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darrell
Dodge Dakota
1/02/2002
16:32:50
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 Subject: solid axle
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Message:
i am close to having a web site ready geared twards offering solid axle crossmembers/conver-sions for dakotas and other things to make your dak better off road. i have done this to my 93 with great success and have done a lot of studying and fitting on 97 and ups but have never had the opportunity to actually do a gen III. i cant afford 2 trucks and am still paying on the 93 for 1 more year. im into helping the do it yourselfer or doing complete projects. i want to know if this subject interests you guys in general or if anyone wants to specifically be involved. im in ohio, so that would have to come into consideration. i am a competent fabricator and am a knowledgeable 4x4 guy so you dont have to be scared. let me know what you think. i posted this on off road as well. i dont know how that works. how about replying on that board. by the way i think a 2x would work just about as well.
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tj
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/17/2002
13:29:58
| RE: solid axle
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is that web site up yet i need info. i'm doing a 92 hope to use axlws out of a 79 bronco
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darrell
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/17/2002
19:11:10
| RE: solid axle
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Message:
not up yet but close. i didnt have time to reply to your other message. sorry. those axles will work great. i almost did mine like that but decided on 1 ton stuff. they are definately a good choice though. i didnt do as much research on that coil set up but quite a bit, ad it dosent look to bad. i have heard of others doing this with success. i took my truck on a local club run on sat and it did awesome. so much flex. daks are a great truck to solid axle.
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Bryan
Dodge Dakota
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1/18/2002
15:29:25
| RE: solid axle
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Message:
How much would it cost to convert A 2wd GENII to 4WD ?????
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Patrick-Otto
Dodge Dakota
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7/11/2002
12:24:01
| RE: solid axle
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I own a 1998 Dakota Sport Xtra Cab. I contacted the guys at ORU (offroadunlimited), out of Burbank, CA. They have done several solid conversions on this vehicle and the customers are very satisfied. But most of the work is custom and requires that you leave the vehicle there to perform the work. But my problem is I live in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and this is impossible for me. I could do the work myself here as we have a excellent machine shop and some competent individuals. However, we would need step by step instructions from the ORU guys to do a fine job as ORU does. What can we do?
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darrell j reese
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/11/2002
23:01:56
| RE: solid axle
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i race atv nationals so ive been very busy. ill return to working on the truck soon. i am mostly interested in a do it your self starter kit that would be good for you. i just need to get busy working on it again.
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dirtdemon
GenIII
7/12/2002
00:48:45
| RE: solid axle
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I had contacted the guys at ORU Inquiring about solid axle conversion a while back. And there reply was it will cost a lot to do it.
00 CC, 4X4 SPORT, 4.7, 3.55 LSD, GIBSON EXHAUST, K& N , 32x11.50 BFG MUD T/A KM
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Brent88
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/13/2002
01:30:55
| RE: solid axle
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Message:
hey darrell, would the "starter kit" that you are working on be a set of directions or a full on solid axle swap kit like the ones for toyotas and chevy's. if it is the second type of kit, how much do you think it would cost if you sold them. thanks. later
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darrell j reese
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/14/2002
10:40:05
| RE: solid axle
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Message:
i was thinking along the lines of a spring hanging kit that would get a person started. i would probably have to stay fairly competitive with those kits. i ve seen extremely high priced kits that have everything but i dont think ill do that unless a customer wanted it. theres been so much interest on here using a 44 from a f 150 that i might have to make a kit for that too. so far ive concentrated on leafs.
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Steve
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/14/2002
16:21:01
|  RE: solid axle
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Message:
Hey, darrell, i'm starting to do the same thing you are. But instead of going with leaf springs i'm going to be using a heavy-duty coil-over shock setup. the dual stage coil-overs i'll be using are coming from Avalanche Engineering. I don't know if anyone knows anything about Avalanche or what they produce,but from what i've seen there parts are the best made i've ever seen and the best part about it is that with all there different shock lengths and spring ratings, you can combine them to get whatever amount of lift and ride quality you want. i don't know if your interested, but maybe we could pool together our idea's a create an amzing new option for all the Dakota lovers out there. Let me know what you think. by the way i am from Florida. Like your idea.
Steve
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josh
Dodge Dakota
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7/17/2002
06:03:59
| RE: solid axle
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hey steve, i know what Avalanche Engineering is all about and trust me it would be cheaper to go though a prerunner shop out of CA than ordering through them. as a hobby i rock crawl with my jeep and i'm in the process of making a "Sniper" with a 3/4 eliptical rear end. the coil over shocks that you'll get though AE are King Racing Shocks. so, i'd try the prerunner shops if i was you, but then again that's me.
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andrew
Dodge Dakota
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10/24/2002
12:17:47
| RE: solid axle
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Message:
I am trying to solid axle my 1999 dakota 4x4 w/ tuff country 5.5 lift. I'm looking at a dana 44 with Ford coil spring set up. Any Ideas would be greatly appreciated. Please respond. Lifted IFS sucks.
