Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts?

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Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/9/2007 1:50:32 AM    alterboy   Posts: 87 Joined: 11/6/2007 Status: offline Why do dakotas have 6 Lugnuts when the 1500's have only 5? do any other small pick ups have 6? Iv'e always wondered that. If you have a suggestion this is the thread. Thumbnail Image Attachment (1) < Message edited by alterboy -- 11/9/2007 1:52:24 AM > _____________________________ I wish Chip Foose would fix my truck from the frame up! Post #: 1

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/9/2007 5:23:09 AM    hemichuck   Posts: 43 Joined: 9/20/2007 Status: offline To be honest I think that Dodge did that at the time so you would buy the factory optional aluminum wheels because no other vehicle made had that bolt pattern so availability of aftermarket wheels was almost nonexistent.You can easily change back to the 5 lug rotors and axles by using stuff for an 87-90 Dakota which opens up a world of possibilities in the used wheel department.I did this on a 92 LE that I bought new within a year or so of purchasing it.It also opens up the option of upgrading the rear brakes to a 11 by 2 1/2 drum for a bunch of extra stopping capacity(great when your hauling firewood) (in reply to alterboy) Post #: 2

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/9/2007 10:44:36 AM    Crazy4x4RT Posts: 921 Joined: 8/10/2007 Status: offline Well I dont know exactly why! But it might have to do with keeping the wheels ballenced properly or may be stronger all to gether. I dont know! Some toyota trucks and suvs old and new have 6 lugs Some Datsons and Nesan older trucks have 6 lugs Of coarse some full size 1500 chevys and dodge and probably ford have 6 lug. I belive I have seen a ranger with 6 lug AND OF CORSE NONE OF THEM HAVE THE SAME PATTERN  The only one is the 2nd gen dakota and durango. Im not to sure on the 3rd gens. I love my truck but options are limited. Oh well! _____________________________ 93 Dakota Was 2wd 5.2 NOW 4X4 5.9RT 33x12.5 6in lift 1/4mile 15.259 85mph at over 1mile el 14.2 sea lv. http://www.youtube.com/user/truck93 "No truck should ever be lowerd! NEVER" (in reply to hemichuck) Post #: 3

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/9/2007 11:50:13 AM    hemichuck   Posts: 43 Joined: 9/20/2007 Status: offline Actually most of the toyotas,nissans and datsuns all had the same 6 lug pattern and most domestic trucks (ford chevy dodge)had the same bolt circle on their 6 lug wheels even though the center hub size was different.The rangers never came in 6 lug.Same goes for the 8 lugs which were almost all interchangeable.Only the Dakota had 6 lugs on 4 1/2 inch bolt circle which I dont believe they did for more strength because why would you take your lightest duty pick up and outfit the weakest rear end they made(7 1/4) with six lugs when at the same time they stopped using 6 lug wheels on their 3/4 ton pickups,those went to a 5 on 5 inch pattern. (in reply to Crazy4x4RT) Post #: 4

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/9/2007 12:37:44 PM    V8DAKOTAV8   Posts: 47 Joined: 9/29/2007 Status: offline Im not really sure why they had 6 lugs....hemichuck does have a good point. however, dodge has gone back to a 5 lug pattern on the new models of dakota's.  _____________________________ '96 5.2L Club Cab 2WD lowered. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2929285 (in reply to hemichuck) Post #: 5

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/9/2007 2:49:16 PM    92BLACKLS   Posts: 51 Joined: 10/29/2007 Status: offline because 7  8  9!  < Message edited by 92BLACKLS -- 11/9/2007 2:50:42 PM > (in reply to V8DAKOTAV8) Post #: 6

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/9/2007 3:26:09 PM    SinCity R/T   Posts: 308 Joined: 10/14/2004 Status: offline Because the engineers at Dodge are sadistic bastards. 92-04 Dakotas, 98-03 Durangos, All Vipers, and 05+ Pathfinders share the 6x4.5/6x114.3 pattern.  IIRC the full-size trucks with 6 lugs use 6x5.5... _____________________________ SinCity R/T 1999 Dakota R/T - 11.93 @ 113.76 2007 Charger SRT-8 Dodge Truck Parts Information (in reply to 92BLACKLS) Post #: 7

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/9/2007 5:49:56 PM    Crazy4x4RT Posts: 921 Joined: 8/10/2007 Status: offline Realy vipers have the same pattern! I did not know that! Thats sweet! _____________________________ 93 Dakota Was 2wd 5.2 NOW 4X4 5.9RT 33x12.5 6in lift 1/4mile 15.259 85mph at over 1mile el 14.2 sea lv. http://www.youtube.com/user/truck93 "No truck should ever be lowerd! NEVER" (in reply to SinCity R/T) Post #: 8

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/10/2007 1:30:14 AM    alterboy   Posts: 87 Joined: 11/6/2007 Status: offline quote: ORIGINAL: SinCity R/T Because the engineers at Dodge are sadistic bastards. 92-04 Dakotas, 98-03 Durangos, All Vipers, and 05+ Pathfinders share the 6x4.5/6x114.3 pattern.  IIRC the full-size trucks with 6 lugs use 6x5.5... Does this mean the viper wheels will fit on the dakota? _____________________________ I wish Chip Foose would fix my truck from the frame up! (in reply to SinCity R/T) Post #: 9

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/10/2007 5:10:26 PM    SinCity R/T   Posts: 308 Joined: 10/14/2004 Status: offline quote: ORIGINAL: alterboy Does this mean the viper wheels will fit on the dakota? Yes, although the 13" wide wheels require a spacer because of backspacing.  I know a few people who have mounted 4x front wheels on their Dakota. _____________________________ SinCity R/T 1999 Dakota R/T - 11.93 @ 113.76 2007 Charger SRT-8 Dodge Truck Parts Information (in reply to alterboy) Post #: 10

