tv_larsen's 2001 Dakota Quad Cab 1-ton crawler

Owners Name & City-
tv_larsen - Logan, Utah​

Make, Model & Year of Vehicle-
2001 Dodge Dakota Sport Quad Cab​

Engine-
5.9L Magnum V8​

Transmission-
46RE​

T-Case-
Box4Rocks 231/231 Doubler with an Advance Adapters SYE​

Axles-
Front - Dana 60 kingpin high pinion with 5.38 gears, an ARB, Yukon 35 spline inners and outers, Yukon Hardcore hubs, and a Rock Crusher diffcover.​
Rear - Sterling 10.25" with 5.38 gears, a Detroit Locker, and a Ruff Stuff diff cover.​

Suspension-
Front - Skyjacker 4" GM 48" front leaf springs.​
Rear - 57" 2wd Ford F150 leaf springs, spring over, no blocks.​

Wheels and Tires-
H2 aluminum 17" wheels, 37x12.50x17 BFG KM3 tires.​

Winch-
Vintage Warn 8274 with 100' of 3/8" synthetic rope.​

Favorite Trails-
Hell's Revenge, Fins-N-Things, Kane Creek, Rusty Nail, Golden Spike, Providence Canyon.​

Other-
JB Fab billet transfercase shifters, Tom Woods driveshafts, home made bumpers and rock sliders, York OBA system, Ruff Stuff drag link and tierod, 1.5" Redneck Ram hydro assist.​


This is my 2001 Dakota Quad Cab. I bought it from RME member cruiserhead81. He had already completed the 1-ton solid axle swap with the GM front springs, he also installed 37" wheels and tires, and trimmed the fenders so they would fit. The SAS required a large portion of the frame rails to be cut out and replaced where the original 2wd front suspension mounted. For a steering box he used one from a Scout II.

The truck ran and drove great. But since it started life as a 2wd truck it had no transfercase. First, I bought a used 4wd 42RE trasmission and installed the 4wd tailhousing parts onto the stock 42RE transmission. I installed a Box4Rocks kit into a NP231 from a '96 Ram 1500 and upgraded it to a 6-pinion planetary. I used an NP231 from a '01 Ram 1500 for the rear transfercase with an Advanced Adapters slip yoke eliminator, a used 6-pinion planetary, and long input shaft from a TJ. When I assembled the cases together I clocked the rear case up 12 degrees. Total gear crawl ratio is 109:1 (not counting the torque converter).

The rear driveshaft is a 1410/1410, and the front driveshaft is a 1350/1310, both are from Tom Wood's.

For transfercase shifters I used JB Fab's billet twin stick cable shifters. They had a pre-made cable bracket for the front transfercase, but I had to fab my own for the rear case.

Next I had Thunder Mountain in Logan install a set of 5.38 gears in both axles, the front got an ARB and the rear got a Detroit Locker. The rear axle used a long pinion gear-set, and got upgraded to Dana 70 ring gear bolts and a crush sleeve eliminator. Later I installed Yukon 35 spline 4340 inner and outer axle shafts in the front axle with Yukon 35 spline Hardcore hubs.

I rebuilt an old Warn 8274 winch that I had bought from RME member TheSpecialist. I installed 100' of synthetic rope with a Factor 55 thimble. I don't think anyone makes a winch bumper for a Dakota with an 8274 so I built my own. It has a 1/4" thick plate center section, and the tubing is 1.75"x.095 HREW. For recovery shackles I used a pair from a 2.5 ton military truck. Then I built a matching rear bumper, also with military recovery shackles.

The truck's maiden voyage was the 2015 EJS. The truck did fantastic. The only problem was the old front leaf spring bushings gave out and the leaves sagged. I replaced them with Tuff Country 2" lift EZ ride springs, when they sagged I replaced them with Skyjacker 4" springs.

It has a OBA system with a 5 gallon tank and a York AC compressor. Compressor brackets are from Jungle on ramchargercentral.

In 2017 I bought a 2002 Durango donor and converted the Dakota from a 3.9L V6/42RE to a 5.9L V8/46RE.

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Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
I was glad this stayed in the RME family and really happy that you got it and posted this! I really like that truck, glad to see it's getting used like it was built for!
 

tv_larsen

Well-Known Member
Location
Logan, Utah
Thanks.

Top of the World on Big Saturday was it's first trail. On that first run, just before the last long steep climb to the top, the trail official mid-gunner (in a fullsize Ramcharger) broke and I ended up pulling him the rest of the way to the top. He was able to drive most of the rest of the way out using front wheel drive.

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tv_larsen

Well-Known Member
Location
Logan, Utah
:busted: Yeah, that rear bumper is not in the correct shape or the correct position anymore, I'll fab a new one to match the front bumper. :rofl:
 

tv_larsen

Well-Known Member
Location
Logan, Utah
I bought a 2002 Durango donor and swapped its 5.9L Magnum and 46RE into my Dakota (to replace the 3.9L V6). The Durango ran great, and the compression test was very good. After teardown I could still see crosshatch in every cylinder. I installed all new gaskets and seals, a Comp Cams double roller timing set, Melling High Volume oil pump, Hughes Engines aluminum plenum plate, and new water pump, fan clutch, belts, hoses, pulleys, cap, rotor, plugs, plug wires, etc. I used the Durango engine harness and had to add the AC low pressure switch wiring from the Dakota harness. I sent the Durango PCM to B&G Performance in Virginia to reflash it to work on my Dakota.

I love this upgrade, the truck is so much fun to drive now. :thumbs:
 

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tv_larsen

Well-Known Member
Location
Logan, Utah
Sweet upgrade!
Thanks, it turned out great.

That truck needed a V8, nicely done!
Yes it did, and thanks.

Every vehicle I've ever owned had a V8 (except for my '98 Cummins) so driving the lethargic 3.9L V6 was sometimes painful. Now it feels like a "real" vehicle I could drive everyday. I'm very happy with it, but I'm still looking at the Edge tuner that promises 46.9 more HP. :rofl:
 

balfred

Member
Location
West Jordan
I actually had a tuner from them for my old Dakota and I loved the way it drove after! Not what they promised for sure but it drove so much better. Totally worth it

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 

tv_larsen

Well-Known Member
Location
Logan, Utah
I actually had a tuner from them for my old Dakota and I loved the way it drove after! Not what they promised for sure but it drove so much better. Totally worth it

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
I never believe they get the full power increase they claim, but it's interesting that they only claim ~20hp increase on the 3.9L and 4.7L but they claim +47hp on the 5.9L. Either way, thanks for the feed back. :cool:
 

tv_larsen

Well-Known Member
Location
Logan, Utah
Recent pics
 

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