Hello Dodgeforum.com,

I need a little bit of help with my truck. You see, I have a 2001 Dodge Dakota R/T with aftermarket suspension that's pretty soft, but firm (the suspension). I purchased it like that so I don't know if the suspension is the cause of it.

Now, what "IT" is, is on the back of my cab right underneath the rear window is a spot that looks like the box rubbed up on, so the paint is scratched off. My questions are, how can I prevent this from happening anymore? What could have caused the box to do such a thing to my truck *sob*?

P.S. - I'd take a picture to show you guys, but I don't have a digital camera. I'll get one soon to show you guys and here some comments.

 

You don't need to show us, it's common enough on pickups.

When the truck flexes, like if you drive one tire up on a curb and twist the frame, the two halves (bed and cab) of the frame don't stay rigid and they twist until the cab and bed hit.

There are a couple of fixes -

1) loosen the bed bolts and pull the bed back away from the cab a little. You may need to oval out some holes to get it to slide.
2) Weld up the frame and completely box it. < - better way, but much harder and more expensive

 

Thanks horatio102,
Also, I've heard some bad things about the dodge dakota R/T's transmission, basically that they have quite a few transmission problems. Someone told me that if I'm in the truck with it running and waiting, it's a better idea to leave it in neutral with the brake on, then to leave it in park. Is this true? Are the transmissions bad as well?
Anything other pieces of trivia you have on these amazing trucks, the better.

 

You've got a 46RE tranny, same as a lot of the Rams, and yeah they've got a reputation for having catastrophic failures. If you don't already have one, put the biggest tranny cooler in as you can. Heat kills these things.