Does the Dakota handle poorly in general? It seems that whenever I go over rough train tracks or bad pavement, my truck gives me the feeling like it's jumping all over the place.

I understand it's a truck, and that with no weight in the bed it's going to squirelly, but I'm wondering if maybe I need to replace the shocks? I've got about 78K miles on the truck and the shocks look original (I bought it at 73k), will new shocks help any or is this normal?

 

I have the same feeling sometimes. First off, check your tire pressures. When I put some more air in my tires that feeling is GREATLY reduced.

But, I too think that at 70k miles I should start thinking about suspension stuff (2" lift what?)

 

I'm running the stock size tires. What pressures are you guys running?

I also have a weird squeek. Like when I go to park, and let off the brake after shutting the truck off... I'm going to have to get under there and check it out because it's pretty annoying. It does it at stoplights sometimes too.

 

yea mine does it to even with new shocks check ur tire pressure i lowered mine to 30psi and its better
but not great

 

Well, I don't run stock tires... With the BFG's I have I run 57 psi up front and 55 out back when the truck is unloaded and not towing anything.

That squeeking could be your U joints.

 

Interesting. Mine handles pot holes with HIGHER pressure not LOWER.

 

tire pressures, shocks, struts, ball joints, U-joints. all things that should be inspected. you may check your brakes for excessive dirt/dust as well.

 

I have a '02 Dakota that I recently replaced the tires on. I was getting uneven wear on the fronts (outsides of tires wearing sooner than the insides). Guys at the tire-shop said my ball-joints are shot. He showed me how much play was in them by grabbing the tire from top and bottom while it was jacked up and pushing the top/pulling the bottom and vice versa. There's quite a bit of play in mine, so next up is grabbing some new ball-joints. I think my upper ball joints are a recall item that I need to cash in on! Anyway, whenever I go over a steel draw-bridge, I get yanked all over the place and it's certainly because of my ball joints/alignment.

 

if its a 4x4 4x4's naturally have a stiffer suspension than say a front wheel drive or sumthing (i learned that when i test drove my dakota lol but yea.. ive driven two 4x4s one was a bronco II didnt like it my dakota rides better but when it came to bumps and stuff u can feel the stiffer suspension in the front end over what i felt in my accord.. i drove my accord the other day it was so weird one thing i didnt feel every bump and it sits pretty damn low..

 

I installed a set of helper springs in the rear and it handles soo much better now.