Where can I get accessories for my D?

Check with any of our corporate members, Automotive Accessories Connection, Dashboards Plus, Forest Lake CPDJE or Glenway Dodge (for Mopar stuff) , Finish First or Intense Performance.  Contact info for each is listed on our Corporate Members Page.  If you're a DOC member, you can also check our D-Links page for other good sources.

What can be done about the dim headlights?

While a real HID systems is big bucks  (thousands of dollars), you can get higher wattage or Xenon filled replacement bulbs  (PIAA and Wagner make them).  Be aware, some people have reported the higher wattage blubs melted their plastic headlight lenses and a couple of folks said they couldn't see any real difference with Xenon bulbs.  The blue bulbs you'll see advertised are garbage and you should stay away from them.

You could also get some good driving lights.

Check out The Headlamps FAQ for some good information about headlight bulbs.

Does anyone have the Mopar Security cover?

It attaches to 2 small cups mounted on either side of the rear pillars, the cover goes forward, and 2 adjustable straps go around the headrest supports on the 2nd row seat.  With the dark windows, and the cover in place you can't see anything in the rear section, even in the brightest day light.  I mainly use it when traveling, to cover luggage and valuables. but you could leave it in all the time if you wanted to.
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I ordered one through my dealer and was surprised to find it doesn't really work well if you have 3rd row seats.  The cover attaches in front to the 2nd row headrests and is stiffened along its width by a wooden rod running across where it attaches to the headrests. The back is attached to cups screwed into the back pillars.

The problems with the 3rd row are

• When it's up, you have to remove the headrests to get the cover across the seats.  While you can put the headrests back on through the cover, it's easier to just fold the seat down.
• If you need to use them for passengers, the cover has to be taken off and the wooden stiffener is to too wide to lay flat behind the 3rd row.  You can put it at an angle if there's nothing else behind the seat, otherwise it ends up in the laps or at the feet of your 3rd row passengers.

Does the rear air deflector work?

I have the Mopar one installed (real easy install) and it does help keep the rear window somewhat cleaner.  If you go Mopar, get it from one of the corporate members and install it yourself.  I don't know if there're others available.
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I installed my own Mopar deflector and there's nothing to it if you take your time, and don't mind drilling holes into a $34K vehicle!  I'd offer these tips:

1. Make sure you have some touch up paint on hand to apply to the exposed metal for the holes you drill (to protect against rust)
2. Before marking the holes, be sure the deflector isn't so far down it interferes with the washer fluid spray pattern (I didn't and mine deflects the spray somewhat)
3. If possible, have someone help -- you can do it alone, but it won't hurt to have someone standing at a distance making sure the deflector is centered properly,etc. before you drill.

What are fenderwell covers and where do I get them?

They cover the open area inside the front fenderwells to help keep the engine compartment clean.
If you want a set, contact Ken Thompson (NOTE: Ken is not affiliated with the DOC)

Which member makes an air intake kit for the D?

Contact Tony DeAnda (Tony D).  His unit gets rave reviews!

Corporate member Intense Performance also makes several different kits.

Anyone installed the xfer case/gas tank skid plates?  How much?

I just asked Arnold Nobles the very same question last week, my "D" came  from dealer stock and doesn't have them, and the price for both plates was around $100.00 (it's in my e-mail at home).  Arnold said the holes are already in the frame and, as I remember, the kits come with all the mounting hardware.

Will 32" tires fit a stock D?

I have 32" BFG AT's on mine and didn't raise my D, other than a few cranks on the torsion bars.  However, I didn't raise it because of the tires, I just wanted to level it out.  The tires have lots of room in the rear and about ¾" between the front of the tires and the fender wall when turning.  If you measure the distance between your stock tire and the front fender wall, just under the V8 emblem, a 32" tire would be about ½" bigger at that spot.  I think you'll find there's enough room. 

What're the part #s for the 5.9 emblems and where can I get them?

Part number 55155699AA says 5.9L and 55155799AA says 5.9 Litre.  These are standard Mopar part numbers and should be available through any Dodge parts department.

Where do most people mount their DOC decal and 5.9 emblems?

My DOC decal is on the lower left corner of the lift gate glass.  Others put it at the bottom center just above where the wiper attaches to the gate.  Either location looks OK.

I put the 5.9 below the V8 Magnum emblems on the front fenders and a V8 5.9 just to the right of DODGE on the left side of the liftgate.  Others have "squeezed" them inbetween the DURANGO and SLT badges on the doors or just removed the SLT badge and replaced it with the 5.9 emblem.

Where can I get the Ram's Head or V-Tech tail light covers?

Corporate member Auto Accessoires Connection sells unpainted V-tech covers

Caribbean Custom sells Ram's Head or V-tech covers painted to match your D.

