How To Adjust Front End Ride Height - Dodge Durango 4x4 (’98-’03) & Dodge Dakota 4x4 (’97-’04)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ก.พ. 2016
- This video is a step by step guide on how to measure & adjust the front end ride height on an ‘03 Dodge Durango 4x4 to factory specs. This video applies to all Dodge Durango 4x4s between 1998 & 2003, as well as Dodge Dakota 4x4s between 1997 & 2004, regardless of the rim & tire combo installed. This video only applies to the 4x4 variants of these trucks. It does not apply to the 2x4 variants since the front suspension is significantly different. 4x4s use Torsion Bars & Torsion Keys, which are adjustable. While 2x4s use springs, which are not adjustable.
This is a very basic & simple job that can be done in about a half hour in your driveway, even if you take your time, with a tape measure, wrench and a calculator. An alignment will be needed after preforming this adjustment. This measurement & adjustment should be done if you suspect your front suspension is sagging (which does happens with age), before a standard alignment, or you have removed and reinstalled one of the front control arms, torsion bars or torsion keys. It does not need to be performed if you simply replaced the front shock absorbers since they do not effect the ride height.
The information in this video can also be used to lift or lower the front suspension. Raising or lowering your front suspension out of factory spec will effect your trucks handing. Do it at your own risk.
My "''03 Dodge Durango 4.7L Repair & Maintenance" Playlist:
• '03 Dodge Durango 4.7L...
The information in this video is for educational purposes only. Pet Rock assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use the information in this video at your own risk. Pet Rock recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Pet Rock. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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How can anyone give a thumbs down on this video? Excellent video, warning and instructions can't ask for more and 100% accurate.
And if you have a problem with adding and subtracting get a calculator
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it. I couldn't agree more on the calculator part.
Fernando Faraldo lol does this guy think we are stupid or what lol
aftrthebeep, huh? Are you referencing the comment you deleted/changed a few minutes ago when you said "How does 14.25-10.625 ever equal 3.625 lol"? If so, then you might want to follow Fernando Faraldo's suggestion and get a calculator. In addition, I'd suggest stopping by your local elementary schools math department for a refresher course in adding/subtracting decimals & fractions. Just sayin'...
This is probably the most helpful video I've ran across. My Dakota had some camber issues and this fixed it right up. I know it's 2019 now, but thanks for making this. It was extremely helpful.
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
@@petrocksgarage That worked perfect. I managed to bring up my front end by about 3 inches. The bars were so weak and there wasn't any rubber stops anymore. But I got it back up to stock height and new stops. This helped out more than you know. I appreciate it.
@@DontDodgeIt...RamIt...Dammit., that's great! I'm glad it worked out.
thanks for the video!! i just got my dakota back up to where she needs to be! pretty common sense stuff after its explained.. great job! my truck drives like a truck again instead of a Lincoln town car..
Thats great! I'm glad my video helped you out. Thanks for watching & commenting. I appreciate it.
I'm getting my Durango tomorrow. I'm going to use this method. Just subscribed too. Great video
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it. Congrats on the new (to you) Durango.
Great Pat! We need more Durango videos of this 1 generation
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it. I have a number of vids recorded for this truck, my bike & wife's mustang but little time to edit them. Still have the truck too and it's still running strong.
I'll have to go check for this on my 2000 4x4 Dakota .. thanks I've learn something today ..
Glad to be of service.
Same deal for me! Thank you for this video!
thank you, im lifting my 02 durango and this is very helpful
Glad to be of service. Good luck.
thanks for the info! I just picked up an 02 Durango, and it appears that it has been lifted. (too high to get in for an old man, and has multi- position shackled on rear leafs. Haven't measured yet, but now I can!) Now I can get it where it belongs. Great detail and teaching
Good luck and enjoy the new (to you) ride!
I just got one..and this was amazing. Thank you
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Thanks again for the video! I just installed the new bump stops (after watching your video on that) and noticed they are practically resting on the lower control arm like yours. I'll be raising it up and head to get the alignment done! I'll probably use a calculator...Just to be safe! Lol🤣
Thanks a lot. I'm glad my videos are helping you out. I couldn't do that math in my head either. No shame in using a calculator.
