Hey guys, i just picked up a 2008 Dakota Laramie V8. I really like the truck so far very civilized and all around good performer. My first question is about the tailgate. I notice that it doesn't lock? unless i'm blind and dumb. Are there any options out there to change this? The other thing i was wondering about hooking up an ipod. I wanted to see if anyone had done anything a little more involved than plugging it into the aux and letting it hang out in one of the cup holders. I'll get pics up soon. thanks for the help

 

Hello and welcome to DF and the 3rd gen Dakota club (or semi-4th gen, in your case)....I do not think the daks came with a locking tailgate from the factory but I have seen aftermarket replacements. Ueland made a cool pigtail for the aux input and ran it to the center console to plug in his mp3 player. Maybe he will chime in with the link for his pics of it.

 

I have a lock on my tailgate as well as a solution to running the wire...

Can't remeber where I got mine but this is the same one. works well..
http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/Bul...-LH005/580240/


Damn Kent, quit givin away all my secrets.. lol

Radio wiring... I don't have any pics at the moment, but I'll do my best to explain so you don't make the mistake I made first time around.

First step, go buy these two cables:

6ft Right angle Male to straight Female 3.5mm
http://www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Right-Fe...402176&sr=8-13

3ft Male to Male 3.5mm
http://www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Male-Ste...402463&sr=1-24

REASON: your going to be routing the 6ft wire into your center console. the female end will reach into there. The reason your using the secondary cable to plug into the primary is that you WILL break the end on the secondary cable from plugging and unplugging your ipod. this will make replacing the smaller cable much easier since you will not have to reroute it through the dash console etc etc.

NEXT:(this is a bit hard to explain)
directly above the AC controls, on the dashboard, make a small mark directly below where the 3.5 jack is on the radio.

Remove dash panel and remove AC controls from panel (ac control is mounted to the panel.

Now with a drill/dremmel/round file, cut a "half round" where you put the tape mark in the top of the opening for the ac control. use your wire and the A/C cluster to test fit the depth. you want to be able to run the 3.5 cable between the A/C controls and the dash without pinching the wire. A touch over sized is better.

Once cut is made, out cable into cutout then reinstall A/C controller to hold it in place. once reinstalled, you should be able to plug in the right angle connector to the radio and have it lead straight down ducking back into the dashboard. Now, the rest of the cable should be run through the back of the dash, coming out at the bottom.

If you've made it this far, then your doin great!!!

loosen up the center console so you can route the wires under it. there is access to have them come out inside the console.

Once wire is routed, you should have enough slack to easily plug in your extension cable. make sure to tuck the part where the two cables meet back into the non-accessible portion of the console so you don't damage the connectors by putting stuff in the console.

YOUR DONE!!!

when you need the cable its there, and when you don't its neatly hidden in your center console.


If you want/need pics let me know and I can take some for ya... (specifically the cut out and what/where exactly I'm talking about)

 

I have the same tailgate lock, got it here for $18.32:
http://www.amazon.com/Bully-LH-005-I...0408803&sr=8-2

 

Thanks for the responses to my post guys.. Ipod wiring doesnt seem too bad. i figured there had to be someone who has done it. I ran a wire for my previous car and the write up will definitely help! I actually forgot one more question. I only received one key when i bought the car and wanted to know about a spare. Will dodge make me a "spare" key ( with no power lock buttons)? and does anyone know approx. cost? thanks again guys

 

LOL! (I didn't say anything about the warp drive, or the ability to transform....oh crap)

 

as long as you don't tell anyone how I mounted the flux capacitor its all good...

 

Finally took a pic or two of the dash.

Here's the notch above the AC controls
and how the Aux wire is ran into the dashboard