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Mike G
Dodge Dakota
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8/04/2007
05:09:44
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 Subject: Dakota R/T Manual Conversion
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Hi all,
I'm looking at possibly trading my 2003 Infinity G35 in for a 2002 Dodge Dakota R/T 5.9L. Now I'm looking at this truck for a few reasons. Number one because we could use a truck and my wife doesn't like my car, number 2 my current truck (lifted 73 Chevy K20)rides like a stage-coach and handles like crap and is seen as one of those you have 4 vehicles and need to get of some, number 3 the 1 Dakota R/T I test drove back in 99 made me fall in love with the handling and power of it. It sold though in 3 days before I could figure out finances. So I thought for a truck it was the closest I could get to the handling and power of my G35.
Anyways now days it's not just me that has to like the vehicle it now includes my wifes' opinion and has to have room for our little one and it can't be room in the trunk or the hood.. that'd be just wrong.. lol. So now instead of looking for a regular cab I'm having to look at extended cabs, & actually found one I'm going to check out on Saturday that's for sale at a dealership.
Now for the questions,
1) Does the extended cab handle as well as the regular cab ?
2) How many of you have tried canyons in your R/Ts and how well or not did it do in the twisties?
3)(sorry this one's long)The one I was able to test drive must have been by some act of God or something a manual 5 speed transmission. It was a 1999 black regular cab and a blast to drive. Now I thought it was stock as the dealer didn't say otherwise and everything looked stock no patch jobs or anything looking weird. However I can't for the life of me find anything anywhere that says if even 1-5 ever made came with manuals everything says auto. So I'm thinking it was custom done.
So I researched and found a company: http://www.drivetrain.com/noslipdodgetruck.html
providing auto to standard conversion kits for Dakotas to:
NV4500 (5spd) http://www.drivetrain.com/newventure.html
or a
NV5600 (6spd) http://www.drivetrain.com/nv5600.html
Now the question that goes with all that is am I correct in assuming these transmissions will hold up to the 5.9L and if so Could anyone tell me the speed range ? I read in another post on here that the NV4500 was designed for towing not speed but then later in that thread someone mentioned reaching 131mph with their RAM 2500 which had the NV4500 ? So I'm kinda confused here as to where the towing design is in a tranny that reaches 131mph ?
Any help or guidance is appreciated. Thanks.
Mike
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clint282cc
Dodge Dakota
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8/04/2007
12:15:21
|  RE: Dakota R/T Manual Conversion
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i saw a truck on cardomain with a 6 speed viper trans. that may be the trans that they are offering (NV5600) im not to sure though.
also due to the shorter wheelbase you will feel a little tighter handling than a ext. cab. i like the RCs better but i wanted a Ext. for a subbox or passengers ect. i eventually bought a RC 318 dak. the r/ts dont have the middle seat like the regular daks. by the way, it handles great with the right tires and is the funnest thing to do doughnuts in for sure lol
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Shoe
GenIII
8/04/2007
17:07:09
| RE: Dakota R/T Manual Conversion
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I know that R/Ts will do some badass doughnuts. I know that mine will do some mean ones too. God... I love 5-speeds.
Finally... a V8. '01 Dodge Dakota RC, 4.7, 5-speed, 3.92 LSD. = R/T Killer.
well at least a stock one
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PB
Dodge Dakota
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8/04/2007
20:55:32
| RE: Dakota R/T Manual Conversion
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the nv-4500 was designed for towing it has a granny low, if that dakota had an nv-4500 you couldn't use the first gear its too low for that light of a truck. it could be somebody stuck a keisler 5 spd in it and did a real good job. the nv-3500 which comes behind the 5.2 isn't strong enough to take the torque of the 360 for long. granted it will, if driven sanely but somebody buying and R/T wouldn't do that. as for nv5600 it is another heavy truck trans with a granny low but its 6 speed. viper uses a t-56. not an R/T expert but i do know a good bit about truck transmissions.
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Shoe
GenIII
8/04/2007
21:09:11
| RE: Dakota R/T Manual Conversion
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Unless it is a Richmond or a Tremec usually it is junk.
Finally... a V8. '01 Dodge Dakota RC, 4.7, 5-speed, 3.92 LSD. = R/T Killer.
well at least a stock one
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gen1dak
Dodge Dakota
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8/05/2007
14:00:13
| RE: Dakota R/T Manual Conversion
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Keisler uses Tremecs capable of handling 550 and 650 HP engines. Must be decent units.
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DSW
Dodge Dakota
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8/05/2007
20:17:33
| RE: Dakota R/T Manual Conversion
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Mike,
I can't help you with your standard tranny question.
But, it sounds like your looking for a CC instead of a RC because of kid(s), a QC is a better choice. From personal experience, a CC doesn't play well with child seats as the back seating area is too shallow. Baby seats and toddler seats won't fit behind the front seats, you have to put it in the center position which is still tight. Booster seats will fit behind the front seats, but it's very tight and you will hear rumblings from the peanut gallery. I had a 2000 CC and suffered through the first kid by putting them in the back center position, but when the second kid came along I had to get something different. I purchased an 03 QC which was perfect for 2 adults and 2 kids.
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Shoe
GenIII
8/05/2007
21:00:56
| RE: Dakota R/T Manual Conversion
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If you are not hard on the vehicle and start slamming gears than an NV3500 out of the 3.9/4.7/5.2 will work just fine.
Finally... a V8. '01 Dodge Dakota RC, 4.7, 5-speed, 3.92 LSD. = R/T Killer.
well at least a stock one
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01Motorsport
Dodge Dakota
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8/09/2007
19:33:13
| RE: Dakota R/T Manual Conversion
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I own a '01 RC 4.7 5-spd manual 3:92LSD, which actually are more rare than R/T's. I've lowered the truck 3", added 17x9 R/T wheels, Michelin LTX Pilots, Edelbrock IAS shocks, R/T rear swaybar, and poly bushings to help the handling. I frequent "The Dragon", the famous US129 two-lane at the NC/TN border with 313 curves in 11 miles. The Dak is a blast on that road. GenIII RC's have a turning radius of 35', less than a Honda Civic of the day. Check some of the posts at dakota-durango.com/southeast/dakotas on the dragon.
Keisler Engineering is backing off on R/T manual tranny conversions, but they still sell the kit to do-it-yourselfers.
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