lifting an all wheel drive vehicle

I have a 2001 Dodge Dakota with all wheel drive. I was considering
installing a lift kit and slightly oversized tires on it for more
ground clearance. Has anyone heard of any potential issues with doing
this. My concern is that it may negatively impact the way the all
wheel drive performs. I would like to hear from someone with
experience with this.
Thanks for any feedback.

We are Jeep people, and most of us have lifted Jeeps. If you are looking for
something in the range of 2 inches, I can't think of any potential problems.
If you are think more in terms of 4+ inches, then you need to consider the
impact on differential angles, driveshaft length, steering geometry, and a
host of things in the same vein.

Lots of Jeep drivers put in 2 inches of suspension lift (longer springs and
related parts) and an inch of body lift. Body lift is accomplished by
installing longer body mounting bolts and rubber cushions. The lft kits are
sold in sets that include all of the stuff that is commonly needed. There
are occasions where vibrations develop, and we usually have a solution.

Your tire selection can have an affect on your speedometer. This is remedied
by replacing a small plastic gear that is mounted to the
transmission/transfer case. The next gear you need is easily calculated, and
the gear costs typically in the range of $10. If you have the work done by a
shop, they should install the new gear as part of the service they are
providing.

You will want to take you Dakota somewhere where they install this sort of
stuff and get some input from them.




<kmattes (AT) netzero (DOT) net> wrote

I have a 2001 Dodge Dakota with all wheel drive. I was considering
installing a lift kit and slightly oversized tires on it for more
ground clearance. Has anyone heard of any potential issues with doing
this. My concern is that it may negatively impact the way the all
wheel drive performs. I would like to hear from someone with
experience with this.
Thanks for any feedback.

On Apr 14, 2:32 pm, "Jeff Strickland" <c... (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote:

We are Jeep people, and most of us have lifted Jeeps. If you are looking for
something in the range of 2 inches, I can't think of any potential problems.
If you are think more in terms of 4+ inches, then you need to consider the
impact on differential angles, driveshaft length, steering geometry, and a
host of things in the same vein.

Lots of Jeep drivers put in 2 inches of suspension lift (longer springs and
related parts) and an inch of body lift. Body lift is accomplished by
installing longer body mounting bolts and rubber cushions. The lft kits are
sold in sets that include all of the stuff that is commonly needed. There
are occasions where vibrations develop, and we usually have a solution.

Your tire selection can have an affect on your speedometer. This is remedied
by replacing a small plastic gear that is mounted to the
transmission/transfer case. The next gear you need is easily calculated, and
the gear costs typically in the range of $10. If you have the work done by a
shop, they should install the new gear as part of the service they are
providing.

You will want to take you Dakota somewhere where they install this sort of
stuff and get some input from them.

kmat... (AT) netzero (DOT) net> wrote in message

news:1176566010.014637.181720 (AT) o5g2000hsb (DOT) googlegroups.com...



I have a 2001 Dodge Dakota with all wheel drive. I was considering
installing a lift kit and slightly oversized tires on it for more
ground clearance. Has anyone heard of any potential issues with doing
this. My concern is that it may negatively impact the way the all
wheel drive performs. I would like to hear from someone with
experience with this.
Thanks for any feedback.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

With that understood. All wheel drive is different in 4 wheel drive in
that the front wheels will engage when the rear wheels slip during
normal driving(4x4 off). The question is can lifting suspension or
oversizing tires confuse or cause problems with that system? All wheel
drive is also available to the cherokee model Jeeps.

<kmattes (AT) netzero (DOT) net> wrote

On Apr 14, 2:32 pm, "Jeff Strickland" <c... (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote:
We are Jeep people, and most of us have lifted Jeeps. If you are looking
for
something in the range of 2 inches, I can't think of any potential
problems.
If you are think more in terms of 4+ inches, then you need to consider
the
impact on differential angles, driveshaft length, steering geometry, and
a
host of things in the same vein.

Lots of Jeep drivers put in 2 inches of suspension lift (longer springs
and
related parts) and an inch of body lift. Body lift is accomplished by
installing longer body mounting bolts and rubber cushions. The lft kits
are
sold in sets that include all of the stuff that is commonly needed.
There
are occasions where vibrations develop, and we usually have a solution.

