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Dakota Performance
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darcy
GenIII
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2/18/2003
21:35:44

Subject: Best 2/3 drop for drag racing
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Ok, I REALLY want to lower my truck 2 front and 3 back. I'm looking at everything and I keep finding things about each method/company that stops me from doing it... I had finally decided on Hotchkis, but now I've heard that they are more geared toward road/autocross racing because the springs are really firm and the weight transfer is no good for drag racing... Can anyone shed some light on this for me? I was thinking of just 2" springs and 3" leafs. I'm not even sure about the shocks... maybe Edelbrock? Also, I will be getting Cal-tracs... so that'll help a bit too... sorry for the long post, just want to make an educated choice. Thanks!

2002 Dakota Sport 4.7 V8 Club Cab

boettli
Dodge Dakota
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2/19/2003
15:00:01

RE: Best 2/3 drop for drag racing
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I have a 2001 Dakota Sport 4.7 V8 Club Cab. I bought it brand new and have done many mods including TPS adjust., Jet chip, TB spacer, Lakewood bars, IAT adjuster, Airaid intake, and most recently a full TVS from Hochkis including custom tuned bilsteins. TVS includes 2" front coils, 3" rear leafs, front and rear swaybars.
Truck has much better stance and corners like crazy, most noteable when taking on or off-ramps at double+ the posted speed. I have stock sport wheels, with 255/75/r15 Pirelli scorpion zeroes(the best tires you will find for the stocks).
My tires would squeel on a fast turn because of weight transfer. Now it is much more stable and no lost of grip, unless I get really crazy! I'm getting lightweight 18" wheels and new scorpions with my income tax return. For drag racing, traction is more important, 4.7l is very easy to spin, so I would shoot for some wide wheels and D.O.T. legal slicks for the rear.
I ordered every mod(except tires)from Truckperformance.com
I highly recommend them great service and lowest prices.



darcy
GenIII
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2/19/2003
18:29:17

RE: Best 2/3 drop for drag racing
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Thanks for the help, what I'm really after is just a good weight transfer for drag racing while dropping the truck down 2/3... I'll be getting the Cal-Tracs and 15x10 lightweight rims with some nice wide slicks so that will help with any wheelspin, I just need to know how I should go about lowering the truck...

2002 Dakota Sport 4.7 V8 Club Cab

Rod
Dodge Dakota
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2/19/2003
22:12:05

RE: Best 2/3 drop for drag racing
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i was told by my mechanic, who has a 10 sec 96 dak
with a 360, that 3" lowering blocks and new shocks are
the best for the rear, and that keeping the front shocks
stock is the best for the front. he explained that with the
rear slightly lower than the front... that the truck tries to
push forward and up, thus lifting the front end.
he runs 10's so he knows a thing or two



darcy
GenIII
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2/20/2003
01:34:20

RE: Best 2/3 drop for drag racing
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Rod, makes sense, but the stance would look funny... I want the truck to look nice on the street too... I wonder if new shocks all around, 3" lowering blocks and 2" drop front spring would be fine. Would you guys recommend 3" blocks in the back? I suppose if I get the Cal-tracs, then axle hop won't be an issue...

2002 Dakota Sport 4.7 V8 Club Cab

HSKR
Dodge Dakota
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2/20/2003
02:08:41

RE: Best 2/3 drop for drag racing
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Since you plan on getting Caltracs, you can also contact Calvert racing(people who make Caltracs) and ask them about heir new rear leafs for the Dakota. They are drag racing mono leafs springs which is exactly what it sounds like you want.
www.calvertracing.com



.alex.
Dodge Dakota
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2/20/2003
09:49:37

RE: Best 2/3 drop for drag racing
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What you need to do is contact Western Chassis and inquire about shackle hangers for the rear. These are replacements for the leaf spring hangers on the frame that will allow you to keep the stock factory leafs and yet get a nice 3" rear drop. Then I would remove the "helper" leaf at the bottom of each spring pack. Then install your Cal-Tracs.

For the front, there's no reason not to just use the Hotchkis coils and Hotckis-valved Bilstein shocks. In the rear, go get some squishy Monroe shocks that are the right length for your newly lowered application, but will still allow the Cal-Tracs to work.



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