My Dodge Dakota, the "Comvee"

[Nick02]

Hi my name's Nick; Jump to page 11 for the solid axle swap stuff! most of the photos were old and got moved so they start there now!

I have a 2001 Dodge Dakota that I call the Comvee (from the wild thorberries (old nick tv show)) in expedition mode.
I also love Unimogs, pinzgauers, M35A2's and CJ's


My vehicle is a Dodge Dakota, I am building it to be a dual purpose rig, a DD and a "camping vehicle", currently a 2wd but I need 4wd to go to the places I want to.

General info
2001 4.7L V8 2wd ex cab dodge dakota.. SLT model with the 9.25" rear and 45rfe automatic transmission.

Pre SAS General Modifications
32" bfg M/T's (265/75/16) on 16x7 soft 8's, Doetsch 3/2 lift ("short arm" lift, long shackles in back, extended shocks Bilsteins in the front, Doetsch in the rear), Diy 2" UHMW Body lift, Powertrax lock-right, Glass-works fiberglass frnt/rear baja fenders, 8k champion winch, ghetto homemade winch mount/rear bumper, 12ga plated and cut back firewall and modified body-mounts, Dual 10" pusher efans, ARE "wedge top" campershell, 4.88 Yukon gears.

post SAS build specs
-Np231-dana24 doubler
-3/4" thick cromo lowers
-1.25" heims all around for suspension
-7/8" heims for steering/panhard
-1/4" DOM trackbar and steering stuff
-1/8" thick front driveshaft 1/4" rear
-1992 gm DRW 14 bolt rear axle 74" wms yukon grizzley locker
-1978 ford f250 front dana 44, nitro shafts
-1979 ford f350 steering box
-all steering doubler shear, pitman arm custom made
-14" king 2.5" race series coilovers
-39x14.5x16" pitbull maddogs bias
-16x8 hutchinson beadlocks off of a boarder patrol truck


I know the truck currently looks like a prerunner, but I don't go fast and "ROMP", I like technical challenges and off camber situations, camping and exploration, way in the future when I have a stable job, I plan on running a full width HP Dana 60 or D44 in the front hi-steer all the goodies. Would like to use leaf springs and a divorced transfer case. Did I mention the truck is a 2wd....?? lol
(2006) The beginning, my mom came home with an 2001 dodge dakota! talk about having a nice mom! God bless her!
I knew nothing about automobiles..

I started taking "side-jobs" mowing lawns, and selling/repairing vintage radio's and tube amplifiers (my MAIN hobby since 2003)
... I bought the liftkit and tires, with my limited income and some help from birthday/Christmas money from my family.
Lifted with 32's and Locked and I was happy

Then my vehicle was involved in a "one person two car accident", I was never in the truck lol!; the individual did not see me parked behind them and slammed into my bedside, causing ~$2500 in damages: I took the insurance money and bought my fenders.
I went with fiberglass because one "stock oem" rear fender outer shell cost 980.00!! I got all 4 Fiberglas fenders for $1250 shipped and the front fenders will match the width of a full size hp d44 out of a 78-79 F250.. installing them was the hardest thing I've ever done. My old clearcoat was starting to peel and my old fenders were "bowed" from me offroading the truck, and bottoming out the tire on the fender.
So I did some drag racing, seemed boring but I learned the little 4.7L had some balls, so I put 4.88's and a locker into the massive 9.25" and a shiftkit in the 45rfe and chirped all around town thanks to Joe Daro!

Wanted to try and do offroad stuff, but I just got stuck
So I threw a midtravel kit on and some 32" km's

Had fun.. till someone backed up into my truck

so out came fiberglass fenders and bedsides
Figured I'd try and stuff 35's in there too

then I painted it and wheeled it... just sucked to wheel as a 2wd

 

[datrupr]

Nice, It'll look really good when you get it all painted up. Keep us posted on the progress. Also, welcome to ExPo!!!

 

[08whitex]

Looks realy good. I used to have a 5.9 RT with long travel suspension and fiberglass.

What style bumpers are you going to do?

 

[Nick02]

Thanks for the cool comments guys, this is a neat forum.
An R/T with longtravel? that's awesome !!



For the rear bumper, I want it to be fold out, and be able to carry my spare,hi lift, and two NATO 5 gallon gas cans.


I also want to add a receiver so I can tow my lifted(in progress:coffeedrink Coleman pop up trailer for when I go with 3+people.

Lol I have a montero too It's my DD and I love it!

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

I've never really considered a Dakota or Durango (same vintage as yours) as a reall off-road vehicle, but if someone was, what mfg's make a quality lift for them?

