I have a 2010 Dakota TRX4 relatively stock. I bought a 2 inch strut spacer along with a 2 inch differential drop brackets. While I was at it I replaced all the control arms and tie rods. I also decided to go with Rancho struts. When I tried to install the struts with the spacer it still rubbed the half shaft. I thought with the differential drop this would work. I also noticed the shocks alone made it sit a little higher. Is this why it didn't work?

 

Never heard of combining spacers with drop brackets. Is the TRX4 suspension different from a non-TRX4 truck?

You say it "still" rubs the half shaft, so it rubbed it before you installed the spacers or the drop brackets or both?

 

No rubbing before. The front end of TRX4 is one inch higher in the front than the non but I think that is due to the different struts. Rancho said it doesn't lift it but maybe it does a little. I was thinking if the half shafts were two inches lower I could lift it two inches. Maybe not?

 

The TRX has the same exact suspension as the other model Dakotas. Below is exactly what the TRX package came with in 2010.

TRX
Available only on Dakota Crew Cab 4x4 models. TRX4 shares
the same grille, headlamp and fascia as the Big Horn, but adds
black bodyside molding and black fender flares. Standard 4.7L V8
engine mated to a 5-speed automatic, part-time shift-on-the-fl y
transfer case, 4x4 Skid Plate Group (which includes front
suspension, transfer case, and fuel tank skid plates), antispin
rear diff erential, rugged P265/70R16 outlined white-letter
trail tires on 16-inch cast aluminum wheels, front tow hooks.
TRX4-specifi c power cloth bucket seats, standard SIRIUS®
Satellite Digital Radio with one-year subscription included,
leather-wrapped steering wheel, overhead console with
temperature, compass, and trip computer, driver-side sun
visor with mirror, premium instrument cluster with tachometer,
rear dome lamp with on/off switch, and security alarms.

It sounds like something was not installed correctly, and the Ranchos will not 'lift' the truck, maybe it just replaced the 'sag' that was previously there.

 

Just disappointed, after installing the differential drop I figured it would fit. Maybe I will just look for a one inch lift. Thanks for the info.

 

I have 3"s of lift on my front end and my cv's dont rub. My guess is something isnt right with the diff drop. Be it improper installation or parts that dont fit right. Btw where did you get a diff drop the only company i knew of that made them went out of business a good while back.

 

Found it on e-bay. About $250 or so. Just typed in "Dodge Dakota differential drop" and it popped up. I think the guy has four left. I've driven the truck about a hundred miles now and seems light it settled down a little and I measured the distance between the strut and CV and there is about three inches. Maybe I will try again.

 

I disagree with you on the suspension. My shocks and struts are the heavy duty models as the build sheet indicates. I looked it up to double check and they have different part numbers than the other Dakotas. I also ran the vin# on the sight and it comes up with the same notation "HD". Now I do not now for sure if that means if they are any longer to lift it but that does mean they are different.

 

This is from my build sheet, and every other Dakota Build Sheet too.

* Heavy Duty Suspension
* Front Heavy Duty Shock Absorbers
* Rear Heavy Duty Shock Absorbers

 

Yeah. Mine are "heavy duty" as well. Always makes me chuckle.