1 full turn = about 1/4 inch of lift on my 03 Dakota. i leveled it out with the rear this way. it looks great now. Don't forget to align it!
Glad to hear my video helped you out. Yes, definitely get the truck aligned after. Especially camber & caster (which some shops don't do on 4x4 trucks due to laziness IMO).
You rock. Thats all great info and im a numbers guy so i appreciate the info and it makes sense to me
Thanks a lot. I'm glad my video helped you out and that it made sense.
Great video thanks for posting.
No problem. Glad to be of service.
Thanks. Great explanation.
No problem. Glad to be of service.
Vid was mad helpful about to t/s lift my 02
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it. Don't lift it too far otherwise you can put your ball joints into a bind and cause premature failure. Good luck.
Copy thanks for that man appreciate it
@@leroyjenkins5345, no problem.
Awesome video!!! Very helpful! I just replaced both lower control arms. Previous owner had tge ride height maxed out. Now I can set it properly.
I have a question though. I had to remove the sway bar from the front end, for the life of me I cannot get the main mounts for the sway bar to line up again. Any tips?
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it. It might be easier to get the sway bar back on with _both_ wheels off the ground. I typically bolt up the center mounts and then the outsides. Hope that helps. Good luck.
Well done. Does this apply to all bump stops and torsion bar setups. So the bump stops should not touch the control arm ?
+Steve Rob, yeah the bump stops shouldn't touch the lower control arm when at rest with a spring or torsion bar setup. If they do, when you hit a bump, the control arm won't move. This causes the lower control arm & lower ball joint to take all of the force which is a bad thing. On some vehicles, if the lower ball joint points up, if you hit a big enough bump you could cause the ball joint to separate. On this truck the ball joint points down, so the force would go into the ball joint and potentially create a flat spot, but the brunt of the force would be absorbed by the lower control arm (potentially for bending) and the frame. Either way, its not a fun ride.
steve rob beat me again...so did you do the adjustment after you put the new stop on? that 2.9 spec is a universal spec or are they specific for make and model? thanks
+RICKAFIX, yeah, steve is pretty quick on the draw. I did the adjustment after replacing the bump stops. The old bump stops didn’t come in contact with the lower control arms because they were squished. When I replaced the bump stops it became painfully obvious my suspension had sagged. The 2.9 spec is from the factory service manual. Its specific to Durango’s and Dakotas of the '98-’03/'97-’04 vintage. Different trucks will likely have different specs due to different suspension geometry.
Just bought an '03 Dakota, will definitely keep this in mind for when its getting the suspension redone.
Congrats on the new (to you) ride!
Thank you for this awesome video. I am troubled by one thing though... my 2004 factory service manual for 4WD Dakota says the delta should be 1.85 inches +/-0.118 inches vice the 2.9 inches +/- 0.125 you use in the video. The manual is telling me to subtract the distance to the bolt from the distance to the wheel center. Why would my manual be different?
The numbers I used were from my factory service manual for my year/model truck. I'm not sure why there is a difference. Your truck uses the same upper & lower control arms as my truck, so I would expect the suspension geometry to be the same. Maybe there is a difference in the frame or it is using different points to measure from? I'm not sure. Either way, your manual is not a Chiltons or Haynes type manual (which are crap, IMO), and it's really a factory service manual from Dodge, then I would use the numbers listed in your manual. Hope that helps.
Very good instruction. New sub, Steve Rob sent me
+Rusty “rustyglovebox” Glovebox, thanks a lot I appreciate it.
i have an '04 4x4 Dakota. id like to lower the whole truck about 2-3 inches. i dont go off road, i only need the 4x4 if it snows on my way to work. can this be done without screwing up the entire ride?
what about with lowering keys? ive found some that appear to be good quality (i dont know for sure) but i obviously dont want to wreck the ball joints or any other component
I've never lowered this truck, so I'm not sure how much the truck can be lowered with the stock keys alone. But it will reduce the suspension travel, so be careful not to lower it too far or the lower control arm will be riding on the bump stops and can cause major issues. I'm not sure how lowering keys would prevent that though. I know plenty of people on the interweb and Dad & D forums have lowered their trucks. I'd look there. Good luck.
