i ordered them threw a local shop since it was cheaper and faster so I am unsure what they ordered

 

thats weird. i checked tuff country and rough country sites and nothing for dakotas. checked a couple other places and nothing. maybe the ram 1500 add a leaf was the same or similar and can be used ?

 

www.summitracing.com or www.4weelparts.com will have the kits. Yes the Ram 1500 will work as long as it is a 2.5 width leaf, being they are a little bit heavier it might make it a little stiffer.

 

I ordered mine from www.jcwhitney.com So i attempted to take some measurements today and it seems the approx inside length is 7 1/2 inches... the width was had to tell but it looked like 2 1/2" inside dimensions. Would that be right being the springs are 2 1/2 inches wide? or would the u-bolt more likely be 2 9/16" wide?

Im doing this with a tape measure as its all i have available.

I could not determine the thread size tho, it looked like it was in between 1/2" and 9/16". Any more insight guys?

 

New u-bolts come with new nuts I believe so thread should not matter.
Spring size does not matter because the bolts go around the axle on either side of the springs. If you can, just measure the axle housing and you will have your inside measurement for the ubolts

 

well i do not have the 2 wheel drive spring plate to flip the u bolts so the threads are up. so my u-bolts will go around the springs versus around the axle (threads pointing down).

and by thread size im meaning the diameter of the threads/u-bolt itself but i do know the nut on the u bolts now takes a 7/8" wrench to get off

 

I just looked at the pictures I posted. Mine go around the springs as well...
Whoops haha. I just did a lift on my buddies k5 and his were the other way around.
Good luck, maybe I will get around to replacing mine soon enough. At one point I just went to the store and removed my u bolt in the parking lot and took it in to compare. It had already been loosed etc as this was after the install.
Blew my rad up this weekend 4x4ing so that takes priority...

 

I guess i have always heard that U-bolts are not to be reused.... which is why im working on getting new ones. I may reuse them for now and do what you just mentioned, remove one in the parking lot for comparison after the aal.

 

well, i got a hold of a few spring shops and can get some custon bent for roughly 8 dollars a piece with washers, and nuts in the 9/16 rod, which is grade 5 or aproximately 11.50 a piece for the 5/8 rod which is grade 8. They said stock U-bolts are grade 5, do you guys think i would be fine with the grade 5? if not would i have enough room on my spring plate to drill it out to a grade 8 5/8 rod?

 

Yes the Grade 5 will be fine. Yes I believe the stock U-Bolts are 1/2 so yes you will have to open the spring retainer plate to 5/8's. I believe mine are 9/16's that I had to open those holes to.