Dodge Dakota Crew Cab - IV

colbates

I've noticed it too, right from day one. But then I figured it was part of driving an unloaded pickup. I remember the bed hop with my father's old Nissan Kingcab that I used to drive while I was in High School 15 years ago.

One thing that I've also noticed is that the bed hop has diminished some since adding the Rhino Liner. That stuff is pretty thick. I wonder how much it weighs in order for me to notice a difference in the truck's handling.

snowedin

I have the 4x4, T&H package and decreased the pressure to 30psi. as per the owners manual for no-load operation. The difference in the ride was significant and so far I've noticed no uneven tire wear.

snowedin

I'm glad there was no damage to your truck. A problem with the "bigger truck" I've found is that the bumpers ride higher that those of ordinary passenger cars. When a vehicle backed into my truck while parked, it's bumper slid under mine cracking the trim piece below the bumper, smashing the fog light bracket, and denting in the A/C condenser. Bottom line, $1,200. I've got less than 4,000 miles and it's been hit twice while unattended. I guess the guy who planned on installing side, rear, and front nerf bars wasn't as paranoid as I thought

towcrazy2

LOOONG!!!:
Had the QC and '95 Ram 4x4 in the drive last night, side-by-side, front bumpers even... Alternating between some detailing on the Ram for resale and vacuuming the carpets in the QC.

The wife walks out, walks around the trucks, and asks, "Why is the Quad so much longer than the Ram?" Out comes the tape measure... Sure enough, the QC body runs about 8-9 inches over the Ram. Kind of shocked me, since the QC feels so much more nimble and precise underway!

MANPOWER UNTILIZATION (Badass):
I can certainly relate to your poor dealership service experience, and agree that it should simply not have happened.

However, based on dealership financial analysis training, I would suggest that the "root cause" of poor dealership service can often be traced to "financial pressures" within the organization rather than incompetency. The "factory" wants to see dealership service departments maximize Service Dept. utilization so that it can pump more service parts through the dealer network.

Such measures as "stall utilization ratios, parts sales per repair order and service manpower utilization" are used as measures of performance. The bottom-line measure is "fixed coverage" (the ability of the service/parts operation to cover all non-vehicle related expenses for the ENTIRE dealership - including heat, lights, rent, etc. for the whole operation).

Problem is, in order to accomplish that, ALL service techs have to be busy at ALL times.

Like its competitors, the DC service dept. employs techs of various grades (appretice tech, certified tech, master tech, etc.). Too often, the certified or master techs may be tied up on "menial" jobs (to keep them busy)... A more complex diagnostic job might roll in, and they throw the next available tech (apprentice) onto it, again in the interest of "keeping busy."

Point is, DEPLOYMENT of the right tech for the right job sometimes misses the mark in order to maximize overall manpower utilization. There's been some progress in some stores with "tech teams" made up of various grade levels... But there's obviously a ways to go!

CUPHOLDERS & MISC. (Stonehammer Dave):
First, Dave, I'm "the guy" installing front, side and rear protection on the Quad... Paranoid perhaps, but I've just gone through too many "bumper taps" and shopping cart experiences!

Your "story" was GREAT!!! A real slice of life!

But about the dash-mounted cupholders, I'd have to differ. I had dash-mounted holders in the Ram... with flimsy rubber "fingers" that were supposed to have adjusted to "any size" cup.

Never forget the time my coffee "tilted" in that holder just enough to splash out onto my pants leg... And walking into a rather important meeting with that huge stain on the pants!... Or the time my wife and I were on a trip... Soda splashed from the cupholder onto the radio faceplate below... Somehow found its way into the stereo and shorted out the LED display.

I see the floor-mounted holders in the Quad as FAR superior... Two different size holders are great. And mounted low, there's far less "tipping."

WHEEL HOP:
Noticed a few posts mentioning the bed-hop or wheel-hop in 4X4 QCs... And I'll agree that ALL 4X4s have tendecy to "skip" on uneven surfaces, washboard and bumps. But from my experience, that tendency in the QC is MINIMAL compared with the sometimes-wild wandering of a full-size 4X4... Guess everything is relative!

