Alright guys, I'm new here, but Last year I bought an 05 dakota, quad cab, short bed, 4.7L V8 with stock R17s on it; off an old man who only used it to haul his boat, has a 5th wheel plate in the back and after my one year with it has only 70k miles on it.

I am looking to spend a fair chunk of change over the next 2 years to make my little buddy into a lean mean beast. My last was an '87 Ford that didn't need an exhaust (the muffler fell off and no required emissions for an antique in VA) and was lifted 6"....

My dakota I plan to in order:
1. Install new headers (stainless or ceramic?) (short or long?)
2. Put a new catback in (magnaflow super 44? I think)

Do I need to replace the catalytic converter with these two being swapped out around it? And the Y pipe/ collector box? I have no clue if I need to swap these out-last go round I just took the muffler off.
(attempting to keep this project under 1200 for parts)

3. Superchip for gas mileage

4. body lift 3" (I think daystar has one that I have seen mentioned a bit on here)

5. 3-6" suspension lift and some big ol' tires for muddin.

I have already installed a knockoff K&N gave me 1.5 mpg in town and 2.5 mpg hwy, sounds amazing at 2800+ Gas mileage benefits only help when I keep my foot off the throttle though, I love the sound of it.

I am lacking in experience with this, as my old ford didn't have to pass emissions and I kept a farm use plate on it. Sounded like a tank, ran like a tank

advice?

 

I will move this to the 3rd generation Dakota sub-forum.

 

Is this a 4wd? If not, then I wouldn't lift it. Lower it instead.

 

there is only one true suspension lift over 3 inches for these trucks http://www.jackmyride.com/

now, about those Big ole tires, go ahead and but a couple of extra steering racks and a few sets of tie rods and ball joints, you're going to need them.

Skip the headers, the factory manifolds flow pretty good, the real restriction on our exhaust is the y pipe itself, just look at it. its ridiculous.

I'll leave the exhaust questions up to everyone else, I like my flowmasters... but thats just an opinion. you can sort of hear it here

and if you can hear the exhaust in the background here.
you're supposed to shift at valve float right?

 

The truck needs to breathe at both ends, breathing in does nothing if you can't breathe out and vice versa. An exhaust will will make you feel better performance and see better mpg with out having to soft-step the pedal. Since your doing the whole exhaust(or seem to be willing to) with headers, why not do a true dual exhaust? Tell the shop you want hi-flow cats. Drop the spare and mount mufflers in the rear, it will change the sound. Be more muscle and less rumble and drone in the cab. If you want to stay single muffler, gibson make a y_pipe relacement with hi-flow cats installed in it.
If your gonna do big ole mudders, you're probably gonna wanna regear with 4:10's Ir 4:56's in addition to a lift. JackMyRide lift is the lift to get.

 

Don't think superchips will help mileage either.....along with the other suggestions given this far.

 

first off, the stock r17 rims may already have the 3.92 gear ratio, open up the glove box and look at the inside back, there should be a sticker stating the gear, if you have the 3.92, 4.10 wont do much, also the manifolds do flow good, the y pipe is the issue, i am running a 125 shot of nitrous on my mildly built 05, 4.7 with the stock manifolds, no need to spend 600.00 for headers, If you dont plan on going internal with cams and stuff, stay with superchips, but some off us with work done have gone with sct. Magnaflow is an awesome system, I had the junkmaster and it was horrible. Do a search of posts that you think you may wanna do to the truck for upgrades, pretty sure everyone has a post of something or another for upgrades

 

If it's an 05, you should be able to get an SCT tuner. Much greater gains possible than a Superchips and more adaptable to your mods. I'd go there first.