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14:33:32 - 04/24/2024
Raised / Lifted Dakotas
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2THEXTRM
GenIII
 
1/13/2002
15:11:13
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 Subject: 1.5" Block Lift In!
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Well, yesterday I installed a 1.5" lift block from Tuff Country and had custom lengthened U-bolts made at a local spring shop. I needed to adjust the driver side torsion bar to about 90% and the passanger side to about 75-80% to level it within 1/2 inch front to back, that differance is unnoticable, but the differance in height is!!! I am now about 1/4 inch taller than a stock Offroad Ram. I was at local supermarket yesterday after install was complete and a Offroad Ram the same color as mine parked next to me and the guy was looking my truck over real good when I came out of store. He asked if my truck was "special order" and didn't know they offered an Offroad package for the Dakota(I have a factory Offroad sticker below 4x4 on tailgate:), I then pointed out the body lift kit and rear spring lift blocks and he was suprised because it looked like it was lifted that way from the factory:) He may have been slightly outta touch to think I ordered my Dak from the factory in it's present form, but either way, it made me feel good that I was taller than his Offroad Ram and he was obviously a little annoyed at this:) Can't wait to get the 16x8 Hellcats with 305/70-16 Xterrain's mounted once spring arrives. I have all I can do to not put them on now but I must use patience. I have changed my Profile Pic to a new pic I took today and will be posting more pictures on my Website once I get a chance. The side pics are cool, looks like you can do the limbo under my Dak now:) Thanks to Corey's RC Dak that had 1" lift blocks for the idea, I now have about 6.5" of lift altogether and can easily wait for a suspension lift to be produced without missing any sleep.
Flowmaster stainless cat back, Air Raid CAD and homemade TB connect, Poweraid TB Spacer, Splitfire Plugs
3 inch body and 1.5" block lift, 33x11.50-16's, Superlift Truspeed Recalibrator
Powerslot Rotors, Ceramic Brake Pads
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jLo
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/14/2002
07:19:29
|  RE: 1.5
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Message:
it's all about going higher than a ram! =)
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4wDakota
GenIII
1/14/2002
09:13:18
| RE: 1.5
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2 questions....well... actually 4 ; )
1)How harsh is your ride with the torsion bars cranked that high? Are the CV joints at bad angles?
2) Where did you get the offroad stickers and how much were they?
Thanks,
Corey
www.geocities.com/cjf7148/index.html
98 CC 4x4, 5.2 Auto 3.55LSD
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2THEXTRM
GenIII
1/14/2002
18:50:11
| RE: 1.5
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Message:
If the bars were cranked ALL the way up, it might not be pretty. I was expecting a very harsh ride and am pleasantly suprised that it is not that bad, it rides as good as my cousins stock 2001 Offroad Ram. The CV joints don't look like they are screamin in pain and there is no noise from the front end when the wheel is cranked hard in either 2 or 4 wheel drive like I was also expecting, we will have to see what the long term brings though as I am sure the increased angle will cause extra wear. I bought the Offroad sticker from the dealer a couple months ago for $38(I know, steep for a sticker) after looking all over the internet for a reproduction of the factory sticker to save some $$. It comes with the 4x4 sticker in one piece, I just cut-off the Offroad part of sticker with exacto knife and stucker underneath my stock 4x4 sticker which looks sweet as hell with truck lifted. Got an alignment today at Pepboys, the Service Manager and techs in the garage were drooling so much I had to go to the carwash after! Since I have not seen another lifted 97+ Dak in CNY, there seems to be an awful lot of commotion over the Tall Silver Dak driving around:() Wait till the Roll bars w/4 PIAA's, Prerunner Push Bar w/2 PIAA's and Nerf bars are put on this summer with the Hellcat/Xt's! I am considering skipping the suspension lift since the truck good be returned to near stock form with little modification, depends how the front-end holds up and if I can find a good deal on a rope ladder to drop from the cab when I go to get out. My wife will be getting an 02 RC 4x4 in the springtime, so I need to save some $$ to cosmetically mod hers out, she doesn't care about being up high and having loud exhaust, most women just don't understand except Lesley, she gets it:)
Flowmaster stainless cat back, Air Raid CAD and homemade TB connect, Poweraid TB Spacer, Splitfire Plugs
3 inch body and 1.5" block lift, 33x11.50-16's, Superlift Truspeed Recalibrator
Powerslot Rotors, Ceramic Brake Pads
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bill
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/29/2002
04:48:03
| RE: 1.5
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Message:
