+ Reply to Thread
Page 3 of 7 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 ... LastLast
Results 51 to 75 of 161

Thread: Tubular Upper Control Arms Dakota '97-03

  1. #51
    BIGROB's Avatar
    I killed Goose

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Thibodaux, Louisiana
    Posts
    874

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 9t9-5.2 View Post
    WTF! Thank you for posting! Your post will not be visible until a moderator has approved it for posting.
    ???? Someone being an ass clown on Richard's post about a product everyone wants?

    Project Maverick. I feel the need, the need for speed

  2. #52

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    ???? Someone being an ass clown on Richard's post about a product everyone wants?
    I think he may have been confused with the moderated vendor page post not showing up until approved.

  3. #53
    9t9-5.2's Avatar
    Home School Valedictorian

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Central Iowa
    Posts
    1,307

    Default

    That post was in this Forum. It wasn't in the Vendor Forum.

    "Excuse me if I have some place in my mind, where I go time to time"

  4. #54

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    That post was in this Forum. It wasn't in the Vendor Forum.
    This is a vendor forum.

  5. #55
    nitroram33's Avatar
    CAUSEDODGEPATTERNBALDNESS

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Robbinsville, NC
    Posts
    912

    Default


  6. #56
    9t9-5.2's Avatar
    Home School Valedictorian

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Central Iowa
    Posts
    1,307

    Default

    What a dumb ass...

    "Excuse me if I have some place in my mind, where I go time to time"

  7. #57

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    What a dumb ass...
    No biggie!

  8. #58
    BIGROB's Avatar
    I killed Goose

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Thibodaux, Louisiana
    Posts
    874

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 9t9-5.2 View Post
    What a dumb ass...
    Yep, I'm a dumb ass I thought someone got blocked for saying something stupid. Good thing this is moderated.

    Project Maverick. I feel the need, the need for speed

  9. #59

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    Went to the local bone yard and picked up 2 upper control arms from a 1998 Dakota and the passenger's side from a 2000 Dakota. What a PITA with no power tools. Took about 4 hours with lots of cursing. This is probably the reason the alignment guys in the past could only get so close with the alignment specs and called what I got "good enough". LOL

  10. #60
    nitroram33's Avatar
    CAUSEDODGEPATTERNBALDNESS

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Robbinsville, NC
    Posts
    912

    Default

    They're even more of a pain when you've got shorties that hang over the nuts on the passenger side lol...

  11. #61

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    They're even more of a pain when you've got shorties that hang over the nuts on the passenger side lol...
    Yeah, the last time I had the R/T aligned the guy said he couldn't get to a bolt because the header was in the way. Now that I have it apart, I can see that the bushings are so bad that the control arm is cocked at a funky angle. No wonder he couldn't get the alignment better. (I'm a little surprised he didn't notice the bushings were so bad since he was fighting with it. )

  12. #62
    nitroram33's Avatar
    CAUSEDODGEPATTERNBALDNESS

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Robbinsville, NC
    Posts
    912

    Default

    I figured out I could get a socket on it by undoing the motor mount bolt on that side and raising the engine up a touch. Alignment shops aren't big fans of doing that though for some reason.

  13. #63

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    Found a problem area with the 00-04 passenger’s side offset pivot shaft. It won’t fit through the sleeve needed for the Energy Suspension OEM replacement polyurethane bushings. I’d rather not mess around with custom bushings and inner sleeves for limited sales potential if I can help it. I also like the idea of having available easy replacements if necessary. I do have an idea that may work so its off to the steel yard to pick up some supplies for further R&D.

  14. #64

    y2krtaf's Avatar
    Senior Member

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Phoenix, Az
    Posts
    3,472

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 98Dak408 View Post
    Found a problem area with the 00-04 passenger’s side offset pivot shaft. It won’t fit through the sleeve needed for the Energy Suspension OEM replacement polyurethane bushings. I’d rather not mess around with custom bushings and inner sleeves for limited sales potential if I can help it. I also like the idea of having available easy replacements if necessary. I do have an idea that may work so its off to the steel yard to pick up some supplies for further R&D.

    Dodge different...

  15. #65

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    This is about Plan F that I’m giving some thought to now. lol For the passenger’s side, the pivot shaft will fit through the outer sleeve at one end that is welded to the A-arm. Then a smaller sleeve that holds the bushing will fit through that once the shaft is in place. I’ll probably have to pin it with a set screw or two to keep it from turning at that point so it pivots at the actual bushing and bushing inner sleeve. If the fit is tighter it probably won’t need pinning but I have to figure that out yet.






  16. #66

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    I might even be able to knurl the bushing sleeve for a press fit inside the a-arm outer sleeve. This does complicate manufacturing though.

    Also, if the design permits, simply bolting everything up tight may lock it into place.
    Last edited by 98Dak408; 08-04-2018 at 06:50 PM.

  17. #67

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    Ordering a selection of universal poly bushings to see if that will make things less complicated.

  18. #68
    nitroram33's Avatar
    CAUSEDODGEPATTERNBALDNESS

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Robbinsville, NC
    Posts
    912

    Default

    Inner and outer sleeves is how Mitsubishi did the lowers on the 3G Eclipse, though they were pressed in. I know because when doing poly bushings you have to burn the bushing out then cut the inner sleeve before the polys can go in.

  19. #69

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    Ordering a selection of universal poly bushings to see if that will make things less complicated.
    Received a variety of universal bushings. All I can say is that was a waste of money.

  20. #70
    nitroram33's Avatar
    CAUSEDODGEPATTERNBALDNESS

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Robbinsville, NC
    Posts
    912

    Default

    :grouphug

  21. #71

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    Contacting various companies to see about casting a poly bushing to my own specs. I'm a little worried that they will want an initial order that is too expensive and optimistic of sales potential but I'll see what they say.

  22. #72

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    Contacting various companies to see about casting a poly bushing to my own specs. I'm a little worried that they will want an initial order that is too expensive and optimistic of sales potential but I'll see what they say.
    Surprised at how quickly I am getting some price quotes. However, the tooling charges and minimum quantity is more than I can recoup on potential sales so that is probably not going to happen.

  23. #73

    Corey's Avatar
    GPz550 Addict

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    San Lorenzo, CA
    Posts
    1,926

    Default

    Your efforts are appreciated, and you can't say you didn't try!
    DRTC #1176

    2000 Bright White CC (1/553)
    Dyno'ed 07/05/13 (126,000 Miles) 230 Hp / 308 Tq
    14.6 @ 93 mph (2.18 60 ft.), 4130 lbs.(1/2 tank gas)
    Truck Pictures --> http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v9...Clough/Dakota/

    1985 Kawasaki GPz550
    2003 SV650S (Race)
    1973 W100 Powerwagon


    Mater: I don’t need to know where I’m goin’, I just need to know where I been!

  24. #74




    slammedR/T's Avatar
    "Bleach Master"

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Jacksonville, FL.
    Posts
    3,910

    Default

    I'll dig through my receipts but I rebuilt my tubular upper control arms with new ball joints and bushings like in 2010 and they were a readily available urethane bushing.
    This signature has been deleted thanks to photobucket!

  25. #75

    98Dak408's Avatar
    Supporting Vendor

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Detroit Area, Michigan
    Posts
    2,972

    Default

    I'll dig through my receipts but I rebuilt my tubular upper control arms with new ball joints and bushings like in 2010 and they were a readily available urethane bushing.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 3 of 7 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may post new threads
  • You may post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •