Body Dropping a Dakota

Originally posted by downplz



chris forgot to mention one important thing...

keep a Fire Extinguisher around

oh man, you guys really know how to make a guy get over a house fire

Does Chuck Norris know how to put out fires? Or he starts them? hahaha

Body dropping a dakota is like doing any other vehicle. Well the same basic principle at least, drop the body down lower. Everything else is "more CHALLENGING" then normal. hahaha You didn't mention which way want to body drop? Stock floor or traditional?

Any body know the proper backspacing for rims(20s). For a dakota that will be body dropped maybe to the doors? Its not body dropped yet and i want to make sure i get the proper backspacing.

DO U HAVE TO Z THE FRAME IF U DO A TRADITIONAL I WUZ THINKING BOUT BUYING A CAB AND DOING A TRADITIONAL THEN JUST SWITCH EM AND LOWER THE FRONT FRAME HORNS SOUNDS EASY BUT STILL A LOT OF WORK

Backspacing on 20s to lay rocker/door on dakotas is... Far as I know there is no such animal. You have to narrow the A-arms, and narrow the hell outta the rear end. There might be someone out there that is barely getting by with a custom set of super high offset wheels, but as for railling at speed, nope.

As for Zing the frame. You don't "have to Z" the frame. But if you like a huge hole in your hood or a huge hood scoop then that's fine. But to save around an inch of room it's better to Z the frame on majority of trucks. Dodge is one of the worst trucks that needs Zing done to allow the true frame to lay flat with the front clip. If not then the front Xmember lays first and the frame is not laying out and you have the front bumper off the ground, front part of your door off the ground and the roll pan diggin in the dirt laid out. I call it the "ghetto lean". But when Zing on dakotas it's not "just the front clip you worry about". Your exhaust, fuel tank and a host of other items will now be in the payevment. Basically take a LOOOONG stick (broom handle will do) and slide it along your bottom frame, whatever it hits, is what will be needed to lift or remove, including your factory leaf spring hangers.

my rear is narrowed 4inched and my control arms are narrowed 1 1/2 i think it would be fine prolly the body drop is to much work for me and what do you do with the stering after the z and does your tranny move up with your engine

You will know after your body drop on your wheels tucking. And as for steering, some re-engineering, and tranny moving too, yes... Compensation by calculating and measuring new pinion angles.