Well I pulled the switch trim up from the rear toward the front. There is 2 small metal clips on the rear and some tabs on the front. It turns out the switch was fine, just not fully seated in the trim/harness. A little pressure, a little "click", a lot more working. Now I have a spare switch.

So I'm a big fan of the BFG AT KO's. I've had them on a bunch of trucks. Never metric, never on 16's. I hear the largest tire that will fit is a 32". What size am I looking for? is it a 265/80, 265/75, 265/85? I don't want wider tires, just taller tires. This truck will not see the woods. I'm in it for the bad weather. Where I live no traction in the winter means sleeping at someone else's house. 4x4 helps, but 4x4 and highway tires means I'm not making it up the hills to the cabin.

I gotta find out what's out there as far as sizes is concerned, and what you guy's have and what sized you like.

The truck seems to sit pretty level, but a little too low. I may crank the bars and block the springs. But the truck is a road hog, so it's all about asthetics and handeling, not off road proformance.

 

id shoot for a 275 70 r16

 

Stock size is 265/70. I just bought a set of Nitto Terra Grapplers and put them on mine and so far love them.

As far as the ball joints. Factory bj's SHOULD last 180k-200k, but its rare for them to last that long on a dakota and there was the recall... So you can go to dodge . com and enter in your vin and it will tell you whether or not your truck has had the recal done. Top ones are easy, lowers are a b!tch.

btw, looks like a nice truck, just needs some new rubber.

 

They are cake if you get a stretcher tool and some time. You just need to get to the end of the CV Drive Axle. I would go with the one piece cv boot and not a 2 piece.... the 2 piece tend not to hold up well. T

 

I could borrow one when I decide to do it. Thanks for the advice.

I have a new problem. The passenger front window switch doesn't work again. I replaced it with the new one and it still doesn't work. I didn't see any blown fuses along the drivers side dash panel. Is there another fuse block somewhere?

Also, both drivers side power locks don't work. I would think a relay, but are there 2, one for drivers and one for passengers side? Everything else electrical seems to work except I can't reprogram the key fob to not honk the horn when I lock the doors. Could these all be symptoms of one common problem, or are they 3 separate little problems?

Does anyone have an online or .pdf of the service manual, or should I just go buy a Hanes or Chilton book?

Thanks for all of your help. I take comfort in having access to all of your knowledge, collectively.

 

Does the driver's side window switch control the window? If so, check all the wires from the switch to the motor. Look for a wire that ha been cut or something. I doubt it would be a fuse or relay as all the windows are run on the same fuse and relay.

The same goes for the locks. The Relay and fuse control both sides equally. Also a typical part that goes is the door lock solenoid. I had one go on me and it made this god awful clicking sound. Yours may not be clicking, but they do go. Regrettably, Dodge decided to make the solinoid part of the door latch itself, so i had to replace the entire door latch mechanism.

The service manual is around somewhere... There's one in second gen ram, and they have the same rear end, but the engine, transmission, transfer case, etc would be third gen ram. You could lurk around there and see if anybody's got one.

I vaguely remember seeing something in 2ed gen Dakota about a service manual, but idk where it went... And a chilton is way better than a hayne's.

 

So I think both drivers side power lock actuators are shot. Does anyone know if this kit would be worth the money? Can I just splice into the factory harness and keep the wiring? I figure I won't use the controller, just the actuators. I figure I might as well get 4 since it appears that it is only a matter of time till the other two crap out. Anyone know what the replacement mechanism costs from Dodge?

Can someone explain why 2 are 2 wire and 2 are 5 wire?

Also, does anyone have a wire diagram for the window switch? I know the motor works because it can be controlled by the drivers side, but I'd like to trouble shoot the wiring to the door switch and don't know what is what.

 

I have an club cab, not crew cab, but my door lock cost somewhere around $70.

Also, I don't think you can do the universal kits. I was going to the same thing, but the solenoid is literally the same part as the latch. Here is a listing for a pass side door latch.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DODGE...081310006r1815

As you can see, taking the part apart would be difficult.

 

So I fixed the windows. Turns out on the back of the drivers side switches there are two harnesses. On the one harness there is one wire that is a smaller gauge than the rest. It's probably a ground. It looks to be too small for the connector it's crimped to. Fixing the connection fixed the problem. Now all the buttons light and work.

Next I'm going to pull off the door panel and try to verify the lock actuator with a 12v battery. If their shot I'll get new ones. If they work I gotta find out why they're not getting a signal.

At least I got one down.

Thanks for the help.