Your Durango looks very good. Thanks for the video. I bought a lifted durango but since I bought another truck I want to lift it also. This helped a lot. Thanks a bunch.
This is a very informative video on all the work involved in lifting your Durango. Detailed and you shared all your experiences in doing this project. Great video it answered practically all the questions I have since I am considering doing the same to my Dakota. Thanks for sharing this!! Btw, nice looking stance and overall look to your Durango!!
Это очень информативное видео обо всех работах, связанных с подъемом вашего Durango. Подробно, и вы поделились всем своим опытом в выполнении этого проекта. Отличное видео, оно ответило практически на все вопросы, которые у меня возникли, поскольку я подумываю сделать то же самое . Спасибо, что поделились этим!! Кстати, симпатичная стойка и общий вид вашего Durango!!
very nice video man appreciate it.. i have 2 durangos currently and one is on 33s n the other is my wifes daily driver but MINE is goin on 44s as a mud truck and even though u went to 35s with yours gives me more insight on what i need to do with mine!! along with a bunch of other mods but things u pointed out in this video i would have missed... thank u very much n btw nice looking Rango!!
I have 33’s with no modifications, I did add a 3 inch front end lift after, just because I hit a huge ass rock off-roading, the front end came up about a foot, good thing for the skid plates.
Yours is the Blueprint for doing my Y2K 'Rango 4X4 4.7 545 RFE with 140K on the clock. I've had it since it was a year old. Before I do the suspension, I've got a 6.1 Hemi from a Ram 4X4 PU that I'm swapping in, which isn't as bad as people say it is to do. This will be the 3rd 5.7 Hemi Swap I've done, the first 2 one was a 04 Dakota and the other a 98 'Rango, both 4x4's, the 98 had a 318, he 04 a 4.7 like mine. Nothing wrong with my 4.7, I just want more power. So many folks claim you cannot get 35's on a 'Rango without heavy modifications and big bucks, even insisting the truck will just break parts constantly. Anything will break parts if you hammer the dogshit out of it, or don't do the planning install and execution correctly. Essentially, you covered the remaining questions I had regarding the Torsion Bar Keys, shackles, and the body lift. Even though the 00 and newer 'Rango's won't accept the 5" suspension lift, I prefer the Rack and Pinion suspension to the recirculating ball box type. Better road feel, comfort and far less parts to wear out in the front suspension. I've owned both types, and the 2000-later 'Rango's ride and handle much better IMO. I've worked on many of them from new, having been a tech at a Mopar dealer for 20 year before retiring. In many ways the 1st gens were far superior to the Grand Cherokee based later trucks, you cannot do any of this type of modification reasonably or at all to a late model 'Rango, not from what I see. Maybe that'll change as the design ages, perhaps more aftermarket support will appear, but i doubt it, like the later Grand Cherokees, there are too many automated systems that are interfered with and react negatively to allow for such mods. Though going on 4 years old, thanks for sharing these videos and your experiences. These Gen 1's are still popular and IMO far better looking/easier to modify all the way around that 2nd and 3rd gen's. I've got the manual transfer case, with a Sure Grip in the rear and the Grand Cherokee Quadra-track Vari-lock front diff in my 2000. Just enough tracking with 3:73's to work well especially with taller 35's versus 31's.
Love your Durango ... I have one with the same setup except they did not do the add a leaf...I will be doing that .. irun 33x12.5x15 tires now but I like the look of the 35's ...great job ... looks great
Nice ride, I like the work you did on it. I have a 02 SXT I want to do some miner work on, no off roading just a little lift and larger tires, it snows here in Jersey. Good info to use for my ride. Thanx.
I'm a new Durango owner and I'm stoked to see and hear what you have done! Got a new subscriber out of me my friend! I have a 99 same make as yours! Looking I to doing basically the same work! Thanks for the visual of how it will look! Thanks so much for sharing this bruv! Cheers, Jerbs 👍🏼😁
great video i liked how you explained everything to do cause i got a 99 durango and i torqued the keys and got shackles and got pro comp 33" mud tires but i want to go higher and was thinking about body lift this video answered alot of my questions
Very nice build and great presentation. A couple of questions: Using tape measure, what is your current ground clearance front and rear and lowest points. Also, skid plates seem impossible to locate. What are you using? Thanks much in advance.