Your tire selection can have an affect on your speedometer. This is
remedied
by replacing a small plastic gear that is mounted to the
transmission/transfer case. The next gear you need is easily calculated,
and
the gear costs typically in the range of $10. If you have the work done
by a
shop, they should install the new gear as part of the service they are
providing.

You will want to take you Dakota somewhere where they install this sort
of
stuff and get some input from them.

kmat... (AT) netzero (DOT) net> wrote in message

news:1176566010.014637.181720 (AT) o5g2000hsb (DOT) googlegroups.com...



I have a 2001 Dodge Dakota with all wheel drive. I was considering
installing a lift kit and slightly oversized tires on it for more
ground clearance. Has anyone heard of any potential issues with doing
this. My concern is that it may negatively impact the way the all
wheel drive performs. I would like to hear from someone with
experience with this.
Thanks for any feedback.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

With that understood. All wheel drive is different in 4 wheel drive in
that the front wheels will engage when the rear wheels slip during
normal driving(4x4 off). The question is can lifting suspension or
oversizing tires confuse or cause problems with that system? All wheel
drive is also available to the cherokee model Jeeps.

People with experience with this are not likely to hang out in this

newsgroup, but there is no reason that lifting suspension would confuse your
awd system. If you don't do it right, it might stress your drive shaft and
wear out your cv joints, but that is a different issue, eh? Big tires, on
the other hand, are likely to confuse things unless you get your speedometer
recalibrated. If you do that, all should be fine. Also consider that big
tires will change your shift points and the torque on your axles. That
could have a negative or positive effect on your fuel economy, depending on
which gear ratio you have now.

Earle

Earle

kmattes (AT) netzero (DOT) net wrote:

With that understood. All wheel drive is different in 4 wheel drive in
that the front wheels will engage when the rear wheels slip during
normal driving(4x4 off). The question is can lifting suspension or
oversizing tires confuse or cause problems with that system? All wheel
drive is also available to the cherokee model Jeeps.

I think your challenge is finding a group of AWD folks that lift
vehicles, specifically Dakotas. My guess is that most people with AWD
Grand Cherokees aren't the lifting type, so your sources will be slim.
Most people who want lifts, wheel. Most of those folks want solid axles
with 4WD systems that manually engage.

My suggestion is to find the lift manufacturer of choice for the Dakota
and see if they HAVE a lift for an AWD version. If so, they will be the
best source for any concerns you have. We seem to be telling you that
you are barking up the wrong tree, but keep at it, I guess. Try a google
group search on this NG and it will bring up all the AWD/lift
discussions we've had.

Good luck,
tw

That should read, "..have a separate lift for an AWD..."

twaldron wrote:

I think your challenge is finding a group of AWD folks that lift
vehicles, specifically Dakotas. My guess is that most people with AWD
Grand Cherokees aren't the lifting type, so your sources will be slim.
Most people who want lifts, wheel. Most of those folks want solid axles
with 4WD systems that manually engage.

My suggestion is to find the lift manufacturer of choice for the Dakota
and see if they HAVE a lift for an AWD version. If so, they will be the
best source for any concerns you have. We seem to be telling you that
you are barking up the wrong tree, but keep at it, I guess. Try a google
group search on this NG and it will bring up all the AWD/lift
discussions we've had.

Good luck,
tw

"twaldron" <twaldron (AT) spamOramaDingDong (DOT) com> wrote

kmattes (AT) netzero (DOT) net wrote:
With that understood. All wheel drive is different in 4 wheel drive in
that the front wheels will engage when the rear wheels slip during
normal driving(4x4 off). The question is can lifting suspension or
oversizing tires confuse or cause problems with that system? All wheel
drive is also available to the cherokee model Jeeps.


I think your challenge is finding a group of AWD folks that lift
vehicles, specifically Dakotas. My guess is that most people with AWD
Grand Cherokees aren't the lifting type, so your sources will be slim.
Most people who want lifts, wheel. Most of those folks want solid axles
with 4WD systems that manually engage.

