Sweet. Put some new shocks on there while you are at it. Maybe even drop shocks.

 

I just ordered front Nitro Drop shocks from stylinconcepts that I have listed in the previous post on page 2. They are being discontinued and are on sale right now for $35 a piece plus ship.

 

has any one accomplished anything else.

 

300hp, Gonna order some Dak spindles this weekend, and I've bought a crashed '90 Dak for $350,gonna rob the rack&pinion outta it. I bought it for the mtr. and trans for the wife's Dak,gettin' parts for two projects for the price of one. Gotta go get it this weekend also. Stay tuned.

 

Is the rack and pinion necessary to add the Dakota spindles to a ram?I thought you just had to ream the tie rod hole from above to fit the D150 like stock. And yes, I understand that you have to clearance a couple of other things to get it to work.

 

There is a issue with the dust cover and the brake line. The dust cover needs a little trimmingand since the spindle has been altered then the brake line comes close to the upper ball joint. This is all info that I have researched from different sites. I still have the question of what year Dak spindles work on our first gen Rams.

 

'87-'90 Dak, and from what I gather, the distance from the spindle C/L to the tie rod hole is shorter. Supposedly reaming and clearancing is all it takes. And Ihave alsoread the post about the brake line. Won't really know what all it will take until I get into it.Since my truck was a stripper slant 6,now 440, the low geared manual boxcan behandfull if it gets sideways. I'm gonna give the rack a shot. Should make a nice driving truck. I'll take some pics and post 'em if anybody's interested. Getting around the headers/oil pump with the steering shaftwill bethe biggest ordeal.

 

The distance from the spindle c/l to the tie rod hole is longer than on a ram, not shorter. This causes faster steering since the tie rod has to move a shorter distance to do the same amount of work. Reaming out the tie rod hole doesn't fix this, it only makes it possible for the bigger ram tie-rod to fit into the smaller dakota hole. If you can live with the fast steering and different front end geometry, give it a try. Oh and I have no idea how you are going to put a rack and pinion in a truck that was notdesigned for it at all.

 

A longer C/L would give slower steering ie. longercircumfrence of arc traveled per inch of tie rod input. Place your right finger on your left at the middle knuckle, move your leftfinger in an arc. Place rt. finger at end of left, repeat. Think distance traveled. Takes more input, or revolutions of the wheel,to move the same arc since it's farther around the C.L. Longer or shorter,the rack install shouldcorrect this, along with the bump steer the truck now has. As far as the install,gonna fab some brackets, weld 'em to the front of the crossmember,Dakota style.No biggie. The track width is alittle different, but again no biggie, I have a machine shop,I'll whip up some new tie rod adjusters. Steering shaft? May be a headache with a big block and headers. Headers in the way? I'll build some new ones. Satisfied?

 

Sorry lug nuts I got confused. Dak spindles are 2 inches shorter, resulting in faster steering.

Found this at ramchargercentral. Hopethe swapworks for you, I would like to see it done and hear how well it works. Satisfied.

Guys check these out. http://www.bouchillonperformance.com...493DropKit.asp
A bit expensive though.

As for work done to the ram, mines in a shed right now until the snow goes away, but once spring comes I'm going to experiment cutting 1/2 a coil on the front, and use 98 chev drop shackles on the rear.