| From | Message |
Doug McCoach
Dodge Dakota
6/16/2001
01:16:02
|
 Subject: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Ok, I've been in the performance forum the whole time & this is my first visit to the
4x4 section so pardon me if this type of question was already asked. Anyway, I own
a 2000 QC 4x4 3.55's Auto 4.7L V8. I bought the 4x4 because I never had one & was
tired of taking time off from work because I couldn't get there in the snow. Now that I
have one, I still can't get to work when it snows since I can't get passed all those
2WD idiots blocking the road. I bought the 4 door for the kids, & the automatic was
so the wife could drive it. If I knew what I know now, I would have bought the QC 4x2
5 speed & 3.92's. Well, hindsight is 20/20 & I have done a few performance mods & I
am relatively happy with the pep of the 4.7L V8.
The bottom line: I would like to lower the 4x4 by 2" front & back! I know, it sounds
wrong but its what I want to do. I want to fill in the wheel well a little & also want
better handling. Lowering it will do both. Many people have said its tough to do on a
4x4 & maybe I should remove the 4x4 & then the drop would be much easier/cheaper
to do. Also, I'm told its much easier to change gears in a 4x2. I would like to hear
opinions, is there a 2" front/back drop available for the 4x4?? Does anybody have any
idea on how much weight I would save by removing the 4x4 & then doing the drop??
2000 QC 4x4 Auto 3.55's 4.7L V8
|
Blizzard
Gen III
6/16/2001
06:37:31
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Hmmm ... well Doug, you are the first I've heard ask that question! Guess I've not seen or heard of that before. Can't say that I've seen lowering kits like you're looking for. I would imagine it would be possible to remove the 4x4 drivetrain, but probably not very practical. Unless you can find someone with a 4x2 that's been looking to swap out parts with a 4x4. Then you could both benefit.
If you're just mainly looking to fill up the wheel wells a bit, wouldn't taller tires accomplish that for you? Would save you a TON of moolah!
'01 QC 4x4
5.9L, 3.92 LSD, loaded
www.geocities.com/blizzzzard69
|
Ryan Kane
Dodge Dakota
6/16/2001
18:33:17
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Why not just sell the vehicle as a 4x4, and purchase another Dakota, but a 4x2? I doubt you would want to get in there and try to rip out all the 4x4 components, as that would be a heck of a project. I would just sell it to someone who wants a 4x4 and go find yourself a 4x2.
Just my $.02
|
Bill A
Dodge Dakota
6/17/2001
22:41:54
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Drop a 4x4? Isn't that illegal? lol. I don't know of or have any knowlege of a 4x4 lowering kit. Myself i am glad to know that no 4x4 lowering kits are available. If it was me and someone said they were gonna make parts for lowering, or lower a 4x4 i would slap them and take there keys away. And the guy was right about filling up your wheel-wells just buy bigger tires.
|
Doug McCoach
Dodge Dakota
6/20/2001
23:18:45
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Well, thanks for the replies, I think, not very informative though! Anyway, 4x4 drops are done on many different cars/trucks & is very popular on the west coast. Why do I want to do it? I'll reiterate, I don't use the 4x4 in an off road situation so I'd rather have a lower profile vehicle that handles better & looks better(fills in the wheel well). As I get more in to increasing the performance of the vehicle I am finding that having the 4x4 is a handicap. For example, you can get the 4x2 Mopar performace ecu/pcm but not for the 4x4. You can change gears in the 4x2 much easier/cheaper than the 4x4. You can lower the 4x2 much easier/cheaper than the 4x4. Getting bigger tires does fill in the wheel well but it also changes gearing for the worse on the low end & you loose more hp in the bigger meats. See where I'm going now?! Anyway, I am talking to custom shops who do it all the time & they are working on a safe/effective method for me. Like most other items for the 4x4 QC, there is no kits available. From initial reports, it sounds like you can drop the torsion bars in the front & you can swap out the leaf springs for smaller ones in the rear & may or may not need to swap out the shocks. The first impressions are that a 2" drop won't affect the drivetrain but if it occurs I am being told it can be corrected. Also, I may need to drive to an out of state shop to do the work. That would at least give me some type of warranty on the work done as opposed to me doing it & breaking something. Also, selling my 4x4 & buying a 4x2 with all the options I want is the easiest way to go but is the most exspensive. I would loose 4-6K on a trade in - ouch! If there is not enough mods available for the 4x4 in the next few years to satisfy my desires I will probably trade it in for one of the 5.7L hemi trucks, no f...ing around with getting serious hp out of that engine. Imagine the mods that will follow, ya baby... Thanks for trying though guys.