What kind of tube steps/nerf bars are available?

The Mopar body colored tube steps we got look great and add some side impact rigidity (in fact they meet Federal Side Impact Safety Standards…whatever that means?)  They use 3 mounting brackets  (both ends and in the middle) while I believe most of the aftermarkets ones only use 2 (one at each end).  I've worked on cars as a hobby all my life but, since I'd just finished spending over 30K to buy my D, felt I'd let the dealer install the side steps so I could enjoy driving the truck right away instead of working on it. :)  I believe there's some drilling required to mount them on early to mid 98 D’s but none on 99 or newer Ds.
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I got my black Westins thru Auto Accessories Connection for about $200 and installed them myself.  They go on using the stock body to frame bolts (no drilling required) and have a third bracket for stability.
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Stainless Steel Tech Tubes (Bubba Bars) are available from www.autostyles.com for around $285.  Last time I checked, most SS bars were $400 - $500.  They mount just like the Westin's to the body frame mounts, are highly polished (look like chrome), will never rust, chips/scratches are easily polished out, and they have a 5 yr warranty.

Where can I get a chrome nose?

The chrome nose is actually from a Dodge Dakota and can be ordered from any Dodge parts department.  It's a direct replacement for the D's nose and very easy to install.

Is a larger gas tank available?

I pull a very large 30' trailer (6500 lbs) and at 7-8 mpg only get around 200 miles from a tank of gas.  That's just not very far, so I looked around and found a company, Aerotank in Corona, CA, that makes a 32 gal replacement tank with it's own skid plate.  It fit the stock location and used the stock filler and gauge connections so nothing had to be moved or changed.  I haven't had any trouble with it yet, and have gotten as much as 480 miles on one tank (not towing of course!)

Since I regularly tow such a large trailer, I've been thinking of also getting  their 30 gal "add-on" tank.  Thing is it replaces the spare tire and I haven't found a good place to put the spare yet.  I don't want to hang it on the outside of my D and putting it "in" the D is also out!

Which Mats and Liners are folks buying?

Check out the reargear cargo liner.  It's costly but worth it depending on what you plan to put back there.
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Catch-All mats from Auto Accessories Connection.
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The weather tech slush mats, my wife has them in her truck, are designed to hold like a quart of water and are heavy duty rubber.  I'll be getting a set before the winter.  I think you can get them in 3 colors, black, grey, tan.  My brother in-law has the Mopar ones in his 98 Dakota (Mist grey) they're also heavy duty, a lot like the weather techs.
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I've seen what you're talking about at K-Mart. They're made by Rubbermaid with one side a deep rubber tray with tread and the other carpeted for fair weather.  That way you can just flip it over when you need to.
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I'd call the husky liner half-way between soft rubber and hard plastic (you can roll/fold it up, but it is not really soft) and I think they're great!  Unlike some mats, including the folding ones, they have a lip (about 1.5") to catch spills.  If it stops even one bad spill (food, gas, etc.) it's paid for itself -- I already paid for mine. :)  I also have their rear cargo liner (fits from the 2nd seat to the rear hatch) and, when I need to pop up the 3rd seat, I just roll it up behind the 3rd seat.  If you want MAX cargo room AND 3 rows of seating, you need to remove the liner, but it will fit behind the 3rd row seat and still leave some room for junk.
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I had a husky cargo liner (fits from the 2nd seat to the rear hatch) and wasn't happy with the fit so I traded it in for a weathertech cargo liner which fits perfectly.  I do have husky floor mats and am very happy with them.  Got both from Auto Accessories Connection, great prices and Dave is a great guy to deal with.
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I've got the Mopar slush mats for front and 2nd row seats and they're nice, no problems.  After I talked with others about it, and they like it, I'm ordering the Mopar Folding Cargo Mat.  It's nice for me because you can keep it in there all the time with all seats up or just 2nd row up or all seats down.
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I would NOT recommend the Mopar folding cargo mat.  I don't know what you're expecting to get, but reading the description and looking at the photos in the catalog, I figured it'd be a somewhat soft rubber material - which would explain the "non slip" functionality they claim.  Well, to my surprise when I opened the box I found it was made of a hard plastic type material that reminds me of those roll-up plastic sleds with handles on the front.  As for the "non-slip", I find anything I place on it slides around worse than if it was just on the carpeting!  It was a real joke for $112 retail!  I'd save your money and buy something else!
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I love the Husky mats for the front and rear but wasn't happy with the fit of their cargo liner (2nd seat back) so I traded it for a weathertech cargo liner.  Love it!

Are Husky cargo liners foldable or rollable?

Yes they're "foldable".  They fit nicely behind the 3rd seat making a sort of cargo cover for that space.  When I open the hatch, I can place items in that area and pull the top half of the liner back over them and it won't pop up or buckle.  Works OK for me.

