Hello All, I'm an old Mopar fan, been driving 'em for many years, all varieties, but this is my first Durango. I picked up this '98 from who's had it for awhile, but didn't know how to do the repairs on it. It hit a tree (or pole, or something) and had pretty extensive damage to the front end. All the damaged parts were pulled off (bumber, hood, radiator, radiator supports, fenders, etc.) and a hood and fenders from a salvage yard were sort of hanging on it when I picked it up. I bought a salvage radiator, support (lower and upper) off an '92 model and installed them yesterday, after repairing some damage to the frame, and I'm having a little trouble getting the fenders to line up where they bolt to the radiator support....Also, I think the radiator is the wrong one (original lower hose doesn't fit), and the horn seems to mount on the wrong side (no biggie here). Anyway, what I'm wondering...are the '02 fenders different from the '98? Or maybe it's the upper support? These things should line up, but don't. The hood and fenders match OK. The radiator, I'm pretty sure is wrong and I can exchange it easily enough. I also need to know which bumper and bumper covers I can use. And has anyone had experience repairing a damaged bumper cover? Seems to be rubber, and I have no idea whether one can be repaired. Thanks in advance

 

The upper support is different because they changed the model in 2000. Also the 1st generation Durango was only built from 1998-2003 so the 1998-1999 are basically the same as well with a lot of parts from the 1997-1999 Dakota's. There where some changes to the front end with the 2000-2003 models and those models correspond with 2000-2003 Dakota's.

You stated you used a 1992 radiator support; this must have been off a Dakota? Anyway no it is smaller then the 1998 Durango.

Fenders and hood should line up, but bumper you need the support brackets if you are using 2002 parts on you 1998 Durango.

What you need to do is find a 1997-1999 Dakota with the same engine size as yours, or a 1998-1999 Durango with the same engine size as yours, then get the front clip parts you need including condenser, radiator, and mounts

 

+1 almost HS.

Indeed 2000+ through 2003 was the new front end in terms of brackets, radiator etc. All 98-03s match externally and could be made to fit.

98-00s share the two piece front bumper so those and the fog lights are slightly different from the 01-03s. Again, you can make it all work if you have too.

The "not quite +1" part is the Dakota that matches the 00-03 Durnago is the 00-2004 Dak. They left the Dak alone one extra model year after the transition to the 2004 Gen2 D.

IndyDurango

 

Thanks, guys, much appreciated. I called the salvage yard and told him they were the wrong parts. After a few minutes of debate he agreed to pull the stuff off a '99 they have in the yard and exchange the stuff he sold me. I have to say, I'm a little annoyed they sent me home with the wrong stuff in the first place. It's a 40 mile drive for me, and these guys are in the business and should've known better. Incompetence seems to have become commonplace these days. I'll snap a few photos of this wreck, before and after I put the pieces on it. I paid $450, and have spent about that much more in parts so far, and still need a bumper, cover, and fog lights (they didn't have anything decent in that yard). One more question I have....I'm having a little trouble getting the hood adjusted. Any pointers? I'm not a body man and don't know the tricks to it. The passenger side corner at the hinge doesn't seem to want to move over far enough to sit down onto the fender like it should, and nothing I've done seems to move it much. Should I consider actually bending both the hinges slightly in that direction?

Again, thanks.

 

Also, sorry....I'm meant '02. Sometimes my finger gets lost when it strays too far from the L key and I'm always the one that suffers for it.

 

Once again, thanks for the help. I picked up the "new" parts this morning and got the front end all together by about 1300. Filled it with fluids (tranny fluid and coolant, and did an oil change while I was at it), put in a battery, fired it up and backed it off the trailer by 1330. The parts I got this morning went in alot smoother than the others, and things lined up much better.

I drove it down the road and back, and it's quite a hot-rod. I still need a bumper, a headlight assembly, and a windshield, but these aren't any big deal.

Also, still need a little advice on how I should adjust the hood, if anybody knows.

Oh, and one more thing...why in the hell can't I find a shifter **** for this thing ANYWHERE online? I think I'm probably just going to take a slug of aluminum and turn one out myself. You'd think someone would sell these things somewhere.

Thanks again