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Dodge Dakota - III
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Comments
1. Are the factory units fed by a single wire (hot) wire thereby requiring the light frame to attached to a grounded surface?
2. Do these lights have a replaceable bulb, such as a 9006, etc.?
3. Has anyone used the "gold ion" bulbs to improve upon the factory fog lights by having them actually emit fog penetrating yellow light?
4. Has anyone seen a "real" yellow fog light that can fit in that cavity and run off of the existing wiring?
I don't know about replacement bulbs or yellow lights.
I have the Flowmaster. I went for the duals, so paid a lot more, but you're right, it sounds super.
Neither of the above affected gas mileage a bit, still get 15 per average tank. Mileage readout thing says 17 on hwy for 120 miles, but with intown running, the tank still did 15; the mileage thingy said 14.8. It's a smart little device.
I've got 4,300 miles since Jan 8th and it's been perfect. Of course I would expect it to be, except for the trans writeups on these boards. Mine clunks once in a while, otherwise perfect. I did get extended warranty though!
Be careful out there.
1. My sales rep. was kind of surprised by the restriction due to Durangos getting the engines. He said the Durango sales are way down because Ford has been offering significant rebates on the Explorer.
2. Although the Bench seat arm rest is wide and covered with fabric (doesn't burn your bare arm on a hot day like today's 84 degrees), the Bucket has a bit more "butt" room. The center console for the Bucket option looks deep enough to accept a CD changer. Still getting the Buckets.
3. Although I haven't given up yet, I wanted to look at the lug pattern and clearances on the Dak 15x8 and 15x7 wheels / tires vs. the Ram P225/75R16.
4. The Bulb element on the factory "Fog Lights" are not replaceable. The whole unit gets changed upon failure. I'll be looking to make these more useful as either "real" yellow fog lights and/or daytime running lights.
5. Compared colors: Patriot Blue, Intense Blue, two-tone Amber Fire SLT, Light Driftwood, Black, two-tone Dark Garnet Red, White, and the signature Dodge Red. Still want Light Driftwood but wish DC had a two-tone option with lower panel being dark gray, etc.
6. Determined the suggested he auto multi-speed maintenance schedule (every 15K-30K) and costs ($70-$100). Didn't seem unreasonable.
7. Although accessories from the dealer are expensive, general available appears to be same as other sources. In general, things are back ordered or not available "yet" for the Quad.
8. The sales rep commented that customers have remarked that the Tonneau cover added 2-4 mpg on 60 mph trips.
9. Checked out the factory roof racks on the vans and Durangos. The need to haul canoes and kayaks is forcing me to look at a "hybrid" system which uses the DC factory rails and then Thule or Yakima cross bars/brackets. The Dak roof isn't any higher off the ground than a van and the length of the Quad roof provides a better base than the Club or Std cabs.
Lastly, I haven't sold the "old reliable" '92 Dodge Caravan yet. I better get on the stick.
Bookitty
As a variation on roof racks, many of the fiberglass tonneau manufacturers, including (I believe) A.R.E. offer kits for the top of the tonneau for hauling bikes and the like.
Allen
http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~ehaffner/did.htm
Too bad one can't track posts by an individual.
Andy-also noted a post from you regarding cold weather starts, that turning on the lights before starting, for 10-15 seconds favorably impacts the battery and start-up harshness (turn the lights back off before turning ignition) very interesting.
Although I haven't checked with the Pennsylvania State Police, I've been told that having the tailgate down as Std. Operating Procedure is a problem in PA. It would seem that a car pulling up behind you might not notice it and get too close causing damage. Anyway, doesn't the tailgate flap up and down going over bumps not being locked in place? Can't be a good thing.
I think this option has promise and I like the fact that it can be removed and possibly used with other vehicles. Only problem I see is that we do not have much of a roofline lip above the door rubber. 5/16 to 3/8". It may be adequate for the design but just an observation.
