Dodge Dakota ForumDodge Dakota PhotosDodgeDakota.net Membership
  Forums   Forum Tools
04:46:43 - 03/28/2024

General Dakota Board
FromMessage
CJ
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE


2/17/2006
19:13:31

Subject: My little trip...
IP: Logged

Message:
Well, all my friends and I always go up to one of my friends
cabin once and a while in the mountains, just a 4 hour drive over
the Cascades in Washington state. We all have trucks, I have a
99 Dak 4x4, my friend who has the cabin has a 93 Toyota 4x4,
and the others have a 96 jeep cherokee, a 03 2wd ranger, and a
4.3 s-10. Pretty diverse I must say.

Anyways, there are massive amounts of old truck logging roads
all over the mountains, some that lead to ghost towns,
offroading pits, etc etc, and they go on for miles and miles and
miles. Anyways, they are the smoothest terrain at all of course.
We usually all take our vehicles on joy rides and road trips
around there for about 5 days or so.

Anyways, out of all the trucks we all have, MINE is always the
one that screws up. mostly front end problems.. all of the other
vehicles that i ride in go over the bumps and bumps and small
rocks like its cake, and we check the front ends etc of the
vehicles and they are always top notch.. However my dang dak
always screws up, alignment wise, or in this last case, tie rod
broke. (that was fun). I swear if i hit a speed bump at over
5mph my dak is going to fall apart. These are trails, so im not
"offroading the dak" at all really.

I'm just noticing the build quality issues with this thing.
Everyone elses truck is fine, and has no direct problems to these
trails, yet if i take the truck off pavement it falls apart. Arent we
supposed to take the darn things on dirt every once and a
while!??!?!

Sorry for my rant... My next vehicle will be a dodge probably..
but it sure wont be a darn dakota in any way shape or form.




toolfan
GenIII
 User Profile


2/17/2006
20:51:33

RE: My little trip...
IP: Logged

Message:
i beat the hell out of mine off-road and only had one problem. when i first got the truck and went out i lost a bushing and that really messed up the alignment. other than that the thing has been fine. i have jumped the truck at least 5 times. as a mater of fact i jumped it today. i have a 2wd so that could make a difference. had a toyota before it and the toyota had a tough front end too. the dodge does have room for improvement and the front in on mine could use stiffer springs and more travel.

when we go out off-roading we have a good amount of diversity with chevys (ford once) toyota, & jeeps.



cj
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE


2/18/2006
00:55:15

RE: My little trip...
IP: Logged

Message:
Yeah toolfan i know what you mean... i think i just got a half-
lemon, haha. It's a fine truck, i love it, but it sure has had its
problems, more than what i see as normal, by far.

Haha if i jumped mine it would die, lol. We jumped my friends
93 toyota, now with a 6 inch susp. lift on it, (got all 4 wheels of
the ground!) and filmed it... it was perfect, haha.

If i ever get another truck, aka when, it will for sure have a solid
front end, a well built solid rear and front end can take so much
abuse its not funny, sometimes simple is better. we all know
that :)

Since i have to find a solid front truck, it will most likely be a
fullsize ram or ford, not a chevy though... but this is not in the
near future haha.

Peace



toolfan
GenIII
 User Profile


2/18/2006
11:42:32

RE: My little trip...
IP: Logged

Message:
my friend just got a toyota with 13inchs of travel in the front stock suspension in the rear and it flys pretty good.

i fully agree a solid front axle with springs and no leafs springs is the way to go. we have the solid front axle on are 98 jeep and that thing is awesome in the dirt and took all the abuse we put it through. i wish they put the solid axle on the 4wd dakotas.

thats a bummer about your truck and i agree i dont think the front end on the dakota was designed with hard off-road in mind.



cj
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE


2/19/2006
19:29:27

RE: My little trip...
IP: Logged

Message:
yeah, or off pavement ;)

Haha no, its a great truck... just some things about it make me
wonder...



   P 1


Post a reply to this message:

Username Registration: Optional
All visitors are allowed to post messages


Name:
Email:
Notify me when I get a reply to my message:Yes  No

Icons:            

          

Subject:
Message:
 



Home | Forums | Members | Pictures | Contact Us

This site is in no way affiliated with Chrysler or any of its subsidiaries.