97 +...Dodge Dakota... the good, the bad, the ugly

[SupermanIce-J]

I know dodge's of this vintage weren't know for gloriousness.

However, I've been thinking of different vehicles that are relatively inexpensive to purchase that have good starting points for a wheeler/camping/expedition rig.

The plus's I see of these are:

• full four doors
• available v8
• bed
• plentiful
• not terrible looks
• frame
• can fit 35's fairly easily
• frame
• its a truck (i currently do not have a truck so Lowes trips kind of suck.)

the minus's i see are:

• tranny most likely sucks (giggity)
• not a lot of aftermarket support (i can fabricate though)
• IFS with no long travel available ( id prolly sas any way)
• 131" wheel base... seems perty long (im used to the cherokee's 101")

pics for attention

[Hydra]

I think the tranny is a huge stepping stone issue. Although honestly, I have no first hand experience. An ex-coworker of mine bought a 2001 (? I think) and hasn't had a single major issue with it and he's now up there past 180k I think. He's also anal about every aspect of car maintenance.

I think your reasoning is pretty solid. Although I almost would rather get an S-10 with the 4.3, or even a Yota with the 5jz-whatever it is V6. Actually, I would go Yota, if overall bed capacity wasn't a true concern

[SupermanIce-J]

I think the tranny is a huge stepping stone issue. Although honestly, I have no first hand experience. An ex-coworker of mine bought a 2001 (? I think) and hasn't had a single major issue with it and he's now up there past 180k I think. He's also anal about every aspect of car maintenance.

I think your reasoning is pretty solid. Although I almost would rather get an S-10 with the 4.3, or even a Yota with the 5jz-whatever it is V6. Actually, I would go Yota, if overall bed capacity wasn't a true concern

They have a 45rfe transmission... dont wj's have that??


I totally agree with you on the s-10 or toyota tacoma. they are solid truck that are definitely worth mentioning... except price point. the 4 door s-10's are probably around 3-4k more than the dakota and the 4 door tacoma's are freaking rediculous.

[Hydra]

They have a 45rfe transmission... dont wj's have that??

A quick search says yay

[SupermanIce-J]

A quick search says yay

lol... I searched right after i posted that.

I guess the difference here being wieght... a wj curb weight is around 3700 lbs vs the dakota's 4200-4600.

[Burton58]

Yes wj has that trans. I blew one up in fact haha.

I've been toying with the same ideas. Dakota, Tacoma, S10, Ranger, Frontier.. looking for a daily or not? Budget?

[HeavyMetal]

something about a SAS'd Dakota just says 'no' for me

[Odinthor]

I could make comments on this, but I really dont think my 2 door 2WD Dakota counts with what you're looking for

[SupermanIce-J]

Yes wj has that trans. I blew one up in fact haha.

I've been toying with the same ideas. Dakota, Tacoma, S10, Ranger, Frontier.. looking for a daily or not? Budget?

Nothing right now... Eventually it'll be a third vehicle. I'm not getting rid of the crosstrek!

I think the term is "adulting"... Closing on a new home at the end of the month, getting married in October, new job, etc. a lot of life changes that are currently moving my fun funds elsewhere...

something about a SAS'd Dakota just says 'no' for me

Go on...

I could make comments on this, but I really dont think my 2 door 2WD Dakota counts with what you're looking for

At this point any info is good. Plus SIS is slow.

[HeavyMetal]

Go on...

I think combining a wheeler, and a mild exploration rig into one is a mistake personally. With that said, 35s and a SAS'd Dakota sounds more like a wheeler toy.

[wannabejeep]

I put 10k on an 03 dakota ext cab 4x4 with a 4.8 and an automatic last summer when the injection pump in my car shit the bed. I averaged about 14 mpg on the highway with the AC cranking, slightly better with it off. This particular truck was an old guy cruiser, and only had 30k on it when I started driving it. However, the frame already looked like it had 120k. But being an old guy cruiser it just sat 90% of the time, often on grass. But, it rode nice, made good power and didn't give me any problems.

This being said, most of these trucks that I've seen are rust buckets. Rockers, wheel wells, cab corners, all the usual spots. I was glad I never had to get under the one I was driving. The body was pretty clean but everything was covered in that thick scaly rust like you see on 20 year old boat anchors.

Also there's no point in buying one with a V6. I was looking to buy one for work and the fuel milage was maybe 1-2 mpgs apart between a v6 and v8.

[Burton58]

I think combining a wheeler, and a mild exploration rig into one is a mistake personally. With that said, 35s and a SAS'd Dakota sounds more like a wheeler toy.

Agreed. Max on an expedition pickup should be like 3" on 33s. Stock ifs suspension geometry. You're gonna want to drive it places, not chase down death wobble and fix broken shit

[SupermanIce-J]

I think combining a wheeler, and a mild exploration rig into one is a mistake personally. With that said, 35s and a SAS'd Dakota sounds more like a wheeler toy.

gotcha. that makes sense. A little too much "non-oem" ish stuff that could be hard to source on an expedition adventure.

I put 10k on an 03 dakota ext cab 4x4 with a 4.8 and an automatic last summer when the injection pump in my car shit the bed. I averaged about 14 mpg on the highway with the AC cranking, slightly better with it off. This particular truck was an old guy cruiser, and only had 30k on it when I started driving it. However, the frame already looked like it had 120k. But being an old guy cruiser it just sat 90% of the time, often on grass. But, it rode nice, made good power and didn't give me any problems.

This being said, most of these trucks that I've seen are rust buckets. Rockers, wheel wells, cab corners, all the usual spots. I was glad I never had to get under the one I was driving. The body was pretty clean but everything was covered in that thick scaly rust like you see on 20 year old boat anchors.

Also there's no point in buying one with a V6. I was looking to buy one for work and the fuel milage was maybe 1-2 mpgs apart between a v6 and v8.

I think anything of this vintage is going to have some form of rust... I didnt really think about that though.

And most definitely on the v8. I wasn't even considering a 6'er

Agreed. Max on an expedition pickup should be like 3" on 33s. Stock ifs suspension geometry. You're gonna want to drive it places, not chase down death wobble and fix broken shit

I guess in my head i was thinking that if it didnt have long travel options that a solid axle would be the next best thing. but looking into IFS lifts for this vintage dakota is like looking at redneck mudboggers paradise. torsion cranks, body lifts and lift blocks.

[Odinthor]

At this point any info is good. Plus SIS is slow.

Okay. My family bought it new in 98, twas a 2 door regular cab SLT, 2WD V6 standard bed length. It was used by my Dad till my brother got his license in 2000, then my brother drove it for two years until he went to college, at which point I drove it from 2002 through until 2014 when I traded it in for the Jeep.

That includes the 8 months I was living out in Colorado (and the subsequent drive there and back)

In that time, we replaced the transmission once; I dont remember what year that was (I want to say 2007 or so). That was really the only major mechanical issue we had with it until I traded it in.

[Harry]

Friend of mine had this for a long time. At a milder state (37s?) drove to CO from Rochester NY and wheeled it for like a week and drove it home.