Okay... Off the box for now... Time to find an excuse to go out and burn some gas in the Quad!

quark99

Well....took advice from this board and began the foglight install process....found that by masking off around the fascia buttons I was able to eliminate any scuffing or scratching of the fascia...I used a 4" hole saw with 1/4" pilot drill bit. The fascia material cuts like butter, but care is required to not seize the hole saw by trying to cut too fast or having the saw tilted slightly while addressing the fascia material.
Instruction booklet(s) (french, english, and spanish) is very straightforward and easy to follow. After the 4" holes are cut, simple cleanup of the plastic "drauss" (leftover material at the edge of the hole) is easy to remove with fingers...There's no need to get under the bumper to bolt in the lights-just pop the hood, reach in behind and underneath the headlights on each side to start the 2 mounting screws for each light. The foglights themselves must be positioned in the newly-cut holes by reaching underneath the fascia, rotating the foglight left or right, and then spinning the light back to it's normal position as you center the lens in the 4" hole. With one hand under the bumper positioning the light, and the other hand reaching over the bumper, behind and below the headlights, you can start the 2 screws and tighten them nearly all the way by hand. I'll finish the wiring of the relay, harness, grounding wire, and new headlight switch today...
I recommend this mod, if you want to add a little pizzazz to that rather blank-looking front fascia....The only thing that was missing from my truck was the foglights, and like many quadders out there, I chose to take the closest "built" vehicle that was available. Entire foglight kit cost was $117 (Mopar List price-$130) I whined at the parts counter that I could buy the same kit off the 'net for $105...so I got a small 10% discount from the local dealer. Incidentally, kollerdodge.com has been a real good source for Mopar parts....they are always about 20% off list price. Thanks to all that helped with advice on the foglight install!
-quark

vman

I just thought I'd check in with you guys. I placed my order for a 4x4 QC, 4.7/ATX on 5/1. As far as I know, I still have a valid order number with D/C, but the order is still BG status (I know all about the re-tooling and such). I don't mind the wait for the truck I want, but the "not knowing" is killing me. I called the dealer today, and the manager doesn't have any information. He said he has a call in to his D/C rep. and is waiting to hear back.

I was wondering if any of you in the same situation might understand this better than myself (if there's anything to understand). I've heard some of you say your orders were cancelled. The dealer said sometimes they cancel, and sometimes they update the order to the next model year and adjust the prices. I just want to know what's up?

jones27

The "tinking" noise is coming from your leaf springs in the rear. Grab the bumper and push up and down with the truck turned off and you can reproduce the sound right in front of the service manager. Some days are worse than others (higher humidity makes it worse). Tell him to look up a service bulletin for the Dakotas and Durangos for leaf spring noise. If he can't find it, tell him maybe if you call Dodge customer service......they will help him find it (this always looks bad to the higher up guys).

Mine goes in tomorrow for the replacement part. I'll keep you posted.

tiltboy

I got the call that the dealership who ordered for me by mistake had my truck. I use this term loosely, since I had no deposit on it. They wanted $950 over invoice for it, so I told them to go ahead and sell it. Salesperson said everybody was hanging all over it, so some smuck will probably pay it. I guess it worked out, because I would like to sell my 98' Ram Quad while my 2001 is being built. Now I gotta figure out who to order from...... Zonk, who's at the top of the list? Can we get a special deal on 2!!!!

roundrocktx

Keep in mind there are two different kinds of front cup holders -- all QC with bucket seats have two fixed different sized cupholders holes built into the console. Those with the 40-20-40 bench have two identical to the rear seat -- a drawer that slides out and is directly against the upholstry. I agree this last design seems a bit dangerous to the fabric, but compared to the perils of an out of the dash unit, I favour the risk.

-Bob

badassbob

Actually the Console for the bucket Seats has 3 fixed cupholders in a triangle configuration on the floor....2 normal sized ones toward the front and one supersized one centered behind the front 2...The larger rear one is handy for those 7/11 SUPERGULPS...You know, the cup that hold a whole 2-Liter for 79 cents....

Jones27----> I can make the bed creak at any time, I guess i didnt give the whole story... When i said i talked to the service manager, it was in the phone...Thats where he played ignorant of the TSB...You are right, My next suggestion when i went there in person was for us to make a quick call to D/C Service...Another case of dealers trying to keep every bit of that "discression" money

Do you know what part was supposed to be replaced??? Its not the whole leaf spring is it??? Ive looked under the truck before and it looks as if there are plastic spacers between the ends of the leaf springs..Could these be the replacement parts in question??? Just a guess

Any way...its really just an annoyance mor than anything...BUT I expect NOT to be annoyed when I just laid down $27000+ truck thats only 2 months old, and especially when D/C has admitted there is a problem with the TSB...

CHAD

vman

boo: Thanks, I had done that, but D/C started to clam up and redirect me back to the dealer. I was getting the "restriction" speech for no given reason, and then nada. I'll have to try them again.

texaszach

Taking the advice of my colleague, Badassbob, I logged onto the Reese web site and phoned their dealer locator number to find a stocking dealer in the Dallas-Ft Worth MESSoplex. Of the four dealers they gave me, three no longer carry Reese. The fourth "dealer" did not stock them, but would be happy to order the 44018 for a mere 171.50 plus tax. After this experience I went back to the Reese site and fired off a letter of complaint. Out came the Yellow Pages and Draw Tite, manufacturer of the non-fitting piece of
@%&amp*!+ is well represented here. Finally, I found a dealer who would order the Reese for 148.00, still too high when compared to what Badassbob gave for his . He said he will have it tommorrow, much to my suprise he did not even ask for a deposit.

