Are you saying keep it 2WD but have the locking differential option? That way I can get most places a 4x4 can?

I want to keep the 88 nose, I like the box look. Reminds me of a mini 87' Sierra or Silverado with the straight grill in it.

Oh that's good to know I will definitely get two add a leaf kits then, but what about your front end? Did you use coil spacers? Does your rear end sit higher then the front with two kits in the rear? The largest front coil spacers I could find were 3" so I assume you got 1-1/2" lift per additional leaf?

PS- I like your Dakota in your signature, not much room for travel though on the edges of your wheel wells. I would go with slightly shorter wheels but wider (not sure what the max width you can use is)

 

Like I said it is a universal kit. So they don't check every vehicle.

The MAX of coil spring spacers is going to be 2in, there is only so much room for everything in there to fit. I say two 1in spacers, 1 on top and 1 on bottom.

You can do a Spring Over Axle Swap (SOAS) but you will get 5-6in and with only 2in front it won't look good.

Most AAL is 2in.

Body lifts 2in and under are completely safe. Most people on here have them including me. Very easy to install and under $100. www.Summitracing.com They are for 4wd only but it will still work on 2wd. I installed it on my 2wd. The only difference is you will need to cut and weld in a 1in spacer to the steering shaft.

NO A 2WD CAN NOT GO EVERYWHERE A 4WD CAN. Trust me that is why I did the 4wd conversion. I had the locker with the 2wd. With good momentum you can get far with a 2wd and a locker. But once you loose that momentum your screwed.

 

Very good information here, I should probably replace my front springs anyway it sits a little low (maybe 12 years of sitting in a barn let the engine compress them?) 1" on top and bottom you say, darn I was looking at these 3" spacers for the 88' Dakota (summit did not have them for an 87-96) not sure if this kit is per wheel or per axle:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Bille...ht_1214wt_1165

Sounds like my rear end is all set up to be lifted (soas & add-a-leaf) but what are my future options for the front if I did a SOAS? Can I just measure up taller springs or will the A-arms not be long enough to extend that far? (to level out a SOAS)

Thanks for the info on body lifts, I will be doing that!

 

Like I said your limited on the front. So you can try 3in but its going to be harder then $hit to get it in. You can get a taller spring INSTEAD of the spacers but you can't do them both. I suggest NOT to do the SOAS your rear will be sitting 6in taller then the front. The rear is already 2in taller from factory.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MRG-1287/

 

Oh chit, rubber spacers. I guess that would work for now but taller springs sound like a better plan to me down the line. When you say difficult to install taller spacers, are you using spring compressing tools because I have plenty of those.

So you have a 2" coil lift in the front, plus a 2" body lift? What about your rear, one or two extra leafs per side? (your signature photo)

 

I HAD it that was 8 years ago. When it was 2wd I added Ram 2500 Leaf springs to my truck. That gave me a good 3in lift in the rear. It is basically the same as an AAL kit.

I since did a 4wd swap and now a solid axle swap. I got about 10-12in lift now. I still got the 2500 springs as well as a shackle bracket flip and drop shackles. Front is all custom leaf springs with a Dana 44.

 

Wow that is a lot of work! I think I will look for two 1 1/2" spacers if I can find them, see if I can make it happen. My grandfather claims he thinks there is already an additional leaf on the bottom of the rear stacks.

 

Does anyone think I already have an extra leaf on my stack??

 

No it looks stock. I have seen a few Dakotas with the overload spring.

 

You're setting yourself up for a whole LOT of (largely unnecessary) work. I understand the truck has sentimental value and all that, and for that reason, my suggestion would be this: Leave the truck exactly as your grandfather owned it. Restore it, maybe - if it's as nice as it looks in the picture, that wouldn't be all that hard to do. As for 4x4 - I think you're going to find it MUCH easier (and probably less expensive in the long run) if you just go find a good used 4x4 Dakota to start your project with. If you find a '92-newer, you'll already have the Magnum engine and everything. No need to swap frames, no need to scavenge hard-to-find hardware, mix and match old and new parts, and all that. And you'll have your Grandpappy's old 2WD to function as parts chaser and spare wheels.

Just my two cents.