so were you able to use the hanging front driveshaft or will it not work.

 

Yes I will be able to use it. I've been wanting to see if I can get a larger yoke for the front driveshaft to fit the larger U-Joint.

So far $1,500-1,700. Its defiantly all the small stuff you don't know you need till you get there.

 

looks good. you'll have to get ram 3500 leafs for the front and back now to get even more lift...lol

 

Thanks! LOL Ya or 4500 springs.


As an update I am in a good bind on the steering. It looks like I'm stuck with buying a new knuckle. My choices are a new flat top knuckle for min. $220 plus $100 for the high steer arm and $40 ball joints $20 studs to finish it off. Or a $300 High steer knuckle with $40 for ball joints. This knuckle will cost more than the entire axle.


Or find a used flat top knuckle and get it machined. But I haven't found any local junkyards sellers ect that has any that will work for my application.

There is a large swap meet next weekend, maybe I will get lucky if I get there early enough.

I'm heading out on a camping trip to get out of town for a bit. I'll be off and on at Wifi spots. Be back Thursday night, and worry about the truck then.

 

i had a 98 durango i was planning on starting this project but trying to research first. what advise would you suggest and what axle do you think would be the best one to use. and also would you think the leaf springs would hold the weight of a 3.9 summins cause i just found one and considering the swap also.

 

The advice I would give is what your starting to do.
Do ALL your research first.
Save all links to swaps that have good points you like.
Save all websites that have parts or other info you need.
Start a plan out on paper for each step or area.
All the little stuff gets in the way when doing these custom swaps.
Measure Measure and don't for get to Measure, before the swap and before you tare down the donor vehicle to get your parts.
Find local shops for stuff like custom driveshafts or custom springs ect.
Find local people or shops that have done the swaps and ask questions and look up close to the trucks.

Plan for a LONG down time. It is possible to get it done in a weekend if you have 100% everything ready and spend 100% time on it.

This has been going on for 2 months now for me and I'm down to the last 10% or so. And I've been spending 1 day a week and that day only 2-4 hours. Life gets in the way!

Make sure it is not your only transportation. Set a budget and remember it WILL go beyond that. I set for $1,000-1,200. I'm at $1,700 maybe hit $2,200 when done, and I'm doing all the work besides the HD welding since I don't have a HD welder. And I'm keeping it simple and not going with expensive parts.

As for leaf springs holding the diesel, it depends on the springs, the older 2500 or 3500 trucks may have front leaf springs but I'm not sure. But if they did those springs would be best for the swap if that is what you want to use.

 

my main fear was the whole steering issue like you were talking about. my plan was to do the front axle and then motor and tranny...thinking of going five speed(alot of fad tho but dakotas r the same frame and cab interior so thought of finding donor) so then i know how high to go with the rear cause the weight diff is rediculous..... i obvously have my hands full so any advise would be great

 

So I'm down to the last system, the steering. I am going to go with a Crossover steering knuckle from http://www.partsmike.com/store/store...on=show_detail For $300+$15 shipping.
But they are currently out of stock and the new shipment should have been there last week. Hopefully tomorrow or next week they will receive them. I have an order already so I will get one when they get them.



The other choice was this one from 4wheel parts, but it is slighltly higher even with the discount. $347+ free ship to store.
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Steering-..._pn=ORU60036-D
But they are on backorder, my local store has about 30 orders to fill when they get stocked up. That wont be for 2-3 weeks and who knows if they will have any extras.
So PartsMike it is.

The other choice was a Flat top knuckle. You can buy new as well as used, but they are not as tall as the Crossover knuckles.



So until I get the knuckle all I got left is small stuff. See the build page for that info. https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...-thread-2.html

 

I just got asked about my Push Bar. I never did a good write up on it, so here it is.

I call it a push bar because how it is setup it is good for pushing, most out there are not that strong.

I got my push bar (Brush/Grill Guard, ect) from a 70's Ford truck that my neighbor had. To start I tore it apart, the back plate that bolted the lateral bars to the vertical bars which was all that was needed.

With it dissembled I first installed the vertical bars on my bumper using the bumbler bracket bolt holes. I then installed the lateral bars, centered them up (it has a slight pivot in the center).
Next I chop off the sides so I can just keep the center section, as you can see the stock sides are UGLY (2nd pic below).
I welded it all up on the inside of the vertical bars. Very easy, took maybe a day! I found some 1,000psi super thick hydraulic rubber hose that I used a rubber strips on the pushbar. Oh ya I drilled out the pushbar and bumper front bolt holes to 1/2in as well as the bumper bracket mounting holes to 1/2in and used Grade 8 bolts on all.

Here is a good close up of the push bar installed.


Here a co-workers truck with the same EXACT push bar that I got mine from, mine didn't have the wire mesh.

 

So close to being able to drive it. All I got left is the bleed the brakes rework the shocks and get an alignment. And get an emission test, my registration ran out. Since its been down I haven't been able to take it for an emission test to register it. Now I got late fees when registering it, LOL.

See the build thread for updates. https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...ld-thread.html