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josh boster
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/16/2006
14:12:58
| RE: solid axle
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Message:
my ideas might help some of you guys so here goes i have a 91 2wd dakota that i am currently putting a soild front axle in i chose the 2wd platform because the engine has its own crossmember and does not use the front diff to surport the mounts from moving. The ifs on the older dakota 4wds includes a large cross member to mount the lower control arms too that would have to be removed and a new engine cradle made a complete bolt on kit for a dakota my not be so bolt on. I am using the axles from a full size dodge truck but i done this so i could use a divorced np205 transfer case. but it would be easy enough to use the axles from a older f150 or 250 they made the 250 with a soild axle longer than they made the 150 and the diff is on the drivers side i think 78 was the last year for the 150 but this is still a common axle dana 44 this axle has great aftermarket support. but the 2wd dakota does not have the above mentioned control arm mounts hanging so low and would be easier to modify the frame for leave spring mounts some spacing is still needed to line up the frame from front to rear but i will send pic when mine is finshed
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Levey
Dodge Dakota
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5/17/2006
00:27:34
| RE: solid axle
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I wonder if this guy ever got a website up or if he ever followed through with any of these designs?
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darrell
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/18/2006
07:25:45
| RE: solid axle
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Message:
i didnt ever finish the site. the newer body styles were becoming a lot more popular to modify and i wanted to do one before the site went up. i had some people want their trucks done but no one could get me thir truck in ohio. ive done a little more with solid axle trucks but not heavily. i still wheel my dak and it does so well i dont know why there are not a lot more than i see. i didnt do any bolt on kit because there are so many options and i am into doing what works best and is affordable and that is not even close to the same for everyone. ive got a shop, and a pretty good schedule to get involved again, i see there is good interest in conversions. i hate to type but welcome phone calls. e mail me. thanks darrell
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RedDak02
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
5/18/2006
14:29:48
|  RE: solid axel
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darrell my name is craig i live near cleveland and am interested in doing a swap. i have an 02 dakota club cab. i would like to see what kind of work you do my # is 216-570-3970 thanks
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NickRummy
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
6/01/2006
16:32:37
| RE: solid axle
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Message:
I also have a gen III. 98 CC 4x4 and i'll be getting it back in a few weeks. Rebuilding the motor. My next step is the SAS but I'm thinking about coil overs instead of leafs. I'm an engineer and plan on designing up what is needed to be fabricated. I have a few connections at steel shops that could make the parts also. It's just a matter of getting a place to do the work.
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Nickrummy
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
6/01/2006
16:37:08
| RE: solid axle
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Ps, i'm in akron.
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Al Jacob
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
6/17/2006
15:32:54
|  RE: solid axle, or ifs lift
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MY step son just bought a 1987 Dakota, LB, 4x4. WE would like to do a father son lift on this truck but I have not been able to find any IFS kits. I thought a solid axle conversion would be an option. Any help sourcing either of these two lifts would be great.
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Walt_Felix
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
6/19/2006
11:42:40
| RE: solid axle
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Message:
There are no IFS lift kits available for the 87-90 Dakota 4x4. You have only a few options with that truck.
Option 1: Adapt the IFS lift from a 91-96 Dakota to your 87. I've done this myself and it can be done if you swap the lower control arms, knuckles and steering parts with the parts from a 91. The Trailmaster DD43 kit will work at that point though for a little more money you could do a solid axle swap and have a much more durable setup. The Trailmaster kit will run you about $1500 street price (if you can still get it) and you'll probably need at least another $1000 of parts to get it to fit an 87. Plus wheels, tires, etc... Allot of money to only gain 4".
Option 2: Solid axle swap. While there have been a few private individuals who have talked about producing a kit, it never really has developed. For example, look at Darrell's first post, it's dated Jan 2002, and it looks like he never actually started producing an actual kit. In reality, it probably wouldn't be a profitable venture because the demand simply isn't there. While I can think of a little more than 2 dozen solid axle Dakotas I've seen here on the net, there has been such a wide variety of donor axles and methods used, developing a kit just wouldn't be cost effective. It's strictly going to be left to the backyard tinkers. Do some Internet searches and you'll find some info on solid axle swaps in Dakotas. There are a handful of people who have documented their own fairly well. The Dodge forum on Pirate4x4.com would be a good place to browse. I'm currently in the midst of doing one myself but the project is stalled because the house has to take priority right now.
Walt
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kyle
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
6/23/2006
01:27:21
| RE: solid axle
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Message:
two other web sites to find dak solid axle setups are on thurenfabrication.com and wfoconcepts.com. both used coilovers and fourlinks with track bars. that is the best way. it is extremely labor intensive to get all the angles correct and the correct valving in the shocks, but the end results are stellar. i have witnessed a dak in moab (dont know whos) with this same setup walk all over built TJs. i have a 98 reg cab sb. the only reason i havent done it yet is money. and i work at a 4x4 shop so i have the access. parts are spendy.
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