Impressions of the Quad......

As some of you may remember I traded in an F350 Crew Cab 4x4 Powerstroke Diesel on my Quad . I am in complete love with the Quad. The ride of this 4x4 is great!! <30 p.s.i. in the 31-10.50's guys, per the owners manual> Anyone who does not get the tire and handling package is missing out, accept nothing less. This is the best handling truck I have ever driven, I anticipate curves with the accelerator pedal! Having waited too late in the year to order, my original Quad was rejected by the DC computer and I had to "settle" for a automatic tranny behind the 4.7L, as I could not find a 5 speed in this area. So far, the automatic has performed much better than I had expected after reading some of the posts here and on the Grand Cherokee Forum. Again, its early in the ownership period, but I would buy the automatic again without question. My Ford was an XLT, which stickered for just over 36,000, but I'm here to tell you guys, the Dakota has some of the most well thought out little touches, all of which the Ford lacked. For instance the rear seats which flip up giving you more cargo room in the rear. The rear seat in the F350 Crew is fixed. I like the fact that the doors automatically lock when the speed reaches 15 miles per hour. The cupholders in the Dakota are actually functional and safe. NOT anything like the ones I was used to, which we referred to as "the cuptossers", go around a corner at anything more than a crawl and you would be wearing whatever was in the cup or bottle. The look of a 4x4 Quad with the T & H package is downright awesome, I still walk out into the garage just to look at her. If there is one thing that I would change, I would put in firmer, more supportive front seats. Around town the seats are fine, but I noticed them a tad bit lacking on a trip I took to Shreveport earlier this week, 185 miles each way. Lastly, the fuel mileage. On second tank, mostly around town, I averaged 15.5 mpg. Before leaving Shreveport for the return trip, I filled up the tank <3rd tank>. The truck had a little over 700 miles at fillup. I averaged 17.6 on the return trip with the cruise set at 70 mph. The weather was in the mid 80's, clear with a light tail wind. <4x4, 4.7L, automatic, 3.55 axle ratio, 31-10.50R-15 tires> Sorry to be so long winded guys. I had not been on for a few days and had quite a bit of reading to catch up.

Take care and be safe all,

Zach

impy2

I have a club cab sport with the 40-20-40 bench seat. My cupholders slide out, just below the armrest. Is this type of cupholder assembly removeable? I cannot figure out how to remove it so that I can wash it. The owners manual says it is dishwasher safe. (I assume this means there is a way to to take it out) I am not sure which type of cupholders it is talking about. Anyone know what type of oil the MANUAL transmission takes. I am just curious. Is it a heavy weight 75W-90 or something else. I want to switch to Amsoil synthetic but I have no clue what weight to get or what type. Or should I just leave it alone.

texaszach

Impy 2....The owners manual should state what weight fluid the manual tranny uses. I think synthetics are a great in the transimission and rear differential as well. Many of the guys on Ford-Diesel.com reported their transmissions shifted much smoother after switching to synthetics. I have no idea how to get your cupholders out, however, I bet someone here does.

One MORE compliment on the Dakota's little touches....Kudos on putting two 12V power outlets on the dash, right next to each other. The one on the right, which holds the cig lighter, has no power when the key is in the off position which means that I can leave my radar detectors power control in the ON position and simply have the ignition switch control it. AWESOME!

stonehamdave

Well, after reading Snowedin's painful repair experience, I believe that I just may follow towcrazy2's lead.
Towcrazy, what are you using for your guards and where are you getting them from.

Sorry, to hear about your pants episode, I've done the same thing by tossing my coffee at work.
I still think that having a pullout cupholder located at the power outlet level would be fine, (I've had similarly located cupholders in other vehicles with no problem).

Since learning here that truck hop is normal over washboard type surfaces, I've pretty much gotten used to it and I think its a tribute to the QC's handling that the truck comes right back to the direction your heading in. I will double check my tire pressure though and decrease it though if it is in the upper 40's range and see how that affects the ride.

zonk

$900 over invoice? Glad you told them what to do with it. BTW, who is the dealer you were talking to? Stan McCullough? If you haven't already done so, look at crazy canucks pix site. Great pictures of QCs; now I can see why you like the bronze so much. I am still checking for dealers giving good prices. Melton is under consideration as well as one in Oklahoma (can't remember the url right off the bat. Of course you can't use the Farm Bureau discount there, but their price is $175 under invoice. I did find a new site on the web: carsatinvoice.com. It's a dealer in Williamsburg, KY, just north of Knoxville, TN across the state line in Kentucky. They advertise at invoice, but their program details page is still under construction. It seems odd to me that there is not a dealer in AL that offers this kind of pricing.