Thank you sir
You're welcome.
what is the max i can raise the front before having front end issues? and will i need new/longer torsion keys? I’d like to raise the truck just a tad bit, but not at the expense of front end parts.
I'm not entirely sure. I keep my truck at stock ride height. Some people do put in torsion keys to get some added lift, but the limiting factor is the control arms. If you lift it too much you significantly reduce the amount of control arm downward travel which effects the ride & handling. But to each his/her own.
This is a very great video so to lower you will turn the bolt.. away from you? I’m sorry my head works in odd ways and I can’t ever keep them straight
I'm not really sure what you mean by turning the bolt "away from you". That can be construed in a bunch of different ways. Either way, you turn it clockwise to raise the truck up and counter-clockwise to lower the truck down. Hope that helps.
Thank you that does help some I just couldn’t figure out how to word it but the video was awesome thank you for that
No problem. Glad to be of service. Just keep in mind the old phrase to help remember which direction to turn a volt: "Righty tighty. Lefty loosey."
Just jack up the front end before you turn the torsion bar bolts…why fight the weight of the vehicle? Just did it. Easy.
Yes, letting the front end hang down will make turning the adjuster bolt a lot easier. However, it will increase the time to do the job because you'll have to raise & lower the vehicle for every adjustment/measurement you make. I didn't find it too difficult to turn the bolt with a breaker bar, but your milage may vary depending on how rusted the bolt is.
I have a 2 wheel drive Dodge Ram that sags down on the front driver side. what is the term used for the adjustment so I can research on how to adjust my height?
The ride height on the 2 wheel drive trucks is controlled by the springs. They aren't really adjustable. I would inspect the springs and see if one is damaged/broken/rusted out. Also check the rubber dampening pads on either end of the spring to see if they are still there or rotting out. If that all checks out then the spring may just be worn out. It happens with age. Good luck.
Can I just measure the gap from top of the wheel to bottom edge of wheel well and even them up? I'm doing that very thing today.
No, that isn't accurate. Body panels are not guaranteed to be symmetrical, nor is tire tread depth. If you ever tapped something with your front bumper, for example, it could 'move' the fender. Fenders have elongated holes for the bolts to go through to give the installer some wiggle room which makes it virtually impossible to position them identically. You need to use measuring points that are unaffected by fender benders, install techniques, tire side or tread wear.
I lifted my truck months ago then did ball joints slacked off on getting alliement gonna do this tommorow then get alignment im bad with numbers though
Hope it went well. The math isn't that hard and calculators are allowed. :-)
Great video! I’m about to level the front end with aftermarket 3” lift keys. You say decrease to raise the front end... so 2.9” - 3”? Just wanted to verify, thanks!
I'm not really sure what you are asking. Are you asking which direction you turn the bolt to raise/lower the front end?
Pet Rock's Garage “if you want to inexpensively lift or lower the front end, simply change 2.9” to whatever value you want. Decrease it to raise the front end...”
I’m trying to factor in the value I’m looking for if I add 3” lift torsion keys. Am I adding 3” to the 2.9” or subtracting it? I’m sorry buddy, I’m just trying to wrap my mind around the math. I haven’t gotten a chance to check mine to see if they are level (that’s where I’ll start for practice before pulling the stock keys off). If this makes no sense, it’s all good, I’ll figure it out. Very informative video though and we all appreciate it.
@@Cpennington57, that's for clarifying. If you change 2.9" to 2.5" it will raise up the front end. That is what I was saying. I'm honestly not entirely sure how 3" lift keys would effect the calculations. I have never installed them or worked on a truck with them before. My guess would be that since the key is supposed to raise the truck up 3" that you should use -0.1" (i.e. 2.9" - 3.0" = -0.1"). Either way, you want to make the measurements on either side to be as close as possible so you know the truck is riding level. Good luck.
Pet Rock's Garage that’s the same value I got as well, I get it now. I’ll let you know if that turns out to be the case or what the end value is if it’s different. I’ll be installing in the next couple weeks.
OK so I just installed a lower control arm for the passenger side and when I let my Jack down so did the whole rite side of the front end and it wasn't like that with the old control arm what do u think it could b I have a 98 Durango 4x4
It sounds like it needs the height adjusted via the torsion bar bolt. Take the measurements like I show in this video and see if they are correct. My guess is that it's way off. Then adjust the height how I show in the video., Good luck.
well done,
Thanks...
