Mike's 1998 Dakota
Welcome to the home of my '98 Club Cab. Specs, mods, anecdotes and plans are here. The menu to the right directs you to the other subsections....
The Truck:
Stock Specs
- 1998 Club Cab 4x4, Built November '97 in Warren, MI
- 318 Magnum
- 4x4 via an NP 231HD
- 46RE 4 speed overdrive automatic
- 3.55 gears
- Deep Metallic Red
- 15x7 alloy wheels with 235/75-15 GoodLucks
- Towing Package
- Premium Audio - Infinity speakers (with the base headunit: ???)
- purchased used at Forest Lake Dodge in May 99 with 24000 miles
- Approximately 137,000 on the clock now
Current Additions:
Performace/ Handling:
-
Solid axle swap - approx 8" lift on 40s. Done at about 112,0000 miles. Daily
driven from September 2004 until November 2005, still frequently commuted in until January 2006. About
25,000 miles of commuting and travel on the solid axle, and I still say that when my steering is up to
snuff it handles and rides as well as it did stock.
- Dana 44 HD front axle from '77 F250. Twin piston discs, low pinion, Aussie Locker, Warn HD locking hubs, 4.11 gears, sitting on a 3 link with torque arm, custom coil buckets using Skyjacker 4" lift early Bronco springs.
- Sterling 10.25" rear axle from '96 F250. 12x2.5" drum brakes, full float, factory limited slip and 4.10 gears. Sitting on stock fullsize Bronco springs on custom perches.
- 39.5x13.50r17 SuperSwamper Irok bias ply tires on 17x9 steel rockcrawler rims.
- JBA headers
- Magnaflow cat-back
- K&N FIPK
- Transgo shift kit
- SuperChips PCM programmer
- Autolite 3923s
Convinience/ Safety/ Utility:
-
Autometer 2 guage pod
- VDO tranny temp guage (150° - 400°F)
- VDO outside temp guage (-10° - 120°F)
- A-B-C fire extinguisher on left rear bench seat base
- Front tow hooks through former fog light holes.
- Vortex under-the-rail spray-in liner
- color-matched Raven cap
- Uniden CB w/ removable and sprung (heh heh) FireStik II antenna on a dodge quarterpanel bolt mount
- 48" hi-lift jack
- Garmin GPS V
- PNI V1000 WayFinder compass & thermometer.
- Dash-mounted dodad holder for my iPod
- Power distribution center behind the center knee bolster feeding power to the iPod, GPS, gauges, CB, etc.
- Power window/lock switch from a Durango, soon to actuate power quarter windows
What's Broken?
Power Steering box has sector shaft play and a leaking seal.
Moser driver's side stub axle
Next Mods
I'm mid-way through installing power rear quarter windows. I've got the door switch in and wired, and all wires run, but I still need to mount and wire the motors.
Working on LED rock lights, auxillary H3 backup lights, and switching for additional frontward lighting too (have teenie tiny fogs and 4 KC Daylighters for that use).
I'm putting a Ford T18 manual transmission and NP205 transfer case behind my Dodge 46RE automatic. I'll have 32 forward gear selections and a 113:1 crawl ratio. I'm considering swapping in a manual transmission too...
a Dana 60 front is clearly needed. when this happens I'll probably regear to 4.88 or 5.13 too.
The Future
Manual valvebody for the 46RE? Definitely rock sliders and body protection, probably also a roof rack/mild cage. Also cutting brakes using hand levers to actuate each rear ebrake.
be sure to visit my how-to section for further information.