B McD look on line at local scrap yards such as pull a part or LKQ and see if they have any Durango’s. If they do stop by and see if they have skid plates. If they do get em! I’m not sure what the ground clearance was. I sold the vehicle so I’m unable to measure it.
decent explanation on the torsion bar "how it works/adjustment" I like to make it even simpler; Imagine a simple coil compression spring, say 2 inches tall. It takes 300 lbs to compress it completely. It's now 1 inch tall when loaded with 300 lbs. Now, put a block of iron under it, 1 inch thick. It still takes 300 lbs to compress it, but the unloaded height is now 3 inches (your lifted truck) the compressed height is now 2 inches... and does not affect the ride. (same spring rate) 30 yrs ago, the Toyota guys were feuding over this exact subject. Half Could not comprehend the fact when the torsion bars were 'tightened' (lifting the truck) that spring rate (ride quality) stayed the same. They thought it 'compressed' the bar, making it stiffer, when in fact all it did was add that 'block', and raised the working height of the spring (torsion bar)
What thickness wheel spacers did you pick up, and how have they been holding up? I've done my lift and want to slap some 35s on, and I'm not sure I want to buy some offset rims, Im fond of the stock ones.
Did you have to modify bottom brackets for the brush guard? I'm getting ready to put a brush guard on a 1999 with 3 inch body lift. Good looking truck, awesome job!
I know its been awhile since this video but I have an 01 Durango as well and have been looking to put 35's on it, and was wondering if there was anyway you still had the links for the shackles and springs you got. Thanks for the video it was very informative.
Also, where in NC are you? I have very little mechanical knowledge but am trying to replicate your lift, I would definitely pay to have it installed if that's something you do.
I'd like to put a body lift on my 03 durango 4x4 but for some reason there isn't a kit for an 03. Just up to 02. Can someone tell me why and what the difference is.
What’s the most amount of lift and biggest size tire to be able to off-road my durango? I don’t wanna sink money into it bc I’m not keeping it forever. Just moved to Utah and want to offroad it before I move again.
If you put a body lift on a Durango with 32” tires will still rub the frame when turned. I’m working on getting a custom steering rack onto a tuff country 5.5 lift. Another way to lift Durango is find a flip block that flips the springs on top of the axle increasing your ground clearance.
Do you think that this can handle 37x12.50r17lt. I have a 2000 Dodge Durango with a wheel adaptor 1" 6x4.5 to a 6x5.5 due to some rims that were given off an 1500 2016 chevy truck
Nelson C you can flex quit a bit in the rear. The inside tread scuffed the black plastic splash guard when I was really flexing but other than that none. You should be ok and will have plenty of clearance.
Ran it like that for quite a while and had no probs. Wife even drove it for a while to pick kids up from school. I would say like anything maintenance is most important. Keep your joints greased and fluids changed.
We have a 2000 and we candof did the same thing but we have different wheels on it but it handles bad going down roads but a gees the tires absorb some of the handling and we did the same thing with the bumper we cut it but good video and nice track and good job
Jacob Ecret unfortunately it came on the Durango when I bought it. The grill guard was chrome. I sanded it down and painted it flat black with a rattle can.
Very nice Durango! I do have a question for the rear end question; Why didn't you buy new spring perches for the rear end and move the spring on top of the axle. Wouldn't that have given you more clearance and been more stronger than doing the shackle lift? I am purchasing a 2001 on Friday and looking to lift it and just wanted to know if putting the springs over the axle would be better than a add a leaf and drop down shackles? Again Very Nice Durango Thanks for your time to read my question
Justin Beresic valid question and I agree. I have not found a company that sells the adapters separately to put the springs on top of the rear axle. Rough country has the 5.5 lift for $1,000.00 plus that comes with the needed adapters. I am looking at buying that lift and making a safe, quality modification for the steering.
fferris723 let me know if you ever come up with a mod to the steering ... p.s they sell a leaf flip kit here www.airbagit.com/1997-2003-DODGE-DURANGO-Lifted-Axle-Flip-Kit-p/x2-fli-du97xxa.htm
@@Jeremysbad The only think I wish is that the lift could be less than 5 inches. I only want about 3 inches of lift, but I guess the axle and springs combine to more than that when positions are swapped. I want the axle on top because I keep hitting the shock mounts on rocks. And I installed the longer rear shackles, but they hit on rocks, so I lowered my vehicle a little (used the other holes in the shackles, then ground off the excess shackle length) in order to get the shackles off the ground a bit.