So this is what Ave used to do. 👍
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Great detailed explanation. But what causes a Durango to start sagging ?
Mine has a good lean and I can see that it hit the bumpstops. How does this happen though?
The Torsion Bars are the 'spring' that keeps the truck up in the air. Springs don't last forever. So the sag is caused by the torsion bar losing some of it springy-ness over time & use. At least with a torsion bar you can adjust it to account for this. If it was a regular spring you would have to replace the spring which can be a big P.I.T.A.
You should also check out your control arm bushings though. They also effect ride height if they are worn out. They are rubber and also don't last forever. If they are cracked a lot or favoring one side over another, then they should probably be replaced. I replaced mine with polyurethane bushings about 8 years ago and couldn't be happier.
@@petrocksgarage thanks for the reply. Very useful for me. control Arm bushings, hard to replace? I already have new bumpstops for installation here very soon. thanks for all your advise!!
@@deutsch2k5, in theory control arm bushings aren't difficult. In practice, however, they can be a pain in the butt. It took me 3 or 4 hours per side to get mine done, but I was also taking my time. There is a lot of stuff to take apart and some non-standard tools to get the control arms out and the bushings are glued in, so you have to heat them up with a torch to melt the glue to get them out. Or you could replace the control arms completely, which come with new rubber bushings, but that gets expensive. So only replace them if your bushing are actually bad. If you do, I'd advise getting the Factory Service Manual for your year/model truck to get the steps to take everything apart and the torch specs to put it back together. You can order them from your local Dodge dealer. Chiltons & Haynes manuals won't cut it. They are just Cliffs Notes in my opinion. Good luck.
When making a semi hard right or left turn in My 2005 Durango the wheels kinda stick or lock up on the front end.
Is this the results (ride height) of this problem?
Asking for myself!
Heeelllp!
Do you mean that the tires stop spinning when you make these turns? Or that the steering wheel won't spin in either direction once you make one of these turns? Both sound pretty dangerous. I doubt its a ride height problem unless the tires are coming into contact with the inner fender. Its hard to say what the problem is without looking at the vehicle. Best to jack it up and climb underneath and have a look. Good luck.
How do you get the correct height in the middle hub what if one side tire is lower or more flatter
Each side is independent of the other. Measure it with some kind of T-square or Carpenter Square like I show in the video.
Tire inflation doesn’t really matter. The measurements & math I show in the video will produce the distance between the center of the lower control arm bolt and the center of the wheel hub, regardless of wheel diameter or tire size/inflation. Hope that makes sense.
What if my 2003 Durango 4x4 has leaf springs in the rear and no lower control arm bolt to measure from?
Leaf springs on the back is normal. However, I'm not sure how you can't have lower control arm bolt. Even if it was a 2x4 it would have a lower control arm & a bolt to mount it to the frame.
So this also works if you want to lift your Durango for more clearance without doing a lift kit?
Yeah, it can be used to lift the front end up a little. Its not a proper lift though because it puts excessive stress on the ball joints if you lift it too high. Good luck...
@5.10.... correction: a 15/16" or 24mm socket. Not 5/16"
Yeah, you are right. Good catch. I even messed it up in the transcription too. Everyone has moments of genius and stupidity. Guess we know which one I had here. 🤓
Thinking about raising my 99 Durango a little to fit some 33" tires. Then you mentioned the distance between the control arm and the bumper, so out of curiosity, I went to go check the distance on mine just to see if it's lower than it should be... Low and behold, it seems my bumpers decided to take a vacation because they are no where to be found.... Just the empty holes they would occupy. -.-;
lol... Yeah, that happens. They can disintegrate over time and disappear depending on the weather in your area and what's used on the roads in the winter. They are just rubber and are put under a lot of pressure when the suspension compresses. Replacing the bump stops is extremely easy though. I have a video covering how to do it: th-cam.com/video/-aGMvq0YHcc/w-d-xo.html. Hope that helps. Good luck.
@@petrocksgarage thank you. After looking at hollow cavity, it looked fairly simple to install new ones, and they are fairly cheap to get. Gonna knock those out Thursday while I install some inch and a half spacers. Replaced the wheels with some 18x9.5 rims, and the tires on there now(used temporary) are 31", so there is some rubbing. Which is also why I need to raise the front a bit.
