ok so i have had this truck since i was 16 .. so its been 8 years. when i got the truck it was stock ..everything, and it was in great shape. needless to say we rode MX and bmx , and wheeled the sh*t out of this thing.. replaced cv's, WB's, lots of u-joints , pinion yokes been sheered of , all been fixed and one day in wellsville :shaking: we were down by chicken coop and tried a hill of the side and began bouncing broke a rear u-joint , then the front end exploded... made it almost all the way out and back to camp before all the teeth were missing from the ring gear. got pulled out and made it home with the help of a tow truck. big suck! fixed the rear stuff and drove it for about 3months untill the alternator died, parked it in the garage UNTIL now!

so this is not my first build, however my first post on here. btw Thanks to everyone whos builds i have learned from and gotten info from! with that said , i also have a 3/4 ton yj 350 sm465 205 4 link rear air shocks front spring over. i love that thing , it will become the wifes as soon as this thing is done.

THE PLAN :the jeep had a dana 30 and 35 as we all know , the plan is to cut off all the IFS from the dakota and stuff the dana 30 under it, spring under to keep it lower.. 35x12.5 X terrains . looking at it and knowing what i know this shouldnt be to bad of a swap. (i know there will be something i didnt plan for , but what fun would it be if everything worked as planned. lol :flipoff2: )

i am planning on buying a pair of spring hangers , some sort of shackle mounts, and hangers. i think i have about everything else i will need so far... also im using YJ springs ( got cut off the back of my jeep) they are lift springs but i am not sure how much of a lift they are.

:eek: i really only have a few questions at this point.. should i set it up with the spring hangers on the front or rear of the springs? front would be easyist, but would it be worth the extra work to put the in the rear? .. waiting on payment from a few side jobs i have done, so as soon as i get paid and order some metal i will start cutting !! pics to come as well!

The IFS is likely stronger.

The IFS is likely stronger.
x100

NO WAY... ok maybe close, but this ifs has to go.. i am not planning on leaving the 30 upfront for too long , i have another dakota same thing , thats the dd and i found a fist size hole in the frame.. the swap is getting done . we will see if its enough to be my dd and play toy ... i have the jeep as a hardcore wheeler/ crawler.

btw the dakota is only a V6... like i said the 30 wont stay too long ,4bt will be next on the list with something stronger.. for drivetrain.

why not do it right the first time instead of having to go back and do it all over again? Save the time and money and do it right the first time around.

well i need some thing to drive!!! ASAP and money IS an issue so im using what i have.

it is what it is .. and how the hell do i post pics???

do your self a favor go find an old 14 bolt for like a 100 bucks, and a d44 if money is an issue. look for 4.10 gears, and do a doubler, instead of doing gears as it will be just about the same price as re gearing both axles... to something like 4.88 or 5.38.

Leafs, crossover steering.

why not do it right the first time instead of having to go back and do it all over again? Save the time and money and do it right the first time around.

do your self a favor go find an old 14 bolt for like a 100 bucks, and a d44 if money is an issue. look for 4.10 gears, and do a doubler, instead of doing gears as it will be just about the same price as re gearing both axles... to something like 4.88 or 5.38.

Leafs, crossover steering.

This!

My buddy broke (3) Dana 30's in the front of his 4-cyl Jeep (open diff, 33" AT tires), and my sister broke the D30 (locked, 37" MT tires, but she drives easy) twice in the front of her 6-cyl Jeep, before switching to a D44... Add 500# and some power, and take a guess at what's going to happen...

Mike

dam. i ran em in my jeep with a mild 350 TH350 and a 208 t case ? i think .. but drove it on the road and some light trail rides and launched it in 4wheel , no axle problems but i did blow some shit thru the side of the TH350.


well i am looking for something stronger.. Anyone have anything for sale cheap in ohio??? drivers drop?
i have a 14 bolt ff 4.10 needs brakes

How do i put pics on this page??? Some one please tell me or tell me where i can look to find out my self!!

How do i put pics on this page??? Some one please tell me or tell me where i can look to find out my self!!

Just like any other forum...

Upload your photo to a photo hosting site (imagashack, photobucket, tinypic, etc), then right click on the picture, select "properties" from the menu that comes up, then hilight the link, hit "CNTRL and the letter C" to copy it to the clipboard. Go to your post here, the hit the little yellow/grey picture of a mountain to the right of all the font stuff, which pops up a window to put your link into... Hit "CNTRL and the letter P" to paste your link into the box, then hit OK... Done.