maybequad2000

ordered my QC 4x4, 4.7, auto, almost loaded on 5/13. called the sales person on 6/7, and he checked my status and said that it had been cancelled. i am leaving early from work tommorrow so that i can order a 2001. according to the other posts, if the price only goes up about $300 for 16" rims, heated mirrors(i live in the adirondacks, where today it was only 35 degrees when i woke up this morning)new instrument panel, etc as addressed in other posts, i believe that it will be worth the wait. especially if you can wait until september. one question is, after recieving the 2001 updates, will the mirrors still be heated if you have a slider? The way that i read it, it won't matter as long as they are power folding.

badassbob

The $148 price is not so bad when you consider that it comes with the drawbar, Pin, and Clip...All Reese #44--- series hitches come compltet from The factory...If you go and pick yours up for $148, and these items are not there, tell the guy hes crazy and walk...

***By the way, The 44018's are on backorder from Reese until 6/14/00...So Reese wont have them to ship until this wednesday if things go as scheduled...I know because my brother ordered one for his club cab yesterday and called Reese's Cust Service line to check availability...

I dont remeber if i said this or not in my previous post about the 44018 Reese, but i found a dealer that would separate the package and sell me the Hitch ONLY for $99...This means he keeps the drawbar, pin, and clip (about $30 worth or so), which is no big deal because i already have them...By the way, I have the Bushmaster(???) double ball(1 7/8 &2") on their Shock absorbing drawbar...Its really sweet for absorbing that annoying trailer lash.....Makes for a nice and smooth pull...

Still working on a "NERFBAR" insert to warn away those damn tailgaters....Almost had a NEON slide under me while stopped at a stoplight on the way to church this morning... I really needed to go to church beg for forgiveness after i rolled the window down and told him what i thought of his driving style..

Anyway,

Enough for tonight...Must get to work early tommorrow so off to bed with me..


CHAD

bookitty

Maybequad2000 maybechangingname to maybequad20001.
Maybe, if you look at the package ordering notations, such as must order ABC or something like that, you can figure out if the heated mirrors are available with the slider. I would guess that they are not, simply because they share the same defrost circuit as the rear windows. I hope for your sake, that you can get them with the slider. I had them on my Expedition,and they were very helpful in cold weather. Good luck.

Bookitty

iwantmyquad

Still loving my Quad. Always getting the "Nice Truck!" comments followed by questions about the Quad. It surpassed 500 miles today, and I have no complaints except a small clunk from the front suspension when I hit bumps or make a sharp turn. It feels like the front suspension arms top out (as opposed to bottoming out). Mine is SLT+ 4x4 with 4.7L/5-speed. I know that impy2 had mentioned this same problem in an earlier posting - #180. Has anyone been to the dealer to have this checked? Any remedy?

iwantmyquad

See the previous posting - #331. I got my notes backwards. The posting I meant to refer to was from zonk - #295.

iwantmyquad

As mentioned in my previous postings, my Quad is only 500 miles old. I have heard a few horror stories on this forum (impy2 in #180) and from a co-worker with a Quad. Poor engineering in the design of the engine oil drain plug hole in the skid plate group allows the first part of the drained oil to shoot onto the skid plate to eventually drain out all of the other small water drain holes along the front plate. I wanted to find a way to make oil changes easier without taking off the skid plate or cleaning up a big mess each oil change. I plan to change mine at the 1000 mile and 4000 mile point followed by 4000 mile intervals &#150; Valvoline DuraBlend 5W30 and Purolator Pure One Filter.

I crawled around the undercarriage this weekend and tinkered. I think I have a solution for this problem with a hand-made backsplash. Maybe I should get a patent before Dodge figures this out for future skid plate groups. All it takes is a 5-1/2" x 6" piece of semi-stiff plastic, five sheet metal screws, a drill, and a little time. It&#146;s easiest if you remove the front skid plate (four bolts) and take it out to work on it. I took an old 3 gallon wash bucket, cut out a piece at the above specs, and rounded the corners with a file. I pre-drilled five holes in the plastic &#150; three on the center section (1&#148; spacing) and one on each end &#150; along the 6&#148; dimension 1/2&#148; from the edge. The 5-1/2&#148; dimension is the height from the bottom edge of the skid plate to a point about 1&#148; from the clutch housing (auto trannys may be slightly different). The 6&#148; dimension allows for about a 1&#148; wrap forward to form a &#147;U&#148; shape backsplash. I lined up the backsplash flush with the bottom of the skid plate, pre-drilled and screwed the middle screw. This made it easier to line up the other screw holes to pre-drill the skid plate. I bent the upper plastic to make a &#147;U&#148; shape all of the way up. Remounted the skid plate.