 

[maximumrob]

If your girlfriend is still with you even during your "white fender phase," I'd say she loves you and you should marry her.

 

[mcm4090]

Nice dakota man.

 

[Nick02]

Thanks for all the positive comments! this is not like my old dakota forum... lol!

Backwoods Rambler, the 4wd Dakota's are limited by the front IFS differential, they tend to grenade with 33 inch+ tires (that's the "weak link"); im pretty sure (but not 100%) that they use an dana 35 centersection from 97-00 and an c205MM chrys corp aluminum front center section from 00-04. (Info gathered by myself roaming junkyards LOL)


Rough county makes (or made) a 5.5" lift for the earlier model (97-99) 4x4 dakota's, but it's more of the atypical ifs bolt on lift, the diffrental will continue to grenade under pressure. There's no bolt on SAS kits but there's many, many dakota's running waggy axles, d44's, d60's etc, both coil spring and leaf sprung.
Dodge changed the steering for the 2000+ models (box to rack setup) and changed the spindles too! then in 2003 they changed the spindles and brake system to handle two piston calipers.... then the Dakota got completely redesigned with coil-overs for 2005. My theory is that lift-kit manufacturers couldn't "cope" with so many design changes in such a short period of time, so that makes offroad/suspension after-market "rare" for dakota's and durangos.

If you have a 4x4 rango or 4x4 kota the PA body lift is a good body lift to fit bigger tires.
You can also crank the stock torsion bars for a 2" lift with no keys and clear 33-35 on stock rims with little to no trimming :ylsmoke:.

As far as 2wd's go there's a 2" spring lift and an 3" UCA+ spring lift from doetsch and fabtech. I have the doetch, im not happy with it...

So to answer your question, no manufactures make a quality "off road" lift for the dak/durango you have to brew one up yourself.

I think the dakota is a good platform because it's the only mid size truck with a v8, and three to choose from 4.7 SOHC, 5.2, and 5.9.
I was lucky and got a 9.25 axle from the factory in mine, there's guys running 37's on the 9.25's and have no problem. It's stronger then the D44 and under a D60 in strength.
(there's many many accessories and mods for the 5.2/5.9 but the 4.7 has the 545rfe transmission, which is also behind the hemi and will last a long long time behind the 4.7, the 5.2/5.9 have a crappier 42re/46re that last ~120k)

and maximumrob yes, I am lucky to have her. She also drives a 97 Sahara wrangler 5 speed on 31's, with the top off, so we're both crazy.

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

Nice rig...more Dodge drivers needed! Which locker are you running?

 

[Nick02]

Powertrax lock right
had it in for two years and I love it, I thought it would have bad street manners, but not so, you cant even hear the thing.

 

[FlatlinesUp]

nice start on your rig!

keep the chick since she apparently puts up with you and is smart

you need to wear this hat every time you wheel and every time you post pics :victory::victory::victory::victory::victory:

 

[warrpath4x4]

personally if it was me id trim the fangs hanging down after your rear tires.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

thanks for all the comments!
Backwoods Rambler, the 4wd Dakota's are limited by the front IFS aluminum differential, they tend to grenade with 33 inch+ tires.

Great response...thanks! :sombrero:

How much to the Dakotas & Durangos weigh? I know the '99-'05 Grand cherokee has that 4.7 also and it weighs in around 5500lbs and the 4.7 pulls the GC great, especially the H.O. edition pushing about 260hp.

 

[Nick02]

Great response...thanks! :sombrero:

How much to the Dakotas & Durangos weigh? I know the '99-'05 Grand cherokee has that 4.7 also and it weighs in around 5500lbs and the 4.7 pulls the GC great, especially the H.O. edition pushing about 260hp.

2wd Dakota club cab (like mine) 5.9l = 3989

2wd Dakota regular cab SWB 5.2l= 3591

2wd Durango 5.2L = 4629

add ~300lbs for 4x4

My 4.7 pulled alright at the factory, but with the 4.88's transgo and 2004 intake manifold it will chirp all shifts with the shell off
Bone stock it ran a 16.3 at the track

with the transgo shiftkit, locker, the 265/75 r16's and the lift it ran in the high 15's

 

[Nick02]

Took it camping for the first time this weekend and it has good overall space inside, just noticed it needs a few things.
#1 ventilation in the camper shell is ok but could be better, maybe a RV rooftop vent would be a great help??
#2 a strap to close the tailgate from inside the camper shell would help out a lot, I like to pee in the middle of the night.
#3 need to have a way to organize stuff on the bottom
#4 4.88 gears get annoying at 55mph max with 32's on the highway, need a 2002 jeep grand Cherokee TCM to convert my transmission to a 5speed.