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Thread: auto crossing the dakota this weekend

  1. #1

    Default auto crossing the dakota this weekend

    Ive been wanting to get the truck on a track and it looks like it going to happen! I autocrossed my srt4 once earlier this year and i have been itching to do it again. Ill post back hopefully with pics and video


    2.5 4cyl 5 speed turbo!

  2. #2

    y2krtaf's Avatar
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    Should be a blast!

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    grapejuice1998's Avatar
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    I love auto X!

    Alan Short
    D.R.T.C. #15


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    '98sprt's Avatar
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    I'm glad someone posted in this forum. Keep us posted on what setup is working well for you.
    1998 Dakota Sport
    Flame Red, RC 5.2 NV3500
    Gibson headers, 3" catback

  5. #5

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    Im hoping this thing will do good. It doesnt roll in corners at all and the turbo spools quick! My biggest concern is the open diff


    2.5 4cyl 5 speed turbo!

  6. #6

    98Dak408's Avatar
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    I bet it handles well with that small engine.

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    Remember, especially with a turbo 4, letting up on the throttle isn't necessarily letting off of the throttle. Left-foot-braking is a feature here. Keeping a little positive pressure on the throttle when slowing for a corner goes a long way towards keeping the turbo spinning for faster spool-up when you get back on the throttle. Additionally, rolling onto the throttle sooner than you think you should also helps.

    We used to autocross a Mustang SVO, and those tricks were key in keeping the run times low. That open diff is really going to hurt you, though. I'd try to get an R/T diff so you can enjoy the limited slip diff. When we autocrossed our R/T on street tires, it was fun to get the rear end to rotate under braking into a corner, get the truck pointed mostly in the corner exit direction, and then add power out of the corner early. We were problably the quickest ESP vehicle through the corners in our regional events.

    The real nice thing about the Dakota is all the tire you can stuff in the wheel wells. Good luck, I look forward to the even report!!
    Gene Beaird,
    98 FR CC R/T
    Pearland, Texas

  8. #8

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    Thanks alot for the tips! Never thought about brake boosting a little bit instead of letting completely off. I am on the hunt for a rear end when i get some $$$. I would really like to get a diff with 3.9 gears and LSD


    2.5 4cyl 5 speed turbo!

  9. #9
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    Well, listen for the tire spin. When that happens, you're not accelerating that well. Let up a bit or straighten the wheel a bit so you can get the spinning tire to quit spinning. Fun to watch, but not the fast way around the course.
    Gene Beaird,
    98 FR CC R/T
    Pearland, Texas

  10. #10

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    The dakota did awesome this weekend, 250 miles to a car show saturday then 150 to the auto cross and still laid down a better time than a most of my class. They put me in sms (street modified street tire) class I Was the only truck at the event. First run was a 46.912, second run 45.560, third and final run was 43.452. I beleive thefl fastest guy ran a 40 or 41 second lap and he was in a track prepped evo! Overall im very happy with my truck


    2.5 4cyl 5 speed turbo!

  11. #11

    Corey's Avatar
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    Very nice! Progressively lowering your times as the day goes on, shows for something. The old saying, "In order to go fast, you first must go slow" is so true of autocross. I use to do it back in the early 90's, then road raced an RX7 in 2000 and 2001. If and when you ever decide to do a track day, or move up to road racing, everything you learned going slow, will make sense going faster. Just please do not practice on the open or back roads.
    DRTC #1176

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    Nice going! We could do surprisingly well in our regional events in our mostly-stock R/T. The only mod we had were shorty headers, which put us into E Street Prepared. So, with our headers, AND stock OEM tires, we autocrossed it and did fairly well.

    At one event, we were getting ready to start the event. My wife overheard a couple of guys in our class who were co-driving a Mustang laughing about bringing a truck to an autocross. After our runs were done, and my wife had handed them their a$$e$, one of them came up and asked her now it was to autocross a truck.
    Gene Beaird,
    98 FR CC R/T
    Pearland, Texas

  13. #13

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    people were laughing when I pulled off the track after the last run because they couldnt believe they just got beat by a 4 cyl truck! Im pretty happy with how it handles only thing im looking into is better tires and a limited slip diff


    2.5 4cyl 5 speed turbo!

  14. #14

    JDreamR/T's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by turbodak2.5 View Post
    people were laughing when I pulled off the track after the last run because they couldnt believe they just got beat by a 4 cyl truck! Im pretty happy with how it handles only thing im looking into is better tires and a limited slip diff
    That's awesome man! Must be fun, I've always wanted to try AutoX, they have events all the time at Nassau Colosseum by me where the NY Islanders play (though now they're moving to Brooklyn, lol). Have you thought about upgrading your sways too? Grab some R/T bars while your at it, that is unless you have em already. Also, have any videos to show off?
    1999 R/T CC Flame Red (what's left of the paint)
    //SHAKER// 408 Forged // TKO600 5spd // Spintech-Mids // HiPoTek 106 LOPEYCAM // FRP Tuned //

  15. #15

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    yea it could use sways too. surprisingly it had very little body roll but that probably has something to do with it being so low lol i do have videos from the day but my laptop is ancient and has a hard time processing 1080p go pro videos haha


    2.5 4cyl 5 speed turbo!

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    nevr2fast01's Avatar
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    The truck has an r/t front sway.imo thats all that truck needs, it could use the rear sway though and an x brace
    1999 solar fire reboot
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    There's a rear sway bar sitting in a town northwest of Charlotte, NC. Not sure it would be worth the hassle of shipping though. Tim knows who to get ahold of.
    Andrew
    1999 IB RC R/T
    TKO600

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    Quote Originally Posted by sunike32 View Post
    There's a rear sway bar sitting in a town northwest of Charlotte, NC. Not sure it would be worth the hassle of shipping though. Tim knows who to get ahold of.
    But it's way too clean to use!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by ironsport1000 View Post
    But it's way too clean to use!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    That damn Canadian has left over RT parts. Lol
    Andrew
    1999 IB RC R/T
    TKO600

  20. #20
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    You're truck is probably low enough a sway bar won't help much, but I'd definitely grab one if you can find one. It can't hurt to have, to try to see if it will help. It'll help the truck rotate better in turns. Now it may be too much, and cause oversteer, but I'd certainly experiment with one. It would definitely come into play if you go with bigger/stickier tires.
    Gene Beaird,
    98 FR CC R/T
    Pearland, Texas

  21. #21
    Motorhead's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nevr2fast01 View Post
    ............................and an x brace
    X2.....you won't regret it.
    Your problem isn't the problem. Your reaction is the problem.

    http://www.dakotart.com/forum/image.php?type=sigpic&userid=14597&dateline=143749  2005

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