[lowphatdak]

Aight dammit. I am ready to bag to low phat dak, and I thought it would pretty straight forward. Well I was on SSM just now reading a post, and it seems like a whole shit load of work just to lay frame. Right now I will be on the 15 x 7 stockers, but I will eventually be on 20's. So exactly what will I have to cut and move around and all the other b.s. will I have to do? !frustrated

 

[pappie1]

alot....... For twinkies.... your gonna have to go with a tubular lower arm cause the stockers arn't gonna clear. If you keep the stockers, your gonna have to notch the frame and the arms to clear in the back corner mount. THEN your gonna have to notch the frame for the steering linkadge and sway bar. I have only 18's and it hits. The swaybar can be tamed alittle bit with shorter swaybarmounts but.... might hit. Inner fenderwelds gotta go, so everything thats ontop of it has to go too.

 

[95kota]

yup not only are you gonna need to shorten the rear end, and notch the rear frame, move your gas tank, and notch the front frame 3-4 inches for your tie rods.... like pappie said, shit load of work.... but it is so worth it for a dakota! u can definately do it though.... dont be scared. If you want I have 20s for sale... let me know if you are interested!
lata
jon

 

[lowphatdak]

Do ya'll have any pics that show what ya'll are talking about? I'm sure that I can figure it out, but since it's my daily, I don't need it to be down for longer than I can help. Thanks

 

[95kota]

honestly... to lay frame on 20's is not that hard... ignore my previous post-
1. shorten rear axle assembly!
2. notch frame and install 4-link or what ever suspension you want on the rear
3. IF you are goin to be dragging- relocate gas tank
4. Control arms/ spindles whatever... I dont know what year your truck is.
5. notch front frame 3-4 inches to clear and may have to shorten tie rods...

I Know they are talking crazyness on ssm. Yes alot of that is true- to fully lay out your truck..... I know alotta people who get their dak's to lay with out all of that work.
you will have to remove your front fender wells.... and may have to relocate some things in the engine bay. Also you may want to install a crossmember/drag bar under your oil pan, I heard on some daks it can drag. if the engine is not moved up..
Also most of them on SSM are body dropping and not "just" laying frame.
My truck should be goin in the shop this month.... so I will be taking pictures and ill let you guys know what all I had to do,
good luck
lata
jon

 

[95kota]

OH YA I HAVE 20S FOR SALE. LOL SERIOUSLY

 

[lowphatdak]

Thanks 95kota. I have a 99 kota. So:
1: How much do you have to shorten the rear axle? I heard it's like 2 or 2 1/2 inches. Now, is that overall, or is that on each side?
2: When I looked under my bed, the gas tank didn't look like it was lower than the frame. or should it be moved so that when I am dragging, a spark doesn't catch any gas vapors onfire?
3: Which part exactly of the front frame will I have to notch?
I thought I knew everything that I had to do as far as bagging, but I guess I didn't. I already know about the notch and the leveraged 4- link. I just thought it would be as easy as a Chevy. Guess I was wrong.

 

[95kota]

no, it sounds like youre on the right track.
1. You will not be the person who decides on how much to hack off your rear axle.... 2 - 2 1/2 sounds like it would be enough, HOWEVER it depends on how far in you want your wheels to be. AND yes the 2 or 2 1/2 will be on both sides...
2. on the gas tank issue- I say safe then sorry.... .other people just carry around a bar of soap.
3. now Im not 100% sure. but on my dak, the tierods dont have clearance so you have to notch the frame.... Im not sure about the newer daks ...maybe not.
---- heres the big thing.... you can always just get the front to lay out and then drag the rear... most likely what i want to do. I really dont want to F up my whole front suspension by dragging. Plus my frame is gonna be painted... so its all up to you.
Good luck if u got anymore questions id be glad to try and help you....
hope this helped
lata

 

[lowphatdak]

I have a better idea. I just need to get the rest of my parts so I can just tear it down and I'll figure it out from there. I am kinda mechanically inclined, it just takes it awhile sometimes. Oh well, what better way to learn than to get your hands dirty, right?

 

[lowphatdak]

Well, UPS finally showed up with the rest of my parts. Quick question though, how exactly would I rasi my motor? Would I take off the motor mount and weld on like a chunk of metal, then put the motor mount on top of that? Just wondering.

 

[95kota]

no clue man, never had to do it.... if you look on www.streetsourcemag.com at member (lorango) you can e-mail him.... he raised his motor in his durango. Later
Jon

 

[lowphatdak]

Thanks Jon. I'll check into that. Thanks for your help by the way.

 

[pappie1]

ok.... why would one raise the motor? :?

 

[lowphatdak]

I'm guessing to get the oil pan higher than the frame rails. I know mine hangs pretty low. But I IM'd lowrango and he said he didn't raise his motor, so I don't have any other clue.

 

[pappie1]

Well...... the crossmember lays lower than the oil pan.

 

[lowphatdak]

I just read lowrango's im and he said that if he wants to lay rocker, he has to modify the oil pan. I think he said that he had to rebuild the crossmember though.

 

[95kota]

ya my bad sorry bout the confusion.... he said he may move his motor...

 

[lowphatdak]

No sweat. Just trying to get everything straight.

 

[pappie1]

well........ this is what I'm seeing just laying under my truck and drinkin with friends ( we acually do this alot!). If he is talking about sitting level, then there's alot into just rebuilding the crossmember like the stearing assembly has to move 1 1/2 higher :? , rebuild a new pan to acomidate the stearing assembly :? , then finally cut and weld up a new crossmember. Then notch the frame for the new tierods position !dodge . I really don't see a point in raising the engine, sounds to me like that would cause problems later on in the body drop

 

[KaoticDakota]

Ok just ignore everything everyone has said hahaha no offense but its not that hard to get it to lay out on Dubs.
1. Scrap the inner fenderwells
2. Lower tubular control arms
3. Really little bag brackets in the front and lots
4. Of cutting in the coil cup
5. Tie Rods hit the frame so notch the frame a bit.
6. THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL this is what i did. Redrill your lug pattern to a 5x4.5 FWD &RWD pattern. you won't have to narrow your rear end or relcate your gas tank to drag.
7, roll your fenderwell lips
8.Notch your cab ALOT to clear the drive shaft.
9. Big step notch
10. With the new lug pattern get FWD offset wheels. Be carefull with the Fuse box under the hood it has 88 wires and took me 2 days to extend them all to relocate it. I'll post pics of everything i'm talking about.