Dodge Dakota - General Topic

sunburn · June 2005

Bruce,

Right now, the tires are inflated 32 PSI front and 30 PSI rear. This is what I ran with the old Wranglers and the tires wore pretty evenly. This weekend I run them up to 35 PSI and see what happens. If things don't improve, I'll probably be looking for a new set of tires soon.

bpeebles · June 2005

I can see where you are coming from with this... same pressure as with the last tires.... worse MPG.

I hope you bump the 30PSI in the rear up when you are hauling a load. 30PSI is dangerously low for anything but an empty bed..

BTW: My owners manual (2000 Dak with the 31X10.5LT15 tires) says to run 40 PSI all the way around.

sunburn · June 2005

Yes, I do inflate the rear tires to 35 psi when carrying a heavy load. My owner's manual recommends 30 PSI all the way around for the 265/70-16s.

fsunoles4life · July 2005

I own a 2001 Dakota 3.9L v6, it has power to it and all, but i want to increase it, i orignally wanted a R/T cause of the 5.9L but insurance was gonna be too high, so i ended up geting a v6 dakota. i was wondering what would be the best thing i could do to increase the horsepower and etc.

bpeebles · July 2005

A bolt on supercharger would do it.,,,but power costs money (either in insurace or otherwise.)

dustyk · July 2005

I don't know if there's a chip set available for the 3.9. I heard from someone who installed a larger throttle body on a 3.9 with some success.

Regards,
Dusty

dustyk · July 2005

You can't put a dollar figure on something like this.

If it were me, I'd ask that the guy apologize to you and his boss in the presence of the sales and service staff.

Regards,
Dusty

bookitty · July 2005

canadiancrude, dustyk, in addition to what Dusty came up with, also allow him to award you with a 7 year (70K mile) no deductible warranty. Paid for in part by him to show true restitution. In my younger days, it would have been much worse as I followed him into his office and he met with an accident. But, that would be a meaningful way of showing remorse. When I bought my present Quad, they changed my order from 3.55 differentials to 3.92. The salesman explained that the order manager told him to change the specifications (unbeknownst to me), because the 3.55 was not available with 4.7, 4WD and the 5 speed. When the truck was delivered, I did notice the difference and called in the salesman. He explained to me about the availability, and I asked him if he was willing to bet the price of the truck (I told him that the order manager would be happy to pick up half of the bet). He squirmed about and called the order manager, who showed me the restriction. It was actually an inventory restriction meaning that components were not available at the moment (we had many of these in the initial production of the Quad cab Dakota) and there would be a delay until they were in stock. I did not take the truck, the two of them were sent out for re-training, the salesperson lost the commission as the truck manager re-ordered and took over, and I received a 7 year, 70K extended warranty ($100.00 deductible). Everyone who was on this forum remembers the incident. The truck manager was so nice as well as honest, that I sent several customers to him.

Bookitty

dustyk · August 2005

In the RAM forum I commented the other day that my number 1 Bosch 4418 Platinum+4 had the electrode tip burnt down to the insulator tip. After looking at a new Bosch Platinum it appears that from the factory the electrode tip does not protrude past the tip of the center insulator, so my memory had failed me once again. I guess I forgot what they looked like new, which is probably a good sign in a way since they been in almost 40K now..

I pulled another plug yesterday and it looks like these 4418s are running in the correct heat range The two plugs I've looked at have a light grey appearance on one half of the plug with a greenish haze on the other. All four ground conductors still have relatively sharp ends. The center insulator tip was just slightly brown or medium tan.

Although some say these are "100,000" mile plugs, I plan on changing them out at 50K, which is just a few thousand away. My 4.7 seems to be running fine with fuel consumption running average, especially considering that the air conditioning has been on a lot lately. My last ten tanks have averaged 16.38, down slightly from last year at this time, but I've increased my city driving and also use of the air conditioning.

How's everyone else doing on plugs? Any recommendations for another type? I'm not necessarily locked into Boschs.

