Beefing up the Rear End in a Dodge Dakota

“I then measured and clamped my shock mounts in place. Then I tack welded them on. Dropped the rear end down and welded the spring perches and shock mounts. Finally, I cleaned up and painted the rear end.”

With some F-150 U-bolts and mounts, the fresh looking rear end slid right into place. The OP proceeded to clean up the brakes and install new components. A spacer was needed to make the rear wheels look right, however.

Making the e-brake cable work took a little finagling as well.

“I cut the factory end off of the front of the Ford cable. Pulled it out and then cut the housing to length. Then I used a female air hose fitting by threading the male end for a nut to bolt to the truck frame mount. I went to a hardware store and found a long nut, ground it down on the sides so it would fit the cable holder, and brazed it up.”

The results are obviously pretty impressive. Be sure and head over here to check out the entire build, especially if you’re considering beefing up the rear end of your Dodge Dakota!

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.