Hey guys! I've recently been thinking about getting into mudding and instead of buying a new truck I'd rather just convert mine (if its cheaper.) I have a 2001 dakota v8 5.9l I believe. I was just wondering what kind of mods I should do to it to be a successful mudder and roughly what it will cost me (I'm only sixteen but I'm not broke either). I don't need top of the line but I don't want crap that's gonna break the first time I take it out.

 

Oh and it is a quad cab!

 

Are you talking about just straight up into the mud, out of the mud? Or running trails and stuff?

Are you 4x4?

 

Probably just general in and out. I don't know of any trails we have around here. And yes It's 4x4, otherwise I'd have invested in a new truck a while ago.

 

Well if just in and out, you could just crank your torsion bars and get a good mud tire... It should do fine

 

Doesn't clearance end up being an issue? And I will probably do trails if I can find any. I also want it to look good. I'm currently considering a 12" lift, roll bar, and 31s (possibly bigger if they'll fit)

 

31's will fit stock. Thats what came on my dakota. The problem with dakotas is no one makes lifts for them other than like 1 or 2 company's. 5in of lift will run you about 15-1,800. A straight axle will run you about the same price and give you a lot more options for lift plus they are stronger.

 

Yeah all I'm saying is that if you're looking to just have a good MUD truck that a small lift and a nice set of tires will do you just fine (and your wallet wont hurt too bad either).

Now if you want to make more of a trail rig or whatever, you ought to swap for a solid axle... Your best option is a Dana 44 out of a 78 or 79 Ford truck. They are the "high pinion" axle, and are probably the most well built front axle ever made (aside from the same year HP Dana 60). I've got a 44 under my 79 F150 project truck, but I'm not taking it for the Dakota. Not sure where you're located, but there's a 78 Bronco at my local pick n pull with a HP Dana 44 under it and they want like $150 for it which is a steal.

 

I've seen a six inch lift for 400 for a dakota.. was a good brand too.
And I have thought about outting a dana front end in the problem is the fab work that goes into it.

 

It's not an easy job by any means, but it really isn't as hard as you might think, either. With a lot of pre-planning and collecting parts in advance, I was able to get mine 90% done in one weekend. I don't know what kind of fab skills or tools you have (if any) but if you can be without the truck for a bit, have a few bucks to spend on it, and have a decent place to work on it, it's probably something that a couple of decent shadetree mechanics could knock out in a few weekends, even if you have to have somebody else do the welding.

Unfortunately, nobody makes a kit that I'm aware of.