It&#146;s a solid fixture, and I can&#146;t wait to get the next 500 miles on the Quad to try it out with my first oil change. The visual inspection of the completed project appears that it will work well. I think I will just have to wipe the backsplash down after an oil change and not have to try to catch or clean the oil that would have ended up on the skid plate.

Also, while crawling under the Quad, I couldn&#146;t find a single grease fitting. I don&#146;t have a Big Orange Book, yet, so I can&#146;t check in the Maintenance section. Are there any grease fittings to hit at oil change time?

steve234

While logic says that the center console would be with the bucket seats and the floor console would be the other, the new specs says indicates that D/C considers them the reverse. The floor console (bucket seats) has a new power outlet. Since there are two in the dash already, this is probably in the back of the console for the rear passengers (kids) to plug in toys. The Supercrew has one by the rear door and this is probably a response to that. Therefore the new illuminated center console must be the where the shifters are. Since there is not going to be a floor 4wd shifter anymore, logic indicates that they may have redesigned the whole unit. I did not particularly like the design of the 2000 floor pad and console. I had gotten the 40/20/40 seating in order to take out the center section and then build myself a dash to rear seats console which would suit me better. Now I am wondering what the effect of the new setup would be. Where I was borderline on the console between the seats before, this might make it worthwhile. Oh well, by the time I find out it, it will be too late to change my mind (whats left). I still would like to hear if anyone has further information about these changes.

vman

.....you guys are right on.


I called my dealer on Saturday. He hadn't a clue about my order and was waiting for his Dodge rep. to call back.

I called D/C again, this morning, and spoke to a rep.. She had my hopes up for a brief minute, telling me my order was in BX (waiting dealer allocation), put me on hold, and then crushed me like a grape telling me the order was cancelled. She did tell me that the dealer could re-order a 2001 using the same VON and give the order priority.

I called the dealer (sales manager) right away, and GAVE HIM the news and explained that I would APPRECIATE his taking care of this quickly. He said he was making orders today and would take care of it. He even took the rep's information. His word and a buck might get me a hot dog at this point, but I'll give him another chance.

99slt

I had to remove my rear step bumper to get a crease hammered out and re-chromed. I noticed the bolts when removed had a residue where the nut and bolt contacted. Do I have to use "new" bolts when replacing the bumper? I ask this because I've read previous posts where you have to use new bolts for the bed alignment problem. Thanks to all for this very informative forum.

towcrazy2

Dave,
Yep! I'm a protection fanatic! But it also seems that the more you try to protect the bumpers and body, the more people view your truck as a "target!"

Ah well... For what it's worth, my front protection is via Westin Safari/Light Bar -- Not full-width but VISIBLE to the "touch-parkers."

At the rear, I bought a cheap 12-inch extension that fits into the hitch receiver, then welded on a piece of bar stock to form a "T," braced it, painted it black to match the receiver, and threw a couple of small reflectors on it for visibility... Tailgaters find it rather menacing, and usually hang back a safe distance... Some marginal protection in the parking lots.

On the sides went Mpar side moldings (not available on the Sport, so I had to order the flat black strips they use on the SLT)... A pair of Westin Step Bars is supposed to arrive in a day or two. Hopefully, they'll be high enough to fend off loose shopping carts.

Oh... And I'm one of those guys who parks "way out" in a lot, checking first to see that I'm uphill or upwind from loose shopping carts scattered about the lot.

towcrazy2

I probably missed it in some previous post, but is there an accurate, up-to-date source for TSBs on the net?

If and when problems related to TSBs crop up, it would be nice to walk into the dealership with something black-and-white in hand!

bookitty

99, the residue may be a locking solution such as "LOCTITE" or a generic. It is always a good idea to use a locking solution or some type of locking fastener in any area subject to strain and/or vibration. "LOCTITE" is available in just about any auto parts/supply store. Can't hurt in most cases and applications. I built utility trailers, and until I started using nylon locking nuts, the fasteners were always working loose. Even lock washers did not work, but the grade 5 lock nuts in conjunction with the lock washers completely eliminated the problems encountered previously on the trailers.

Bookitty

tuckmiddle

Towcrazy,
Sounds like a good alternative. I bought a pental hitch mount on an extension and braced really well. Going to have a friend weld a U-shaped bar about a foot long on either side. It ought to work ok; just don't want it to look smucky. You have a picture?
Got a Rhino bar on the front, pretty heavy stock and Smittybuilt nerf bars.
Putting some trim on the side is a good idea, how wide is yours? Couple inches ought to do it, I would think.
Got 10,000 miles now and mileage is between 14.5 and 17 here in GA. Lousy 14 mile commute kills the mileage. Everything else is about 100 mile round trip. Did get 17 on the nose up to Greenville, SC and back. Went down to 13 something with 12 foot u-haul with bulky, not heavy, stuff in it. 4x4, auto, 3.55 plus the good stuff. The auto use to go klunk in the night every once in a while. Have no idea why that would stop! Think it was the two second gear thingys fighting when slowed to about 20, preparing to stop, and then light changed and I give it a fair amount of gas.
Guess it didn't know which one to use.
Went to synthetic, Mobil 1, at 2500 miles or so. The secret is to switch to synthetic, change it every 7500 or maybe even 10,000. (yea I know about the warranty Q). Synthetic is very superior and will pay for itself easily. But, so will Castrol and others changed at 3,000 or so. The oil subject could be beat to death for ever. All I know is I've never had a truck blow up in 20 years; none over 120,000 miles, though.
Be careful out there.