Regards,
Dusty

dustyk · August 2005

My son has been home from Germany the last few weeks and is now heading back to Iraq. In the period he was home he had use of his friends '04 Silverado. I managed to get some seat time in this vehicle and thought the comparison to the last generation Dakota was interesting.

I found that despite the hype the new style Silverado only rides marginally better than my '03 Dak. Except for engine noise, this Silverado sample was quiet and rattle free, something of a first in my experience for a Chevy truck. It was also completely absent the wind noise that I hear so many Chevy-GMC owners complaining about. It did have a slight and low vibration which apparently the dealer can not track down.

The big thing worth commenting on is that this 5.3 motor was a complete dog. I mean a real dog. In a side-by-side contest (on a closed circuit track, of course!) my Dak launched about twelve feet ahead of the Silverado off the line and by the time I was up to sixty the Silverado was filling my rear full mirror. Where the lack of performance really was apparent was on hills and overtaking cars at expressway speeds.

The transmission shifts were often, pronounced, and inconsistent. For the 600 plus miles my son put on this truck he never got over 15 MPG, and his average was 12.8. I hated the radio and thought the "Odometer" message in the instrument cluster was distracting and nonsensical. This Chevy still had noticeable body shake reminiscent of older versions, but not as bad.

Regards,
Dusty

sunburn · August 2005

Dusty,

Which rear end ratio did that Silverado have? I suspect it was the 3.42, which is the standard ratio. That might explain the poor performance.

dustyk · August 2005

Don't know. I'd hate to think, though, that it would take a lower rear axle ratio to just be even with a standard Dakota.

Bests,
Dusty

dustyk · August 2005

The sightings of the '05 Daks having increased in recent months had me thinking the other day that I'm starting to warm up to the new Dakota front end. When I see a '05 in black, red, silver, or dark blue they seem to have softened on my eyes. The rest of the truck is really good looking to my aging eyes.

Then again, I'll be *106 in the fall....

Bests,
Dusty

*P.S. Just kidding.

bookitty · August 2005

Dusty, only 106? You darn kids give me a pain.

Bookitty

blasie · August 2005

I found out how tough a 03 Dakota is, I had a serious accident with mine. I tangled with an Expedition and The Dakota truly came out a winner. Actually I should say the Expedition tangled with me He ran the red light. My Dakota was not totaled, It was repaired at a local Chevy dealer here and the body technician said that in his opinion the dodge Dakota is a better built Veh. by far as compared to the Colorado. With the exception of the fan being jammed into the Rad. I could have driven it home. All the front end sheet metal was replaced and the L. frame rail was pushed to the right 14 m.m. and of course a little paint but after the repair it drives just fine. The expedition did not come out as good. after seeing how my Dakota did during the accident I believe I can tolerate 16 M.P.G. My life and the safety of my wife and children are worth more than what I might save in Fuel expense if I were driving a lighter or not as well built Veh.

bpeebles · August 2005

Last winter, my 2000 Dak was rear-ended while I was sitting still at a stoplight. The car was TOTALLED with the hood crumpled, radiator slammed into the engine and lots of fluid leaking. It had to be towed away.

My Dak... the right plastic bumper-cover fell off. No other damage at all. Not even a scratch on the bumper.

dustyk · August 2005

A guy at work had his '02 Dak creamed in the rear so hard it pushed the front of the box into the rear of the cab. The Dak was fixed. So was the Sterling flat bed that hit him!

Dusty

tcsmpsi · August 2005

My '01 quad was reared as I was waiting to make a left turn. Saw him coming at a high rate of speed, but had no where to go (yes, turn signal and brake lights were working fine). He had an '89 fullsize Dodge pickup. Knocked the box into the back of the cab, but sprung back (denting the cab slightly, 'course my tailgate and bumper needed replacing). Had to get the guy who ended me out the window of his truck, as neither door would open, driver front tire was busted due to front end smashing against it.
Yep. Dakota's are tough.

