up to the Ford Ranger, though the Ranger weighs about a ton less than our trucks. The Rangers front axle is very similar to the dana 35. The Ranger rear axle is a Ford 8.8, we have a chrystler 8.25. The Ranger also has 4.10 gears if it has the off-road package. So being a lighter truck with the same axles, larger gearing and a potent 4.0L engine makes those trucks nice wheelers.
The Chevy Silverado has in comparison a few hundred pounds more weight than our trucks, but they also come with large corporate 12 bolt axles, and some with 14 bolt axles. Those 2 axles are far superior in size and durability to our axles.
Now for the good news...
If you have the 4.7L or 5.2L V8 we have a superior power to weight ratio compared to the Silverado or Ranger. Our trucks, when compared to the ranger, is far beefier in application and size. The chrystler 8.25 rear axle is a pretty strong axle for its size, and has a strong following thanks to some Jeep Cherokee and grande Cherokees that carry the same axle. Load and towing capacity also exceed the Ranger, and it costs a couple thousand less than a Silverado.
Here's the deal, we suffer many the same problems other newer trucks have, mainly the Independent Front Suspension(IFS). All chevy and ford rnager/150s suffer from IFS. So if you would be happy with one of those lifted, the same applies for our trucks. Here is your wish list for a truely nice set-up, you can apply it as you like.
Pre-2000
5.5" Tuff Country Lift or
3" PA Body lift
33 X 12.50 tires on aftermarket rims
Tallest gearing possible (4.56 are awesome!)
Lockers front and rear(good for mudding)
Hanson Bumper
Warn Winch
For 2000+ we don't yet have a suspension lift or a front locker or gears that exceed 3.92, so we are limited to build ups. Do me a favor a post your trucks year and set-up so i can help you further!
|
Ross
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/06/2002
05:48:14
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
Yeah I've seen those Hanson bumpers and pretty impressed. Last much longer than the stock ones *cough* hit a table in the garage *cough*. I dont have the sheet that tells me everything about my truck but here is the basic info: 2001 4.7l v8 auto Club Cab Sport+.
|
Cotharyus
GenIII
10/06/2002
10:35:47
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
I've had my Hanson bumper for two weeks now. Yea it cost a grand (even though I only got the basic bumper with the towclevis - motor freight from cali to TN is 225 bucks) but its worth it if you look at
a) how flimsy the stock bumper/valance is and how much it would cost to replace - do it twice and you've bought a hanson bumper
b) you get a serious set of tow hooks
c) it looks wicked.
I'm going to try to get some pictures up today (cross your fingers)
2001 QC 4x4, 4.7,5 spd, LSD, K&N Gen II Intake, Robert Shaw 180 Stat, Hanson Industries custom front bumper, Highflow cat
|
Ross
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/06/2002
18:14:29
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
Ok, you know that peice of plastic that is over the tires in the front that connects to the stock bumpers (forgot name) that prevents mud from getting the inside dirty, well how does it connect to the Hanson bumper?
|
BlackDak02
*GenIII*
10/06/2002
21:00:46
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
If you are talking about the valence, the Hanson bumper replaces it.
2002 Black CC SLT 4x4
4.7L 45RFE 3.55 LSRD
"Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has."
Descartes
|
tom
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/07/2002
01:00:42
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
to arthur: why do you talk about the front axle in dakotas and then complain that they have IFS, they dont have a front axle which you seem to know by stating the IFS, but whyd you mention a front axle in the first place? and also a taller gear ratio? 4.56 is alot shorter/lower than stock, a taller gear ratio would be like a 3.05:1
|
arthur
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/07/2002
01:36:38
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
To Tom,
Totally beefed it on the lingo for the gears, sorry, i'm always mixing the two up.
As far as the front axle part goes i'm not quite understanding you. Our 4X4 trucks have Independent front suspensions and axles in the front. I don't like that we have IFS in the front of our trucks cause solid axles are far superior in strength and off-road ability. SO all i'm saying is i don't like our particular set up because:
a.) same size front axles as smaller, lighter trucks in our heavier trucks.
b.) wish we had solid axles for off-road and lift purposes.
