2WD so just one 9.25" axle. I considered buying the kit and doing a 4.11 myself but it's a little out of my comfort range. Paying to have it done looks to be about the same as buying a used 3.92 complete axle. I checked www.car-part.com and there's a few within driving distance. I have a factory LSD in mine now but that's easy enough to swap. I did also notice a few Mitsubiship Raiders listed and the "Durocross" version appears to come with the 3.92 ratio. Anyone know if the 9.25" rear axle from the Raider interchanges with the Dakota? Thanks!

 

A Mitsubishi Raider is basically a Dakota, same everything except interior and body panels. The 9.25 from a mitsu will be a perfect fit.

 

go with the 4.10 kit and swing the money, you will be much happier then with the 3.92, spend the money, its worth it, forget a full axle swap, taking apart the brakes and wiring is a pain,

 

What advantages or differences would you see in swapping a 2WD from stock to a 4:10 set? Power, mpg, 0-60, torque, etc. Any other mod considerations aside from this kit, any computer reprogramming?

 

You will get some better performance if you do some pulling/towing or heavy hauling, but if you're doing none of these, then you should experience some extra fuel usage. I don't agree with superdak05, there's a lot less work and money involved in going with a complete axle swap than there is in swapping gears. If you don't have the experience or the tools to do the gear change, it's fairly costly to get someone else to do it. You're stuck with the brake work and whatever electrical (unplug and re-connect the VSS) which ever way you go.

I don't know if you need any reprogramming if you use the 3:92. I would assume there is none if you use an axle with the same sensor setup as the Dakota.

 

I scored a 3.92:1 locker with 3,300 miles for $650. I understand the 4.10 would give me more oomph but I didn't want to get into setting one up or paying someone else to do it and dealing with the possible whining issues I read so much about with the 4.10's. From all the reading I've done concerning fuel mileage, I expect to gain a little mileage around town and lose a little on the highway. I found myself towing more than I expected when I bought the truck and the 3.55 wasn't doing it for me. The locker was a bonus but just want to remind folks that if you pick up a factory locker undocumented, you'll want to replace the friction plate clips with the upgraded pieces. The Dodge part number is 5183722AB for a package that will service one differential. You'll find the package at any Dodge supplier for $9-15. In the attached picture the original is on the left and the improved/superceding part is on the right.

 

I've done full axles swaps in the dirt, in the junkyard with a hammer, crescent wrench and a big screwdriver, when I was younger, dumber and more desparate. Now that I'm older and have a garage and more tools, it's a snap. I did a diff swap on my wifes BMW 330ci yesterday morning. It's an IRS diff and I knew I had to swap the input flanges but I forgot to check the output flanges until I got it in the subframe and couldn't get the 1/2 axles to bolt up! Duh! The one on the easy side came out with a couple of taps from a rubber mallet. Of course the one hiding above the exhaust system was harder :-( but nothing I couldn't get with some chain and a slide hammer! ;-)

 

Yep, 6 months and a week later I finally installed the 3.92 axle earlier this week. I haven't towed anything yet but it feels like what should have been in there all along. ;-)

 

glad your happy, did you end up doing the full axle swap or replacing just the gears? did you do it yourself or pay someone to do it?

 

I did the full axle swap in my garage on a sunny afternoon last week. ;-)

I took a 200 mile trip this weekend. 75mph on I-95 for most of it. Looks like I lost 1MPG at that speed. I expected that. I filled up when I got back and will be checking my around town MPG as well.