dodge dakota swap

[fordman]

i have heard some about using the dodge dakota swaps for the slicks. i went over to the slick site and saw a little. but what i didnt see was what year dakota stuff to use and how the steering column was attached to the dakota steering box. and would i need to remove the crossmember from my frame and use the dakots crossmember. woudl there be any reason to do that? would it drag the ground?

[yeager351]

I remember this swap but it was years ago. It was a company in arizona that sold the kit. But the article i read was performed by a rod shop in Shreveport La. They also did a vent window delete on the truck. This was when i lived in south Ark and i always wanted to get this done. But of course I had no $$$. The article was done on a Bump. Thats the best i can do!?

[fordman]

do you know where i might be able to find the article? what magazine was it in or web site? i figured out the steering column. im unsure about the crossmember though.

[survivorman]

Forgot one thing.

In my area a clip job runs about $600-800 for the work, and they don't always include motor mounts.

[fordman]

i dont think the frames are the same width on the dakota i have and the 72 frame i have. i seen over on the slick site where they removed the straight axles and made a engine crossmember to mount the steering rack to and then welded the a arm mounts to the original frame.

[survivorman]

i dont think the frames are the same width on the dakota i have and the 72 frame i have. i seen over on the slick site where they removed the straight axles and made a engine crossmember to mount the steering rack to and then welded the a arm mounts to the original frame.

There not, but he made it work.

The track widths are close enough, and I would cut off what I need. Then fab it to my trucks rails.

[fordman]

here is what i have to work with. i dont see why anyone would need a new crossember though. surely the A arms could be attached to the ford crossmember if it would clear the ground.

[MadMaxetc]

I think you will have a lot of Fab work to do if you try to keep the stock crossmember. I would try Splicing in part of the Dakota frame.

The Dakota frame slopes up a little as it goes forward to the bumper, but a bump frame in almost level.

Talk a look at my Install of the ICI crossmember in my early slick (63).
http://s63.photobucket.com/albums/h142/ ... ta%20Swap/

Can you post a picture of the frame look almost straight down? Also, how wide is the frame right above the steering rack vs your bump frame?

[fordman]

the dakota frame is narrower. i measured it today. i will get some more pictures. i am not sure this is goignt o be something i am going to do because fo the narrowness of it.

[ezernut9mm]

i think it was el pollocko that did that.
industrial chassis was the company's name but it is on hold as far as i know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd4BLVkQOhQ

[fordman]

that is a powerful truck to do that in such a short distance.