Quick answer to the original question is yes - the 3rd Gen 97-04 Daks and Durango's are actually pretty good machines, and the quad cabs came in in '00. Are they ideally built for
real off-roading? - no, of course not - nothing is off-the-shelf except maybe for a $70,000 Power Wagon or Jeep. So, like always, we blow a quarter to half that much and build our own
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As referenced above, I'm building an '02 QC Dakota - was a 360/auto with 3.92 gears - had a 2-5" lift and I added armor, winch, and rear locker, and I wheeled it for a couple years and loved it. The 360 was good - had good power but not great power, but better than a 318 and never get a 4.7-powered anything unless you plan to replace the engine with either another fresh 4.7 or swap to a 318/360/Hemi or big block or diesel. Front ends aren't the strongest but will hold up to pretty decent rock crawling on 33's.
I've since put an abnormally large amount of time and $ into it by doing a SAS/upgrade to tons and dropping in a 440 and 46rh, on 40's. A link to it was listed above. My build is not 'normal' (none of mine are) - I built it to be our primary 'everything' wheeling machine including overlanding. It got a ridonculous amount of extra fabrication in it, but it's what I wanted and I could do the work so I did.
Things to know about the 3rd Gen (97-04) Dakotas and Durango's.
- Wiring. If I were to do it all over again I'd have started with a 2000 because the wiring is much 'simpler'. Getting 'around' the computers and OBD2 tech is borderline nightmarish. The earlier trucks are much simpler with less computers controlling stuff.
- Transmission. The re series trannys require a computer to control all of it, with the sole exception being a full manual valve body and toggle switches for the OD and LU - not a bad option if you don't mind rowing through each and every gear change every single time. Swapping in an rh-series 2 or 3-pin trans (46rh from a ~90-95 Ram or Dakota) is a good way to go to avoid computers, tho the OD and LU still need to be on toggles. Mine is a 46rh from a 94 Dakota that had a 318, and I'm using an SMR adapter to bolt up to the big block.
- Front end. The smallish 8" front axles will be 'ok' for mild wheeling, but I wouldn't put much power to them. Also no lockers are available for the front 8" axle. I ran mine open with 33's and a rear locker and never had a problem, but I am pretty conservative on the throttle.
- Body's last nicely if not subject to coastal climates. Our 02 was literally 'rust free' - and being a Colorado vehicle all it's life is why.
My recommendation. Find a 00 (maybe 01) V8 (not 4.7) Dakota QC, and have at it. If you want to run bigger than 33" tires then do a SAS with 1-ton axles (recommend just going big and getting a D60 front and 14b or Sterling rear). If you want tires bigger than 35's you'll likely want more power, and if I were to do it all over again I'd either have put a 408 stroker kit in my 360 or dropped in a Cummins R2.8 and been done...but since I had the 440...
Here is my Dakota how I first found it, with the lift and 32's -
...aaaaand here it is mostly done on 40's next to its big brother 'Bud', a '74 Cummins Power Wagon M950 on rockwells and 46s -
my wife getting a bit of air time -
high-centered on Grizzly Pass
...and a glimpse of what it's likely gonna look like when all done and painted -
- Sam