iowabigguy

The pressure molded into the tire is MAXIMUM inflation pressure. Go with the pressure in the manual. I bet this cures your rattling shifter. Darn thing must ride like a buckboard with that much pressure in them. And tires will wear better with proper pressure because the whole width of the tread should be making full contact rather than mostly the center. Rick

towcrazy2

Tuck,
Good idea with the pintle hitch contraption! Don't know about you, but I've REALLY noticed that any sort of "protrusion" out the rear end tends to make people think twice about tailgating or "tapping!"

An aside... Had a '90 S-10 X-Cab... Began to get real nervous about "gaters" hanging 5 feet off my rear end at 40 mph.

Stipped at a junkyard... Picked up a small windshield fluid tank with integral pump for about $5... Mounted it just to the rear of a wheelwell...Picked up a length of hose and a squirter nipple, ran it back to the hitch receiver, aimed it appropriately, and mounted a small switch in the cab.

If a tailgater had my nerves frazzled, I'd simply hit the switch a couple of times to give them a free spritz of water on their windshield "out of nowhere"... Amazing how effective that was in keeping them a safe distance back!... Particularly when I mixed red food coloring with the water!

Your trailering experience sounds similar to mine... It's not so much the load on those enclosed trailers as it is the frontal area... REALLY cuts the mileage!

victx

I couldn't stop laughing at your anti-gater mechanism. Kinda James Bondish. I laughed for several minutes imagining the gater's reaction.

I know for '01 there will be a new electric shift tranfer case on the instrument panel. I would assume this would be for the automatic only? Can you have a 5 speed tranny with a dial for electric shift for 4x4?

badassbob

Man, that has got to be the funniest thing i have ever heard about someone doing....It reminds me of when i was about 10-12 and my dad had one of those MOONIE dolls mounted to the rear windshield of his silverado...I used to love to squeeze the bulb and watch the thing drop his pants and moon the people behind us....

I think with the right marketing you could be a fricking MILLIONAIRE with this squirter idea...i guarantee within 6-months youll see these things advertised everywhere like the Big-Mouth Billy Bass.....

Jones27----Thanks for the info....was there a TSB# or anything like that on the form....I thought that the culprit was the little plastic spacers on the leafs like i posted a few days back...You wouldnt happen to have a scanner that you could scan the thing and email it to gchadsmith@cs.com would you...I have One of those know-it-all Service managers that doesnt like to "give-out" information...

It would be better if i could read it to him (being sure to say the BIG words SLOWLY) as he follows along with his very own copy...

Other than the service department, the dealer ship is great.....5star all the way...Until you pull around back..

CHAD

96g11

I love it. I have hade the same thing installed on my trucks for about 10 years! Kool we had the same idea. I even used the same red food coloring to make tailgators think it would be trans fluid and stay WAY back. I installed the squirter just in front of the bumper out of sight. I also use a small amount of alcohol in the mix so as not to cause a safety problem, the alcohol causes the fluid to evaporate more quickly and not obscure anyone's vision. I try to be nice to my problomatic tailgators! Just my way I gues.

cowtownaggie

Hi All,

Just called DC this am. Truck was shipped 6/07 (Ordered end of April).

Talked to the dealer this afternoon. If I am real lucky, the truck could be here by Sat.

Seems like it's been so long ago, I forgot what I ordered!

Let's see . . . .

White Sport 4.7/3.55/5 spd man/4WD
LSD
skid plate pkg
A/C
Tilt/Cruise
Tow pkg
HD elect / coolant
overhead group . . . .

(Let's hope it makes it to the dealer OK!)

I have looked at the bumper / grill guard selection available, and none of them seem quite "tough" enough. I believe I will have to build my own (I have had my eye on some 2x6 rectangular tubing that looks to be the right length to "form fit" across the front). If anyone has any suggestions as to how to modify / "bypass" the airbag sensors in the front grill . . .I am all ears.

I will order the service manual when I pick up the truck (for reference) but any info will be appreciated.

