I am looking into turnng my 98 Dakota 4x4 into a krawler/trail rig it sits on a 4.5" lift right now with IFS (was dodge on a bender when designing this IFS). Anyway I am thinking of doing a leaf spring set up and would like to know if any one has done this before on anything?
I want to go with Alcan springs with orbital eyes. front and back with dana 44 in front and dana 60 in rear from f 250 78'. as for steering i was thinking junk yard flat top knuckles machined and tapped for high steer. the only prob Im unsure about is where to get shackle hangers to do this! Can i use aftermarket stuff for cj's will they be strong enough to hold the 3500lbs front end of this truck? or will any hanger work from any site? suggestions will be greatly appreciated

Sssseeeeaaaaaaaarrrrccccccchhhhhhh!!!!!!

Ok, so now I get this PM about how I should shut up if I can't provide this douche with information that is easily found with searching. Hell, I just googled it and came up with 5,700 hits.

Dude, if you can't do the footwork, how in the world do you expect to do the fabrication? Don't expect us to do all the work for you, search! If you aren't willing to do that, then YOU shut up and go buy a Jeep.

Ok, so now I get this PM about how I should shut up if I can't provide this douche with information that is easily found with searching. Hell, I just googled it and came up with 5,700 hits.

Dude, if you can't do the footwork, how in the world do you expect to do the fabrication? Don't expect us to do all the work for you, search! If you aren't willing to do that, then YOU shut up and go buy a Jeep.


AGREED:mad3:

:flipoff2:muddymobile

my sig may help.

search.:flipoff2:

Ok maybe Im a little fustrated the only thing I found for shackle hangers are d ring when googled or yahoo search. Iv got tons of stuff for everything els from steering parts to springs other than that the only thing i can find is the perches thats easy but for some reason frame shackle hangers arnt coming up so what am I typing wrong? I dont mean to be a douche but this is one part that is being difficult to locat.

sorry for beeing kind of an ass this project is the first one of this magnatude. i have put lifts in but never turned anything from ifs to solid so please forgive me if i was too abrasive

No, you have to be an ass to be on Pirate. Since everyone here is an ass, you also need to have a little thick skin. But yeah, if you have specific questions that can't be answered in one of the many Dakota/Durango SAS threads then feel free to post up. A post asking for general info or instructions will rarely ever be met with anything other than "search" or "RTFM" on Pirate. In other words...


Welcome to Pirate 4X4 :flipoff2:

Ok maybe Im a little fustrated the only thing I found for shackle hangers are d ring when googled or yahoo search. Iv got tons of stuff for everything els from steering parts to springs other than that the only thing i can find is the perches thats easy but for some reason frame shackle hangers arnt coming up so what am I typing wrong? I dont mean to be a douche but this is one part that is being difficult to locat.

sorry for beeing kind of an ass this project is the first one of this magnatude. i have put lifts in but never turned anything from ifs to solid so please forgive me if i was too abrasive

be an ass, people here live for it haha. check my build out, because i was originally going to do leafs, but after some research changed my mind. check out krwebys too, i believe his is leaf sprung. good lcuk, lets see a build thread and some pics.!:smokin:

Durcrim I like the set up that you did on that durango makes me think twice about my axle choices d44 and ford 9" from 1/2 ton camper special. So Im gonna see what els i can scrounge up from craigs list and local junk yards then start looking at my options for arms because i dont think I will ever get the travel you do if I go with leaf springs. one question though did you have to drop transfercase down for the front drive shaft angle at all and do you think I should find a kit to get rid of the tail on the transfer case or is it strong enough you think?

Custom leaf springs can flex almost as well as links. The orbit eye's leafs on my friend's Tacoma that we did a SAS on works impressively well.

Ok but i was talking to a guy I know hear in colorado and he suggested that i dont do the orbital eyes due to sloppy road manners! what do you think? this truck will still be a DD after this project too

It may vary on a heavier vehicle or on one with weaker springs but the Tacoma rides fine on the highway. It's really no more loose than any typical lifted truck with no swaybar and the steering is tight and responsive. The U-bolts keep the spring flat and the orbit eyes can only move a little due to the flexing of the top spring, which was kept to a minimum with a military wrap.