@@deimosadrastos6172, yeah, its surprisingly simple. The tire/rim combo sounds interesting. Don't raise the front too much via the torsion bar keys otherwise you can put the suspension in a bind and your ball joints & outer tie rods may wear out faster then expected. Good luck.
I have a 02 Durango that I'm gonna attempt this with. Can this technique work on a 07 Liberty?
I had a alignment done after doing a complete front suspension revision and mentioned that the ride height probably needed some adjusting with the torsion bar and key setup. They finished up and said it was good but riding home taking tight corners the lower control arm shaved a good 1/4 inch off the inside of the wheels as it was still sitting too low and even riding on the bump stops. Was it too much to expect them to get that right? I assume they would have needed to measure ride height while it was on the floor maybe they didn't think of it and checked while it was on the lift
Some alignment shops are better than others. Most I have dealt with don't touch the ride height. Its anyones guess what went wrong, but I would bring it back and ask them to fix it correctly. Or you could adjust it yourself and have them or another shop re-align it. The control arms should not be riding on the bump stops. Good luck.
@@petrocksgarage thanks
@@7Supernova7. No problem. Good luck.
@@petrocksgarage I just browsed your channel and noticed I've watched a couple of your videos in the past. Are you taking a brake? Saw you haven't uploaded recently
@@7Supernova7, no. I'm not taking a break. I am just extremely busy. I record the work I do on my personal vehicles, so I have a bunch of videos recorded. However, I don't have time to edit them. 3+ hours per video. TH-cam is a hobby for me.
I lifted my dakota 3ins and put after market keys in bumpstop is farther away is that normal do to lift , and the ride quality is pretty crap just wondering
Yes & yes.
Nice video but my question when I did the math , the number are different
What numbers did you get and for which equation?
I removed the torsion bar and key without recording how many turns and such cause I did a whole suspension overhaul on my durango now that everything was installed I lowered it from the jack stands and the front went completely low. Anyway to fix this? I had to raise it onto jack stands again.
Its hard to say what is wrong without seeing what changes to the suspension you made. The torsion bar & key combo are the spring that hold up the truck. So if the truck is too low then the problem is between the key, bar & lower control arm. I'd start by inspecting the key & its position relative to the lower control arm. Maybe you installed the key backwards or in a different orientation then stock? Good luck.
Pet Rock's Garage when the lower control arm wast installed the torsion bolt wasn't tighten down until everything else was put on. You think my cause the whole front end to go all the way down?
Kind of. The orientation of the key on the bar relative to the control arm matters. If, for example, you had the key pointing straight down and the control arm parallel to the ground when you put everything back together then when you put the truck back on the ground it would be significantly lower then it should be. Make sense? So double check the orientation of the key. Good luck.
Hi 1997 5.2L Dakota 4wd 4x4 here I changed all the upper and lower control arm bushings to polyurethane and I have moved the torsion bars without marking them and now that I have reassembled everything when I take my truck off jack the jack stands the entire front end of the truck sags it falls all the way down to the floor I can't figure out how to fix it the front end nearly hits the ground with the wheels on and the torsion bolt at the rear of the bar no longer tightens like it used to now it screws all the way in but doesn't raiseor lower anything like it used to
You have the torsion key positioned/indexed incorrectly relative to the torsion bar. You have to disassemble far enough so you take all the tension off the torsion bar so you can reposition the torsion key. I find this is easiest to do by disconnecting the lower ball joint & shock absorber from the lower control arm so the lower control arm is free to swing. Be careful and make sure the lower control arm is supported when you disconnect the lower ball joint & shock absorber. You don't want the lower control arm to fly if there is any tension on it from the torsion bar. You can hold the upper control arm and knuckle up with some bungy cord and/or a jack stand. Once the lower control arm is free to swing you should be able to maneuver it so the torsion key is loose and you can pull it off and rotate it the desired direction. You can tell you have it correct if you pull up on the lower control arm and start to feel tension around where it would come in contact with the steering knuckle at full drop. Good luck.