Cowtown Aggie

guanner

Went by the dealer this afternoon and he informed me that he has received the invoice for my truck and that it should be here with in the week. Ordered 2/17, put on train 6/5. hope fully it will be here by saturday I have a wedding to go to this weekend that is over 3 1/2 hours away and i figure that it is a good 350 to 400 miles round trip. So for thoes of you out there by rail road tracks please keep your kids out from behind the drivers seats for the next couple of days or so.. and no pennies on the tracks either..

Thanx,
Scott

P.s. if you are looking out for it here is what to look for! Pait. Blue/Driftwood, 4x4, Auto, SLT, LSD, 3.92, T&H, heading twards California.

colbates

I too have the 40-20-40 seat, and I like the low mounted cup holders. I only have too complaints about them.

1) Difficult to see at night and sometimes I need to feel around with the cup to get it into the holder. My solutions was to get one of those Coleman Lantern keychains - green like my QC. and hang it from cover of the 2nd 12v power outlet. Turn on that little lantern when I'm drinking coffe at night. :-)

2) The cupholder needs to be ALL-THE-WAY-OUT for the little arms to work. If not they move on you. I haven't spilled anything yet, but I've come close.

towcrazy2

You're gonna love those Quads! Like most of the rest of us, you'll no doubt find a few build flaws to pick at. But my bet is that the attributes will far outweigh them.

COWTOWN:
I can understand your desire for a "bulletproof" brush guard. But (personal opinion only) remember that whatever you select will likely rely on the two main bumper mount bolts (to the frame) as its promary anchor points, should someone give you a good thwack.

towcrazy2

An aside, guys... Mentioned to the wife last night that I'd related the "tailgater squirter" on the forum... She protested me taking all the credit, so I'm going to fess up here...

Actually, in my case, I got the idea fron her. She was driving a Toyota with dual squirter heads at the time. The driver's side nipple was aimed properly, but the passenger-side squirter whizzed way high (over the roof). I wanted to adjust the aim, but she wouldn't let me... Said it was Toyota's standard "anti-tailgator" device.

After reading your posts, you guys have got me thinking about stopping at the junkyard again!

jones27

The TSB is No. 02-05-00, which is dated March 17,2000. It supercedes TSB 02-15-99, which was dated Nov. 5, 1999.

You are right, it is those plastic liners between the leaf spring that is giving you fits. That is what they will remove and replace. Good Luck with Mr. Know it All!

gsx750f

Just got back from the OuterBanks, NC. Put about 1600 miles on the QC. Truck bio QC, 4.7L, auto, 4x4, 3.55 no lsd, 31x10.5. Averaged 19.5 down and low 18 on the way back, A/C on. Averaged went down to 13.5 while there because I spent a lot of time driving thru deep sand. QC did great in the sand, didn't get stuck once. Found myself wishing for the 5sp thru the West Virginia and Virginia mountains. The auto kept wanting to drop out of od on the hills. Truck has plenty of power it should be able to pull the hills in OD. I ended up turning of the cruise on the hills and letting it slow on the big hills to keep it in OD. I wasn't in any big hurry so there was a need to abuse the engine. The Fold-A-Cover worked great. Didn't leak at all even in the 75mph wind gust we had one day, got to love those noreasters. One thing that really needs improving on the QC, headlights. I know there're 65w/55w but they don't seem very bright and the pattern isn't very good. I'm thinking about adding a brush guard and mounting some driving nights for those long trips. My garage space is very limited. If anyone has mounted a bar can you please let me know how far it extends past the very front of the bumper.

tpmiller

That was great. I'm suprised the aftermarket isn't all over this. News films of regional conflicts often show 50 calibers mounted on pickups, (mostly Toys)for that "oh what a feeling" command over 'gaters and parking lot dingers. I'm thinking a false fiberglass mounted automatic heavy caliber looking set-up could be the ultimate.

bookitty

Gs, the reason(s) that your truck down-shifted, is because the transmission sensed that you were out of the "powerband" and thus prevented the engine from lugging. If you had the 3.92 ratio, it may or may not have shifted so often, predicated upon vehicle speed (inertia) and degree of ascent. I remember driving my '95 Dakota with 5 speed and 5.2 (3.55) up grades on Sandstone mountain in WVA and could not maintain speed in fifth gear. This was at 60 MPH. At 70 MPH, it got better, but I could not pull every grade and had to down-shift.
There are multiple factors to consider here, and it is better to lock out overdrive when encountering situations such as climbing and/or towing. Sounds like you had a great trip.

Cowtown and Guanner, congratulations and the best of luck. You will enjoy your (collective) trucks.

Bookitty

bobs5

What is the ground clearance of a 4x4 dakota quad cab with the 31" tires?

texaszach

I picked up the Reese Hitch yesterday, kudos to Badassbob and the other poster , who both recommended Reese. The Draw Tite hitch for the Dakota is great, as a boat anchor. If you actually intend the mount the hitch, then don't even consider Draw Tite. Four frustrating, expletive filled hours on a Sunday afternoon failed to get the Draw Tite on. I wish you guys could see the difference in the two hitches, the Reese will mount up in a manner of minutes. The difference in design is amazing!
I'm going to take the Reese in to have it powder coated this afternoon, UPS was none too kind to the finish of the hitch. Many thanks to you guys!