The military wrap on those Yota springs is probably what keeps them happy on the street.

You sent me an email and a PM... thanks for actually reading a thread and asking some real questions. to answer:

mine drives great down the road. Putting in the Scout steering box changed my drag link angle and I have some bump steer now that is really only a problem with body roll. I need a pitman with a little less drop and it'll be as good as it was with the stock Dak box, which was just as good as stock.

I have 15" travel shocks all around, and use all of that in front. In back I have about 12" of motion at the tires. Look in "Flex your Mopar Muscle" for recent flex shots. My rear springs are stock '94 Bronco with a 4" add-a-leaf. once the added leaves broke in I've been pretty happy with it. I don't know the overall length of the leaves, but I'm running a very long/tall shackle that helps them stretch out, too. 8" eye to eye.

Aside from sheer size and my still current lack of body protection I have no complaints at all. If I were to start over, I'd go with o bent track bar to be able to keep it lower in front, brace my motor mounts right off the bat, and not fool around with a D44 front if there is any chance of going beyond 35s - and if that was the case I'd seriously think about leaving the stock rear and putting a TJ D30 in front with hybrid axle shafts and Dakota unit bearings (or get 5 lug shafts to match the rear...)

Durcrim I like the set up that you did on that durango makes me think twice about my axle choices d44 and ford 9" from 1/2 ton camper special. So Im gonna see what els i can scrounge up from craigs list and local junk yards then start looking at my options for arms because i dont think I will ever get the travel you do if I go with leaf springs. one question though did you have to drop transfercase down for the front drive shaft angle at all and do you think I should find a kit to get rid of the tail on the transfer case or is it strong enough you think?

no t-case drop, if you look through my build the fabricator made a "scoop" in my t-case x-member. it works until I have the money for a tube x-member.

what engine do you have? I'm sure you could build a 9" to hold up to the motor, but what size tire do you plan on running?

no t-case drop, if you look through my build the fabricator made a "scoop" in my t-case x-member. it works until I have the money for a tube x-member.

what engine do you have? I'm sure you could build a 9" to hold up to the motor, but what size tire do you plan on running?

As for my motor Im running a bone stock 5.2 with aftermarket exhaust and k&n filter in stock box still very strong motor with 120xxx miles it has the e500 trans i believe (44re?) and 231hd transfer case with the long tail shaft (internal slip yoke?) this is info from my local trans shop that adjusted my bands for me during my last service! some of those services I have done by shop, because i dont have the little tools that i would only use once a year like inch lbs torque wrench!

tires are going to be 35x15 on street and lighter trails but will be going max 38.5 on tougher more challenging trails like Independence trail system here in Colorado or the Carnage Canyon near Buena Vista

The total amount of lift im trying to achieve is 10" but no more than 12"
The only thing that wont be done any time soon is a a doubler transfer case set up or just a KluneV unit infront of the 231 t-case

the gears i plan on running are 4.88 up to 5.13

If i decide to go with R-arms there where sudgestions made to me about adjustable spring buckets that attatch frame side! Have any of you ever run adjustable spring buckets? And what do you think?

Ok i think im scrapping the axles from the camper special for a great deal i found on craigs list full float rear dana 60 and front d44 from f250 with flat top knuckles and allready set up for hydro assist bothare geared 4.10 so they sould except the larger gears I mentioned earlier! All this for $550

If I were to start over, I'd go with o bent track bar to be able to keep it lower in front, brace my motor mounts right off the bat, and not fool around with a D44 front if there is any chance of going beyond 35s - and if that was the case I'd seriously think about leaving the stock rear and putting a TJ D30 in front with hybrid axle shafts and Dakota unit bearings (or get 5 lug shafts to match the rear...)

