I did some searching but haven't found the answer yet.

I have a 1987 Dakota 4x4 and it has the vacuum actuated disconnect. I saw it mentioned that later model Gen 1 Dakotas did away with this feature on the 7.25" axle. What year did this take place?

I am looking to upgrade my front axle to some 3.55 gears (mine has 2.90's or something rediculous like that) by swapping the entire housing. This would kill the gears and axle disconnect issues at the same time. If I can find one without the disconnect, that would be great. Of course a matching ratio rear will go in at the same time.

A Posi-Lok was an idea but it doesn't look like they build one for the 7.25" housing. I had an old actuator from a D30 Cherokee housing and compared them and they are totally different. I was hoping one of those might have worked.

 

'94 was the year switch. '93 and older had the CAD system and '94'-96 did not.

Just out of curiosity, how close are you to North Carolina? I have the factory front axle out of my '95 Dakota with 3.55s that I've been trying to sell ever since I started my solid axle swap.

 

I am in middle TN. Just outside Murfreesboro which is just about in the middle of the state East-West, North-South.

I'm 3 hours from Knoxville.

 

Hmm, thats probably a little far. I'm close to the dead center of North Carolina.