Zach

mouldd

I've been reading this forum with interest for awhile. I've been debating buying a new truck to replace my 1989 Ranger SC, or getting a sporty car and keeping my truck. Yesterday, I drove a Dakota CC SLT 4.7 5-spd 2wd (Patriot Blue monotone - classy colour). I need the 6.5 box for my snowmobile; rarely carry more than 2 people, but need space for the dog. Anyways, that thing hauls! I only went for a short drive, but found the front shocks to be a little soft - there was a bit more bouncing over bumps than in my Ranger. The Dakota had almost all the options, including T&H. Any opinions on this? The truck was very quiet, and the clutch and shifter were easier to use than in my V6 Ranger. What do you people think of the Infinity sound system? I didn't get a chance to really try it. The CD & cassette(which would never get used) system option in this Dakota listed at $955 CDN. Is it worth it? I know I could put in a good aftermarket system for $1000, but I like the factory look. I wonder if the dealer would take out the CD/Cassette, put in the CD, and give me the $195 credit on the list price. The list price on this truck was $30,500 CDN. Does anyone know of a website that gives invoices in Canadian dollars? Based on the Edmunds site, the markup on American trucks is 11%on the base unit, and 17% on the options. That would put this one at about $26,500 invoice. Dealer offered 3.8%/48 financing too!
Now I just have to decide whether I want a new truck, or to go with the truck and car. The reason I'm considering this option is because I'd like to try some SOLO II racing. I love driving a truck though, and need it for my bicycles and snowmobile. Dakota would be fun. Decisions, decisions!
Another observation - many of the people on this site seem to have 4wd. Why? I live up here in Ottawa, ON, where the snow is plentiful, and would not get 4wd. The cost and handling penalty does not seem worth it for the maybe 2% of driving you might use it. Put some snow tires on the LSD 2wd and go!

tpmiller

These dakotas will cause decisions.

I live in central Pa where I'm sure snow is not what it is in your territory, most of the time. my house is midway on half mile private road that I maintain, and is hilly to boot. Now a 2wd may never have a problem when slick or snowy, but I know a 4wd won't, and if I ever want to use it in my feilds, well, suffice to say I need a 4wd tractor.

But the perfectly honest answer would be that they look cool and help at resale.

Good luck in your decision, I sure don't miss my '89 Ford 250.

wetwillie

I wont try to persuade you one way or the other, I can, however, give you my opinion - free of charge! I have a 99 club cab, 5.2L, 5-sp., 2wd, lsd, t&h, and a few other goodies. I too live in snow country and went with the 2wd to maximize the good handling characteristics and increase the reliability and efficiency of this truck. I put michelin artic alpins on in the winter and add about 400 lbs. of sand over the axle and, while I dont look forward to snowstorms like many 4wd'ers do, I seem to get by just fine. As far as the t&h package goes, I think it's worth it if only for the wider wheels, the anti-sway bar isn't much - in fact I replaced it with an aftermarket one and improved the handling even more. I agree with you on the front shocks, I've already upgraded the rears (edelbrock IAS) and have the fronts as my next project. The sound system is excellent - I opted out on the cd player, I thought for the extra ching they wanted I could add a cd changer later - but if you go that route you'll miss out on the steering wheel mounted thingies, a real plus according to most happy owners. Btw, my truck is still very quiet and smooth! Hope this helps.

andy_jordan

Now we all know that I live in 4wd, so that needs to be borne in mind. We also know that I drive in real snow - not like those softies in tropical Ottawa - I mean the parliament's there, and even sit for part of the winter, how bad can it be :-)

However, the added peace of mind of 4wd is worth something to me, even if on road use only requires it once or twice a year. I also don't think that the cost is significantly different when you consider the cost of a set or Arctic Alpins or Blizzaks and a set of steel wheels and weigh tthat against the resale value of a 4x4 - especially here in Canada.

jofabietz

First off I gave up real blood('66 caddi) for this truck,and so far no dissapointments.I am in moderate climate and only off road use is camping,canoeing and biking so 2wd does it for me;and I grew up in one of seven true snow belts in the world,and now live about forty miles out of the belt and see no reason for it( other than resale).
Love the 4.7/auto,love smokin mustang punks too!
drove down to skyline drive and enjoyed the twisties and hills.only thing I can see as a problem will be snow tires/wheel set-up this winter.Already covered that really pretty spare with a jeep type vinyl cover. I'll bet those wheels will run 250-400 each and after one winter you might as well throw an unprotected spare away.any ideas?