2000 QC 4x4 Auto 3.55's 4.7L V8
|
Art
Dodge Dakota
6/21/2001
16:46:23
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Hey doug I saw once on that show TRUCKS on tnn they were doin a drop on a durango 4x4 for just the reason U said,maybe take a look at there site it might be on there,ive seen they keep past shows on there it was a blue durango might help ya
|
surferpug
Dodge Dakota
6/21/2001
18:52:41
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
well well well, you always have to be different. I guess a little change from the usual is good.
|
Dan Gruber
Gen III
6/22/2001
12:25:31
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Just thinking off the top of my head here (or out of my ass...take your pick)
Lowering the rear should be relatively easy, but I'm not so sure on the front. At the rear, the biggest single difference between 2WD and 4WD Daks is that on 4WD models, the rear axle hangs under the leaf springs, and on 2WD models the axle sits on top of the springs. That's how Dodge gets the extra height at the rear. Up front, it is an entirely different setup...coil springs on 2WD, torsion bars on 4WD. I would imagine that if you could get a set of drop spindles you might be able to lower the front, but you'd probably have to mess with the torsion bars and you might run into clearance problems with the halfshafts since you would effectively be running a partially compressed suspension all the time...might really screw with your wheel travel over bumps. One thing working in your favor is that from 2000 on, the 4WD and 2WD both use rack and pinion steering.
Dan
2000 CC SLT 4.7 4X4 Auto 3.55 LSD
|
low99dakota
Gen III
6/22/2001
17:20:36
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
drop spindles are not available for the 97+ Dakotas
|
jsatter
Dodge Dakota
6/22/2001
18:04:33
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Doug, Where do you live? I recieved your e-mail about swapping out the wheels/tires. I'm wondring how much work woul dbe involved in converting your 2k 4x4 to 4x2 and my 2k1 4x2 to 4x4. This is certainly a rediculous idea, but I want mine higher and you want your lower. We appear to have nearly identical trucks.
James.
By the way... I'll follow up with an e-mail tonight.
|
Doug McCoach
Dodge Dakota
6/23/2001
01:40:11
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Gentleman, thanks for the updates, I appreciate the brainstorming & the constructive criticism but also understand the 4x4 purist who thinks I'm crazy. Don't get me wrong guys, if I had the money I'd have both, a 4x4 raised to the roof with big ass tires, & a muscle car for the performance side of my ego. The wife & kids keeps me grounded though.
Art, I remember seeing the show where they dropped the 4x4 Durango but coudn't remember the name of the show since I watch em all from 1:30pm to 4:30pm edt on TNN on Saturday afternoons. I sent an email to Horsepower tv & they didn't respond so that rules them out. I'll try trucks on TNN like you said & see where that leads me- thanks! I think if I can make this happen you will see a lot of people come out of the wood work looking to do the same. I'm not looking to be all that different, I just want to see my truck with a lower stance & benefit from the handling as well.
2000 QC 4x4 Auto 3.55's 4.7L V8
|
Art
Dodge Dakota
6/23/2001
17:52:42
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
www.performancesuspension.com,they have alot on there,the back should be pretty easy maybe a spring flip kit or springs or some drop shackle I dont see anything made for our trucks,the front tho you could jus crank the torsion bars down gonna be real soft maybe ultra stiff torsion bars or a way to put load on them at the start of the adjuster bolt,drop spindles would be nice or a drop control arm,was almost kinda thinkin of this myself,we are messed up eh :)
|
Art
Dodge Dakota
6/23/2001
18:12:13
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
www.belltechcorp.com they have they setup your lookin for doug too bad its for a blazer,ya its just some shackles for the back and these offset torsion bar keys maybe they will make em for dakotas
|
Doug McCoach
Dodge Dakota
6/27/2001
21:29:08
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Art, thanks for the info. I emailed performancesuspensions.com & haven't heard back yet. I also emailed "trucks" from TNN, waiting for their reply also. I got a lot of, "we don't do that drop & don't know of any kits available" from a lot of places. I did get a positive response from Kustomtrucks.com in Oregon. They said they don't have a kit but guarantee me they can do the job better/safer than anyone. These guys build custom trucks for a living, I'm talking tractor trailer type trucks! They also specialize in drivetrains & suspensions. The only trouble is I live in PA & am not real thrilled about the idea of driving to Oregon for the job. I am asking them if they can design/build the drop & ship me the parts/instructions. Its probably gonna be exspensive!? I am beginning to see that the idea is ridiculus. I bet in a few years there will be a kit available that is both cost effective & safe.
