Dakota subframe questions

I have a question about the 1st gen 1987 Dakota. I have one under my 1949 Dodge Wayfarer. Its not finished yet, I have a 440 going in it also. I sectioned the body and chopped the top, and C-notched the rear and have the lower bars for a triangulated 4 link setup done. I don't think the front ride height is low enough. I know I will be getting lowering spindles and airbags. Question is what is the stock ground clearance of the dakota front crossmember? If I know that, I can figure out the ride height with the dropped spindles. Thank you for the help.

I currently have the V6 out of my car with the Dakota frame (90 2 wheel drive), but were I to take a guess, I would think the bottom of the crossmember is pretty close to 6" off the ground with the 3.9. In a couple days I will have the motor back in (hopefully) and can give you real numbers. My Dakota FSM is in the shop as well.
Gene

I actually have the springs out of the car, and the ride height is perfect. But, I think you need springs to drive. With no springs, the cross member is about 2" off the ground.

Probably be a pretty rough ride without springs. Short springs usually give you a rough ride as well.

You could always do like everyone else and throw some air bags in place of the springs, then you could set the crossmember 2" off the ground when you park, and bring it up to a reasonable height when you want to actually drive it. The air bags would give you a soft ride as well.

I don't trust air bags, but that might just be my paranoia showing.. Gene

I got my car together this afternoon. The crossmember from a V6 truck is a full 8" off the ground. This is a standard cab, long box 90 Dakota frame under a 48 Plymouth coupe. The motor is shifted back 7", so I suspect that probably lifts the crossmember about an inch, and the frame is shortened a couple inches which may add a little more lift. Your 440 probably weighs in about 150 lbs more then a V6, so that could also lower the crossmember a couple more inches. Not much help, but at least some numbers. Gene

you already know there are 2 inch lowering spindles---there is also 2 inch lowering springs----when you add them together it is more than 2 inches.....

Thanks for the replies. I hope to get back in the garage today for a bit, and do some more measuring. The rear lower bars from the four link are on, and are level, but was thinking I could maybe lower them an inch with longer axle tabs. Need to put on a rear fender to get better measurements. I know I want airbags in the back, was thinking of them in the front too.

one thing to keep in mind is the "scrub line". in my opinion low stuff is cool, but if you will be catching suspension parts and brackets on street irregularities, the "coolness" factor becomes moot.as well as dangerous to you and others. i'm not trying to convince you in any way, but once you start ripping up mounts and having to re-do suspension points it becomes costly quick.

That's true. I plan on airbags, so I can lower it when it sits. I have 5 to 6 inches frame clearance, that should be good enough.

Many states used to have laws that required no part of the vehicle being lower than the lip of the rim. This was in the days that lowriders were going to destroy modern civilization. I bet they still do, though when's the last time anyone saw a trooper rolling under a car with a tape measure?

R.

Low is cool but not practical if you plan on driving much. My son and I built a rat rod that was low but we dented the oil pan on the first test drive. We ended up skid plating from the radiator to the transmission cross member. It would have been better to bag it but with open wheels I didn't like the look.

I am aware of scrub line issues and am no where near that, but needed an idea of height for the Dakota. It is a truck front suspension, and I'm second guessing the Dakota front end because I'm concerned about ride height. The body sits on top of the frame showing maybe 3-4 inches of frame. Maybe 6" of road clearance, and the car sits pretty high. Add the fact that it has been sectioned and chopped, the lean body looks too high. I won't be channeling it just to get a look. Oh well, will just have to lower it with bags when parked.

Don't they offer lowering springs and drop spindles for the Dakota? Or, just throw some off-road tires on it! :P