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08:23:45 - 11/17/2024
Off Road
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brandon
Dodge Dakota
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7/12/2003
13:16:55
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 Subject: Rear End Suspension?
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Message:
ive got a 01 dakota sc. i was thinking about putting a little more suspension in the back. while off roading, i find i get in places that flex my stock suspension out, and my tires come off the gound. any one got any ideas on suspension with more travel, but does not change the height of the truck? let me know. thanks, brandon.
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Gavin
Dodge Dakota
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7/12/2003
18:12:20
|  RE: Rear End Suspension?
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buy new shocks that are stiffer, the stock shocks are horrible. I would reccomend the pro comp es9000.
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brandon
Dodge Dakota
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7/13/2003
13:40:32
| RE: Rear End Suspension?
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Message:
yeah thats true, the stock ones do suck. but will these give me any more play in the back? i just need more travel on the back suspension. anyone used the pro comp es9000's off road?
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Walt_Felix
Dodge Dakota
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7/14/2003
10:44:30
|  RE: Rear End Suspension?
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While I agree the stock shocks suck, changing the shocks will not increase the travel limits of the suspension. Those limits are defined by how much the rear springs and the front torsion bars flex. The way to increase the amount of flex is to use springs with a softer spring rate. But, you sacrifice ride height and weight capacity by doing so.
Also, just because a rear wheel is the one coming off the ground, doesn’t mean it’s the rear that isn’t flexing enough. It could still be the amount of flex in the front is more limited than the rear. Because the majority of the weight of your truck is in the front, just like a fat kid on a teeter-totter, the heaver end will tend to stay planted on the ground.
One trick a lot of the hard-core off-roaders use is to disconnect the sway bar. The sway bar by design is supposed to limit suspension flex. Quick disconnect sway bar links are available for a variety of different vehicles but not Dakotas because of the way the bar connects to the lower control arms. Dakotas don’t use a link but clamp directly to the lower control arm directly. When off road, you could remove the clamps on the ends and rotate the sway bar out of the way or just remove it completely. When I lifted my ’88, I didn’t replace the front sway bar because I wanted the front suspension to flex to it’s maximum. Just be warned, at stock height, you run a increased risk of the front wheels rubbing on the frame or body if you remove/disconnect the sway bar.
Walt
   
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