i got a 2002 dakota slt 4x4 I was wondering what are some in expensive was to make it quiker. i alreay have dual exhaust. can I change the gear ratios in the rear? thanks

 

Sure can. If you have a 45RFE, I would say go for some 3.91's, you will notice a difference, especially off the line. If you have a 4-speed, just stick to the 3.55's, if thats what you have, or your MPG's will decline crazily... If you don't have 3.55's, get them

 

From what I have seen at work, most of the Autos have had 3.91 and most 5-sp have 3.55, that is not to say you could not find one set up the other way. you have to remember with 4X4 if you change ratio in the rear you must change it in the front or say good-bye to your T-case when you engage 4X4. I would look at cheaper mods first like T-body spacers or intake work such as Filter. Computer mods may work as well, but Ratio changes are very expencive and will cost you big time in the fuel consumtion, were as other mods may help fuel economy.

 

Throttle body spacers, air filters, it's all pretty much a waste of money. If you want enough power to make a difference you can feel, you'll need to drop several hundred. You could put some research into 1.7:1 rockers or a different camshaft, get some head work done, or new heads all together, but keep in mind that if you start making substantial gains in power you're going to need to get all kinds of other stuff too - fuel injectors, fuel pump, perhaps larger fuel delivery system, then you'll need the t-body (not a spacer) and a different MAF, and of course ECU tweaking. Starts out at a couple hundred for the rockers, couple hundred for the cam , then goes way up for the heads, and then several hundred to a thousand or more for all of the supporting devices.

A ring/pinion change will run you about a grand, front and rear, more if you buy limited slips or lockers. You may have luck finding a wrecked Dak in the junkyard with a 3.92 LSD, even better if it's off an 03 or 04 with rear disc brakes, then just unbolt the whole axles and swap them yourself.

 

What he said.

Or you can come to realise that you have a FOUR BY FOUR PICKUP and not a race car.

 

Thing is, you CAN have the best of both worlds... Especially me... I am TOTALLY into the go-fast. The 4x4 is fun for off roading and stuff (something I will not be able to do once I cam it and open up the exhaust, I will have virtually NO low end...) and GREAT for winter, yet, I am also hitting high-15's with a cat-back, intake, TB, cat delete and programmer... Cams, PCM flash, headers, y-pipe, bigger TB, 75 shot and ported heads and you will most definately be into the low low 14's...

 

14's and 15's don't inspire me. My truck is decently fast as it is (5.9L) but if I want to go fast I pull the 330+hp 3000lb mustang out of my garage. Poor thing is sitting there waiting for a blower.

 

Inexpensive wise your going to be looking at a CAI and a new thottle body. I'm assuming you have a v8 and I think you can pick up a 72mm???I'm not exactly sure becasue I dont have one...just trying to remember what I read. Since you already have an exhaust you need to complete the breathing process for your truck. After that it's just going to get expensive. There are some other cheap things that will help a little but not a ton. Each time you add something it may not feel a whole lot better but they all work together for an overall better gain. A couple othe "cheap" mods are maybe an underdrive pulley kit and an electric fan so you can dump the clutch fan.
Dont know exactly what you're wanting to spend. Hope any of this helps.

 

Irregardless what anybody says I am living proof that a truck is competitive with so called "real" race cars. I have ran a series of Dakota in the Oklahoma Region of the SCCA and have had a lot of success. I currently have an '01 R/T that I have put over 18,000 into and it runs in the low 13's in full autocross trim(i.e. season old Kumho Victoracer V700s, electronic 3.73 LSD to full initial tq., just to name a few). If you are looking at just getting that extra boost of power in passing a lower final drive gear is what you are looking for. What most people don't know is that the easiest way and also the cheapest way to do that is to go with a smaller profile of tyre. I personally run on my daily rims a 255/40-17 tyre which is 2 profiles smaller than stock, but what you have to be weary about is not only the enharent risks associated with running a lower profile tyre(read RIM DAMAGE!!!) but it will also throw your speedo off too. Another thing you might want to look into is a larger bore thorttle body and maybe a ported intake manifold. A 72mm will introduce to much air and will f*ck up the ECU but a 52mm-60mm will do the trick just right, and if you have the 239, 318, or the 360 you can find a lot, and I do mean a LOT of cold air intakes for you engine. When choosing an intake for you rig keep in mind what conditions you put you 4x4 though. The questions you need to ask are:
1. Do I off road much?
2. Do I live in an area that floods much?
3. Do I live in California?
4. Do I live in a state that does manditory vehicle inspection?
and finially...................
5. How much money di I have to spend on an intake alone.

MOPAR makes an intake kit for the 360 based engines(239, 318, 360) but it will cost you around 500 bucks depending on which dealership you order form. But you can fond a true cold air intake for about 200-300 depending on where you shop. But do make sure its a real CAI not a "short ram airn intake" which gets its air from the ambient air in the engine compartment.

Next thing is you throttle body(aka the TB). Once again ask yourself the 5 same questions because if you live in a state like Cali or you live in one with manditory inspection that will limit your choices.A company called SoCal Dakotas sells a wide varity(billet, bored stock, straight aluminum, etc.) All ranging from about 60-300 dollars depending on what you choose. The next thing you should concetrait on is you computer. Now that you have all this air coming into the engine the computer is going, "WTF is going on here and WTF do I do??????" The easiest way to compensate is to buy a chip. The compand JET comes to mind and they sell a pretty good quality product as long as you have not gone over board on the air intake. If you have the extra cash a company called KRC performance sells a modified version of the stock computer for about 350 with shipping.

After that you need to get all that air out og the engine, and the best way to do that is through a TRUE DUAL EXHAUST SYSTEM!!!!!!! That means the instead of having a "Y" pipe have 2 individual pipes coming off each header.

If you have anymore questions on where to start just ask.

 

Yeah ulti, but the OP has a 4x4. Corners that I take in my 2wd would most likely cause a 4x4 to roll. I ran SCCA in Cali back in the late 80's. Formula Fords mainly. Still road race but with 2 wheels now. Did a few races in Australia also. So you run Solo II? Want to try autocross locally with the dak but the local club kinda frowns on pickups, vans and RV's (dont ask, we had a local racer do a 2:00 in a 24' Winnebego at Blackhawk (1.9m tight road course that bikes are doing 1:08's, top experts and 1:40's slow am's). Hell I was scaring a local guy at the tirewall day when I was filling his M3's rearview mirror up with the daks grill in the back sections. If I had the $$$ again I would go back to racing F/F and F/C, but bikes run me $5-6K/yr compared to the $50K and up for F/F & F/C. Plus I dont need a freaking full sized 1 tn and 30' trailer either.