Site is http://www.yakima.com/
by the way, how do folks make the site turn blue so it can be launched from here??
Also- I like the idea of a rear stabilizer via a unit that mounts into the hitch. I have considered having that made once I got the roof reack issue resolved. Who sells the unit you described?
Ed
Bookitty
Roof racks: I was looking at the Thule catalog and they have a way to use the two MOPAR factory roof rails and then clip their bars and attachments to them. This has some appeal to me because the Aero-Foot pillars hook into the door frame and appear to crush the door seals while installed. I have to look at the more but if that is in fact what happens, I'd think the door would start leaking because of rips and tears.
I saw the trailer hitch attachment at www.canoegear.com with a lot of other gear.
For those of you that are interested in seeing some links to tonneau cover manufacturers and their rack solutions I recommend WWW.gosscampers.com. Their web site has links to Leer, ARE, Snuglid, etc.
http://www.autointell.com/chrysler7.htm
Check this out, I installed a k&n air filter in the stock housing and noticed all the webbing, both in the top and bottom of the housing. Talked to a structural materials engineer friend of mine and he saw no structural need for the webbing. I then used duckbill pliars to break out the webbing and a die grinder to sand the housing smooth inside, both top and bottom. Checked it on a flow bench with 22% increase in airflow. I then routed 4" aluminum tubing from the passenger side grill area to the air box intake. 2.5 psi boost as measured at the pvc port at 70mph. mileage boost of 15.8 to 18.2. measurable performance gain in passing and on highway feel. Yes I know I will have to clean the filter more often (each oil change) but I feel it will be quite worhth it!!
Allen
Any thoughts on this?
The whole truck design from the engine, gearing, frame strength, axle diameters, tire ratings is there to move a half ton, three quarter ton, etc. of cargo plus the truck with speed and safety. Only recently has the truck become something of intense desire and adornment with all those things we got used to in our cars. I don't doubt that the majority of trucks are still used as trucks but the numbers of people that only haul occasionally if at all are on the increase. I must admit mine will see limited hauling.
So what we have are people using trucks for basic transportation and not for hauling a half ton of tools, products, etc. and becoming very concerned about the mileage. Everything about a truck works against its getting car-like gas mileage.
You see, changing the motor only addresses one aspect of the whole design. What I think is great is the spirit and inventiveness in people who are trying to improve the Dakota's gas mileage by getting into air filter housing or the exhaust system. This will provide results that all owners could benefit from.
Allen
Has anyone taken out a ext. warranty from a third party provider as discussed in another part of the Edmunds website under "CarBuying Tips.com"?
Although it might be too early to tell, has anyone had good / bad experiences with either the dealer offered or the third party warranty's coverage and "ease of use"?
Any thoughts on any of the above?
The only one I used a lot, and I mean a lot, was on my wife's Sterling 5-10 years ago. I have to admit I can't remember the name, but they paid thousands for the aircond and cooling system every spring for 6 years. It was an Accura chassis and drive train, shipped to England and Rover did the body and accessories. Drive train was magnificient, but the Rover guys were on drugs when they designed the above systems. Had something like 14 selenoids in the Air Cond system. Car was in two pieces after the Dodge Ram attacked it on the left front, otherwise she'd probably still be driving it.
There are many choices, but the Warranty Gold guys have a zero deductible for almost nothing over their next lowest plan. It was expensive, I thought, for $1,300, my wife's plan for the Honda CRV was $700; of course, those bad boys hardly ever break! There's no telling how expensive one of those automatics with multi-speed will cost to replace or repair after 36,000 miles.
Be careful out there.
After you're operating in the "safety zone", then worry about the speedometer / odometer. I can almost guarantee you that it will be off by some amount. If you stay within a reasonable range of circumference (the distance the tire travels per revolution) from the OEM tires, the speedometer will be OK. To get real accurate, you can calculate it all on paper or go out to a highway where they have a three mile stretch measured out in one mile increments. Hold it 60 mph and have a stop watch going. If you're right on you should be going a mile a minute.