Mike

dam. i ran em in my jeep with a mild 350 TH350 and a 208 t case ? i think .. but drove it on the road and some light trail rides and launched it in 4wheel , no axle problems but i did blow some shit thru the side of the TH350.


well i am looking for something stronger.. Anyone have anything for sale cheap in ohio??? drivers drop?
i have a 14 bolt ff 4.10 needs brakes

Didn't wheel it every hard with any decent sized aggressive tires, though, right?

Craigslist... Stuff on there every day... Or rather, check "www.craigslook.com", which will allow you to search other craigslist sections within a distance of you that you set, like say 50 miles...

Mike

barton- it didnt get wheeled hard but tore up the streets lol 35 X terrains... beating stangs and what not too fun.


well i found a 70's ford hp 44 front and a 9" for $200
but i have to get rid of some stuff to get it ...

i have a pair of matched dana 30 & 35
also a 14 bolt FF

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/pts/1651025199.html

http://columbus.craigslist.org/pts/1656522885.html (are the late Fords still passenger drop?)

http://columbus.craigslist.org/pts/1645680539.html (doesn't say if it's a Super Duty solid, or a regular 250 IFS)

http://limaohio.craigslist.org/pts/1637267191.html (Dana 44, $450, but older, so may be pass drop)

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/pts/1631579972.html ($875, but is driver drop and comes with that whole section of frame, so you get all your springs perches, arms, etc)

http://dayton.craigslist.org/pts/1620240311.html (D60, 4.10, $700)


http://lexington.craigslist.org/pts/1618723441.html
If early 80's Chevys were pass drop, then you've got one here for $200:
Came out of an 1983 Chevy, no longer need this, just taking up space. Good axle, gears, etc. just recently removed from and in excellent working condition

3/4 ton front axle (including Warn Premium lockouts)
Including with the axle, the set up to do cross over steering, including the raised drop arm for your lift, and flat top knuckle.

$200obo

______________________________-


This is in 10 minutes of looking... A lot of these are more than I'd pay for them, but they're around, and you'd still be money ahead, if I had to guess, buying even a $700 axle and only doing it once...

ETA: Must have been some pretty slow 'stangs...

Mike

dakota as sits is on 35s .. http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/0322001803b.jpg
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/0322001803c.jpg
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/0320001850.jpg
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/kota3.jpg
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/kota2.jpg
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/0516091750d.jpg


thats what im working with .. what do you think .. be nice my first builds and post lol :smokin:

got the front end all apart, and the axle set under it. got alot done in a lil bit of time .
pics soon to follow.


i might be getting a hp44/ 9" if these dana 30/35 sell. but untill then the 30 is being used for moc up...

ok so i got the rest of the old front end out .. and for the first time rolled the axle under it !!! and with everything in line for steering to work the front of the spring is about 4" past the front cross member / frame support... i was hoping to of had it back for easier mounting :shaking:.. sooo
my question is how should i mount it? build a bracket to extend forward to give me some where to mount and connect to the cross support? or cut it out and make a new one and make it to the "correct location" ... anythoughts would be appriciated.

thx mike

If you can move the front diff 2- 2 1/2 inches ahead of stock location.
If you ever want to trim fenders you will end up cutting into the floor pan/ firewall(if the diff is in the stock location).
Id say Peel your front bumper off and build a new bumper that has your front spring mount built into it.

I really wish I would have used a late 70's f150 hp dana 44 in mine when i did it years ago.
The coil buckets and radius arms apparently are so close to the stock frame measurements.

I dont know what to tell you about your rear shackles, your probably going to have to french the mounts into the frame and use a offset shackle.

Hit up a junkyard to grab a set of 2wd dakota rear shackle hangers, they work great for a rear shackle flip. Not sure what you have for a lift in the back of it now, but I hate blocks. Those stock rear leafs are flexy and you get allot of axle wrap with the blocks.

Mike,

You may want to post up some pictures of what you're talking about... Make it easier for people to take into MS Paint and draw red circles and arrows on it...

Mike

this first one is what i am questioning... the truck will be higher, but the mounting and crossmember is what i am think about...
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/100_0904.jpg

steering should be in line in this location.
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/100_0903.jpg

front view
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/100_0905.jpg
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/100_0906.jpg

lmao i just looked at this ... no those u-bolts will not be staying that long.



rear approx location, i am not using those shackle either.

