"Thanks, Obama!" '95 Dakota progress report

"Nibbles" (nibbles) 08/06/2013 at 22:59 • Filed to: project thanks obama, diy

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So Dolly, the peculiarly-named "Thanks, Obama! 2013" contest winner, got some good work performed today. No pics because I'm an asshat.

Since it was curbed by the PO, the rear driver axle shaft was bent. I headed over to the local LKQ yesterday and found not one, but two V8 5 speed 4x4 Dakotas in their yard - a 1991 and a 1993. The '93 seemed to be in better condition over all and had a big "Runs and Drives" sticker on it, so I decided to source parts from there first. The door handle had the same damage, so no dice there. I pulled the rear diff cover and the gears were shot, but it looked like the shafts were in good condition. Pay dirt, right? Nope. After turning the diff over and over looking for the bolt that holds the mate gearset spindle, I noticed that someone had sheared the head clean off. Too much work to try to get the axle out now. Oh well, just an hour or so wasted lol. I went back over to the '91, found the door handle in good repair, pulled it off. Went to look at the diff and someone did all the legwork for me! One quick push to release the C-clip and the axle was mine! Stopped off at the local Advance for some gear oil and rear shoes, and off to work I went!

By "off to work" I mean "back home for dinner and bed." Started work this morning, around 8:30. Pulled the diff cover to drain the fluid. Out of the 2.1 qts necessary, there was about 2 pints left. WHOOOOOPS.jpg. The mate gear spindle bolt was a bitch! Didn't help at all that my 1/4'' ratchet decided to take a massive shit. Utilizing some "Southern Engineering", I was able to remove the bolt and the bent axle shaft. Replacement was a breeze! While in there, I inspected the gearset, all looking just perfect. No chipped teeth, no bluing, no nothing. Buttoned it back up, filled the diff and went to the brakes.

This is the part where I remember that A: I LOATHE drum brakes and B: I forgot entirely how to R&R them. Thankfully I have a shop manual, right? I disassembled and reassembled per the manual's instructions and 45 minutes later I have the rear driver done. Quick check on the watch and it's 10:45. I have to be across town by 12:30 for a farrier appointment, so let's make quick work of the rear passenger, shall we?

PROTIP: Never work on a vehicle supported by a jack alone. NEVER. Got it? That being said, I worked on this truck supported by a jack alone.

Got the wheel off, and found that the parking brake was seized, keeping the drum from coming off. I started wiggling it. I was making progress when THE FUCKING JACK FAILED and the truck came slamming to the ground. Thankfully it landed on the mangled remnants of the jack and not the drum itself. Still being about 6'' off the ground, I got my other jack, lifted it back up and took the hammer to the drum. 10 minutes of beating it off (phrasing!) and the drum finally came off. This time, I followed my own instructions and turned a 45 minute ordeal into a 10 minute quick swap. Reset the parking brake lever and reinstalled drum and wheel. I was out of the driveway by 11:45. Made it to the farrier in time.

When I got home, I pulled the door panel off and replaced the outside handle. This was quick, painless and very straightforward. Nothing to talk about here except now we don't have to crawl across the truck to open the driver door! All that's left now is to address the front suspension damage and get new tires!

tl;dr: I did a lot of work on the truck. Shop manuals give needlessly overcomplicated instructions; possibly to boost shop labor hours. I replaced an axle shaft, rear brake shoes and the driver outside door handle.

PatBateman > Nibbles 08/06/2013 at 23:18

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My first car was a '93 Dakota Sport V6. The most I did (and could still do) was change a flat tire.

Kudos for being infinity times more handy than I am (or ever was, or ever will be). Also, any mods to the engine planned?

Nibbles > PatBateman 08/07/2013 at 12:45

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No engine mods yet, but we'll see how quickly that changes once it's fully repaired and the wife learns how to drive it. But really, the Magnum 5.2 (318) V8 is a beast of an engine, especially in a truck that weighs less than 4,000 lbs.

I may do some minor breathing mods to liven it up a tad, but I really don't want to mess with the torque curve much - it still needs to haul a horse trailer up the Colorado Mountain Passes.

PatBateman > Nibbles 08/07/2013 at 14:15

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Yeah, new air intake/headers/cat back exhaust would be plenty for that truck. My father knew what I would do with the V8, so I got the 6. Man, I wish he didn't know about drag racing when I was 16...

Nibbles > PatBateman 08/07/2013 at 18:06

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It has a K&N FIPK and the exhaust is cut off at the cat already lol. Gotta fix that some day.

I think I'll just port/polish the intake, as the factory exhaust manifolds to a bang-up job of getting the exhaust gases out.