Just think, if your speedometer is reading one mph too low, when you want to sell it you'll be able to say "It only has 98,333 miles" but in the back of your mind you'll know its really 100,000.
The "fake" fog lights bugged me too. I'll use the $120 to get the real yellow fog lights that I can use in the foggy bayous of Pennsylvania. Also, I'll put them on a switch that allows me to have them on any time I want, not just on low beams.
Let us know. Allen
i have a 2000 dakota quad, 4.7, auto, 4x2, 3.92 rear, towing package and just basically loaded.
i traveled from the mississippi gulf coast to just 40 miles east of kansas city missouri which was 850 miles one way. i ran 70 mph the whole trip out of overdrive, and the rpm was 3500rpm. i pulled a 1200lb 6x12 uhaul trailer up there empty, and i averaged 10mpg, the return trip was with an additional 1000lbs in the trailer and still averaged 10mpg, i dont think the weight really matters to the truck, i think it is more the wind drag, my boat is more aerodynamic and it weighs 4900lbs and i average about 10 mpg with it also, i think once you lock out that overdrive its just gonna hang in the 10mpg range if your rpm's are in the 3500rpm range.
well i hope this helps any body thats interested in trips and towing.
robert
p.s. i know someone will ask why i didnt just rent a trailer in missouri, well it costs 125.00 to rent local for 4 days, it costs 250.00 to rent one way, so i figured in estimated fuel costs and i decided it would be cheaper to pull it with me than rent it there.
The amount of gas used depends on the engine rpm. The rpm of the engine depends on a number of factors - what gear you are in and what speed you drive being obvious ones. However if you drive the car and the truck at the same speed - even if the gearbox was the same you wouldn't get the same economy.
You noted that aerodynamics play a part as does tire friction - the tires on trucks tend to be wider than cars, not just taller. The rear end ratio also tends to be smaller (larger number) in a truck than in a car - that is the number of times that the drive shaft has to go around for every one axle rotation.
So without getting into all of the calculations the economy depends on speed, gear ratio, rear end ratio, tire height, tire width, aerodynamics etc. There are many other factors, but that would be overkill.
Hope this helps.
Bookitty
Jim
Bookitty
Thanks
Also, I keep hearing people rave about the steering wheel radio controls, where are these loacted? It seems to me that with the middle of the steering column already taken up by the cruise control, there would be no convenient location for the radio controls to go. Anyway thanks in advance for the info!
--TI
mpg update: 4.7L/3.55/4x4 no lsd. 16.5mpg mostly highway. Saw a 1 mpg improvement when I hit 3k miles. Idle speed now at 550 rpm. I think I'll try altering the air box next, remove ribs. I switched to castrol synthetic 10w-30 on second oil change @4k miles. Believe it or not K-Mart has the best price @18.00 foe a 5 quart container. .80 a quart cheaper than AutoZone.
I plan on adding a bed cover real soon. I'm leaning towards the Fold-A-Cover. It weighs 50lbs. less than the fiberglass cover form A.R.E.
Plus it will give me alot easier access to the whole bed. The bed liner is till in the appropriation committee, $300 vs $175.
Does anybody have any thoughts about the Fold-A-Cover or bed liner? I don't plan on hauling anything more than the occasional load of mulch and plants. However I want a cover that can be locked while also securing the tailgate.
I think that's it for now my finger is tired.
Thanks, Scott
If you can wait there will be better deals elseware. I just can't seem to wait..How about you?
Allen
HOWEVER:
I also want to interject that the shop manual has SPECIFIC WARNINGS about deviating from the original tire outer diameter. If the onboard computer is not reprogrammed, the ABS system, shifting pattern and other things will become out of spec.
In other words, the outer tire diameter is actually programmed into the onboard computer. The days of changing tires wille-nille are gone folks. I do not want MY brakes to fail and have DC blame my selection of tires!!