The rams are sluggish. If you get a bone stock hemi and race a bone stock R/T Dak, the Dak should win, because of the torque, and the weight difference. I wish I could pull up next to a Hemi ram, Id love to race one. Funny thing is, when I take my R/T out, nobody ever wants to race

~CYCLONE_06

 

And what about the 4x4 5.9 dakota is what I was asking, not a 4x4 Ram against a 2wd dakota.

 

I know of a 5.9 that isn't even classified as an R/T and still have yet to hear of a 5.7 being able to smoke it. It is also 8 yrs old with 80,000 mi and all stalk, except k&n air filter/intake tube.

 

4x4 dakota with a 5.9 would be pritty nasty. As all of you know our Dakotas can have some traction issues in 2wd and with 4x4 on the street your looking at a pritty good launch. The more you go back and forth the dakota is going to win 4x4 or not. it all comes down to weight.

 

I have seen both RC and QC Hemi Rams run at LVMS, and the times I ran when my CC R/T was stock were faster (15.7 vs. ~16.2-16.5). I also lined up against a RC Hemi Ram with a Programmer, Headers, Exhaust, etc. on the street in my '01 R/T which had comparable bolt-ons and pulled on him pretty strong.

As with the 4.7L vs. 5.9L Dakota controversy, I think a lot of it has to do with driver experience rather than the hardware in general.

 

I've got a 4x4 Dakota with the 5.9, and it's not all that nasty. It's heavy, about 5000 lbs, and it's got 31" sticky all terrain tires, so even with the 3.92 ring it has no traction problems except in the rain, and it just doesn't pull all that hard.

You're right, it does come down to weight. The OP asked about a 5.9 Dakota versus a Hemi Ram, didn't mention anything about 2wd, R/T, 4x4, CC, QC, RC, etc... leaves a lot up for guessing.

 

That is weird because my 5.2 durango has 31" all terrains, and that thing cant keep traction under a hard launch. oh well you are right it does leave a lot of guessing or a lot of racing.

 

It's starting to sound like this thread is more about if the Ram is faster than the Dak instead of 5.9 vs 5.7. I have seen one so I know there out there, anybody in the DF have a Dak w/the 5.7 hemi in it? About six months back I crossed pathes OTR with a guy that just bought a used '02 DAK QC 5spd 4x4 with a stalk 5.7 hemi in it. I think to get off the Ram/Dak comparison, a couple people should race the 5.9 and 5.7 DAK's and see truely which is faster.

 

There has never been a 5.7L V8 HEMI Dakota. The 5.9L V8 was offered from 98-03, and the 4.7L V8 has been going from 00-06.

 

Sorry to have to disagree with you SinCity, but I saw it with my own eyes. Fella bought it from an auction from original owner who spec ordered it from factory. It was a 2002 Dakota Sport Quad Cab 5 spd manual 4x4, with 5.7L HEMI in it. Only mod on it was dualed flowmaster exhaust. It dang near looked exactly like mine even same color. You might see him around in the Jenks, Oklahoma area. So corrected again, they did make a 5.7 hemi in the Dakota, Special ordered. Thanks for the challenge though.