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Dakota 4x4 Pickups Have the Same Glitch When Turning


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This actually pertains to two different Dakotas, a 1994 and a 1995, that both seem to have the same odd issue when turning. When they are in 2 wheel drive, they seem to turn smoothly even at full left or right lock, but when in 4hi, and even worse, in 4lo, they both tend to act like something is binding when you turn the wheel more than 3/4's of a turn. Both have good wheel bearings, axles dont seem to be binding, all the front end components are either new, or in very good shape. The 1995 has had a recent wheel alignment, but the the 1994 hasnt, and i know the right front wheel is a bit out of alignment, but i dont think it is enough to cause this issue.

 

Both trucks were recipients of a recent rebuild, the 1995 with a new frame, new wheel bearings, inner and outer tie rod ends, and pitman arm, hence it needing a major wheel alignment, and the 1994 had both inner tie rod ends, idler arm, left wheel bearing, right upper control arm, and both right ball joints replaced. I am at a loss, and so is the shop i had look at both trucks, as to why it would do this. Any ideas you guys have would be greatly appreciated.

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The symptom sounds like a front differential with a limited slip or for many 4x4s, simply the steering radius pull (caused by inside and outside wheel turning radii) in four-wheel drive. I'm taking it for granted that this symptom is on a sufficiently loose road surface.

Wheel alignment can help, as this symptom is often steering geometry related. I'd like to know the front end alignment results for the one truck (1995) to see what caster/camber and cross-caster look like. Steering axis inclination is often overlooked. When caster, camber and toe are correct and the SAI (steering axis inclination) is off, there is a bent spindle or knuckle in the case of an IFS like your Dakotas.

A simple toe set or even caster, camber and toe is not enough. You do need an SAI read to know how the knuckles and spindles line up. With unit bearing hubs, there's little "spindle" to consider other than bad unit bearings or a bent wheel hub flange. Issues are usually related to the knuckle.

Moses

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Moses, i dont have the results from when the alignment was done, but, being that it was done at my father in laws, and he is extremely picky about everything, if anything was bent, he would have found it and either told me, or replaced it before he let me have the truck back. He is a stickler about not cutting corners anytime he does anything, especially when he thinks it could relate to a safety issue. And, before anyone asks how an alignment can become a safety issue, here is how he explained it to me years ago. A bad alignment can cause a tire to wear unevenly, which can cause that tire to fail, which can then lead to an accident.

 

The only time i ever notice it happening, is usually out where we do logging at, which is all loose dirt, or mud, or gravel, and the only time i ever seem to need to use the 4 wheel drive. My big concern was that maybe something is binding somewhere, but, so far noone seems to think that is the case, as long as nothing is bent in the front steering. Both trucks do have limited slip in the front, at least according to the dealer, after having a vin trace done before i started any work on either one. I have a habit of going to the dealer and having them do an options list anytime i buy a vehicle, which they can usually get using the vin, so that i know ahead of time what my limits are as far as replacing parts and doing upgrades.

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Biggman...The issue is the limited slip.  Did not know front limited slip was available in these Dakota models.  If so, you likely need to add friction modifier if this is a Spicer/Dana TracLok (multi-plate friction clutch) design. 

 

A slightly binding limited slip will cause exactly the symptoms you describe.  The most glaring example of this is when I lock up the front of the XJ Cherokee with the ARB Locker and make a maneuver like you describe.  Without a large amount of traction loss/slip surface at one front wheel or the other, I would expect steering wheel "jacking" and a limited turning radius.

 

The only vehicle I've ever owned with a factory multi-plate clutch (automatic locker) limited slip was the 1985 Ford Bronco II we bought new.  In 4WD mode, it would jack the steering on anything other than a full-slip road surface like mud, and in that case, if the road was cambered, the front axle would spin both wheels, the rear would too with its matching limited slip, and you could expect the vehicle to slide sideways and stay at the bottom of the road edge.  I once did this on a safe and muddy stretch of road for 3/8ths of a mile.  The Bronco II kept moving forward yet did not climb off the bottom berm of this muddy clay road for that entire distance.  I used every trick in the book to get away from the berm edge, but the Bronco II was quite content to stay there.

 

If you have a multi-plate limited slip in the front, your symptoms are right on par for the course.  With the ARB Air Locker, I purposely align the vehicle straight before locking up and applying torque to the front axle in four-wheel-drive.  Realistically, I can count on one hand the number of times I've used the front locker.  The rear is a whole other thing, as the rear axle does not have steering or generate the two-angled wheel turning geometries and radii that occur at the front end.  Rear lock-up gets used far more often and effectively. 

 

Avoid applying heavy torque with the steering turned tightly in 4WD, this is very stressful to the front axle shaft joints and axle shafts.  As for the short steering angles symptom, confirm that you have a TracLok (I can look this up if you'd like) type front limited slip.  If so, add friction modifier and report back—the plates are sticking slightly.

