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9/06/2004
09:14:59

Subject: graphitedak
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Hey dak. I learned alot from your posts and you seem to be the engineer guy of this site. Thanks for the tips on the intake. I have an 04 and it is a troque monster.
I still haven't changed the intake tube because airaid hasn't made one for the 04. They said as soon as they did the durango they would do the 04 dak. Fennco, and k and n, with the minor exhaust modification made this thing a torque monster. bringing out torque in this overhead cam motor is the way to go. I live in california, on the coast and the freeways are hilly. My street is a huge hill, everytthing is a hill and this dakota loves climbing. You can feel it pull. I swear the damded thing wants hills to climb. If it had a mouth it would be smiling when climbing.
I blew off a tundra going to Sacramento climbing a hill on hwy 80. He came up next to me and off we went, His truck had a nice front grill, lol.



GraphiteDak
GenIII
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9/07/2004
00:46:40

RE: graphitedak
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Well I don't know about being the "Engineer". Sometimes it's just "trial and error" and I am one of the more "brave" ones to go wrench on their new Dak. Well. Almost. I've got 21K miles on it now and have beat it up a bit off road which will stop for a while.

I would just go home brew vs. paying $200 for something that may not be what you want. Especially if it is NOISY like one of my setups was that I THOUGHT would be the sh*t!

I've changed my intake about 3 times trying to get that perfect amount of noise and performace from the intake. My first one was SO loud I couldn;t stand it when going up hills. Way louder than a FLowmaster!
I don't think the intake tube has done much that I can tell. But the porting of my stock 68MM TB helped up top, but MAY have made a dead spot in my powerband.
What I notice is if I get up to about 75 or so on a BIG hill and hit it, the truck struggles at about 3k or so and wont go down to 2nd. If I slow down to 70 and it gets down to 2nd gear it rips ass all the way to 80+ like nothing!
My next mod will be getting rid of my 3.55 gears for some 4.10's. I HOPE (and assume) that solves most of that problem. I don't exactly want to swap gears more than once :-)
I also have had no extra money this summer like I planned to. I may be short a mod or two this year :-(




Android287
Gen III
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9/07/2004
21:37:14

RE: graphitedak
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I did the 4.10 swap from the 3.55s. I do have to say GraphiteDak, that it does have its pros and Cons. With the 4.10, i do get the same gas mileage, it maintains speeds much better on the highway, and pulls faster from 0-70. The one thing i do miss though is that pull of the higher second gear. The one that you mentioned. Cruising at 65 behind some pokey car that should be in the right hand lane. No cars in the right lane and bam your at 83 shifting into third gear! That is the only time i wish i had em. If you did the swap make sure you get yourself an auburn limited slip. So sweet. My swap cost me 1650 all set and done. From 70 and up it will not downshift, but does pull much stronger up to desired speed.



GraphiteDak
GenIII
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9/07/2004
23:10:43

RE: graphitedak
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Yeah. I been looking at the Auburn as well. I see them for around $200. RIng and pinion sets about $200 or less each plus the install kits.
I have been seeing some package front and rear ring and pinion kits for less than $400 with the install kits.

I've been broke this summer so I haven't done jack lately :-(

I may just do the rear diff and not engage the 4WD and then do the front diff a few months later. I'm going to do the swap myself. It should come out pretty cheap.

I'm surprised your wont still kick down to 3rd gear at least when at 70. 3rd gear at 70 would only be 3300 RPM's. Unless you meant it wont go down to 2nd gear which makes more semse.

I saw one of your posts on another thread (dual exhaust). Sounds like we have the same truck. We will have to keep in touch here.

Oh yeah. One guy on another thread said he did the 4.56 gears on his and LOVES it. Wow. with the stock 29" tires, I don't know about that.



android287
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9/08/2004
08:38:41

RE: graphitedak
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Ya i meant the kickdown to 2nd gear not 3rd. It drops to third now at 70 and pulls much harder than before, but not like that higher second gear. Ya we pretty much have the same truck except i'm a standard cab. Same mods as you. Any progress on that custom Y pipe? Its great that you can do your own gears. Just too much for this driveway mechanic.



GraphiteDak
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9/10/2004
01:12:49

RE: graphitedak
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I haven't got around to messing with the y-pipe. I still don't see what is so bad about it by looking at it. Unless it's the guys with the 3 cats with the bad y-pipe.
My '03 just has the one big cat.

As for gears. I have little experience. But, I'd like to do it myself just because not to mention saving a ton of $$$. The only tool I don;t have which I will have to buy is a indicator for the backlash.
I'll be towing so I need to get it right on. I trust myself better than most dealer mechanics at times. So I figure I could do it as well as most others some shop would let do it. If the guy was in a rush, I'd be screwed!

So you got the RC. I bet it would look good with some fat 31's and a slight lift.




Android287
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9/10/2004
08:44:29

RE: graphitedak
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Hey graphitedak, yup i got the 31's on it now and have the torsion bars cranked. Sits nice and level. Higher than most dakotas around here.



GraphiteDak
GenIII
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9/11/2004
00:49:48

RE: graphitedak
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Yeah. My truck actually rides BETTER with the torsion cranked a bit. i did have to lower them back down a little bit a few months back when I noticed it sitting high enough to contact the rubber stops.

I think I'll settle with 31's when I get new tires. I don't want to add too much tire weight. The 31's would be slightly taller, like 1/2 inch and some wider. I guess they don;t actually sell 31's in 16 inch rims tho. Weird. I think something like 265/70 16's is about there.



android287
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9/11/2004
08:25:22

RE: graphitedak
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So what do you think of the stock Y pipe? Do you think it flows sufficient enough? I have the none crushed one. It does look kinda small. some day i'd like to do the gs motorsports true duals one the bugs are worked out for the 4x4. Heck even if i can just buy the parts to run it into a 3" magnaflow cat back.



GraphiteDak
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9/12/2004
02:18:54

RE: graphitedak
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I want to go true duals and if I do I will just do it myself. I do hear that the stock y-pipe is restrictive so maybe there is something more wrong with it than I can tell by looking at it.

I am really thinking of going with a Turbo some day. So if I did dual exhaust will be out of the question.



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