While researching today, I ran across this at Allpar.
I don't know enough about lift kits for these to say if there is a GOOD one out there, but this says the cheap/quick method is not good for this guy.
http://www.allpar.com/trucks/dakota-1997.htmlLift kits
Suspension engineer Bob Sheaves wrote:
Look at how people lift Dakotas (I am speaking specifically of the 1997 to 2004 here) with $130 torsion bar keys and rear spacer blocks. If all you want to do is fit 33 inch tall tires, fine. It is cheap and will do just that...
...as well as destroy halfshaft joints, cause vibration in the driveline, potentially have contact between front headpipe and front driveshaft.....
“Sweating the details” is what causes the costs that many people don't want to pay for. Few will care too much about all that “excess cost”...until parts start to fail due to ignorance of systems integration.
Also consider — the larger diameter tire increases the force moment arm acting on the brakes, causing longer stopping distances.