 

Moses

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I have never even taken the cover off of one of these axles, so im not sure if it has clutches or not. I have, however, taken the cover off of a 1991 Dakota, and that has a sliding fork that is vacuum actuated, that when engaged locks the axles together, so maybe that is how they make them limited slip, except by hydraulic pressure in the 1992 to 1996 models. The pics i enclosed are of the 1991 axle and actuator.

post-40-0-24081300-1414988787_thumb.jpeg

post-40-0-93571400-1414988788_thumb.jpeg

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This actuator is like the Jeep YJ Wrangler and XJ Cherokee with a front axle shaft "disconnect" system.  The idea is to reduce frictional losses by "splitting" one axle shaft, which effectively stops the front driveline from rotating when in 2WD mode.  What this does, however, is speed up the differential pinions, as the connected axle shaft is still rotating the side gear and pinions in the differential.  The ring gear does not turn.  This is much like a vehicle with an open differential when an axle shaft breaks.

 

The differential can only be "open" with this system, as a limited slip would want to spin the differential case and ring gear.  For the later front diffs to be limited slip types, there could not be a disconnect system like the '91 had.  If the later models do not have a front axle shaft disconnect system, it's possible they could have a multi-plate clutch type limited slip.

 

I'm away from my library at the SEMA Show Las Vegas, but if you're curious, I can look up the 1994-95 Dakota front axles in the Mopar catalog of official parts when I get home.  I'll see whether there was a limited slip available on the Dodge Dakota 4x4 front axles in 1994-95.

 

Moses

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  • 2 weeks later...

Moses, im just curious mostly, but i was wondering if you could look up which axle the 92 to 96 Dakota has, whether it is limited slip, and what gear ratios are available. A friend wants to build a mud truck out of one, but he mostly wants it to play in an old field with, that his dad owns, and not for anything to use at any of the off road areas, so he wants to build it with what is available, without breaking the bank, so i told him i would see what i could find out. He is going to build it using a conglomeration of parts and pieces i have around here, before i get rid of what i no longer have use for.

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Biggman100...I have provided a PDF covering 1994-96 Dodge Dakota truck front axles.  Note that the Dakota 4x4 is the "N5" model designation for parts purposes.  There were three OE axle ratios available:  3.23, 3.55 and 3.90 for these front axle differentials.  As you can see from the axle differential and parts descriptions, there was no factory limited slip available.  Rear axle limited slip was available:

 

Front Differentials for 1994-96 Dodge Dakota Trucks.pdf

 

From a quick parts glance, the rear axles are 8.25" Chrysler and available as open differential or limited slip, looks like a multi-plate Trac-Lok.  If you have the 8.25" rear axle in your trucks, there is currently an 8.25" article at the magazine from when I rebuilt the XJ Cherokee axle and upgraded with an aftermarket ARB Air Locker.  You should recognize this axle:  http://www.4wdmechanix.com/Moses-Ludel-Rebuilds-the-Jeep-XJ-Cherokee-8.25-Chrysler-Axle.html.  See if it looks familiar. 

 

Available rear axle ratios in the Dodge Dakota N1 (2WD) and N5 (4x4) were 3.21, 3.55 and 3.90.  (Yes, the 3.21 is matched to the 3.23 front axle ratio.)  The Chrysler 8.25" has wide aftermarket coverage for ring-and-pinion and axle ratio changes and options.  (I did 4.10 and could have gone to 4.56 with aftermarket offerings.)  Your Dodge Dakota front axle, however, is a relatively small 7.25" ring gear Chrysler design.  Similar to the 8.25", the 7.25" may not have much aftermarket support for gear ratio changes unless the Dodge Dakota is more popular than I realize. 

 

Other than possible AWD car/van applications, this Chrysler 7.25" front axle could be a Dodge Dakota truck design only.  You can research the aftermarket ring-and-pinion offerings for the 7.25" front axle and let us know what's out there.  If lift kits and oversized tires were popular enough on the Dakota, there may be sources for other gearing options on the 7.25" N5 front axle.  Otherwise, you have the OE ratios, period. 

 

The XJ Cherokee with the 8.25" rear axle uses the common Wrangler/Cherokee Dana 30 front solid beam axle.  This does not interchange with your IFS front axle Dodge Dakota setup nor will Dana gears fit a Chrysler built axle.

 

Moses

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Moses, as always, thank you for the research and info. Using that, i found that that axle does only fit the 1987-1996 Dakota, and that there isnt much, if anything in the way of aftermarket parts for that axle. Noone i have found so far even stocks anything more than factory ring and pinion sets, bearings, seals, and not much else, and noone i have found so far makes a limited slip, or a locker set up for it. It seems that axle isnt very popular with the off road crowd, since i found more info on how to do a solid axle swap, than i did on even rebuilding that axle. I also found that it supposedly doesnt hold up well to much abuse, so we might be rethinking the mud truck idea.

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Since this is what the original post was about, i can add what we found out today. We think we may have found out what is causing the front end to bind. I watched on the 1995, with it in 4HI, in gear, while the wheels were being turned, and the axle moves on the mounts to what seems an excessive amount, so, i did the same check on the 1994, with the same result. The mounts for the front axle also double as the motor mounts, and they havent been replaced in either truck as far as i know. However, the mounts were replaced last year on the 1991, and, after checking it today, there doesnt seem to be any play in that front end, no matter if the truck is in 4LO, or 4HI, and, after a complete rebuild and frame swap on that truck, i dont ever remember any bind in the front at any time, so, i am going to pull the mounts from the 1991, and swap them into the 1994, and see if the bind goes away. The 1991 has become a parts truck, due to parts being one year only, and getting harder to find, and more expensive.

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