So i don't like IFS in the front of any 4X4s, but if i didn't have a problem with a chevy and ford running IFS a lifted dakota would work much the same, yet we are still at a small disadvantage because of our small axles and heavy trucks, but we got the V8s and superior other parts that rangers don't.
but whatever, a 4" suspension lift and 33's would make me a happy boy even with the IFS, seeing as i love my dakota.
|
forexfour
GenIII
10/07/2002
10:54:37
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
The Hanson Bumer is solid. Go to my site if you have not and there is some photo's of the bumper in use.
The bumper replaces the whole bumper. It mounts just like the stock one, pretty much. It will not interfer with anything. You do not have to get the winch provisions if you do not need it.
The Hanson does not come down as far as the plastic valance, better approach angle, so you see more under the front end. The plastic splash gaurd will still connect underneath.
FXF
Never late for a Tee time or wheelin with my buddies! Always ready for both!!!Forexfour's home page.
|
jeep guy
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/01/2004
19:39:45
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
arthur,
If your dakota dosn't have a solid front axle, what kind does it have. I'm into jeeps and not dakotas, but i do know suspensions. You can't have an IFS and a front axle, they are incompatable. If they are connected by an axle, they the two wheels are not independent. Could you just be refering to a coil set up in front and leaf springs in back? Not to mention an IFS and an axle both fit in the same space,so unless you found a way arround the laws of physics, it dosn't have both.
|
forexfour
GenIII
3/01/2004
20:11:57
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
Jeep guy,
This post is old and Arthur is not around anymore. All he was trying to say is the IFS is weak on the front of our Dakota's. He was only stating that it would be a much better setup if they would have put a solid axel up front so we can get serious. The IFS has hindered the availablity of Front Locker, Lifts, and then the weak ball joints they have.
I think the Dakota is a great Off road truck myself. I wheel hard and all the time with no major problems.
Chris
Forexfour's Home
|
Perpetrate
GenIII
3/04/2004
14:34:19
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
Has any one talked to Mr Hanson in a while. Is he MIA???
|
forexfour
GenIII
3/04/2004
15:36:28
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
I have heard that he is hard to get ahold of now. I will take a drive down and see if he is still there and let you know.
CHris
Forexfour's Home
|
Dan
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/14/2004
18:19:31
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
hey forexfout, your bumper looks great. for the lights, did you get the slightly protuding or recessed? Also, did they hook up to your existing fog light wiring?
Dan
|
forexfour
GenIII
3/15/2004
09:22:41
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
The lights are recessed and had to be custom mounted. Re wired the lights on there own switch.
Forexfour's Home
|
Spike
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/15/2004
21:03:58
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
Say how much you guys say those bumpers are running?
|
forexfour
GenIII
3/16/2004
09:21:55
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
$1000-1300
Forexfour's Home
|
Help
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/17/2004
01:32:54
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
is there anything else similar but in a lower price range? and for 2wd, cus i have my 2wd lifted 6 inches with 33's but i think if i switch to a bumper i could have more room for my tires?
|
Dan
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/17/2004
19:06:06
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
hey Forexfour,
I got a hold of Dave Hanson today, and ordered my bumper. Found put the hard way that the prices on his websight are out of date. He remembered you, cause I used your bumper for questions and explanations for what I wanted. Thanks. The only real difference I went with was the headlight covers and uprights cause I like the idea of a brush guard of some type. He said I should get it in less that 2 months, be a long time to wait but worth it. Like I said, the pics on your sight helped a lot. Have a good one.
Dan
|
forexfour
GenIII
3/18/2004
09:55:06
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
I think you mean Wayne unless he has family helping out.
Glad you got to him, some have not heard from him or have been able to get ahold of him.
Let him know if you talk to him that there are others who are looking for him.
Chris
Forexfour's Home
|
Dan
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/18/2004
15:03:51
| RE: To Hanson owners and alike
IP: Logged
Message:
Chris,
I just called and left a message for him. I also sent him an email message before I called him so he had an idea of some of my questions. He called me back, maybe I just got lucky.
Dan
|
| | P 1 Next Page>> |