Studying at length the carriage my '05, I believe it will be even tougher.

whupsass · December 2005

Howdy... I'm an '05 owner and after reading some of the posts I couldn't help but make some comments; I hope you don't mind! 1st off, this is my 2nd Dak, I totalled my 2001 but that's another story. So far on my 05 I have installed an AirRaid throttle body spacer and for those of you who want more mileage, that's a good start; never mind the HP increase. Definately switch to synthetics(oils) and the Bosch platinum plugs for a smoother ride. I also switched from my ol K&N air filter to a Fram Air Hog; but I can't really tell if there's a diff..A coupla days ago I threw in the JET stage 1 Performance chip; which scares me it picked up so much HP!Gibson is the first out of the box with a cat-back exhaust; that'll be next - and then the darn good ol reliable BFG all-terrains. I'd like to modify the wheel wells and add some trim to them; does anyone know a 'size' of trim that I could use for a template (i.e., ford, chevy)I just really don't like the looks of the wheel wells on the Dak especially without trim... Hear that, Dodge??

whupsass · December 2005

Since we're talking wrecks; I slid sideways off a mountain road (overcorrected on a turn) at 65 MPH, tore the underside off the truck, just a bump on the head to show for it. The Tow truck driver (a old indian guy; I was on a reservation)
thought he might be able to fix it!! That didn't happen, but I sure loved that truck - enough to buy another although the new 05's aren't as 'sporty' as the older body style. Much more refined in my opinion, but it's a Mopar and as more aftermarket stuff comes online it WILL be more agressive.

whupsass · December 2005

My '05 front bumper has been scraped 3 times already by other vehicles! Methinks 'cause the thing sticks out so much. I scraped a wall myself because of the lack of turning radius and the enormity of a bumper you can't even guess at. That actually is how I found this forum by searching for a way to 'gut' the front end and streamline it up a bit.

dustyk · December 2005

My son is home on leave from the U.S. Army (1st Armored Div.) and as a gift I rented him a 2005 Dakota Quad Cab (4.7, auto, 4x4) from Enterprise. I was able to get some seat time in this truck and my overall impression is very, very good. The first thing I noticed was the exceptionally quiet cabin. This is by far the quietest truck I've been in to date, including the Tundra and the much overhyped F150. Compared to my '03 Dak with the 4.7, there is hardy any engine and drivetrain noise. There was a complete absence of wind noise and only a slight hum from the tires. The new 4.7 Magnum engine receives a carbon fiber composition valve cover that virtually eliminates noise from the valve train.

The 4.7 seemed a little slower off the line compared to my 4x2 Club Cab, but this truck also outweighed mine by about 900 pounds. My son says he's getting about 17 MPG in around town driving, which surprises me.

The seats are softer than my '03 and quite comfortable. The driving position seems a tad lower than the previous generation. Handling was excellent and with a noticeably lighter steering effort than my '03. The brakes seemed lighter and more positive.

Although I liked the white-faced instrumentation, it still disturbs me that Dodge left out the oil pressure and voltmeter gauges. The interior is nicely done, but seemed a little too Germanic and understated despite the wood-toned center escutheon surrounding the radio and climate controls. I did not like the more slender center console, but I can see that this is what allowed for the nicer (ie: wider) seats.

I was very impressed that this truck was still perfectly screwed together at 21,000 miles, with absolutely zero interior assembly defects, squeaks, buzzes or rattles. The platform seems extremely stiff and the cabin gives the feeling of being encassed in a solid block of steel.

It is difficult for me to compare the ride of this Quad Cab to the previous generation since I have only ever driven one of the earlier design. However, the ride of this 2005 Quad 4x4 was judged to be identical to my 2003 Club Cab at 53K. I think that means the ride might have been improved in the Quad, but I'll let other owners of the last generation to weigh in on this.

