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steveo27
Dodge Dakota
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10/18/2004
02:37:11
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 Subject: who else hates their dakota's suspension
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the more i look at the front suspension on my 87 4x4, the more i hate it....
all i want is a good 4-6" lift for it, but thats too much to ask i guess...
ive looked every conceivable location, and theres nothing. ive seen the 4" trailmaster kit (92-96) used on gen 1s but all i hear is bad news about it.
im gettin sick of my suspension setup. every other 4x4 out there has some sort of lift for it (im not talkin body either). all i want is to be able to run 35s and have some good travel, but thats vertually impossible.
i know i can do a SAS, but i get even find any info on that, just for gen 3s.
im sick of seein S10s and Rangers and Cherokees runnin bigger tires than me.
i know it sounds like im b*tchin, and yes i am, but it just bothers me...
dont get me wrong, the suspension set up is decent, and iv been through all kinda sh*t and it hasnt given me trouble, but id like to replace my 31x10s with 35x12s and i cant.
i know im not the only one out there who thinks this either. lemme know what everyone else thinks of this.
-steve
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2LoudDodge
Dodge Dakota
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10/18/2004
08:57:12
|  RE: who else hates their dakota's suspension
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I don't like the suspension either. Not tall enough and not flexy enough. Even with a Rough Country Kit.
The bad things about Dakota's is:
1. Not a very large market for that truck as far as 4wheel drive companies making lifts for them. Just not a big enough demand.
2. The suspension set-up from the factory is crap to begin with...and it's very hard to improve on it...at least in the front.
The good thing about this truck is..and there's only one:
1. It's got a frame...instead of a uni-body. Like the Jeep's do.
The frame makes it much easier to do a SAS and a 4-link set-up.
Don't waste your cash on getting an aftermarket suspension kit for it. Spend the 5 or 6 times more cash and do a SAS. You'll love yourself later for it.
Call around to your local 4-wheel drive shops and see what they'll charge to do the set-up. I'm guessing at least 10k. It's costing me 12k to do mine..but that's with tires and in cab roll cage.
You can also do it yourself. You'll need a welder, tube bender, and a few other tools.
You can find alot of info on this at www.pirate4x4.com
They may not have done a set-up on your particular truck...but alot of the posts are pretty in depth on how it's done on other vehicles. Yours will be very similar to the other vehicles.
Good luck with your project.
Jason
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steveo27
Dodge Dakota
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10/18/2004
13:12:28
| RE: who else hates their dakota's suspension
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Message:
hey thanks man...
i guess im gonna have to end up doin the SAS...
i just cant find out what spring and axles work the best. ive heard the set up from a late 70s F150 works the best, but im not sure.
thanks
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2LoudDodge
Dodge Dakota
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10/18/2004
21:45:50
| RE: who else hates their dakota's suspension
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Message:
I'm doing a High Pinion Ford Dana 60 axle in both the front and rear. Early to late 70's Ford works good for what we're doing. You'll want to switch out the knuckles on the front axle with a knuckle from a Dodge or Chevy Dana 60 axle. They are stronger then the Ford version. You'll also want to change the outer axles to 35 spline instead of the stock 31.
As far as springs...I haven't decided yet. But, I'm gearing more toward RaceRunner coilover shocks. Depends on price. If they are too much..then I'll go with the Rancho 9000x Pro (w/resevoir) and then do coils.
If your truck will also be a daily driver.....Go with the ARB locking differential or the Detroit Electratrac locking differential. ARB's are really reliable..but, if you happen to cut/rip/etc. the air line under the vehicle to the lockers...you're screwed. So if you go with ARB's...get (and keep in your truck) an extra airline kit for it to repair it on the trail.
Also..whoever you have do the swap...have them weld some support onto the axles to stiffen them up.
Just browse through the tech dept. of Pirate 4x4.com and you can learn alot about doing a SAS on any vehicle.
Also on a side note.....MAKE sure you find a person who knows what they are doing when they go and set-up your 4-link set-up. The wrong angles and length of bars could bind and cause a real problem on the trail. Often leaving you with a tow bill to a repair shop. I've heard of axles snapping because there wasn't enough play for them to move around.
Anyway..hope this helps. Just remember to look for High Pinion Dana 60 axles. Spend the extra cash and stay with a Dana 60 up front. Don't do a Dana 44. It may be cheaper..but it's not if you'll have to replace them over and over again. Also...the high pinion axles will require a Reverse Cut ring and pinion.
Jason
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2LoudDodge
Dodge Dakota
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10/18/2004
21:54:26
| RE: who else hates their dakota's suspension
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Oh..forgot. The steering.
I might rip out a steering box out of a full size Dodge or a Ford. I don't think the whimpy steering on our Dakota's will be strong enough to turn 39.5" tires. So, I would definately think about upgrading with a steering box from a 3/4 ton or a 1 ton truck.
Jason
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steveo27
Dodge Dakota
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10/19/2004
01:09:04
| RE: who else hates their dakota's suspension
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hey thanks alot.... i just gotta save up the cash now. this is just one of the many projects i have planned for my truck.
im painting it right now, i plan to build a 318 and a 727 for it during the spring and install over summer, so it looks like this will either next winter or the following summers project.
but thanks for the input.
-steve
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erckota4x4
Dodge Dakota
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10/19/2004
01:25:47
| RE: who else hates their dakota's suspension
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Message:
stop bitchin and get sumthin with a solid axle. I dont like mine either but i do with what I got. Im not gonna make a trail beast out of it but i can take it on a trail and have fun when i want.
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