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/100_0907.jpg

I think you will have to do some extensive clearancing or removal of that offending cross member.
I know that I just cut mine out completely.
But it should be fairly basic what needs done. What ever new cross member you build incorporate your hangers in it, and give yourself some options with your mounting points for your spring, much easier to adjust things if you can move the spring ahead in one inch increments.
If I remember right the front section of the frame are made of 1/8 steel, make sure you add some fish plates to anything you weld in.

driver- that is exactly what i was thinking , i have been looking around at other builds and brackets, mounts , and hangers...
i think i am going to get a piece of square tube to take place of that cross support(cut it out) and then put my front mounts where needed, replating most of the front espicially where the upper control arms were cut out. and for the rear i saw the ruffstuff standard shackle mount that i am going to use on the rear , most likely boxing the frame to 1. make it a flat surface and 2. added support and then weld the shackle mounts on the bottem of the frame.

well got most of the ifs brackets cut off, sold my 14 bolt so i should be getting metal, hangers, and mounts soon!


before....
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/100_0930.jpg

after....
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/100_0932.jpg





.... i cant wait to get some parts and start to finish up!:smokin:

ok so i got my mounts and brackets i need...
my question is: i am planing to cut out the front support and use a 4x4x.25 square tube in its place and mount the front of my springs on it .. will the square tube be enough with adding some gussets and some boxing of the frame? OR should i use something different? :confused:

heres some "paint pics"
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/frontmountpaint.jpg
rear mount
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/rearmountpaint.jpg

Why not get them springs on top of those axles?

----> the springs are going under due to low budget and easy of setting it up as it is. as stated in the first post. :flipoff2:


but about the 4x4 .25 tube for the cross member.. ? yay or nay

i would like to get the metal today if this is going to work as i have "drawn " in paint. any thought would be great

----> the springs are going under due to low budget and easy of setting it up as it is. as stated in the first post. :flipoff2:


but about the 4x4 .25 tube for the cross member.. ? yay or nay

i would like to get the metal today if this is going to work as i have "drawn " in paint. any thought would be great

I see no issues with that, not sure why your using a 4x4. I would go 4x2. But seriously if you can't figure if the crossmember is a good idea or not should you really be building this? Just my 2 cents. Do what you want. Build it strong enough to hold the truck is how you have to think.

----> the springs are going under due to low budget and easy of setting it up as it is. as stated in the first post. :flipoff2:


but about the 4x4 .25 tube for the cross member.. ? yay or nay

i would like to get the metal today if this is going to work as i have "drawn " in paint. any thought would be great





...the jeep had a dana 30 and 35 as we all know , the plan is to cut off all the IFS from the dakota and stuff the dana 30 under it, spring under to keep it lower..



Nothing about cost there.

Yes lower can be good (if you are going lower to crawl it). I think hangin up on them u-bolt nuts all the time is gonna be a pain. Also in your one pic, you can see the one u-bolt around the casting and the other (around the tube) is the same size? Are you planning on sleeving the tube to be the same size? If not, are you worried about the spring plate walking around when you hit the u-bolt nuts off the rocks?

well i know what im doing was kinda worried about being strong enough .. i tend to over do .. i am just trying to get this rig back up and running it will be a dd and weekend wheeler.. i have my eye on a few sets of hp44& 9".. but i really just need a dd right now .

well i got my sq tube and started cutting out the front crossmember to figure out where i need to be for mounting my springs..i am going to leave most of it there untill i get everything figured out and completly planned. and how i cut it out it holds this heavy 4x4 tube inplace, makes working alone a lil easier.

and the rear of the spring ... i noticed that my springs where not parallel with eachother... measured and got them straightened out, then i saw that they are just to the inside of the dam frame.... soo i come up with a bracket that 1. will be part of my "resupporting" and 2. will extend inward a few inches(as little as possible) to make a flat in-board mounting spot for my shackle mounts. i made a quick(crappy) paint pic ... do you see a problem with this set up? .. im thinking everything will work .. but as normal extra fab(or un-planned) thx mike
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/paintrearmount10.jpg

as it sits . my helper watching..
http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/100_0980.jpg

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/100_0981.jpg

http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a408/brokenoffroad/Dakota/100_0982.jpg

any up dates