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Dakota 5 Speed Swap
https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12614		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  Bohmer2 [ Wed Apr 13, 2005 1:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Dakota 5 Speed Swap
Just looking for an update on the Dakota 5 Speed Swap sixinthehead did...how is it working out and any troubles or issues. Did you ever figure out what the driveshaft you used came out of?
Author:  Rust collector [ Fri Apr 15, 2005 11:22 am ]
Post subject: 
I want to know too...
Author:  Guest [ Thu Apr 21, 2005 7:55 am ]
Post subject: 
Wow, I didn't think anyone cared!
Ok, what's new. I changed tires on the car for an experiment in ratios. I had some 195/50-15 Firestone (Styrofoam) tires left over from the GLH, so I threw them on to simulate a lower gear (higher numerically). I don't have the diameter handy, but they're really short. Anyway, it feels a lot better going through the gears and it didn't hurt the cruise that much, so I will be changing ratios when I swap the Sure-Grip in, but not too radically. Probably the 2.93 set will work well for me. I like the handling with the short tires, but they don't fill the wheel well very much, so they may not stay long.
I haven't had any problems with the trans yet, which is surprising since it sat under a tree for a year or so. I had to gusset the z-bar because of the truck clutch and shortened fork - it lasted about 4 months before the tube tore around the trans pivot.
I still don't know what the driveshaft came out of, but since there's interest, I'll try to post a measurement for you ASAP.
This swap made such a huge difference in the driveability of the car that I would recommend it to anyone running a small or mild slant. Stock 170 cars are usually too slow to put up with for long, and highway gears would make it worse, but not with this trans.
I can't wait to see how it does with some engine mods. Money has been tight, but the ported head is almost done and I'm shopping camshafts. My brother found an Offy for me and scared up a 2-barrell adapter, so that will be stage 1. Then I'll start on the long-rod turbo engine :shock:
sixinthehead
Author:  sixinthehead [ Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:33 am ]
Post subject: 
Ok, the driveshaft measures 51.5 inches (u-joint) center to center.
Keep in mind that this is a Valiant, with 106" wheelbase, and a 7 1/4 rear axle. Your results may vary depending on wheelbase and rear axle.
Author:  Slant6Ram [ Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:07 am ]
Post subject:  I'll have to check, but
51.5 inches sounds like the lenght of the stock shaft off my aspen. I was just in the yard last week looking for one that was shorter so I could upgrade the 7 1/4 rear to an 8 1/4. I needed to lose an inch and a half for the swap. The driveshaft I finally found was not a stock item, it had obviously been shortened and rebalanced at one time.

I'll have to re-measure to be sure, but if you're at the yard looking for one and see an aspen/volare 2 door with 7 1/4 rear and 904 automatic, it could be a match.
Author:  sandy in BC [ Fri Apr 22, 2005 9:04 am ]
Post subject: 
The driveshaft in the Valaint is a stock Volare shaft. It just happen to fit.
Author:  argentina-slantsixer [ Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
hey sixinthhead

I need to ask you more details about your swap, I'm in the mood for doin something like that

1) do the shifter comes out thru the floor nearer to the drivers seat like the A833 or it's "centered" (I'm 6.5 300 lbs, I can use any extra room for my belly/legs)
2) did you have to do a lot of cutting and welding for getting that tranny to fit on the holding bar?
3) custom linkages or other things that need to be fabbricated?

thanks in advance.
Juan
Author:  sandy in BC [ Mon May 02, 2005 8:48 am ]
Post subject: 
This thread is about how I out a Mustang 5 speed in my car. A Dakota swap would be similar. http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11497
Author:  sixinthehead [ Wed May 04, 2005 2:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sorry for the delay in replying, hard to get here as often as I'd like.
Juan, as you have seen from the picture on the other thread, the shifter goes straight in the top, so it does give you extra clearance.
By holding bar, I assume you mean the transmission crossmember. I only had to trim the front edge a little and get an offset mount. You could probably get the same results with a fabricated steel plate to mate the mount to the trans.
This trans uses the common late style big pinion speedo drive, so there's no trouble finding one to fit.
I wish I could put up some pictures of this stuff, but I don't have the means. Sorry!
The only real fabrication was on the bellhousing (on the top ears) and the tranny tunnel. You might have more room with the later style floorpan.
Author:  Slant6Rat [ Wed May 04, 2005 6:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
I know this swap has been done . But, I think the problem with the 87-93 535 5 speed is that it is a truck trans. There are no after market shifters for it to my knowledge. Its got a low first, so you will be out of first before you get across the the intersection. Its also a wide ratio trans and you drop too much rpm between shifts. Not exactly a trans for a street performance car. Just my .02.

Image
Author:  argentina-slantsixer [ Wed May 04, 2005 7:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
hey sixinthehead

thanks for your answer. never mind about the delay, I know what's like to have a job :) unfortunately :cry:

s6rat, I know, I would fabricate my own shifter, and the wide ratio ain't a problem if you mate that with a proper rear end ratio. It's nice to have a grunting-in-all-gears car. And the rpm drop can be outsmarted by any average experienced driver and still get nice performance outta it.

I'm looking forward to get a uploader close coupled ratio 5 speed transmission, and Im exploring my options. Don't wanna a light duty unit like sandy swapped in. Great job, but I don't like those trans.
Author:  Slant6Rat [ Wed May 04, 2005 8:30 pm ]
Post subject: 
Well, you might consider the Supra 5 sp or the better Turbo 5 spd. This trans is used frequently in Ozzie land behind a pletheria of 4-6-8 motors. Dellows has been doing trans conversions for 30 years. Heres some helpful info on the Supra trans (starts on page 5)

http://www.dellowauto.com.au/main.html
Author:  YeahBut [ Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
Well, you might consider the Supra 5 sp or the better Turbo 5 spd. This trans is used frequently in Ozzie land behind a pletheria of 4-6-8 motors. Dellows has been doing trans conversions for 30 years. Heres some helpful info on the Supra trans (starts on page 5)

http://www.dellowauto.com.au/main.html
Looks like these guys at Dellow's know everything. I downloaded their very informative cataolgue.

I want a hemi slant.
Author:  volaredon [ Sun Dec 25, 2005 6:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
The days of a "truck" and a "car" trans are long gone unless you are talking 3/4 ton-up. Many Dakota owners and fullsize 1/2 ton owners are lucky these days to put a bag of groceries or golf clubs in their "trucks". People these days often drive them basically as they would a car with a huge uncovered trunk. In this case they never put the A 535 in a car, but the 87-88 auto equipped Dakotas came with the same 904/998/999 as they put in Diplomats,etc of the same year! 89 and up they started with the A500 auto OD's. I don't have my 90 Dakota factory manual in front of me but if I can dig it out I'll look and post the ratios that are in that trans. 4th would still be direct 1:1 and 5th is O.D.
Author:  cavisco [ Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
I think the concerns over the Wide Ratio of a truck trans are way overblown. The range between gears is not very extreme when compared to other modern car tranmissions. Remember, this is from a Dakoda, not a F450SD with a creeper granny gear for first. The Dakoda 5 speed has to be a great improvement over the original 3 speed (wide ratio) or the 4 speed OD.
Scott.
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