1996 Dodge Dakota 3.9L 4x4. I'm sure ealier years and 5.2L 4x4 is similar. (Instructions are differant for 2.5L and 2WD trucks, and, since I don't have one, aren't listed).
Alas, I've replaced my starter.
It's actually pretty straight-forward.

Tools needed (aside from whats needed to disconnect the negative battery cable):
[1/2" drive stuff, for top starter bolt, see step 4)]
1/2" drive ratchet
6" or 4" (1/2" drive) extension
5/8" (1/2" drive) socket
---
[3/8" drive stuff, for bottom starter nut, see step 3, and steering shaft, see step 2)]
3/8" drive ratchet
6" or 4" (3/8" drive) extension
5/8" (3/8" drive) socket
13MM (3/8" drive) socket
---
[wrench's, for battery and ignition feeds, see step 5]
8MM wrench (or socket)
1/2" wrench (or socket)

You can probably use all 1/2" or all 3/8" drives, but, this is just what I used.

Time Needed:
It took me 3.5 hours. Of course, I literally had to take apart the starter to remove the battery cable. If I didn't have to do that, it would have taken me maybe a half-hour to an hour.

Step 1: Disconnect negative battery cable.
Step 2: Disconnect bolt (manual says 15MM, but mine was 13MM) from the steering shaft coupler (or, whatever you want to call it) near the firewall.
[IMG]local://upfiles/948/B068234FEDF24A9691591DB17872717E.jpg[/IMG]

After the bolt is removed:
[IMG]local://upfiles/948/2FE886E64AB248709AA4DEA597F48A8E.jpg[/IMG]

Just slide the shaft to the front of the vehicle.
[IMG]local://upfiles/948/19ADB68F0FD642F1A03C6033620C6865.jpg[/IMG]

(Continue to next post)

Dakota1stGen

 

Step 3: Remove lower starter nut. It's a 5/8". I used a 3/8" ratchet and a 4" or 6" extension.
[IMG]local://upfiles/948/FAD882BEB5134E01B6F260AF79B32439.jpg[/IMG]

Step 4: Remove top starter bolt. (The top is a bolt, the lower is a nut). I initially took the wrong one off. The bolt is a 5/8". I used a 1/2" ratchet and a 4" or 6" extension.

[IMG]local://upfiles/948/22953A4D7073484586250AA51BD51DB3.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/948/0C57702E25B14B9D9CD8E72EEE468A2F.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/948/DE735CB251F74406BB9DDDBBEFCBAAE3.jpg[/IMG]

Step 5: Remove the wires. The battery feed is 1/2". The ignition feed is 8MM. You should reinstall the wires at the same angle as they were on initially, or, how they look in the picture. You can remove/reinstall the wires while the starter is resting on the [whatever its resting on] (as shown)

[IMG]local://upfiles/948/9D1D6802B07943D1A6ABCCF4B493CED7.jpg[/IMG]

To install:
Step 6: Reinstall wires. Refer to picture in step 5 for angle of wires. Di-electric grease is your friend!!
Step 7: I've read a lot of people say that reinstalling the starter is the hard part (aligning the holes). However, I found this easy. I just put the bottom hole of the starter on the bolt, and barely tightend the bottom nut. I than just moved the top of the starter around until the upper bolt "found" it's hole. Notes: From under the vehicle I: a) put the starter on the lower bolt, and b) started the lower nut (finger tight), otherwise, all was done from up-top.
Step 8: Make sure you tighten the bottom nut and upper bolt up good.
Step 9: Reinstall your steering shaft.
Step 10: Reconnect negative battery cable and start 'er up. Be happy, because you just saved the $160 the dealership would have charged just to remove and replace with a unit you provide.

*edit* Its probably a good idea to use ThreadLock or a similar product on the steering shaft bolt, because that one bolt serves a very important role.

 

Nicely done tutorial; thanks for putting it together. I have an 89 3.9L (manual tranny) and the 89 service manual's procedure is the same as your's. That said, I pulled mine from the bottom. Wrenches only. There is barely enough room to get it out past the exhaust. I had the same problem with the battery cable nuts. Since then, I've had very good results with this penetrant (hosed everything when I did the head gaskets and had no problem fasteners):

Regards,
Greg

 

That is good penetrant, I've used it before, and tends to work better than WD-40.
Of course, naturally, I didn't have anything like that with me. [:'(]

 

dodgerules86, excellant post. Extremely helpful