The Haynes helps, but for some things it doesn't even make good toilet paper.

The FACTORY service manual (consider: Is it a Haynes Dakota? Or a Chilton Dakota? No?) can be had from the reproducer for Mother Mopar, Bishko Books. ( Bishko Automobile Liturature available for 1987, Dodgetruck, All Categories (autobooksbishko.com) ) in paper (much too expen$ive for my ta$te$) or on disc, or used off eBay. The disc version can be ordered through Summit or the dealership.

The FAQ . Well, if you go to the top of this forum, there's four stickied messages. #3 is labeled "FAQ". Go 40% of the way down there, and there's a link to Google Docs copies of the parts lists.

RwP

 

OK Ralph I think I got everything to build a truck I think this was the link you wanted me to download? 86-87 truck including Dakota
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&p...thkey=CIrxwYMO If it is it was updated from a broke link.
I also think I got a tranny within 60 miles of me from the car-parts link. I will have to wait to talk to someone tomorrow but hey maybe they got the speedometer cable I need too.

 

Right below that broke link is 86-87 truck.pdf - Google Drive ... which DOES work.

RwP

 

I will vouch for Ralph’s insistence on procuring that field service manual. I downloaded the 95 version quite some time ago but never really checked it out despite Ralph and others continually preaching about those manuals. I eventually opened them up and was very impressed with the information they provided. They’re well written, well organized, with good illustrations. Well worth getting. I have a 93 truck but the 95 manual covers my 93 pretty well. Nonetheless I’ll probably pick up the 93 FSM too. The Haynes and Chiltons are not worthless but they don’t compare to the FSM.

 

Yes I got that one. Thank you for so much great info.

 

I have got along for a great many years using Haynes manuals at 63 I would have to guess they served me very well for some 45 years on many types of cars and trucks. This is 1st time pulling down a complete tranny or finding out this 87 has many parts not found in any other year model. 87 came out carbureted but was only for the 1st some odd many number like 6 months. Then they made the change to fuel injection. The Distributer is only found in the 87 model year it change too. As it was the 1st year they were basically running it as a test to see how they would sell. Many parts on the 87 and 88 were only for the 2 years so it has been a challenge at time and I made 2 mistakes. I passed twice on a good parts truck thinking I would not need it sitting around and never need it.

 

The 87 was carburated the entire production run; however, by August they had shifted to 1988 model year. (1987 model year got started in August 1986, remember.)

The family history can be found at Dodge Dakota mid-sized pickup trucks, 1987-1996 | Allpar Forums .

And yes; there's a LOT of items that are one-year-only during the 1st Gen production range. What it was, changed from year to year, natch.

RwP

 

I often think it would be nice to have a parts truck laying around but I’d end up being sent there to sleep if I tried storing a jalopy on the property.

 

You would be set to the Dodge house