Hello Everyone,

I finally bought the truck I wanted. A 2006 4x4 4.7 V8 Quad cab SLT Dakota. It's a few thousand miles from 100k.

I plan to tow a boat occasionally that's about 5k fully loaded. It's not a far tow really but this truck is to be my daily driver. I got new tires and the place basically quoted me $2600 to replace my control arms, ball joints, struts, sway linkage and a worn cv boot. So after laughing maniacally they dropped the price to 1900. Still not biting.

Well I'm going through and replacing all the parts anyway but with my trusted mechanic that will let me bring my own parts. I want to know if I'm missing anything or if anything seems more expensive then it should be. It seems RockAuto is the place to get it from so here's my online shopping cart.

https://i.imgur.com/3NGa6e4.png


I plan to get a trans shop to install a trans cooler as well. I haven't priced this out yet but it seemed like it could be a 500 dollar job. Have I missed anything/advice?

 

Most people find that the bold that connects the strut to the lower control arm is impossible to remove without destroying the bushing. I think you can change the coil without removing that bolt but it would be a bitch and not sure a mechanic would even try. The only two places I know of that you can get them from are the dealer ($40 a piece) and rockauto ($20 a piece). Buying them ahead just in case might be a good idea. I'm sure plenty of others will chime in with more/better advice.

Edit: NVM about the LCA bolts I thought you were buying new ball joints not new LCAs for some reason.

 

Welcome to the forum. I would check to see if your truck has the towing package, if so, it already has a trans cooler. You can go here and request your build sheet:

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...ild-sheet.html

Thats a pretty good list. I dont know that you need to replace the coil springs unless one is broke or something. The weak part is the strut itself. Since you're getting new lower control arms, you don't need to worry about the bushing and hopefully they can get the bolt out.

 

Thanks guys,

A post on here said that if I have those lines in front of my radiator it has a transcooler. I just checked and I do have the lines!! It does have the towing package (frame hitch and light hook ups) I didn't see it in the build sheet though. Maybe its not listed or using some weird acronym.

Hopefully I don't need the bolt. The lower control arms come with a ball joint apparently. Hopefully that means i'm set. After this is all said and done, I will get her aligned and do a full fluid change.

 

Dont remember if those lines are for trans or power steering. The build sheet will say this:

AHC Trailer Tow Group
NHBP Auxiliary Transmission Oil Cooler
NHFP Power Steering Cooler
NMCP Heavy Duty Engine Cooling

If you have the tow package.

 

Awesome just got the actual build sheet from Dodge. I used another tool that I thought gave it all to me but I indeed have
XFHP Class IV Receiver Hitch
NMCP Heavy Duty Engine Cooling
NHBP Aux In-Tank Transmission Oil Cooler
AHC Trailer Tow Group
NHFP Power Steering Cooler
XFHP Class IV Receiver Hitch
XFKP 7 Pin Wiring Harness

This pleases me. I might actually do the suspension work. I have done most of it before, more of a time crunch. Maybe I let the shop do this and worry about other things myself.