@@petrocksgarage I understand so I should remove the key and turn it one angle at a time until it tightens up the only problem is I'm not sure if the key is suppose to turn upwards or downwards
@@yukmouth1324, yeah, thats basically what you need to do. Re up or down, if you are looking at the key on the torsion bar from the back of the truck, you want to move it clockwise to tighten it up. Good luck.
k thanks
Hello I have a question, I just bought a 2000 R/T Durango awd/4x4. I went to get an alignment and they told me I basically needed a whole new front end.... upper lower control arms, tie rods and ball joints. Which yes it pulls to the right and has some bump steer but doesn’t feel horrible. Anyways I’m going to buy a front end kit with all those parts. Should I do the ride night measurements after all new parts are installed? Also am putting new shocks all around. The Durango has 131k miles I think it sat around more than driven. Just put brand new tires on before all this ughh stresses out now please and thank you for the response
Definitely do the adjustment after installing the new parts. Good luck.
btw, if you don't know how to check all those things yourself, I would take it to another shop for a second opinion. That many things wrong seems suspicious to me. One or two things maybe, but not everything.
@@petrocksgarage my brother will be putting all the parts on and doing the height adjustment. I think this durango sat for a while man, it has pretty low miles and is clean inside and out, it was on non op when I purchased it and had 2017 tags. Alot of the bushings look dry rotted out not a bunch of rust really just dried out.it had tires from 2001 on it 🥺
@@petrocksgarage also what is the proper ride height for the durango originally?
@@candacerutter6707, that's what I'm setting in this video. I set it to the stock ride height.
@@petrocksgarage thank you for your responses I appreciate you
what about lifting how much lift can u get from turning the torsion key bolts?
+Brad Evans, only about 1 or 2 inches I think. But it will only effect the front end. It doesn't effect the rear end. So your truck will look lop-sided without an equivalent lift in the back via taller leaf springs or taller shackles or something like that. Good luck...
+Pet Rock's Garage What if your truck is high in the back? Because I've been wanting to make mine level it sits higher in the back than the front and I'd like it to sit level
Elicountryboy 1996, you could raise the front to match the back. Just make sure the measurements are the same on both right & left sides. There are also rear leaf spring shackle kits available to lower the back to match the front. Good luck...
I'm assuming you have to loosen the Top Nut so it has room to go up then re tighten the top nut?
Which top nut are you referring to? Do you mean the 'nut' that the adjuster bolt goes through? If so, it's not really a nut. It's a cylinder with threads cut into it for the bolt to go through while allowing it to swivel as you adjust the ride height. The torsion bar keeps it all in place & under tension. If you were talking about a different nut let me know. Hope that helps.
@@petrocksgarage yep I was talking about on the top side where you sprayed it down, gotcha so that one doesn't need to be messed with it all thank you!
@@crazychicken675, yup. you don't need to touch it other than maybe clean any gunk/rust off it and spray with some penetrating oil. Good luck.
Hello, I have a 98 dodge Dakota, We lifted it with the keys. The camber was off. The alignment shop said it was because of the keys. And they lowered it back down. What went wrong? Or was it just that guy didn’t know what he was doing?
Raising the truck up via the keys will definitely effect the camber (make the top of the tire stick further out than the bottom). Camber is adjusted by sliding the upper control arm in/out in the slots in the upper control arm mount. The mount isn't that big so there is a finite amount of camber adjustment possible. You may have lifted the truck up too much and didn't have enough room for adjustment. So the guy did actually know what he was talking about. Hope that helps.
Btw, as I mention in the video, lifting the truck by the keys puts extra stress on the ball joints & CV-Axles and will wear them out a lot quicker. If you lift too high you can easily get them into a bind which can result in sudden catastrophic failure and loss of control. So lift via the keys at your own risk. Good luck.
@@petrocksgarage alright, thank you so much.
@@raylynn223 no problem.
I have a 01 durango and I want to lift it and everyone is telling me I can do so just by adjusting the torsion keys like you did.
Yes, you can lift it a couple inches via the torsion keys. But it will only lift the front end, not the back. It will also put your ball joints at a weird angle severely reducing their lifespan. But it’s your truck. Do with it what you want.
The rear it looks like I can just get shackle extensions for the leaf springs, would you recommend adding a leaf when doing so? What would be the best way to lift the front end, I plan on replacing the ball joints tie rod ends ect when doing it but I dont want to put anything at a bind.
