Don't do it!
First, I haven't found a manufacturer that makes cut-out flares for the
Dakota. The only flares I've found at all is the Bushwhacker set that mounts
to the existing wheel well opening.
Second, I've seen a Dakota that the owner had cut the openings up and used a
set of flares from a full size Ram. Though the rear looked good, the fronts
were hacked. The Ram doesn't have the same body lines and the Dakota, so
there were gaps where the owner use black silicone to fill them in. It
looked OK and did a good job on the rears. When I first saw the truck, I
walked up to it from the rear and looked at them first. It looked really
good and I instantly decided that I was going to do the same on mine. He
did have to remove the inner fenders though and had a piece of tar paper
mounted it there to make somewhat of a replacement. I would have used some
sort of rubber.
Then I walked up to the front, Yikes! When you remove the inner fender,
you only gain about 1/2" of an inch. then you have floorboard. To get the
flares to sit far enough back, he took a big hammer and pounded the
floorboards back another inch or two. The rear edge of the flare touched
the front edge of the door and the front extended far enough forward to
partially cover the corner lamp while leaving a rather sizeable gap on the
inside of the flare. It looked so hacked it immediately changed my mind.
You may have no choice then to do a 2" body kit. I suggest you do a kit
with Aluminum blocks rather than the Graphite. That will give you a bit
more strength.
Walter Felix
88½ Dakota Sport 4x4
WWW.WALT-N-INGRID.COM
-----Original Message-----
From: Killerdak@aol.com <Killerdak@aol.com>
To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net <dakota-truck@buffnet.net>
Date: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 11:23 PM
Subject: DML: Body lifts or fender trim for a GEN II Dak
>Ok, I've got a '96 4x4 Dak which I plan on lifting with the Trailmaster 4"
>supension lift in a few months...my goal (eventually) is a locked and
lifted
>rock-clearing trail machine, so I want to put 33" BFG MT's on there, no
>smaller.
>
>I'm thinking that to get 33's on without rubbing I'm either gonna have to
>trim out the fenders somewhat and edge off with aftermarket flares (my
>preference), or put a 1-2" body lift on top of the 4" suspension lift.
>
>I know Trailmaster makes a 3" body lift for Gen II Daks, but I don't want
to
>have that much, just 2" body lift max...(only if I must)...can I use 2"
>generic spacers, or do I need to use a kit specific to my truck? (I'm
>unfamiliar with the needed hardware) If so, are there other body lifts
>available?
>
>Or, has anyone actually put their Dak under the torch and opened up their
>fenders? The back ones look easy but the front end doesn't have too much
>space to play with...I'm really tempted to do this...! But then I've gotta
>find some nice flares to fit and cover up all the cut edges...
>
>Any opinions welcome...!
>
>____________________
>Dave Kilian
>Clayton, NC
>'96 Dakota CC Sport 4x4 3.9L 5-spd
>2" Rear spring lift, front T-bar crank, 30x9.50 BFG AT's, Brush guard w/
>Hellas, Tow hooks, Tool Box, Sunroof, Cobra 18 CB, 4' Firestik II, Alpine
>6-disc CD Changer/Head Unit/amp, JBL speakers, Rhode Gear bike mount, and a
>white dog named Jake in the passenger seat. 75,000+ miles.
>In progress: custom-welded rock rails!!!
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