Well got my Dakota bout 3 months ago and it's been a really good truck. Except for the fact that it often has some serious issues hooking up in anything more than light rain. I'll admit it needs new tires as the ones on it are old, hard, and barely legal, but both of em need to spin anyways. Peg leggers **** me off...

I've been told by various people that I might have a 7.25 rear end, which doesn't seem to have many aftermarket parts available. I also gather it's fairly weak. I got under there and looked for a tag, but didn't find one. All I found were some numbers on the bottom, which were quite difficult to read. Wouldn't bet my life on the accuracy, but here goes:
9348
4384213
10325

Like I said accuracy is fairly questionable, but even if it was clear, I haven't a clue where to begin with them numbers. Only other stuff I know about it is it's a 10-bolt with a rubber plug, 5-lug, 2wd, 3.9 v6, extended cab.

Pretty much I'd like to know for sure what I have and what I should replace it with. I've been told to find a newer dakota/durango and just grab the rear end out of that, but they don't seem to know if it'll just bolt right up. So I found a 2000 durango rear end, but all the guy seems to know about it is it's a 10-bolt. I'd like something that I could just spend a saturday pulling the old one and bolting in the new one. I don't want to have to fiddle around trying to make something fit under there that really shouldn't be there. I'd also prefer that the ABS still function properly. So any info ya'll can give me would be much appreciated.

 

the 7.25 has a 6 side diff. cover. the 8.25 has a olval diff. cover. They usually come with 3.55 gears. some have 3.9 gears in it.

 

Looks pretty round to me but here's a couple pictures.

http://www.tommunism.net/images/uplo...0Cover%201.JPG
http://www.tommunism.net/images/uplo...0Cover%202.JPG

 

ya thats a 8.25. There some aftermarket for these.
http://www.ringpinion.com/PartCats.a...hrysler%208.25

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...47&NeXID=5
You could also try jegs.com and truckperformace.com And by the way the 7.25 does have some aftermarket parts to.

 

Well that's good... saves me a bit of trouble... thanks a lot man.

We actually ran up to randy's too... they said they didn't stock anything for the 7.25 and pretty much said if they didn't have it good luck finding it... also expressed that it was fairly weak anyways... and since I do plan to put a 318 in it I'd rather have a bit more beef back there.

 

Thats wierd! I have the 7.25 for my front axle and I did by my ring and pinion from them. And I have a high horsepower engine and large tires and noproblems! They just dont know what their saying there website says the have alot for the 7.25. http://www.ringpinion.com/PartsList....b-Differential. And if your wondering I have heard in many magizines the 8.25 is just about equal to the dana 44 in comaired to strenth and reliablity. I wount trust that rep. that you talk to if you need to talk to someone else.

 

Well we just happen to live like an hours drive from em so we just run right out there. Course I guess we were only asking about lockers, which isn't something I see there. So that's probably why they said they didn't have anything.

But either way I can do my brakes now and not worry about wasting any money