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/12/2007 5:31:40 AM    hemichuck   Posts: 43 Joined: 9/20/2007 Status: offline I forgot about the Viper having the same pattern(its a b***h getting old)and I didnt know that the pathfinders were the same, too new for me. I had the dubious honor of getting to talk to a bunch of the Chrysler engineers at the All Chrysler nationals in Carlisle PA. one time and I remember asking why they wouldnt put the 5.9 magnums in the pre 96 Dakotas and the answer was that they couldnt get them to cool. He went on to explain that they had certain requirements that had to be met to make it go into production and one of them is to load the vehicle to its maximum hauling/towing capacity with all of the accesories on and pull a 5 or 6 percent grade for 5 miles and if it overheated it wouldnt make it into production. I thought about it after that and realized that they just have to cover their own butts as far as warranties go and a lot of the decisions made behind the scene were made within those parameters.I have installed several 5.9 and 4 inch stroked 5.9s in the 92 through 96 Dakotas and can testify that its absolutely true, they wont cool.God help you if you get caught in traffic without an electric fan(which by the way there is no room to mount in the Dakotas). They send the engineers out to a lot of the shows with their concept cars and they are really interesting guys to talk to. (in reply to SinCity R/T) Post #: 11

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/12/2007 10:18:55 AM    Crazy4x4RT Posts: 921 Joined: 8/10/2007 Status: offline Hey hemichuck! not to get off subject, but I have installed the 5.9 in my truck And I have no cooling problems. I do have eletric but when I had the engine driven fan. I still had no problem. I do live in the desert and I drive the sh*t out of it with towing up hills and no problem. So I was wondering what is the problem you have came across with the cooling sys. _____________________________ 93 Dakota Was 2wd 5.2 NOW 4X4 5.9RT 33x12.5 6in lift 1/4mile 15.259 85mph at over 1mile el 14.2 sea lv. http://www.youtube.com/user/truck93 "No truck should ever be lowerd! NEVER" (in reply to hemichuck) Post #: 12

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/13/2007 5:57:03 AM    hemichuck   Posts: 43 Joined: 9/20/2007 Status: offline When I bought my truck new in 1992 it had a 5.2 magnum stock and it was usually fine but when you let it sit and idle with the air on it would get well over 220 and keep climbing.It would also warm up when you were towing a lot of weight in the warm summer months.I made a miserable trip to Savannah Ga. once to pick up a Dart convertible. It was over 100 degrees with 98 percent humidity and I had to drive the whole way with the windows down.After I changed the engine to a 5.9 it did the same things except it was more apparent because there was more motor to cool.I tried 160 and 180 thermostats,changed the radiator several times,changed the clutch fan ,even tried 2 styles of fan clutch.I installed an electric fan out front and that cured the problem in normal use but it would still heat up under extreme conditions.I might mention that I had Marsh underdrive pullies after I went to the 5.9 and used them on the 4 inch motor too which I am sure compounded my problem. I.m not the only one that had these kinds of problems,I run with a pretty large group of Mopar guys who were racing Dakotas and every one of them could tell you at least one overheating horror story.I guess I should have mentioned that I was talking about high performance motors up front but I'm so used to all of my buddies building up their stuff that I just assume that the whole worlds doing the same thing(and we all know what happens when we assume!) or maybe thats just another assumption? Getting a little off base... I wonder if the humidity is a factor since you live in the desert there is an obvious lack of humidity in the air, and I live in Kentucky where 60 percent and up humidity is just a fact of life? Do you tow anything like cars and Firewood(probably a stupid question since you live in the desert) Is your truck all stock or does it have any mods? (in reply to Crazy4x4RT) Post #: 13

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/13/2007 9:33:47 AM    Crazy4x4RT Posts: 921 Joined: 8/10/2007 Status: offline A Hell of alot of mods. My engine is 5.9rt bord over .030 and milled down heads and block, ported heads. High performace injectors coil wires plugs. RT OBD2 computer. 52mm throttle body. Keg Intake.  No SC not yet! I could keep on going. Ya maybe the humity has something to do with it. The most we get is 10-15 percent normaly. Of corse it goes up higher when it rains. I have gone in 110 deg while towing a large trailer up in the mountains some steep hills. And Ac on. NO Over heating. Im always towing my TA to the dragstrip and cement and tile, building materials around. _____________________________ 93 Dakota Was 2wd 5.2 NOW 4X4 5.9RT 33x12.5 6in lift 1/4mile 15.259 85mph at over 1mile el 14.2 sea lv. http://www.youtube.com/user/truck93 "No truck should ever be lowerd! NEVER" (in reply to hemichuck) Post #: 14

RE: Why do dakotas have 6 lug nuts? - 11/13/2007 11:15:30 AM    fox Posts: 304 Joined: 5/9/2007 From: CA Status: offline I once had to haul a bunch of tools, shelfs, metal cases in a trailer and in the bed. Truck was really load down, it was like 100 degrees and humity propley around 90%. I had the A/C going but had to shut it off as I was goin up the highway ramp. But as I reached a crusing speed I was able to turn it back on with out it overheating. And I have no electric fan only a 180 thermo _____________________________ 1993 Dodge Dakota V8 5.2/318 4x4 (REBUILDING) K&N Cold air intake, Super 40 flowmaster, Bored .020 Limited Slip, Decked Block & Heads 31" tires Flowtech headers 318 now a 322! http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j245/guitarguy22/ (in reply to Crazy4x4RT) Post #: 15

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