I have always found the new generation of the Dakota to be contemporally handsome and good looking except for the front end. I'm finding that the frontal appearance isn't offending my eyes quite as much as it first did, and since I was able to spend some time behind the wheel looking outward I can say that there is so much to like about the new Dak that I could forgive the jutty appearance of the front end. In truth, the only new truck design that I find has a more appealing front end design is the new F150. the Tundra, Titan, and Silverado are even uglier to my aging eye.

Bests,
Dusty

jneal · December 2005

Dusty, your impressions are almost exactly my thoughts about my '06 QC 4X2. My older DAK is a '93 and there is no comparison between the two vehicles. My sole sore point to date is also the lack of oil pressure and volt gauges. Guess it shows my age but I started driving way before there was such a thing as an idiot light and I always will prefer full instrumentation.
Just took a closer look at my niece's 05'Tundra and wouldn't trade my DAK for two of the Tundra's

jmaack · February 2006

i know this is a fat chance being this post is so old, but do you happen to know the part number to the power seat harness?

dakota360ci · March 2006

This may sound crazy but here goes. I have a 91 dakota 4X4 3.9 liter. I blew the motor at 178,000. I have a 84 360CI motor with 58,000 miles on it. Will this thing bolt up to the tranny? I was told by several people it will. I know I have motor mount mod's but that is nothing. The weight issue doesn't bother me either. Or should I just do a complete swap of engine and tranny. Oh on that note will my 231 NP transfer bolt up to the tranny? I know a lot of you are thinking just buy another Dakota, but I love this truck. I have owned every brand made. Everyone say's my gas mileage will be really bad. I was getting 8.89 miles to the gallon with it. I do a lot of idling running a hydraulic pump so gas is no issue. Just need the specs if it will work. Thanks for any info-it will be appreciated.

Thanks, Chris

peetert · May 2006

Hello,

Going to look at a '94 club cab 4x4 w/ slt package today. It's got auto, a/c and power everything. It's a private sale and the price seems right for the mileage (144k). What should I be on the lookout for.

This will be used as a 3rd vehicle with part-time commuting duties (20 mile each way).

TIA,
Peeter

jneal · May 2006

Hopefully there are complete maintenance records on the vehicle showing what parts etc have been replaced.
At that age and mileage, if they haven't been replaced recently you could be looking at replacing the belts,hoses etc as well as possibly universal joints, carrier bearing etc. Also could be overdue for tranny flush and filter.
Guess what I am trying to say is to make sure proper maint. has been done or it could nickel and dime you to death.....

peetert · May 2006

Thanks for the tips. Ended up buying the truck. No Service records available, but it is running great so far. Belts and hoses look in good shape do far. There are a few small dribbles below and I have to investigate them. Did notice that it seems a little tough shifting in and out of 2wd and 4H ( or at least the distance doesn't seem to be that much).

Look for more questions as I find time to tinker with it.

Peeter

aaron18 · June 2006

I am strongly considering getting a bedrug for my 2005 Dakota Club Cab. But after reading the installation instructions, I was wondering what people are doing about the tie-downs in the bed floor. The general instructions from Wise are to cut a small slit or remove the anchor and reinstall over the rug. That will work for the ones by the tailgate, but am I going to loss access to the ones in the floor? Are people cutting hole in the bedrug and putting the rubber stopper in the bedrug???

KCRam · October 2006

As you may have noticed, we are reorganizing the Forums to allow better focus and easier searching when you have a particular problem or comment about any given vehicle. Many of the large generic discussions (like this one) will be closed to new posts, and we ask that you continue in the more focused discussions that you can find at the Group page for the vehicle, linked below. This discussion will not be deleted, so you can still search for information in it.

We recognize this is going to take some getting used to (for the hosts too!), so please bear with us. If you have any questions, you can always email the host of any discussion - the link is at the top of each page to the host who oversees that discussion.

If you don't see a discussion in the group appropriate to your question or comment, start a new one, or send me an email, and I'll point you in the right direction!

Thanks!
kcram - Pickups Host

Dodge Dakota Group

Dodge Dakota - General Topic

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles