Dodge Dakota Accessories and Modifications

urban3 · June 2001

Billarf - Glad to hear the lock worked with finish side down. I forgot to mention mine is also with 16" wheels. I too thought it might rattle, but I've heard anything.

ahasher · June 2001

yesterday. I installed it with the finish side of the wheel down, since I agree, if you follow the directions, it fits perfecttly. It went just in front of the winch and over the tube, next to the pin holding the tube to the winch. As far as rattle, I let the tire down VERY slightly to make it snug against the lock cylinder (but NOT be loose enough to move under the bed). But I did fear for scratches to the nice coated rim, so I placed a piece of self stick rubber on top of the cylinder, where it would meet the rim. No rattles and no scratches to the rim. My rebate coupon is in the mail today. A great deal.

urban3 · June 2001

I have not heard anything regarding a rattle from the the spare tire lock. Tire and wheel are snug up against the underside.

gregp5 · June 2001

Got a price for a linex spray in for $375. for under and $450. for over rail.
Seems pretty steep.
Can anybody share what they paid or were quoted for their Quad ?
At $450. I might have to check other options.

Thanks,
Greg

bobs5 · June 2001

Thank you for your support during this lay off period. Hopefully it won't take too long to find a new job. Guess I'll have a mini vacation for a while. Resume should be finished by end of the week. If anyone knows of an electronics technician position which is available in the central nj area, please send me an email. Would appreciate any and all leads.
rshusternj@hotmail.com

henne · June 2001

i paid 405.00 in virginia and i would have gladly paid more after the experiences i have had with drop-ins.

not sure about rhino and other spray-ins but i will never buy another drop-in again. the last 3 drop-ins rubbed off paint and rust was everywhere and that was just in the first year of each. the last one rubbed down to the metal in 3 weeks around the edgesof the liner on my tailgate and i made pendaliner repaint my tailgate but it was too much of a hastle. babble, babble, babble!

long live spray-ons

robert

gregp5 · June 2001

Thanks for your reply, maybe $450. is not so much after all. Wish there were a few more linex dealers around though. My nearest is 50 some miles away and I'm sure the price would come down some with a little more competition.

Greg

blubelle · June 2001

I almost hate to admit it with the prices for a Linex spray in Liner I have seen on the form. Anyway I got the most beautiful over the rail Linex spray in Liner for $275 + $24 state sales tax. I just love the detail and quality of the job and have had several guys ask me where I got it. One guy was admiring it and asked me the cost and where I got it and when I told him he said a job like that would cost over $400 in Texas. I too have had slide in Liners on previous pickups and would, if I had to, pay more than $400 for the Linex.

ja812 · June 2001

gregp5- paid $380 for over the rail in Michigan...
great looking job and would recommend it to anyone considering it... worth the price.

ahasher · June 2001

this past weekend I installed my MOPAR hitch and 4-way wiring harness.. took all of an hour (or 2 beers). The sparetire lock went in Monday, with absolutely no problems with tire positioned correctly. I had everything ready with the QC and then the wife\youngest informed me the conversion van would be best to take since they decided against the pop-up concept. Go figure, my QC stays in the garage, we get a motel, and the youngest gets to watch movies all the way. Now here is the best part.. my QC had been given all the hardware to tow, rear-end converted to synthetic etc.. and (get this) the wife feels BAD I went to all the trouble to configure the QC for nothing (yeah, right.. thats her view ) Now. what can I do next to the QC to make her think she is making it up to me ;-). linex, fender flares, PIAA 510's.. hmmmmm

bookitty · June 2001

All of the above!

biglucy · June 2001

Go figure with this spare tire lock thing. I'm wondering if the company finally started to send out the longer j-bars for the dakotas. I will revisit the instructions, but I'm pretty sure that I hung the bar from the correct position... My lock was purchased about 6 months ago and after fighting with getting the lock on the lowest hole, I called the owner. He said He had gotten a number of calls from Dakota owners with the wider rims and at that time the fix was to turn the spare upside down. I bet they are sending out longer bars now. I'll give it another shot this weekend and see if I can get this thing right... we'll see!

ahasher · June 2001

the T&H wider tires. If i remember right, the diagram in the sparetire instructions had you put it forward of the winch. I put it BEHIND the winch between the pin that holds the shaft in place and the winch housing. To get it in there, i had to pull the pin and move the shaft back, insert the "j" hook of the lock up there, then reconnect the shaft to the winch. I had the length of the lock to the right and into a lug hole on my rim. just enough clearance to fit the lock cylinder onto the lock shaft's first lock hole position (with a rubber piece on the cylinder to prevent rim scratches). The wife needed to help lower/raise the tire as I positioned the lock into the lug hole... but it went fast overall.
I hope this is not overkill on the instructions, but i have seen several posts on location/length of the lock, and I had no problems so I this is my .02. Good luck... and btw, I'm working on a QC shopping list ;-)

urban3 · June 2001

I followed the diagram and it worked fine. It shows it behind (to the rear of) the winch. At least that's how I see the not very good picture. I did not have to remove the clip pin from the hoist shaft, although it did take some gentle wrangling to get the J in position and past the pin.

The bar extends down through the lug hole far enough to lock in the first position. The lock cylinder is not touching the rim. The only touch point is inside the lug hole so I'm not too worried. I thought I might hear the bar might rattling in the lug hole, but so far that's not the case.

The only thing I had to do to make the whole thing work as instructed was to make sure the J bar was aligned with a lug hole so it was straight up and down. At fist, I had it angled to get to the nearst lug hole and it didn't work. Lowered the wheel, rotated it slightly to align and work fine. I have the 16" wheels and the finish side is facing down.

My wife also helped with raising and lowering so I could hold the wheel and bar in alignment.

albertaman · June 2001

Got my Roll N Lock box cover yesterday $1290.00 with tax Canadian.
The dealer wanted an extra $220 to install it, I said no, I'll give it a go and man am I glad I did.
It was VERY easy to install, the only holes were on the tailgate piece and it tool all of an hour to do.
It just floors me that they wanted $220 to install it.

It looks great by the way, I'd recommend it to anyone that wants to hall the odd tall item without having to go through the trouble of taking off they're toper every time.

mopar67 · June 2001

billarf · June 2001

Well, neither of my X wives nor any of my girlfriends helped. I did not pull any pins. I just flipped the tire so finished side was down.
Then placed the J end of the rod, raised the tire with the hoist being sure the rod remained straight in line with the lug nut hole. Cranked a bit, repositioned and all lined up with very little effort. Placed the lock on the rod and was done. Bill in NY

biglucy · June 2001

She is our 6 year old house rabbit!!! Definately, an "accessory" for BigLucy!!!

iowabigguy · June 2001

Well I volunteered to be the first to try the replacement front bumper for the SLT. The reflexxion.com web site carries the Distinctive Truck Accessories bumper for the Dodge Dakota. It is a 2 piece triple chromed bumper. It is similar to the factory bumper except the lower part is metal instead of plastic. I couldn't find a phone number so after searching for distributors of the Distinctive Truck Accessories I found a distributor, www.autostyles.com The number is (888) 407-9456 and the sales person was Scott. He assured me the lower piece was the same as the factory plastic valance except it was made of metal. It is supposed to use the factory mounting points (no drilling) and uses the factory fog lamps too! The part number for the lower part is 315010. Price was $284.00 plus UPS shipping from a Memphis warehouse, 5 to 7 business days. I'll let you all know how it works and post a few pictures. The picture on the web site is really sharp, in my opinion. I know you Sport owners don't care for the chrome. My one pet peeve with my Quad has been that crappy gray plastic valance that doesn't match anything other than the crappy gray inserts on the rear bumper. (next project is an all chrome step bumper for the back) Rick

mopar67 · June 2001

BTW how is Biglucy running these days?

biglucy · June 2001

BigLucy is running just fine. I've got no front end pops or whiney-hiney [yet!]. It's almost time for a lube, oil change, and tire rotation. Taking off the tailgate for three weeks yeilded no difference in mpg, but did show a difference in acceleration, with the PCM trying to catch up. My PCM finally settled into place and shifting has been much easier for the past 2K miles. My biggest aggravation is trying to keep BigLucy clean, but you know how rabbits like to dig!

- looking forward to seeing iowabigguy's new bumper!!! I've always wondered Rick, is it "I owe a BIG guy" or "Iowa Bigguy" ?!?

iowabigguy · June 2001

I'm originally from New York, waddaya tink it means? Rick ;->

bobsyvee · June 2001

That valance isn't plastic. It's a high tech "polymer". I'm sure Dodge only uses the latest in space-age materials. ;-)

JimH

iowabigguy · June 2001

It may be HiTech but it sure is UGLY. Rick

gtownguy · June 2001

I have a 01 QC 4x4 with the wheel flares and I was wondering what type of mudflaps/splashguards would fit. They do not have to be very big, just small sheilds is all I am looking for. Does dodge make a moulded set that will fit with the wheelflares on the 4x4? If anyone has put some on please let me know what type/model, and if their happy with them.
Thanks,
Tom.

urban3 · June 2001

I got some at Pep Boys. MFR is Groboski (appropriate name for the Chicago area), size 18X12, 14.99 a pair. Very basic but seems to working out well. Need an extra screw or two. Tried some more expensive (2x as much) molded ones, but they wouldn't work with the wheel flares. Took them back in right after I walked to the parking lot.

Someone here also pointed out that it's not as costly to replace if you loose one of the cheaper ones. They look fine.

Depends on what you like too. How about some Yosemite Sam "BACK OFF" ones? ;-)

iowabigguy · July 2001

Well my chromed lower bumper piece arrived via UPS today. The metal is a little thinner than the top bumper but the chrome finish is absolutely beautiful. I looked under my truck today and realized I might have bit off more than I can chew but I'll give it a shot. I believe the whole bumper assembly will have to be removed to gain access to all the screws that hold the two pieces together. If you didn't know better you'd think the part came from Dodge, it appears dimensionally identical to the plastic part. The factory fog lights will match up with no problem. I think while I have it apart I'll put some spray on undercoating on the back side of the 2 chromed pieces to retard rust formation in the winter. I'll probably wait until next weekend to install but will take and post pictures. Looks like a 8 beer project and I don't drink (much). Rick

ron35 · July 2001

Dodge has splash guards specificall for those trucks with the flares. I put mine (2K Dak CC) on over a year ago (easy install) and they are good looking and serviceable. I have the receipt however it does not specify which are the front or rear. The part # are 82203473 and 82203619 and they list for $36 a pair same for front and rear.

Ron35

iowabigguy · July 2001

I got up bright and early today and started disassembling my Quads front end. I found that chrysler uses an odd size bolt to attach the front bumper that is not included in most tool sets. I scrounged around in all my tools and finally found a 6 point 18mm socket. The bumper actually comes off fairly easy. There are 2 bolts accessible under the hood on the either side of the radiator supports and there are 2 more on either side in front of the tires where a bracket attaches to the frame. There are also 5 plastic fasteners that attach an air barrier to the lower radiator support. Disconnect the 2 fog light connectors and then the bumper just lifts off. This is where I found my first surprise, the inside of the bumper was quite rusty, it looks like salty water gets trapped in there in the winter and can't drain out. The plastic fascia. is attached to the bumper 12ea 10mm bolts. These are quite tedious to remove with hand tools as they are fine thread pitch and in a confined space. Keep some band aids handy or better yet wear gloves. Once I got the plastic fascia separated I put the bumper on some padded saw horses and got ready to attach the new chromed piece. I planed to use some double sided weather strip tape between the two pieces to seal out moisture and have less worry about rust but I decided to test fit the two pieces first. Here was the second surprise. IT DOESN'T FIT RIGHT!!@!!@!. If you recall I mentioned in my previous post that part was thinner than the factory bumper. This wouldn't have been a problem if the dummies who shipped the part had packed it in a stout cardboard box. I suppose in a effort to save money they wrapped it in some brown paper that had some sort of thin padding between the two outer layers. This did an admirable job of protecting the chrome finish but did nothing when UPS (I suppose) dropped it on its end and distorted the curve of one corner. When every thing is screwed together there was a 1/2" gap on one side between the two bumpers.
Well I cleaned up the rust on the factory bumper, coated it with spray on undercoating and put every thing back together. In all I wasted about 4 hours but did get my rust taken care of so all was not a loss. I am undecided as to what I want to do now. If the part fit properly It would have really made the truck look sharp. I know I'm going to have a hassle returning the part and if I do get a replacement there is no guarantee it will survive the trip with the inadequate packing and I'd end up wasting another 4 hours plus. Rick
PS also had to endure wife's "It looked fine to me like it was" comments which made things even worse.

nathan_johnson · July 2001

Sorry to hear about your less that perfect new fascia. I have been eagerly awaiting pics. Keep me updated on what happens... I would love to do something with mine...like pitch it in the nearest trashcan. I have considered buying the smooth fascia (for the sport) and having it painted to match...some one on this list or DML had some pics of a red Dakota with this done. I like the idea of the chrome even better...