Yea been looking abit for a lift kit, tuff country has a 5.5 inch. Granted like u said, believe its just for 98-99. I have a 99. I just want 33s, 35s look to big for what i want. But urs looks good.
thats weird, the older Dakotas have the leafs on top of the axle not under... I wonder why they changed that, because now the U-Bolts are hold the entire weight of the rear end and you lost ground clearance with the springs below the axle
Yours got the good ole 287 mopar V8, my truck has that same engine and I love it! It’s better on fuel than the 318 even though you sacrifice some power. Both are reliable too.
fferris723 they do mint burnouts too! Tow trailers, beat chevys and fords in street races, haul random ass junk, all that shit! My 4x4 287 ram kicks ass!
I know it's been awhile since your original post but hoping you'd give information/advice on lifting an 01' Durango. After doing a suspension lift on mine, I found that the front end upper control arms were lowered to their maximum and now sitting against the cushion stops on the frame. Did you end up replacing your control arms with aftermarket? Could you share the manufacturer if you did?
Ted Waruszewski I had the same thing happen. You’ll have to back the torsion keys off to get the upper control arms off the stops. There are aftermarket control arms for the2WDs but they won’t work with the 4WDs. I backed my keys off just enough so my upper control arms were not on the stops.
Good question however did not. Rolled with the factory 3.55 ratio. However I ended up burning 1/4 of gas in 50 miles. Acceleration was still good believe it or not.
On the issue of CV Joints not even a concern, think about it if you are driving and turn L or R the angle is so much greater on the CV joint then any angle I see right now with the CV joint and the Lift I would be much more worried about the sway bar and the distance between it sitting static and when the suspension is topped out (IE tires off ground) Good video though very good job and well explained :)
@@NathanKirby2001 I've got 3 inch spring spacers on my 99 2wd with stock sized shocks, on my 98 4wd I had to use new shocks but I have a 5.5" on it but if you're only going 3 inches you're fine with stock shocks
@@NathanKirby2001 Oh yea I can definitely understand that, i would have gotten extended shocks if i didnt already have a brand new set of KYBs I had bought before the lift
GusgusA1 you can jack up the front but I did not. After you tighten the keys you will need to bounce the front of the vehicle with the trans in neutral. You can also got for a short drive. A mile or so then measure the ride height in the front to see if you are even on each side. If you need direction I can make a short video and post for you. Let me know.
Why would you need the shacked with the add a leaf? Shackles lift but the add a leaf will lower the suspension because the springs are under the axles.
Think about the other 5 springs that are mounted under the axle. They lift the vehicle even though they are mounted under the axle. The spring tension compensates for the vehicle weight and then some. This allows the spring pack to have a more curved symmetry, raising the vehicle up.
Shawn Sandifer I think so. Look at the suspension in the front. If you have torsion bar suspension then yes. The axle is already bolted to the bottom of the leaf springs on a Dakota so you can lift the back with blocks between the bottom of the spring and top of the axle.
@@fferris723 how many total inches of lift do you have on your Durango? I'm lifting my quad cab 4 door 2001 4x4 and I'm putting a 3 inch body lift on it at the moment I had to because I'm LS swapping it and it made it easier to clear everything. Plus I wanna run 35x13.50r20s with the least lift as possible. I hate huge gaps between the wheel wells I see guys with a 7 inch lift on 33r15s and it looks like they skipped leg day
JRCars & Trucks I got lucky and found it for sales when I was looking to buy a Durango. I actually bought it with 60,000 miles on it about 4.5 years ago.