Can I mount a front receiver/tow hooks?

The Draw-tite front receiver is rated 300 lbs tongue weight and 9000 lbs tow weight, which is more than my 8000 lb winch can pull on a single line.  It's a simple bolt-on install using existing bumper mounts and the bolt holes in the crossmember where the skid plate mounts.  The plastic splash guard between the crossmember and front fascia has to be removed so the draw bar can be hidden above and behind the lower fascia.  I'm not sure yet but I think the front license plate holder has to be moved too.  The draw bar has two loops that can be used as tow hooks if needed.  The only thing that shows after installation is the 2" square receiver opening.  At a cost of $110.75, including shipping, it's much cheaper and easier to install than the factory tow hooks and has twice the tow capacity.

Are halogen back up lights available?

I installed 50W halogen bulbs in place of the stock 20W bulbs.  The high power bulbs are available as a direct replacement for the standard bulbs from MacNeil Automotive (part # JC3156H, $9.95 ea) and, although they're as bright as a fog or driving light, they do improve visibility to the rear at night.
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I'm lucky to have a MacNeil Automotive distribution center just 10 min away from my home so I walked in and they were quite helpful in finding me the right parts for my D.  They don't have a catalog for D's yet but can get what you need.  The replacement for the 20 watt backups bulbs are their 50 watt JC3156H, $9.95 ea., and the 80/100 watt headlamp replacements are their JC900781, $25.95 ea.  If you want to do both, they've got a package of all 4 bulbs for $59.95.  The backup bulbs are manufactured by Design Tech Int. in Virginia while the headlamp bulbs are made in Germany by Flosser.  The phone number for MacNeil is (800) 441-6287 or you check their website.

While I'm not advocating using illegal bulbs, I did want to let people know that I tested my lights, wiring, and connectors and could find no evidence of a potential fire hazard.  The backup bulbs and headlamps do give a noticable improvement in brightness which I intend to use in the Northwoods of Canada.  I'll be going to the end of the paved road, and then to the end of the dirt logging and gold mine access road in Northern Ontario the end of this week and will give all a report on the performance of my D when I return. 

Bike rack info (thanks to Era)

----- Review links -----

Mountain Bike Resource:  Very good site with various reviews, part of it being bike racks.  Racks rated are Draftmaster, K&S, SARIS, Thule and the Yakima.

• Draftmaster customers seem very happy.  A bit on the pricey side but everyone appears to love them.  Like the Durango of the rack industry, people like its look.
• K&S BikeTransPorter.  Unique rack in that it's NOT an external rack but fits *inside* the vehicle.  Req's 3rd seat and one 2nd seat be down.  Again, people seem to be quite happy with its usage.  If you only plan on taking only the bike, seems like a good alternative.
• SARIS by Graber.  Their system is called a "B.A.T" (the hinges the bike attaches to have a "batty" look to them, hence the name).  I've seen this one personally in a local bike shop.  The 4-bike model does pivot, although I didn't see any support -- hydraulic or otherwise -- so you'd better hit the gym :)  Otherwise, it looked pretty decent.  The roof rack model seems to whistle a lot, so beware.  The reviewers seemed pretty happy except with the whistling.
• Thule.  Reviewers are pretty happy.  Seems like their roof rack version can also generate a lot of whistling.  Construction wise, people say it doesn't have the styling of modern racks but it's *very* well constructed and should lasts for quite some time. 
• Yakima.  Along the same lines as the Thule.  No real major problems.  Can be pricey for some models, such as Supreme GetAway where price is similar to Draftmaster.  I'd say you'd be better off buying a Draftmaster if going for the "Supreme" hitch level.  Price is almost identical in that category at $300.

[ Draftmaster | Yakima | Thule | Rhode Gear | ATOC | Transfo-Rakzs | K&S BikeTransPorter | Graber Saris | Mopar ]

Herman’s EVS II Installation Tips

These are shown in the order you'll need perform them.

