Raising a Dodge?

Dakota · 03-07-2011, 07:12 AM

I'm very new to all of this & I'm wondering if it is possible to just put springs in my 2005 Dakota club cab 4x4 to raise it up a couple inches rather than an entire suspension kit or a body lift kit?

sarge · 03-07-2011, 10:13 AM

You can put helper springs in the rear , but you are IFS in the front. You either have to buy a very expensive lift or straight axle it for any great amounts of lift. You can do a torsion bar crank and gain a little or re-key the torsion bars. I'm not a big fan of body lifts , but if you only want enough lift to go up a tire size or two you could put a 2" BL with a Torsion Bar Crank and an add-a-leaf in the rear and be good for some mild wheeling ..... IMHO

I have an 89 Dakota , standard cab , long bed 4x4 . it has air shocks on the rear and the torsion bars have been cranked . I can clear 31's but my ride is kinda harsh.... but it's a parts chaser/beater so I really don't care about ride quality.

Dakota · 03-07-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarge

You can put helper springs in the rear , but you are IFS in the front. You either have to buy a very expensive lift or straight axle it for any great amounts of lift. You can do a torsion bar crank and gain a little or re-key the torsion bars. I'm not a big fan of body lifts , but if you only want enough lift to go up a tire size or two you could put a 2" BL with a Torsion Bar Crank and an add-a-leaf in the rear and be good for some mild wheeling ..... IMHO

I have an 89 Dakota , standard cab , long bed 4x4 . it has air shocks on the rear and the torsion bars have been cranked . I can clear 31's but my ride is kinda harsh.... but it's a parts chaser/beater so I really don't care about ride quality.

Thanks for the info. I'll get with my brother on this because he's a mechanic. Yeah I'm just looking to raise it a couple inches. How much do you think the helper springs & the torsion bar crank will lift it?

sarge · 03-07-2011, 01:05 PM

I would think you would get 1.5" - 2" out of that set.

leadsled01 · 03-09-2011, 02:41 PM

Are you sure the 2005 have torsion bar front suspension? I thought up to 2004 was torsion and 2005 went to struts. Anyways, I have a 2000 with torsion bars. I cranked mine up and added an add-a-leaf spring helpers on the rear and fit 31" tires just fine. If you have struts, I'm pretty sure someone makes a leveling kit which is just spacers that go on top of the struts.

sarge · 03-09-2011, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leadsled01

Are you sure the 2005 have torsion bar front suspension? I thought up to 2004 was torsion and 2005 went to struts. Anyways, I have a 2000 with torsion bars. I cranked mine up and added an add-a-leaf spring helpers on the rear and fit 31" tires just fine. If you have struts, I'm pretty sure someone makes a leveling kit which is just spacers that go on top of the struts.

oh ! hell, I don't know anything about the Dakotas other then I have an older beater that just a parts hauler. I do know that it's a torsion bars set up and it is really close to the GM S series style , if not the same and I'm very familiar with them ....... at least how to cut them out and straight axle them

03-07-2011, 07:12 AM	#1
Dakota Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 11	Raising a Dodge? I'm very new to all of this & I'm wondering if it is possible to just put springs in my 2005 Dakota club cab 4x4 to raise it up a couple inches rather than an entire suspension kit or a body lift kit?

03-07-2011, 10:13 AM	#2
sarge Pure Bacon Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Trenton, Oh Posts: 1,098	You can put helper springs in the rear , but you are IFS in the front. You either have to buy a very expensive lift or straight axle it for any great amounts of lift. You can do a torsion bar crank and gain a little or re-key the torsion bars. I'm not a big fan of body lifts , but if you only want enough lift to go up a tire size or two you could put a 2" BL with a Torsion Bar Crank and an add-a-leaf in the rear and be good for some mild wheeling ..... IMHO I have an 89 Dakota , standard cab , long bed 4x4 . it has air shocks on the rear and the torsion bars have been cranked . I can clear 31's but my ride is kinda harsh.... but it's a parts chaser/beater so I really don't care about ride quality.

03-07-2011, 01:05 PM	#4
sarge Pure Bacon Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Trenton, Oh Posts: 1,098	I would think you would get 1.5" - 2" out of that set.

03-09-2011, 02:41 PM	#5
leadsled01 Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 29	Are you sure the 2005 have torsion bar front suspension? I thought up to 2004 was torsion and 2005 went to struts. Anyways, I have a 2000 with torsion bars. I cranked mine up and added an add-a-leaf spring helpers on the rear and fit 31" tires just fine. If you have struts, I'm pretty sure someone makes a leveling kit which is just spacers that go on top of the struts.