318/4x4/automatic.
Might be picking one up free.
Needs a transmission. I may have one already.
Its out of a 94 2500. May work. May not.

I just want the rolling chassis anyways as I have a eng/trans/t-case sitting in the garage and a 68 Jeepster Commando body looking for a home.

So, my question is, how tough are these trucks?
What suspension upgrades are out there besides sas?
Lift kits?
Or screw it. SAS the damn thing?
I'd like to keep it semi stock for a possible daily driver that will go off road.

I am a mechanic and a Journeyman welder.
Nothing done to this is out of my reach.

 

Basically, How's the front ends in these things?

 

front end...(front diff) if doing anything serious or a lot of moderate.. its junk its to weak..

lifting would be all custom unless manage to find the OLD 4 inch trailmaster but for the cost of it 2k is cheapest i found for old laying aroun stock, or used at a wrecking yard, a SAS would be about the same cost if u can weld..( which is given LOL)

 

So as a daily driver it would be ok but any moderate to serious off road it would break.
So really, as a free truck its not much.

Some 31's and let my lady drive it.

I've got two Commandos. Build one street and one SAS for fun wheeling. Got it.

 

well 31's would be fine with torsion key mod/crank i run 33X14's TSL Boggers and truck struggled but still peeled em, compared to the 31's that just spin like they are bald! that i got on it right now(damn gas prices) but for my weekend fun with the jeeper's i held my own just fine and so far snapped half shaft and starter fell off, engine drank some water, and still made it out on my own..lol

31's wouldnt put any serious stress on the front either since stock is roughly 29 inches (235/75/15)

 

If you don't expect to do any hard core rock crawling and you don't beat on the thing, it will do fine off-road in stock form. Once you start putting big tires on it and driving it hard, the front end will break.

If you don't want to SAS it, I'd say your plan of letting your lady drive it is probably best.

 

So the lowest gears for it are 4:10 because of the front diff.
I run 33x12.5 on my 99 with 3:55 and wish I had 4:56.
With the 318 it's power is good. Could be better.
With the body swap there is going to be plenty of room. May have to fill it with 33's.
4:10's should be fine.
But for a mildly used truck it should take it well.
Good to know.
I was considering using the S15 rolling chassis I already have but it just makes more sense to use the Dakota.
Turns out the guy wants $200 for it.
I geuss its worth $200. But seems like too much to me. Im a cheap bastard.
My wife says go for it.

 

just SAS it, truck for 200 bucks .. geeze . its worth more then that here as scrap metal

i picked up a dana 60/70(overkill) and a 2wd dakota 5 speed 318 for under a grand but might be a year or so before i get to it due to flood in basement

 

Mine was just about perfect with 4.10s and 33s. Now I have 35s and the gears are a little too tall, especially for towing. I thought about changing the gears to 4.88, or even 5.13, but I think I'm just going to replace these tires with 33s when they wear out, and buy a better tow vehicle.

 

Ya. I figure 4:10's would work fine with some nice engine upgrades. Should be quite the nice performer on the road and a sweet ride off road.