Just a minute X-treme,remember the stock yellow dak at mc-d's?Well you gotta see it now!You know that yellow really stands out any way,put in 3" of lift,33/12.5/15's, and don't forget the gap guards and those guys at pep boys were droolin'a little too.So far it's been dubbed "DADS TONKA" and I think my kids got it right,it does look like a tonka!The body kit was a breeze, although I fabed my own 4x4 shifter(now you can reach it)and I stayed with 6 bolts in rear bumper(1/4" lower than the stock look)because I use my truck as a work horse.As for tire rub with 33x12.5's on stock wheels,nothing a couple of 3/8 bolts in the bump stops couldn't cure.As for the 408 stroker,it's gone to the machine shop for the boring process(can't wait 'til it's done)the 3.9 with 3.92 isn't bad, but smacks of a 2.8 s-10 power band.One other little add on I like is the safari bar and hella driving lights which I wired into my high-beems along with the stock road lights(6 lights on high beem)that might teach some people in oncoming cars what the little blue light in their dash means.Well, gotta' say your truck started me down this road so if you see my ol'lady, RUN!!!! and remember your dak is still the tallest and mine isn't getting any bigger due the stokers power and my willingness to use it. I need to keep SOME handling in it.Well,hope to see ya out there,ya can't miss me.BILL
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2THEXTRM
GenIII
1/29/2002
12:10:53
| RE: 1.5
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Cool, now that makes three lifted 97+ daks that I know of, you, me and brucemoose. What tire did you end up going with? Once you get that 408 stroker bolted in, I want to take a ride:) With all that power you should be able bake the 33's no problem. 2.8 powerband= beat by one legged man riding a bicycle, LOL. I'll be sure to watch for the wife, hopefully she doesnt know what my truck looks like...
Flowmaster stainless cat back, Air Raid CAD and homemade TB connect, Poweraid TB Spacer, Splitfire Plugs
3 inch body and 1.5" block lift, 33x11.50-16's, Superlift Truspeed Recalibrator
Powerslot Rotors, Ceramic Brake Pads
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bill
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/29/2002
21:39:51
| RE: 1.5
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I'll be glad to give ya a ride if I EVER get the stroker done(lots of computer stuff to deal with)As for the ol'lady I didn't reveal any more info than I had to about your truck.By the way,who is brucemoose,what did he do to his 'kota, and where are you and he from? Myself, I'm from central square(well actually palermo)and i'm here to tell ya' where I live you need those 33x12.5x15s to just get out of the driveway.BILL. Yellow 99 cc, 4x4, 33x12.5s,3" lift, westin safari bar, hella driving lights and a 2' section of old swing set tube for a muffler eliminator...no,REALLY.Oh yeah, almost forgot 3.9L auto.
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2THEXTRM
GenIII
1/30/2002
00:04:54
| RE: 1.5
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I live in C-Square(1" of snow:), almost to Hastings off from rt 11. Brucemoose is an SU student and lives near SU, he has a Black CC with 3" body lift and 33's(I think). So what brand tires are you running? How did you modify the brackets from the Safari bar to work with body lift? Weld on some extra steel to lengthen them? I had safari bar on my 99 RC which looked cool, held two lights and didn't clutter up front-end of my Dak which I liked. Have been looking at how my bumper attaches to frame with body lift and knowin how the safari bar brackets worked with my 99 and think I would need to make new brackets since the bolts are on top and not on the side like they were for my 99? Was thinkin about another one for my new truck but don't really have the time to be fabbing brackets to work with body lift so I may stick with using the Pre-runner bar that mounts to top of bumper and as two mount tabs for lights. It looks real good on Hawkeye's truck, but it will cover up the $100 SS grille inserts so I don't know what I am going to do. All I know is I need more night lighting and I have already decided on getting a Smittybilt roll-bar to mount 4 lights too come summer time.
Flowmaster stainless cat back, Air Raid CAD and homemade TB connect, Poweraid TB Spacer, Splitfire Plugs
3 inch body and 1.5" block lift, 33x11.50-16's, Superlift Truspeed Recalibrator
Powerslot Rotors, Ceramic Brake Pads
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brucemoose2
Dodge Dakota
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1/30/2002
03:31:18
| RE: 1.5
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Message:
Hey, I'm here! You're right 2THEXTRM, I've got 33x12.5x15s... BFG ATs. Hey, we should all get together and go wheelin sometime this spring! I didn't know there were so many of us in the area.
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2THEXTRM
GenIII
1/30/2002
07:34:35
| RE: 1.5
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Yeah, there is quite a few from NY that have found this web page:) Wheelin in the spring sounds good to me, Happy Valley seems like a good trail run from previous threads. See http://www.dodgedakota.net/boards/off/484.html where we had been talking about it before, could get together 5-10 Daks for an outting probably from the looks of it!
