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17:48:24 - 03/28/2024

Lowered / Slammed Dakotas
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Malcolm
Dodge Dakota
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2/23/2005
09:56:44

Subject: lowering prob
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I was trying to lower the back of my dak with two inch drop blocks when I came across the center screw holding the axle to the leaf springs (the one inbetween the four screws going to the bracket and U-bolts). How the hell do you get that screw off since the top end of the bolt is flat?? And where do I get the replacement screw for the block to fit???



jay
Dodge Dakota
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2/24/2005
13:29:30

RE: lowering prob
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you dont remove it. your blocks should have a hole in them to fit the stud.thats what holds everthing in place.



Malcolm
Dodge Dakota
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2/24/2005
17:56:43

RE: lowering prob
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I feel like a dumbass now. So I will just ask the question anyways... So where does the block go because I thought it went in between the axle and the leaf springs????



jay
Dodge Dakota
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2/25/2005
08:06:11

RE: lowering prob
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your right. the block does go between the axle and the leaf.put the bottom of the block on the plate on the springs and make sure thestud goes in that hole,then your axle goes on top of the block. then use the oringinal plate that go under the springs(the one with the four holes in it). You have to buy longer u bolts and put themover the axle like original and down through that plate and your good to go.



Malcolm
Dodge Dakota
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2/25/2005
09:20:11

RE: lowering prob
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So then to get the block between the leaf spring and axle you have to take off that center bolt. And I would figure you would then have to buy a longer bolt that would be able to reach through the block to bolt the axle and spring back together...



Haligan9
Dodge Dakota
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2/26/2005
09:29:37

RE: lowering prob
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The center bolt doesn't hold the springs to the axle. The bolt head sits inside the bracket on the bottom of the axles. It positions the axle on the springs. All you need to take off to seperate that axle and springs is the u-bolts and the shocks. The block should have a pin to sit in the hole on the axle bracket on one side and a hole for the bolt head to sit in on the other side.



Malcolm
Dodge Dakota
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3/01/2005
14:05:14

RE: lowering prob
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Well truthfully, the bolt in question on my truck is actually holding the axle to the springs. The bolt has a flat head and I can't take the nut off because the dern bolt just spins in place. errrrrr... I'm just going to take it somewhere to get done!



Haligan9
Dodge Dakota
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3/01/2005
19:24:56

RE: lowering prob
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If that is true you must have a dakota thats put together differently than mine. What year is the truck? Is it a RT? I can tell you for sure on my 98 sport the center bolt does not hold the axle to the springs. I know because I have had the rearend out of the truck twice.

Hal



Bluesman
Dodge Dakota
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3/01/2005
21:06:06

RE: lowering prob
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the center bolts only holds the leaves together otherwise known as leaf springs..If it seems that the bolt is stuck..it is because it is a little loose...use a pair of vise grips on the round head and rachet/wrench on the nut!...Should be no need unless you are removing or adding leafs to the pack. The spring pack bolt fits between the axle pads and the springs.
Blue



Malcolm
Dodge Dakota
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3/02/2005
22:21:48

RE: lowering prob
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Well, I don't mean to say any of you are wrong about that. I took the u-bolts and all off and could not get the axle seperate from the springs! Did ya'll take the left and right side off at the same time?? Maybe that's why I couldn't get it off... Or maybe it's because I didn't take off the shocks, which are connected directly to the axle, would that matter...??



Haligan9
Dodge Dakota
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3/03/2005
00:06:04

RE: lowering prob
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Ya you need to take the shock off. Also the axle is hard to remove, plus it's heavy. unbolt the shock and put a jack under the axle. Use the jack to lift the axle off the spring. you can also put a pry bar between the axle mount and the spring to encourage it along. Just be careful you don't lift the truck off the jackstands.

Hal



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