Nathan

gtownguy · July 2001

Hello everyone. I was interested in who had the Westin Step bars for their QC. I installed a pair of the black signiture series on my 2001 QC. Real happy with the easy install and looks. Unfortunately after using them I have two concerns; 1st, I thought they would stick out enough to block any door dings from cars parked next to me. They do not. 2nd, because they do not stick out enough, I find it hard to utilize them properly. I either use the door sill or put my foot down to the road. Does anyone else have this problem? Does another manufacturer make ones that stick out further? Any and all comments welcomed.
Thanks,
Tom.
PS Just a stupid thought on rear ends needing synthetic oil for towing. What did other manufacturers do in the past for their rear ends before synthetic oil? Do they require it now? I personally did ocasional towing with an old F100 pickup and a s10 pickup and s10 blazers. Those rear ends held up fine. Why now is it so crucial regardless of what version of Dakota rear end you have to have this synthetic oil.?

billarf · July 2001

Installed same on my '01 Dakota QC and have the same feelings as yours. By the way, no front mud flaps and you will soon have lots of nicks from stones on your Westins. I installed mud flaps then Westins. Bill in NY

ozark · July 2001

Anyone add a brake controller to your Quad. Where did you mount the box on the dash?? And how?? Thanks ahead of time for any help. BTW, Quad now has 47k plus miles. Still purring. Bookitty, you still out there???

ahasher · July 2001

next upgrade (conservative on the cost) looks like a replacement for the plastic slide-in under rail liner. I too am worried about moisture, even with the tonneau, but mostly EVERYTHING slides around like greased pigs unless i have 10lbs of bungee cords lashed to it. I am looking into rubber bed mat an the bed rug.. The bedrug (as long as I am shipped the right model ;-)) seems well recommended but expensive. Any comments on price, quality, brand etc. for the molded rubber mat for just the floor of the bed and the tail?

mk39 · July 2001

Am looking for a "bug shield" for a 2001 QC - more to protect the front edge of the truck than the windshield. Checked into the Lund X-Terminator that has been recommended here. Found it at trucksforless for about $53 but over $22 shipping in a 70 lb package (does that sound right?). Then called Browns of Two Rivers who said that they have discontinued selling the X-Terminator because of problems with vibration and noise. They recommend the Interceptor instead. Any comments on either of these shields?

billarf · July 2001

Awhile back someone here mentioned a source to purchase the V8 Magnum Badges at. I believe they were stick on and not the type that had studs you needed to drill to attach to fender. Anyway, I am quite sure the fellow here said he got stick on's. Would appreciate knowing if stick on is available and where. Thanks in advance for your assist. Bill in NY (2001 QC)

cbacres1 · July 2001

I've also have the X-terminator 3-pc. set. Looks great and have no problems at all. I can see the shield while driving and see no movement or flexing at all. Does a decent job of keeping bugs off glass too. Ordered from Automotive Accessories Connection, http://www.accessconnect.com

Think the price was about the same. They had a deal of free shipping if over $100.

gregp5 · July 2001

I was not the one who found this site, but I believe it's what your looking for,billarf. http://www.oem-car-parts.com/?chrysler-parts.com2/

Greg

urban3 · July 2001

...but no one hears it does really make a noise? From the age old tree falls in a forest question.

I thought my spare tire wheel lock didn't rattle, until I was driving around with the sliding rear window open. Then I heard it, though it took my a while to figure it out.

So I, like others here, will have to insulate it.

Just an FYI.

billarf · July 2001

I found that a short piece of garden hose (like 2-3") placed ON lock shaft will end any unwanted rattle. Bill in NY

nathan_johnson · July 2001

Iowabigguy,

How did the new fascia work out? Did you get a replacement for the not so well fitting version? I am really interested in doing something different with my ugly plastic up front.

Let me know the out come...

Nathan Johnson
indyin@ameritech.net
an Indianabigguy

tuvtest · July 2001

For anyone interested in a "retro" look for your Dak, the Mopar Resto shop "Totally Auto" has come out with some very cool decals. I've been holding off mentioning them as I wanted to order a set and install them before offering a recommendation. They are of high quality, and the "chrome" look to them really gives the decal some depth to it.
Offered are engine call-outs designed after the hood emblems Dodge offered in the early 70's. though not shown, they do offer a 4.7 as well as 5.2,5.9,318,360 Magnum decals. Also using a shortened nickname, a "d'kota" badge is offered with your choice of engine.