Yeah, you can use shackle extensions to lift the rear. Adding an additional leaf would only be needed if you plan on carrying a heavier load on your truck or trailer. Otherwise it will just make your rear suspension stiffer and effect the handling. There are kits that will lift the front end and keep the suspension geometry the same as stock so that you don’t put the suspension in a bind like cranking the torsion keys or instilling ‘lifted torsion keys”would. Good luck...
Does this same technique work on the third gen? I have an 06 and I just want 2" more lift.
If its a torsion bar suspension, then yes. However, to get the correct ride height the high/low range for the calculations might be different. Don't lift it too high though. It will put a lot of stress on your ball joints and tie rods that they could prematurely fail. Good luck.
@@petrocksgarage Only looking for 2" to fit 33's, so it should in theory be safe I think.
@@WhiteCavendish, yeah, that should be ok but keep an eye on your ball joints. Good luck.
@@petrocksgarage Cheers, thanks!
@@WhiteCavendish No problem.
Excellent video,,and no shitty music..
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
you be welcome.
I'm an aircraft mechanic but didn't have a clue on my Dakota.
Yeah, understandable. At least you have the mechanical knowledge & understanding to be able to tackle bigger or more technical jobs if you chose to.
does this work with a 07 Durango 4x4?
I'm not sure. I haven't worked on that year Durango before. If its got torsion bars for front 'springs' then the procedure will be very similar but the numbers will likely be different.
By doing that, does it lift the front or both front and rear
Just the front.
@@petrocksgarage thanks alot, how many inches can I get from turning them
@@_vaporu_131, i'm not sure. An inch or two maybe with stock torsion keys? I've never gone past stock ride height. If you crank on the torsion bars too far you can put the rest of the front suspension into a bind and cause other problems.
Do you have way to get in contact with you my left side is giving me crazy measurements and im lost
Sorry, I don't give out my contact info. We can use comments like this though. Whats the issue?
@@petrocksgarage i trying to do my truck but i get 14 1/2 inches and 12 1/2 inches on the driver side and 14 1/2 and 13 inches on the driver but when i do the math im getting confused
OK so I did that and still no luck it is still bottomed out any other ideas
Its hard to say from my keyboard. Assuming you adjusted the ride height correctly & installed the correct lower control arm for your truck, the only thing I can think of is the torsion bar is not holding the weight of the vehicle. The torsion bar is the spring that what holds the vehicle up.
Remove the bars and move them to opposite sides
Hopefully you’re still responding because I’m in SERIOUS need of help. I adjusted my passenger decently. Sitting at about -0.15 and I can stick my pinky finger under the bump stop. However, the driver side is a little different. It’s the final measurement is currently sitting at -0.4 and I’m able to stick my pinky finger under the bump stop. Here’s where it gets even crazier though. The distance between the top of the passenger tire to the bottom of the fender is 7 1/2. For the driver side it’s only 6 3/4. Why is the driver side so much different? I had to crank the bolt way past factory spec to get a gap underneath the bump stop and the fender is still shorter than the passenger side. PLEASE HELP!!
Measurements between the tire & fender are never accurate. Tire wear and tire pressure can dramatically effect the measurement. Also, if you have ever been in a front end accident (even a slight tap on the bumper) could effect the position of the fender. There are just too many variables when measuring via the fender. Thats why the service manual does it from points on the frame that aren't effected by tire wear or pressure or minor fender benders. I would make sure the measurements shown in the video are within spec and run with it. Don't go off bump stop or fender measurements. Might be good take it for a drive to let the suspension settle and see if the measurements are still within spec. Good luck...
@@petrocksgarage So even if the driver side bump stop is touching, just make sure it's within the -.12 to .12 spec on each side?
@@nneverss, yeah, pretty much.
@@petrocksgarage I was contemplating getting new torsion keys to level the truck. But after reading some reviews that it results in a decline in ride quality I think I'll pass. Plus I can't get the old torsion keys out. The torsion bars are incredibly seized into them.
