This is my first post after reading here quite a bit. Purchased new, I have a 2005 QC 4WD, 4.7, 3.55 gears (non-limited slip even tho i have tow hook/skid plate package, wonder what dodge was thinking there....). 18,000 miles on it, no problems at all except the rear brake shoe TSB, had those changed, easy fix, no probs now.
First my thoughts on the truck. I've owned a 1993 regular cab 3.9, a 1993 ext. cab 3.9 4WD, a 2001 Ram 4WD, and this one. Put 130K on, and beat the crap out of the 93 4WD, and no trouble out of any of them. This 05 is BY FAR the best riding one of them all. Super solid, no squeaks/rattles. Power not bad, not great. Mileage spot on sticker. I like inside of truck, dash nice enough and very comfortable. Outside.....uh, looks strange from some angles, good from others. I believe Dodge was VERY close to a super good looking truck, just too long in the nose. Due to the frame in the front, the 08 look is better i think but not quite there either. I wish they would have raised 4WD like the 2nd gen. or better yet, used a toyota prerunner-type ride height on ALL dakotas. those seem very popular (~4th best selling truck overall, best selling mid-size) and look nice. I bought another dakota because despite this gens low height and odd looks, its arguably still best value. I got 4WD for the price of a prerunner or NISMO 2wd frontier.
OK, so the good stuff now. On this forum I learned of TM kit and ranchos. The stock shocks are not that bad, but too floaty. IMO, not quite bad enough to change out until they go out. I decided the TM kit would be good look tho, so ordered it. Downloaded instuctions and being adventurous decided to spend 1/2 the install money on tools (compressors, pullers, etc) and do it myself. Following that logic, decided since I was going to take it all off, might as well do the ranchos at same time now instead of having to take it all apart again in 20K more miles.
Ordered from rocky mountain suspension, very nice people, arrived no probs. The install is NOT THAT BAD (tho a somewhat long learning curve, took me 5 hours to do one side, then only 1.5 to do other side) if you can use a wrench and socket. Take wheel off, undo sway bar, tie rod end (puller didnt' fit, had to tap lightly on it, but it comes apart pretty easy), and upper A arm. At first it doesn't seem like you have to undo upper A arm, but it lets the knuckle fall super low. Support knuckle with a floor jack for easy lowering/raising. then undo top 3 nuts and bottom bolt and pull it out. Here's the catch tho...when you just change out the struts, you don't really have to compress the spring that much (the strut itself runs out full lenght when you take strut assembly off), you just have to keep spring from expanding further (it would expand a bunch i imagine). so with strut-assembly off, put spring compressors on (I bought for $30 off ebay) and tighten just a little....then remove nut off top of strut. Actually, one of the hardest part is getting that rusty/crusty nut off top of strut.
And the catch: since the TM kit goes inside the strut, you then have to compress the spring another .75-1 inch, and that my friends is VERY TOUGH given the clamp-style compressors I have. I would recommend having 3, not 2 like I used. with 2, you have to align them perfectly opposite of each other to get very even spring pull or it won't work.
I called TM and talked to a tech named Dave. He claimed originally they put kit ON TOP of top plate and it caused BALL JOINT FAILURE, NOT AXLE BIND as claimed here. I'm not saying its one or the other, but any mention of ball joint failure makes me skittish. The spacer itself is .75 inch thick, i measured. So mounted on top, I see a 3/4 inch lift. Mounted inside, its gonna preload spring some and make your strut run longer by 1 inch or so. I personally don't see how you get 1.5 inches out of this thing. Its probably more stable inside strut, as it fits over the isolator.
Since the spacer is only .75 inches thick, Dave mentioned possible ball joint trouble, and I don't think my compressors would do another .8-1 inch (that much to let strut shaft poke its threads through top plate to get top nut on), I did NOT install it. .75 inches is not going to make or break the truck's look. Maybe older kits were thicker, dunno. And for those that have not had trouble, good for you, I'm not saying that you will or won't....just that for .75 inch lift, seems little risky. For 2 or more inches, maybe worth it.
Now the good part: THE RANCHOS ARE WORTH EVERY FREAKING PENNY. Everyone get them now. this is how it should have been done from factory. Springs are still soft (especially in front) so you're not jarred around, but NO MORE MULTIPLE REBOUNDS / FLOATING of the front end. There are many speed bumps in my neighborhood and the Dak used to bobble all over the place, now just up/down and settled. really big difference. And the rear ones firm up the rear nicely too.
long post, but longer day figuring all this out. hopes the helps....i'll check back if anyone has questions.
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I had the same two products installed. I can't begin to describe how much, much better my '05 DAK rides with the Ranchos. It is by far the best aftermarket product I have had installed. I don't need my spurs anymore when I go for a ride!
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A truck is only what you make it.
Nice writeup, interesting though that the tech said it was a balljoint rather than a CV issue.
There really is a night and day difference between the 5 lug 2WD Tacos and the 6 lug PreRunner/4x4 trucks. I would never buy a 2WD 5 lug, but I gotta say the PreRunner/4x4 regular cab Tacomas are very nice looking **ducks**
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'07 ST 2WD
3.7 / 6 Speed
Flowmaster 40
That's interesting what the tech said about the ball joints rather than CV/axle issues. The TM spacer is only .75" but the trick to provide 2" extra extension by preloading, the trick is that due to the suspension geometry the extension it provides lifts the front end of the truck just under 2". Believe me it's a very noticeable difference, I've done it on mine.
The leveling kit displaces less than 2" at the strut, but once you get out to the spindle you've increased your distance from the pivot and therefore the total displacement of the wheel.
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'07 ST 2WD
3.7 / 6 Speed
Flowmaster 40
I've put a good 1000 miles on my ranchos, my wife is happy since she no longer hears 3 or more curse words after every bump. Rocky mountain are some very good people, calling twice after my order to verify the order and delivery.
My install of TM / Rancho 5000
Founding Member
