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23:06:05 - 12/19/2024
Off Road
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Steve Calabro
Dodge Dakota
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8/16/2004
17:46:13
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 Subject: TM 4/3 lift
IP: Logged
Message:
just wanted to know if anyone has ever tried the trail master 4/3 suspension lift. im thinkin of getting for my 96 4x4 prob next year sometime and wanted some input on it. Thanks, Steve
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Walt_Felix
Dodge Dakota
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8/16/2004
20:13:39
|  RE: TM 4/3 lift
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Message:
Even though the kit is marketed for 91-96, I was able to modify it enough to fit on my ’88.
Overall, the fit of the kit left something to be desired. While the kit was designed for a '91-'96 Dakota and I was installing it on an '88, I felt that the brackets did not fit well. Bolt holes were off by as much as a quarter inch and the brackets didn't quite fit into spaces quite right. It required some bending and twisting with a couple of large screwdrivers and pry bars to get holes to line up. I have received the same feedback from several '91-'96 Dakota owners who have also installed the kit.
Couples of other observations: If you decided to get it, definitely opt for the optional front skid plate. There is a cross member in the kit that wraps around the front differential and is prone to rock damage. I seriously damaged mine on it first off-road outing. A weld on the edge of the cross member split apart after being hit on a rock. Further inspection of the damage later on, revealed a weld with extremely poor penetration. The welded seam split apart as if it was not welded at all. The drop bracket for the torsion bar anchors are also prone to damage if you manage to high center the truck.
A long-term observation is that if you plan on wheeling the truck in anything more than some sand or mud, this kit is not for you. If you want to look cool on the street, that’s another thing but it’s definitely not durable enough for any aggressive off-roading. All of the brackets are made out of eighth inch steel and are just too thin for any abuse. While replacing my damaged cross member with a new one, I also installed the optional skid plate, which in my opinion, should have been included in the kit in the first place. First time out again, I nailed it on a rock and caved the new skid plate in pretty well. I also bent back the brackets for both lower control arms, knocking the whole front end out of whack. Now, I was doing some fairly aggressive wheeling but I still feel the kit should have held together better than it did. I also believe most of the brackets and the skid plate should have been fabricated of quarter inch steel. If it were, I would be buying a second kit for the ’96 I bought later on.
If you want to see some details of the installation, http://www.walt-n-ingrid.com/project_1hidak.html I need to update the page so the information is a bit dated. I have some additional comments and photos I should post about the long-term durability of the kit.
Click here for Photos from the 2004 DML BBQ 3 weeks ago
__________________
Walt Felix
http://www.MoparsinMotion.Com
http://www.Walt-n-Ingrid.Com
    
Note: I very frequently get email from people asking about the lift kit in my ’88. Typically, I will NOT respond the emails (about 90%) that ask questions I’ve already covered on my web pages (ie. Where did you get the kit?, Who makes it?, How much did it cost?, What modifications did you have to make to get it to fit your truck?. How hard was it to install? What problems did you encounter? etc, etc...)
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Walt_Felix
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/16/2004
21:57:10
| RE: TM 4/3 lift
IP: Logged
Message:
Forgot to mention, I scanned in the Trailmaster instructions.
http://www.walt-n-ingrid.com/Suspension.pdf
*NOTE: This is a large file, 6.04MB in size and will take some time to download.
__________________
Walt Felix
http://www.MoparsinMotion.Com
http://www.Walt-n-Ingrid.Com
Note: I very frequently get email from people asking about the lift kit in my
’88. Typically, I will NOT respond the emails (about 90%) that ask questions
I’ve already covered on my web pages (ie. Where did you get the kit?, Who
makes it?, How much did it cost?, What modifications did you have to make to get it to fit your truck?. How hard was it to install? What problems did you
encounter? etc, etc...)
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Steve Calabro
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/16/2004
22:55:27
| RE: TM 4/3 lift
IP: Logged
Message:
thanks for answering so quickly. did you use the blocks to lift the rear? i dont think im going to use those. ive gotten a bad impression of them. is there any other suspension lift out there for my 96? can i just modify the TM kit to make it better because i definately plan on doing some serious off roading.
what size tires did you get under there? i just did a 3 inch body lift so i can fit a 31-32 now, and it said with that kit it can fit a 34. Thanks, Steve
P.S. i love your cuda
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Walt_Felix
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
8/17/2004
17:37:28
| RE: TM 4/3 lift
IP: Logged
Message:
Lift blocks and add-a-leafs. Trailmaster doesn’t offer replacement springs with the kit. Anyhow, it would make the install that much more complicated. The left spring required dropping the fuel tank to get the bolt out of the bushing. No big deal since I was replacing them with poly bushings so I had to do it anyhow. I haven’t had any problem with axle wrap with the blocks. However, I just added a set of custom-built torque bars connected to a cross member I fabricated to support the rear. You can see them somewhat in the photo below.
The lower ends of the bars are bolted to the front of the mounts used for the rear of the dual shock kit.
There are some photos of the fabrication here in this gallery
There are also comments with some of the photos. I still need to take some shots of the completed torque bars but they’re all covered with mud right now.
__________________
Walt Felix
http://www.MoparsinMotion.Com
http://www.Walt-n-Ingrid.Com
Note: I very frequently get email from people asking about the lift kit in my
’88. Typically, I will NOT respond the emails (about 90%) that ask questions
I’ve already covered on my web pages (ie. Where did you get the kit?, Who
makes it?, How much did it cost?, What modifications did you have to make to get it to fit your truck?. How hard was it to install? What problems did you
encounter? etc, etc...)
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