@@nneverss, I prefer the stock ride height etc, so I haven't looked into aftermarket keys. However, raising or lowering a vehicle will definitely effect the ride quality since it changes the suspension angle & travel. Seized keys & bars is pretty common. Even if they were not seized they are a P.I.T.A. to get apart. But with enough penetrating lube and/or heat you should be able to get them apart if you really wanted to.
Previous owner lifted it too high, hopefully I can get it right 😏
Good luck!
They made 2wd Durango’s and dakotas? 😫
Yes, yes they did. To be fair, most 4x4 owners only go "off road" when they jump the curb trying to parallel park. Just sayin'...
Bro you sound like Rick!
I don't drink or burp nearly that much, nor that smart.
The tires yes....
Ok, if the tires are coming in contact with the inner fender then it could be a ride height issue, but is more likely a suspension issue. If it's a 4x4, also make sure that you don't have it in 4-wheel drive on dry pavement. That could cause this issue when turning and is very bad for the drive train. If you don't have it in 4-wheel drive, and the tires are not hitting the inner fender, then it could be a problem with your CV axles. If its a 2x4, then I'm not sure what it could be. Either way, definitely get it figured out sooner rather then later. Good luck.
marking the bolt why what differance does it matter what if u turn it 1 1/2 turns if thats what it takea to get to ride hieght marking the bolt is pointless
Marking the bolt makes it easier to gauge how much you are actually turning the bolt.
Instructions unclear, rear axle now out of alignment. Works for early 90's 4x4 Dakota's too as I'm doing mine right now after all new suspension.
Ummm... what? This video has nothing to do with the rear axle. How are the instructions unclear?
@@petrocksgarage it was a joke, most people are idiots these days.
if u turn 1 time or 12 i aint counting turns of bolt im turning for ride hieght how ever many times i turn the bolt doesnt matter
It doesn't hurt to mark the bolt. Do it if you want. If you turn the drivers side bolt 4 times, chances are you will have to turn the passenger side a similar amount.
ok
+dice summers, ok. Thanks...
Just saying your math is a bit off...... You can't subtract .625 from .25 and still get .625
+NicoleMarchell, what do you mean? I double checked on my phone, computer & Google’s Calculator and 14.25 - 10.625 = 3.625. Or is there another calculation in my video you are referring to?
NicoleMarchell look again
at 5:14 there is an error!
And what error is that? Please elaborate.
@@petrocksgarage 5/16 is only 7.95mm ... 24mm is 0.945" more like 15/16.. 7/8 is 22mm
BTW I'm working on my 2003 durango and your video was very helpful.. I didn't understand torsion at all. I was confused why there were no springs..haha
@@DanLemire, ah, yeah. I misspoke. I meant 15/16". When I posted this TH-cam had annotations and I had corrected it in an annotation. But YT killed annotations, so you don't see the correction anymore. It is correct in the subtitles though.
I'm glad my video helped you out though.
@@petrocksgarage I liked and subscribed.. sorry to point it out.." To err is human"
Can I have you call my mechanic
Sorry, no. That would be super awkward for everyone involved. Feel free to recommend your mechanic watch my videos though. 😸🤡😈
@@petrocksgarage will do lol
Asking for a friend lol
your math is wrong 14"1/4 - 10" 5/8 is 3" 3/8
+Austin Cruse: what do you mean? I double checked on my phone, computer & Google’s Calculator and 14.25 - 10.625 = 3.625. Or is there another calculation in my video you are referring to?
Put another way 14"1/4 - 10"5/8 = 14"2/8 - 10"5/8 = (112/8 + 2/8) - (80/8 + 5/8) = 114/8 - 85/8 = 29/8 = 3.625 = 3"5/8
Put an even simpler way 1"1/4 - 5/8 = 1" 2/8 - 5/8 = 8/8 + 2/8 - 5/8 = 10/8 - 5/8 = 5/8
@@petrocksgarage I got what you did. It's right in front of us on the paper. 👍😎
One day you guys REALLY need to go metric. USA and Burma, the only two Imperial measurement countries in the world and even then the two systems are different.
I have a 2 wheel drive Dodge Ram that sags down on the front driver side. what is the term used for the adjustment so I can research on how to adjust my height?
Torsion bar adjustment
2 wheel drive durangos/dakotas/rams don't have torsion bars. They have traditional springs that control the ride height. Only the 4x4s have torsion bars.