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cameron
Dodge Dakota
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2/25/2005
17:00:44
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 Subject: 1987 dodge dakota sea sickness
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I just bought a 1987 dodge dakota long box. I love every thing about it except the suspension seems very stiff compared to my 1988 GMC S15 extended cab and my 1974 ford 250 truck with heavy steel rubbish box on back. I was hoping to use dakota for pleasure and work but it looks like It will be strictly a work truck cause it is no real pleasure to drive. I can feel every tiny bump: it is jarring. I was told that when I load it up it will soften the ride: other than that, shops tell me that there is nothing else I can or should do. Will different shocks help. I am new to this board and i am absolutely mechanically impaired. The truck presently has 4 ply tires . It looks like a stock 2 wheel drive 6 cyl. please give advice if you can. thanks
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Jeff
GenIII
2/25/2005
18:27:10
| RE: 1987 dodge dakota sea sickness
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the Dakotas have always been built to be very competitive with the hauling and towing crowd, not much emphasis on no-load handling. it is a truck after all. (ok, so this doesn't really apply to the r/t's)
i filled my bed with 3/4 ton of landscape rocks and it drove like a cadillac (i miss my caddie). no sag at all, just finally used the shocks for what they were designed for. otherwise, when empty i get minor hopping like most everyone else.
from my own reading on this board and others, Monroe Reflex shocks seem to have edged out a few others as the favorite replacement shocks, with a huge diff over stock.
Jeff
'99 3.9 clubcab
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87DakBuilder
Dodge Dakota
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2/28/2005
04:02:08
| RE: 1987 dodge dakota sea sickness
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Hey I have an 87 Dakota, I've had mine for about 10 yrs now, if you only plan on using it for a work truck, than keep the stock shocks, and realise that it is going to ride like a truck. If you are planning on other mods, thank about a good after market shock, and that should change your ride. I'm riding on airbags so I don't notice the stiffness, plus I like the way it rides stiff. Lowered so I expect to feel every bump. Best of luck with the truck.
Jay
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93dak4x4
Dodge Dakota
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2/28/2005
14:58:47
| RE: 1987 dodge dakota sea sickness
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i cant say that i thing my truck rides hard, then again my previous vehicle was a 83' AMC eagle SX/4...that thing sucked for bumps. but if you want a softer ride you can change the shocks and take a leaf out of the back springs. that should soften it up a bit but also increase body roll and decrease the load you can put in the bed.
JEFF,
im interested to know how you could put 3/4 of a ton in without sag, i had 60 lbs short of a ton of rock in mine this summer and almost hit the bump stops...
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Cameron
Dodge Dakota
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3/01/2005
02:05:55
| RE: 1987 dodge dakota sea sickness
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Thanks very much for all your feedback guys. I think I am going to drive it for a while and get to know it. Part of the problem may be that I am comparing it to my two other more beat up trucks. I am starting to think that the dodge is bouncy rather than jarring, and I wonder if thats a sign that things are working as they should be. The dodge seems very tight and newish feeling compared to my other trucks. It could be that the ford and gmc s15 are bagged and they dont respond much cause they are in worse shape. I know the truck is a 1987 but it is really the nicest vehicle I have ever had. I wanted a vehicle that would look good for my customers, but ironically my truck looks almost too good to use for work (ie nice white paint job with no rust or dents) but, it is a truck and I think it really wants to work. Thanks again. I appreciate that this forum also helps those of us that just need advice with meat and potato issues regarding our trucks.
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Three.9HP
Dodge Dakota
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3/02/2005
18:08:41
| RE: 1987 dodge dakota sea sickness
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How are the tires on it? Believe it or not, your tires can make a difference too. I they are low on tread, get new tires. It can make all the difference in the world. That happened on my 93, and now it rides pretty smooth.
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cameron
Dodge Dakota
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3/02/2005
23:06:42
| RE: 1987 dodge dakota sea sickness
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The tires look good 32 pressure and 4 ply,good tread. Thanks
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Jeff
GenIII
3/03/2005
02:47:20
| RE: 1987 dodge dakota sea sickness
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93dak4x4 - the truck was only 3 weeks off the lot, i'm almost positive (99%) it was 3/4 ton. its a stock '99 4x2 base model. dunno what the payload rating is. whatever the amount was, the bed was full to the top with rocks, a bit over in the center.
quarry guy said to pull onto the scales and they'll load me up. ok. pulled on the scale platform. all of a sudden here comes a front end loader with a giant scoop of rocks and without slowing down drives right up to my truck and dumps it into the bed. scoop had to be less than 2 inches away from the back of the cab. hehe. damn near wet my pants.
:)
Jeff
'99 3.9 clubcab
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93dak4x4
Dodge Dakota
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3/03/2005
08:09:01
| RE: 1987 dodge dakota sea sickness
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LOL, yeah thats how they loaded mine too, scale showed 1940 lbs of rock in the back. (93 4x4 cc) she squated a bit with that in the back.
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