2000 QC 4x4 Auto 3.55's 4.7L V8
|
Art
Dodge Dakota
6/28/2001
02:06:45
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
ya thats a long drive,did ya see the blazer drop kit all we need is those torsion bar keys should be good for a safe couple inch drop and hell up again if you want just turn a bolt.I like that idea.think your right doug in awhile there will be a kit
|
NextGen
Dodge Dakota
6/28/2001
04:01:47
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
They did it for the Shelby Durango it is a 4X4, there were 50 of the made so there has to be a kit or something, and i think it was a 2" drop all the way around. Maybe this will help you, if you have and luck with this let me know, i am interested in doing it with my dakota club cab, i think it would be different, and i don't have anywhere to go offroading, i live in suburbia, so it would be cool.
Tony
2000 4.7L 4X4 SLT Plus
Jet Stage II, Z-Tube,
Custom Exhaust, Extang soft tonno
|
Doug Mccoach
Dodge Dakota
7/09/2001
22:13:49
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
The 4x4 Durango has the leaf springs under the axle in which case a drop is easy with a lowering block & new shocks if necessary. The 4x4 Dakota has the springs on top of the axle. I have learned that I can drop the back either using new/dropped leaf springs or deload my stock springs or get longer brackets to raise the leaf spring height thus pulling the frame down by the desired amount.
New shocks would probably give the best ride but I need to find out who makes ones that are 2" shorter than the stock ones. Also the front can be dropped via lowering the torsion bars(ccw turn) but this sacrifices ride quality. Custom creations in CA said they can make just about anything I need but I have to measure/document every dimension since I can't drive out & leave my family at home. They said they can make new mounting brackets for the torsion bars that would simply relocate the bar thus lowering it w/out affecting ride quality. I wish someone would just make a kit for crying out loud. I'll keep this post updated if/when I make a move. Trading this bad boy in for a 4x2 with a 5 speed & 3.92 gears with the 4.7L high perf V8 or the 5.7L Hemi V8 if/when it makes it to the Dak sounds better all the time. If I could just win the lottery. I read an article about I guy who did just that & he picked up a 4.3L Chevy S10 & supercharged it, what a waste of money!
2000 QC 4x4 Auto 3.55's 4.7L V8
|
Doug McCoach
Dodge Dakota
7/14/2001
01:58:07
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Ok, I just found a place @ www.siscom.net/~diablo/index.htm
who has been doing 4x4 drops for over 8 years & they could be the dream come true for us Dakota suburbanites who want the look/performance of a 4x2 via lowering a 4x4. These guys are in Ohio & I live in PA, so if they can do the work but need me to drive there, I can, I'm so excited! There were a few places on the west coast who said they can do the job but they wanted me to drive out there, too far for this east coast family man! I have a dream, that all 4x4 owners are created equal, that someday a 4x4 lowering kit will be available such that anyone can order it & have it shipped to them anywhere in the world, I have a dream. We can make this happen by sending these guys as many emails as possible to drive up the demand. Help me out guys!
2000 QC 4x4 Auto 3.55's 4.7L V8
|
alshadow
Dodge Dakota
10/11/2001
00:10:33
|  RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Doug,
Hope it goes well for you. I have 98 Dak. that I would also like to drop about 2 inches.
Please let us all know how it goes.
|
dakperry
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/07/2002
22:48:17
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Doug,
Did you ever drop your dakota?
I'd like to do the same...
|
alshadow
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/08/2002
08:54:47
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Doug,
Just got notice that this thread was active.
I have 98 DAK CC 4X4, and have been looking for over 2 years for some way to lower truck. You are experiencing some of the frustrations I have been running into.
