----- Original Message -----
From: Jay S. McMullan <jaymc@sisna.com>
To: Peanut <peanut3576@yahoo.com>
Cc: <preacher@carolina.rr.com>; <roloff@mail.northlink.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2000 8:05 AM
Subject: RE: I saw your web page
> Thanks for all the great comments on my Dakota. I had the 79 Ford Bronco
> suspension on my truck last summer and as you can tell by the photos, its
> pretty bulletproof. I had problems with the front diff on the Dakota, kept
> breaking them from the stuff we do. I had toyed with the idea of the
Bronco
> suspension until I finally broke the driver's side A frame and axle on the
> truck. Then I decided to go ahead with the conversion.
>
> The conversion was pretty simple. The Tuff Country lift was cut out of the
> front end with a torch. The Bronco front axle, shock mounts and radius arm
> brackets were welded to the frame. Superlift 6" springs were used in the
> front and did not need the radius arm brackets that Superlift recommends.
> The rear axle had to have the shock mounts welded on and then it was
bolted
> in with 4" blocks and a shackle over completed rear end. The front axle
was
> moved forward 1" to keep from having to trim the back of the front
fenders.
> I'm running some "tall" 33's and they do tend to still rub a little. I
would
> recommend going about two inches forward instead of just one. The front
> drive shaft had to be cut down just a bit, seems like it was about an inch
> or two, can't remember now for sure and the rear driveline worked as it is
> with a conversion U-joint going from the full size Dodge to the Ford. If
> anyone needs to know the name and number of the U-joint I can get it for
> them. New emergency brake cables had to be made for the width of the
axles.
> The place that did the work did some conversions on the tie rod too which
> stops any understeer or slop in the steering.
>
> I had a place called Advanced 4X4 here in Salt Lake City do the work but
> would not recommend them. What was supposed to have taken 10 days to 2
weeks
> to complete took all summer long, about 3 months. The cost was supposed to
> have been around $1500 and ended up costing $3000 plus the $500 I paid for
> the Bronco parts. I pulled the front axles and changed the u-joints there
> and did all that work too. So total cost was around $4000. Advanced 4X4
did
> a good job once it was all said and done but there is no telling how many
> times I was lied to in the process of having this all done.
>
> The truck handles like a dream. The ride is stiffer than the independant
> front suspension but I knew it would be and like it better. It corners
> better than it did with the 4" Tuff Country lift. I really don't think you
> could roll the truck by sliding sideways on the highway. Utah's Highway
> Patrol sure gave me fits until I put some fender flares and mudflaps on
the
> truck to comply with Utah law. One Highway Patrolman measured the truck
for
> about half an hour and finally told me I was probably right on the legal
> limit of 8" here in Utah. Actually I'm a little higher but when you look
all
> you see are the four inch blocks so its kind of hard for them to ticket me
> on that. The Highway Patrolman did comment that he had stopped a lot of
> vehicles going and coming to Moab and this is one of the best built he has
> ever seen.
>
> I have a lot of other photos I'll be putting on my website, just haven't
had
> time to get them on there yet. If any of you guys ever want to get down to
> Moab, call me and maybe we can hook up.
>
> Jay
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peanut [mailto:peanut3576@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2000 12:48 PM
> To: jaymc@sisna.com
> Subject: I saw your web page
>
>
> Hi there! I belong to an email list for Dakota
> Trucks.. one of our members saw your page and posted
> the address to the rest of the list. I went to your
> page and must say that I admire with what you and your
> truck have been through together! Anyway, I just
> wanted to give you kudos for the beautiful pictures
> and let you know that I am not the only one impressed.
>
> Jodi Lewis (aka Peanut)
> 98 Dakota Sport
> V6, 5 speed, TEAL!!
>
> P.S. In case you are interested, the email address for
> the Dakota Mailing List (DML) is:
>
> http://www.cs.fredonia.edu/~stei0302/WWW/DAKOTA/dakota.html
>
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