Though not applicable for our trucks, check out their "politically incorrect" series for a good laugh.
Here's the web site

Totallyautoinc.com

iowabigguy · July 2001

The chrome fascia. did not work out. I was offered a replacement however I elected the refund. It really looked sharp however I could not be sure that a replacement would not have the same problem. The basic problem is how they package the part for shipment. The bumper is wrapped in several layers of fairly thick paper. The then attach a shipping label and give it to Fed Ex ground to deliver. The metal in the fascia. is about 1/2 half the thickness of the bumper and does not hold up to being mishandled very well. I took some heat over the part from my wife and decided that I didn't want to go through the hassle again if it didn't fit. I should mention that Auto style, the company I ordered it from did not ship the part, it was shipped by the manufacturer. Rick

xena1a · July 2001

Hi guys. Just wondering if anyone is running the adjustable Rancho 9000 shocks on their 4X4 Dakotas. I've got a 2000 Dak and really like the comfortable everyday ride. However, off-road, the truck could use a stiffer shock. I believe the Rancho 9000 has 5 adjustable settings from soft to stiff. Seems like a good compromise solution for various terrains. Anyone using these shocks? Thanks...

Tim

namfflow · July 2001

Not using Ranchos but just ordered up a set of Edelbrock IAS's for my 2 wheel drive 97 Dakota.

From my experience I like performance shocks but with 99% of them you can get a stiff ride and great handling losing the control on the big hits or have the control on the big hits and have sloppy handling. The IASs seem like a good solution.

I'll give mty impressions after I install them and use them for a while.

On various vehicles I have used Koni's, KYBs, Bilsteins and the usual assortment of Monroe and Gabrial shocks. All had there strong points and weak points.

I suspect the Ranchos would be great off road but will be quite harsh on the road. Its all a matter of what is important to you.

BTW, for Edelbrock, Koni, KYB, Monroe and Bilstein the best prices I have seen are on the web at www.shockwarehouse.com

bluebayou · August 2001

So now that the 4.7 has been around for a few years, what is the consensus on performance parts?

I would love to put some additional grunt into her, but am unsure of what is the best approach.

Is it a filtercharger...., maybe a cat-back...., performance chip..., or would it not be worth the extra money?

everybodies two cents would be appreciated.

Blue

bpeebles · August 2001

(bluebayou) If you truly want the BIGGEST power improvement... A supercharger is the way to go. There are at least 2 kits available for the 4.7LV8 Hemi.

There is a plethera of various intake / exhaust changes available and even some PCM (engine computer) replacements and even a larger throttlebody available. Any performance improvement from these items are marginal (a few percent)compared to a supercharger.

If your idea of "performance" is more along the line of handling... there are antisway bars and traction devices available. There is even a Hurst shifter avaiilable for the manual tranny.

ron35 · August 2001

Bluebayou - I have been on the Dakota Mailing List (DML), in digest mode, for the past couple of years and would recommend that you join that forum and ask about performance. About 70% of the traffic on the list is geared toward performance and speed. One of the things that I have picked up is that beginning with the 2K Dak the exhaust had been modified to the point that a cat back system would only bring minimal gain (2-3 HP), so although it might sound better, the gain in performance would be minimal. They have numerous other suggestions short of supercharging, however, some are supported by dyno checks so it might be helpful to you. Info for joining the DML is below. I would recommend joining in the digest mode because as with many mailing lists there is an awful lot of unnecessary chatter.
To subscribe to the Dakota Mailing List, simply send an e-mail message
to majordomo@buffnet.net. In the body, write:

subscribe dakota-truck

(for the "normal" version or...)

subscribe dakota-truck-digest

(for the digest version)

billarf · August 2001

Stop by this website and have a look around. Look around the Performance forum especially...

http://www.dodgedakotas.com

By the way, I have done the following to my new '01 4.7 Quad Cab and can tell you I do feel a performance boost. 1) Z tube with 9" Pro filter, Borla muffler, 180 T Stat.

Bill in NY

xena1a · August 2001

...on my 2000 Dakota 4x4. Man, what a difference! The stock shocks are a nice, soft ride for everyday use. But for offroad, you really do need a stiffer shock. I put on the Rancho 9000 5-way adjustable shocks and just love the darn things! Setting 1 is the softest, and most like the stock feel. The shocks get progressively stiffer up through the 5 setting which is the stiffest. The dial settings are fairly easy to get to and all 4 shocks can be adjusted in about 90 seconds. Yeah, the Ranchos are a bit pricey at $70 each. But I am very pleased with the results so far. In the next week or so, I'll take the Dakota off road for a real test with these new Ranchos. In the meantime, the truck handles much better than it did before. I can really tell the difference when going over railroad tracks or bouncing over speed bumps. I'd certainly recommend this shock if you are in the market for an upgrade...

Tim

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