DAKOTA AXLE

4" total!
from what I remember... its been so long!

Originally posted by 93blazer4dr



i work at dana making drive shafts so i can make a drive shaft any length thats one good thing about my job

could you make a custom smaller diameter two piece drive shaft?

97 kota, lay'n body with stock axle. no cut'n on this axle.

9" total cut axle (4.5" on each side). Body dropped 4.5" with 20x9.5" rims medium offset (kinda deep dish), with 45 series tires. Which be a 22" rim with 30 series tires if I decide to go with big hoops. Front on 18's with 45 series tires, not narrowed A-arms, used positive offset wheels. See pics and info on my page. Redrilled front and rear lug pattern also.

Narrowing your rear end depends on your wheel selection. And turning drive shafts is not the same as narrowing axles. The axle housing need to use a jig to section out the amount needed to be narrowed, and can't respline dakota axles, there is nothing to spline into the axles are like this ---\_____________/---- they taper in. Definately need to reorder new axles when narrowing. Also you can order your axles what ever lug pattern you want, just have your drums redrilled to the pattern you decide. If you stay with drum brakes?

To determine how much to narrow put on your new wheels, use some sort of straight edge and tape measure and determine how far the wheels need to be moved in.

what kinda shops do this type of work. i have been trying to find one in my town no luck. is it machine shops or what?

im having moser do mine u can find a machine shop to shorten the housing then order new shafts

Originally posted by incognito 1



im having moser do mine u can find a machine shop to shorten the housing then order new shafts

so you have to get each part done at a different shop?

no im having moser do it all shorten the housings and make new axles

did you send it off to them? How much does that cost?

Edited: 2/4/2007 11:28:09 AM by Nic

Some people are able to cut and narrow the housing on their own using some type of jig to make sure the cuts and welds back together are perfectly aligned and same on both sides as well as new axles to fit in correctly. Talk to hot rod/street rod shops and they should know exactly what is involved with narrowing. If you have an older axle might be smart to go ahead and replace bearings as well. I simply towed my axle into a local street rod shop and told em I need 4.5" out on each side with a 4.75" bolt pattern. Around $600 and a couple weeks later got my rear end back and fit in like a glove tucking my wheels HARD! After I got my rear end all done I measured from drum to drum for the heck of it and had an S-10 rear end laying around and turned out to be same measurement as an S-10 rear end! However I have a 9" rear end dakota. If you have an 8" rear end check your gear ratio and you might be better off (and cheaper) swapping for an S-10 rear end (better lug patter options) and have your drive shaft turned and Universal joint that'll fit. Talk to rod/street rod shops and if they don't know or don't narrow rear ends, ask who they know would. I got lucky and have a great rod shop that takes care of me, I pay alittle extra cash, but they know what they are doing and do a GREAT JOB!!!