My suggestion is to find the lift manufacturer of choice for the Dakota
and see if they HAVE a lift for an AWD version. If so, they will be the
best source for any concerns you have. We seem to be telling you that
you are barking up the wrong tree, but keep at it, I guess. Try a google
group search on this NG and it will bring up all the AWD/lift
discussions we've had.

It makes a difference too which "awd" system he has. Is it Selectrac, a

completely mechanical system, or one of these "on demand" systems? If
you have a viscous coupler, then maybe big tires will tear the hell out of
it,
who knows?

Earle

On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 10:24:59 -0600, "Earle Horton" <gracioso (AT) usa (DOT) com>
wrote:

People with experience with this are not likely to hang out in this
newsgroup, but there is no reason that lifting suspension would confuse your
awd system. If you don't do it right, it might stress your drive shaft and
wear out your cv joints, but that is a different issue, eh? Big tires, on
the other hand, are likely to confuse things unless you get your speedometer
recalibrated. If you do that, all should be fine. Also consider that big
tires will change your shift points and the torque on your axles. That
could have a negative or positive effect on your fuel economy, depending on
which gear ratio you have now.

Bigger tire will reduce performance and MPG pretty much regardless of
axle ratio because not only do they make your effective drive ratio
taller which means the entire drive line has to work harder all the
time, they also increase areodynamic drag and tire rolling resistance.
Usually when you resize 2 or more inches if you regear truck you can
restore performance and negate some of your MPG drop because they
engine will be able to cruise at a more efficent RPM with the
increased load.One more thing not mentioned here there is a loss of
brake effectiveness too because larger diameter tire exert more
leverage over brakes so they have to work harder and delevop more
fricton and heat just to maintain same deceleration rate as with stock
tires and will fade soone because of this as well. There is no free
lunches here as there is a price for the "look".
-----------------
TheSnoMan.com

<kmattes (AT) netzero (DOT) net> wrote

On Apr 14, 2:32 pm, "Jeff Strickland" <c... (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote:
We are Jeep people, and most of us have lifted Jeeps. If you are looking
for
something in the range of 2 inches, I can't think of any potential
problems.
If you are think more in terms of 4+ inches, then you need to consider
the
impact on differential angles, driveshaft length, steering geometry, and
a
host of things in the same vein.

Lots of Jeep drivers put in 2 inches of suspension lift (longer springs
and
related parts) and an inch of body lift. Body lift is accomplished by
installing longer body mounting bolts and rubber cushions. The lft kits
are
sold in sets that include all of the stuff that is commonly needed. There
are occasions where vibrations develop, and we usually have a solution.

Your tire selection can have an affect on your speedometer. This is
remedied
by replacing a small plastic gear that is mounted to the
transmission/transfer case. The next gear you need is easily calculated,
and
the gear costs typically in the range of $10. If you have the work done
by a
shop, they should install the new gear as part of the service they are
providing.

You will want to take you Dakota somewhere where they install this sort
of
stuff and get some input from them.

kmat... (AT) netzero (DOT) net> wrote in message

news:1176566010.014637.181720 (AT) o5g2000hsb (DOT) googlegroups.com...



I have a 2001 Dodge Dakota with all wheel drive. I was considering
installing a lift kit and slightly oversized tires on it for more
ground clearance. Has anyone heard of any potential issues with doing
this. My concern is that it may negatively impact the way the all
wheel drive performs. I would like to hear from someone with
experience with this.
Thanks for any feedback.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

With that understood. All wheel drive is different in 4 wheel drive in
that the front wheels will engage when the rear wheels slip during
normal driving(4x4 off). The question is can lifting suspension or
oversizing tires confuse or cause problems with that system? All wheel
drive is also available to the cherokee model Jeeps.

If all four tires are the same size, the stuff that kicks in when something
starts slipping will still work the same. The system you are talking about
is looking at the difference in relative speed, but if all of the tires are
the same size, then the relative speed is the same and the system remains at
rest.

As I said earlier, there is a size of tire and degree of lift that will
cause one to slow down and carfully consider the undertaking, but if you
keep the lift to about 2 inches and the tires at about 32 inches or less,
then you will avoid most of the stuff that will give you pause to wonder.