Some mentioned earlier in this thread that they had seen a show on Horsepower TV in which they lowered a Durango. The kit they used is sold by DJM Suspensions, but it is a special order item. In other words you have to remove your front spindels and send them in to have some special machine work done. Not clear how long that would take. Don't remember how they handle the rear. If you look on their site you will find the kit mentioned.
The guys you have found in Ohio have been mentioned on other sites before. Have not seen anyone post that they have actually used them.
I would be cautious of a flip kit for the rear as I think you would probably get more than the two inches you are wanting.
I think there are a lot of us out here that would like to do the same thing, so let us know if you find a good solution.
Have a good one.
|
chris wARGO
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/05/2002
22:56:02
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
hi doug and other fellow performance 4x4 ers please let me know anyone if u had any luck dropping these damn nonhandling trucks i have been desperate trying to lower it please egt back to me anyone thanks alot
|
doug mccoach
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/06/2002
11:18:53
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Gave up on the idea & bought a Yamaha Raptor 660 atv & am spending money on upgrades etc. I now use the truck & its 4 wheel drive capability to go to off road parking spots-to those remaining, keep up the good fight, if money is not an issue you can get someone to do the custom drop for you-good luck!
|
SuperBee
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/07/2002
01:50:28
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
these aftermarket places would be MORONS to NOT make massive amounts of mods for the new 5.7s
|
Neil
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/07/2002
12:07:58
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
You can lower a 4x4. For the rear, blocks can be used. DJM as well as other places have Dakota specific kits. The problem is the front. It is a torsion bar which cannot simply be changed out like with a shorter coil spring. The spring tension or torque of the bar is what holds the front end up. The tension of the bars can be adjusted. The consequence of lowering by adjusting the bar is that it reduces the spring rate. I have a 4x4 Durango which I lowered but only by 1" DJM Dakota R/T (3 5/8" axles) 1" steel blocks and 5 turns on the torsion bar adjustment nut. I can feel that the front end is a bit softer. The Bilstein shocks and Hotchkis swaybars are keeping it well under control. Actually I like the softer ride. It was a bit firm before. There are a couple of other Durango owners who have lowered 3". They say it is fine but that's taking out a lot of spring in the front. I worry about the handling.
Yes the DJM 4x4 3" Durango kit is expensive and requires them to work on the parts. I think larger wheels are also required. Anyway I thought I saw somewhere that the stopped selling the kit.
|
4wDakota
GenIII
5/07/2002
12:24:02
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
If you want to stiifen up your ride then get some V6 torsion bars. The extra weight of ther V8 will cause them to need to be preloaded more than the stock V8 bars. This will give you the firm ride and lowered height.
98 CC 4x4, 5.2 Auto 3.55LSD
|
91 dakota
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/10/2002
04:14:00
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
LOWER? you suck. get a 4x car.
|
dontdoit
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/10/2002
13:39:36
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
What in the blue hell are you all thinking? Why would you want to drop a 4X4? Just get a Subaru Outback with all wheel drive or something! The world has gone mad!!
|
DADAKOTA
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/12/2002
03:09:54
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
these idiots are the reasons the blazer>yukon is now an envoy/trailblazer, the ramcharger a durango, the bronco the expedition/explorer, the jeep a liberty (WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?), the cherokee IRS (AAARRRGGG!!!)the 4runner all glitz and glamour, mercedes,bmw,lexus,acura and whoever else has now an "SUV" (GOD I HATE THAT WORD!). Even saturn jumped on the bandwagon! trucks dont have balls anymore!! all friggin IFS and IRS. all about the 'ride' and is it comfy? is it good on the gas mileage so the wifey can drive 10 miles to get the groceries? does it ride decent so it feels like i am driving a CAR?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??
how about GET A CAR?! trucks are made for hauling stuff, handling difficult terrain, carrying a lot in their huge cargo spaces, use a lot of gas to carry all that sh!t, etc. if you want a vehicle to do all that with the qualities of a car, GET A SUBARU, VOLVO OR STATION WAGON! you retards are KILLING what is left of the truck!
|
pony1
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/13/2002
19:35:08
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
amen dadakota!!
|
doug mccoach
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/30/2002
13:06:16
| RE: 4x4 drop available?
IP: Logged
Message:
Shutup! If you don't like the idea then shutup! Did I forget to say shutup!
|
| | P 1 Next Page>> |