I got this via PM but figured it belonged here
Is there any way you could give me more information about using a Tj Dana30 W/ hybid shafts and and dakota outers?? I never heard of this before and may be a option for me because i was thinking of only running 35's


I grabbed one of my old Dakota knuckles the other day and was looking at it and a TJ unit bearing and axle shaft. The unit bearing mounts and dimensions look identical, but with the Dak bearing mounted I could not check the bore fit, but it looks like the unit bearing would bolt up into a D30.

I don't have any Dakota rotors to check on brake fitment but I bet the diameter and hat height are close enough that it would not take major work.

The tough part would be the shaft: the Dakota has a larger diameter shaft. My offhand idea was that Grands with fulltime tcases run CVs instead of u-joints - maybe the CVs are the same size and you could assemble a hybrid shaft with a stock Grand inner and a Dakota outer and make a 6 lug D30? I still have my Dakota front axles but I don't have any Grand axles laying around. I have a whole Grand whose drivetrain I might be sticking into a YJ but I don't have any reason to pull the axles since they are only a year or so old. Cores were turned in so I can't look at them.

Just a wild idea I had. Those are expensive axles with expesive cores but it would be a cheap way to keep stock wheels and tires comparitively speaking. The Dakota is heavier than a Grand, so 35s would be pushing it, especially on an expensive shaft, but for a pavement pounder or gentle driver I think that would be a pretty sweet deal.

Of course 5 on 4.5 axles and wheels are a dime a dozen so you might as well just take a matching rear out of the front axle donor. Just a thought.

Don't buy Moser shafts for that 44. ever.

And you'll want chromo if you plan to wheel on 38s with a 44.

I got this via PM but figured it belonged here


I grabbed one of my old Dakota knuckles the other day and was looking at it and a TJ unit bearing and axle shaft. The unit bearing mounts and dimensions look identical, but with the Dak bearing mounted I could not check the bore fit, but it looks like the unit bearing would bolt up into a D30.

I don't have any Dakota rotors to check on brake fitment but I bet the diameter and hat height are close enough that it would not take major work.

The tough part would be the shaft: the Dakota has a larger diameter shaft. My offhand idea was that Grands with fulltime tcases run CVs instead of u-joints - maybe the CVs are the same size and you could assemble a hybrid shaft with a stock Grand inner and a Dakota outer and make a 6 lug D30? I still have my Dakota front axles but I don't have any Grand axles laying around. I have a whole Grand whose drivetrain I might be sticking into a YJ but I don't have any reason to pull the axles since they are only a year or so old. Cores were turned in so I can't look at them.

Just a wild idea I had. Those are expensive axles with expesive cores but it would be a cheap way to keep stock wheels and tires comparitively speaking. The Dakota is heavier than a Grand, so 35s would be pushing it, especially on an expensive shaft, but for a pavement pounder or gentle driver I think that would be a pretty sweet deal.

Of course 5 on 4.5 axles and wheels are a dime a dozen so you might as well just take a matching rear out of the front axle donor. Just a thought.

Hey thanks for the info although I didnt send you that pm but just the same thank you! Although i have to say there is no way i will consider a dana 35 under this truck and i hear good things about the d30 i just dont think it will hold up to the abuse I want to give it. :grinpimp: I like the 44 from the f250 with new u-joint at the knuckles but for now the 44 will work for all intents and purposes !

I sent the PM about the Dana 30 Thanks for the help. Think i will go with a dana 44 up front and sterling out back.

well i traded up in axles got the f 250 axles d60 full float rear and a 44 front with flat top knuckles and hydro assist ram so iv pushed the start date of the build back about a month because of this but will be probably starting to tear down in August we will see. keep you posted on what parts are baught till the tear down starts. i cant wait

My leafs flex just fine.:flipoff2:
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/krweby/Durango/100_0940.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/krweby/Durango/100_0942.jpg
But I might change it in the future.:p

yea i think im gonna start with leafs since my wheeling experiance with rock krawling is limited so ill do leafs and later on as i get to be a better wheeler ill upgrade to link system or find another rig to link up!!!!!!

Where we at with this build?? Have you started it yet??

Nice durango, may I ask what leafs you used in the front??

Nice durango, may I ask what leafs you used in the front??

44044 Rancho's.