Flowmaster stainless cat back, Air Raid CAD and homemade TB connect, Poweraid TB Spacer, Splitfire Plugs
3 inch body and 1.5" block lift, 33x11.50-16's, Superlift Truspeed Recalibrator
Powerslot Rotors, Ceramic Brake Pads
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brucemoose2
Dodge Dakota
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1/30/2002
10:08:33
| RE: 1.5
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Message:
nice! I'm in!
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bill
Dodge Dakota
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1/30/2002
10:39:14
| RE: 1.5
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Well, as for the safari bar I'll try to explain ,but i'm not a good teacher.As you know the flat brackets (safari bar) mount between the rad. support to frame bracket and slide in and are pinched in when the frame bracket is tightend,all I did was cut the two rear mounting holes(u-grooves)off at an angle,used the remaining groove to slide onto the front top mounting bolt on the truck frame which brings the mounts up 2 3/4", then I just cranked down the bolts after installing and adjusting the bar it's self.Yes I did think only one bolt on each side was not enough but then I stood on top of the bar(I'm 300 lbs.) and it didn't move a fraction,so unless you try to tow the truck with it I don't think it's going any where,but I guess you could tack weld it if it worried you.As for the roll/light bar, that would look good,but for the way I use my truck it would right in my way but I would like one.Tires,I went with dakota cheepo's to start with so I didn't tie up nearly a "G" in tires to find out I didn't like the lifted version of my truck.So you live in hastings,know the Fortino's? I bought a couple vette's off them over the years.As for me I live on paradise road just off rt. 45.Go to the valley wheeling,well I'll go watch you guys I can't afford to break anything(have three teenagers 14,16,18 to support)need I say more? but getting together sounds cool.We can show the world there is another dodge truck world besides the "BIG" dodge.(been there-done that- NOT GOOD!!!)BILL
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2THEXTRM
GenIII
1/30/2002
18:00:00
| RE: 1.5
IP: Logged
Message:
Cool brucemoose is in, we can recruit more as springtime gets closer(couple months)
Good idea on repositioning the Safari Bar Bill. Unfortunately on mine the bumper mounts differently to the frame, it only has 2 bolts on each side that go straight down into frame(you can see them when you open hood) and no outter brackets that go from bumper to side of frame like my 99 had where you mount the bar brackets. The holes may be in the frame for outter brackets, I'll have to look. If so I will only need to but some bolts to set it up the way you did. The bar can't be used for pushing anything anyway so it only needs to be sturdy, not solid, so your setup should work well.
I have the Dakota LT's from Pep Boys too, how do you like them so far? I am very satisfied with their performance. They probably won't be as good as my Xterrains but, but you couldn't buy a better tire in the same price range that wasn't used IMO.
If we can set a date for a Happy Valley run you should go, I have only been there on snowmobile and the terrain is nothing like you see in magazines, it is more of a wandering trail, no boulders and perilous cliffs to navigate, just streams to cross and some "hills" to climb with possibly some muddy trails(springtime). If you break something it would probably be because you were driving too fast for the terrain:)
I don't know the Fortino's, have heard their name before though. I grew up an lived in Pennellville until about 5 years ago when I moved to C-Square so I really only know some of the people on my road. I live 400ft off the road so I don't even see my neighbors much:)
Flowmaster stainless cat back, Air Raid CAD and homemade TB connect, Poweraid TB Spacer, Splitfire Plugs
3 inch body and 1.5" block lift, 33x11.50-16's, Superlift Truspeed Recalibrator
Powerslot Rotors, Ceramic Brake Pads
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bill
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/30/2002
19:08:35
| RE: 1.5
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Message:
Sorry I couldn't help, I didn't realize they changed the mount from 99 to 01.As for happy valley,I know the terrain pretty well. Most of my youth was spent there logging with my father,and lots of time sledding.As for my tires I have a little shake to get fixed and have not had any snow to try them in either.FRIGGIN WEATHER!!!Hey if you see a yella'kota' at champs corner stop in, I stop in once in a blue moon but not to much because I work nights and sometimes days too.You must live pretty close to champs?Speeking of living off the road,I live on a dead end, only one neighbor 1000 feet away.Before I go,I gotta know how the truespeed worked out and what is the trick and purpose of the home made TB connect and AIRAID CAD.Oh yeah,If you put a safari bar on, I have the cut-off section for a template if you think it will work on your truck.BILL
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