1. The installation manual says you'll need a Torx T15,T20, and T30 screwdriver.  You only need the T-20 so don’t go waste money on the others.
2. Read the installation manual THREE times before starting so you'll fully understand each step before you get to it.
3. To remove the dash panel you'll need to lower the steering wheel to it’s lowest tilt and put the gear selector in "1" ( make SURE you SET the parking brake so your D can't move) in order to get enough clearance to actually get it off.  You can tilt the wheel back up and put the gear selector back in park to continue working.
4. When removing the plastic cowl around the steering column, be VERY careful of the snap clips holding it together at the rear where the two halves come together.  They're fairly fragile and, if you snap them off, it'll cause a gap at the rear when you reinstall it.
5. To remove the factory connector from the back of the ignition switch, you'll have to cut off some of the fabric tape wrapped around the wire harness (careful-don’t nick any wires).  Since there's not room enough for both the factory wires and the EVS wires you're about to install, you'll need to remove enough tape to allow the factory wires to be folded back to the point where they don’t enter the wire tray at the bottom of the steering column.
6. You'll find it's VERY difficult to reach in and disconnect the two halves of the white, 16 pin, factory connector.  It's located up high under the driver's side of the dash attached to the side of a box.  I cured this by just giving it a good twist to snap off the small pin attaching it to the box so I could pull it down where I could work with it.  Since you'll be wire tying the new EVS harness you're attaching to it back under there anyway, it really doesn’t need to be physically mounted to the box anymore.
7. After I got the connector out where I could work with it, it took me about ½ hr. to figure out the "button" on the side of the connector - the one you have to push in order to disconnect the two halves - couldn't be depressed enough by hand to get it unlocked.  I grabbed the whole connector with some slip-joint pliers and squeezed the button which made it slide right apart.
8. To get the two terminals out of the factory headlight switch connector, slide a small jeweler’s type screwdriver in from the back  (wire side) of the connector positioned so it depresses the internal tab that locks the terminal into the connector.  Then using a larger screwdriver or something, I used my Torx T-20, push on  the terminal from the front of the connector housing until it comes out, or you can pull it out.  Just inserting the jeweler's screwdriver and yanking on the wire doesn’t work - I tried that for about ½ hr. before deciding to push from the front!

Can I get a sun roof installed?

From webasto

Durango's with or without rear air have provided to be a significant vehicle for our sunroof applications.  Specifically, the rear air versions which you inquired about; are accomplished by installing the sunroof housing between the A/C unit and the roof skin.  Our installation has been featured in a few magazines.  The July Auto Trim and Restyling News featured a detailed step by step guide.  I can fax or mail you a copy if you would like.  We have 204 Authorized Installation and service Facilities throughout North America.  All of the Durango owners in your club would be well served to hear more about our sunroofs.  Please give me a reply, or a phone call %40 800.837.8498 ext: 5724 and we can discuss any future opportunities.

Best Regards,
Bill North
National Sales Manager
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I've got one in my D and am very happy with it!  I looked at the ASC as well as the Hollandia TVS and decided on the Hollandia for $1100.  I had a overhead console, which they cut off leaving only the computer and sealed using some of the left over console material, and I think it looks great.  The Hollandia is very smooth on the outside and fits very well in the slanted roofline.
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Ourisman Dodge, in Alexandria, VA, has a '98 CPR SLT+ with the overhead console & a sunroof (power, I believe), but no rear A/C.  They cut the console off right behind the lights and recovered it in material matching the headliner.  I'd guess they used the piece that came out where the sunroof went in.  All in all, it looked pretty good.  I've got to go down there later this week and maybe they will let me take a picture and post it.

Do Mopar Running Boards require drilling into the frame?

On early and mid year 98 models, yes!  On later 98 models (we think) and on 99 or later (we’re sure), no!  The newer Ds have the holes pre-drilled into the frame.

Wood trim kits and installation tips

Available from Dashboards Plus and NE Wood Dash

This seems to be something alot of people are interested in and, since over the past couple of nights I installed (most of) my Cherry wood trim kit from Dashboards Plus, I thought I'd give a long winded review with advice and tips.

First of all, it looks just great and dramatically changed the interior appearance (looks more like a 30K vehicle).  The Cherry makes for a beautiful accent to my  FG D with Camel interior.  Not too red, very rich looking with straight grains.  Fantastic!  Not gawdy at all, but you may consider leaving a piece off here and there if you think it covers too much. One suggestion might be to leave the passenger AC vent piece off, it might accent better where you go from the full wood of the dash to the band on the glove box.  Just a thought.

Installation tips/comments.

• This is a detailed job.  If you're good at such work (crafts, model building etc.) you shouldn't have problem.  If not, I'd have it done bu someone who is.  If you follow instructions and use the alcohol bath, adhesive promoter and heat, this stuff WILL NOT come back off.  Warning: if you get it crooked you're pretty much stuck with it (you can peel stuck edges off, but once you get an area covered it's NOT gonna come back off!)
• Dry fit each piece.  Then do it again.  And then do it again.  Watch how certain key cutouts line up.  You'll think it's straight (say around the radio) but then check the HVAC control alignment and find it's off (the pieces aren't totally stiff and get very soft when heated.)
• I recommend tracing around each piece during the dry fit with a pencil for 2 reasons.  First, it'll give you something to follow when placing the piece on.  Come up with a strategy for placing the piece and practice it.  Second, the outline will give you something to follow when doing your alcohol bath and promoter application.
• IMPORTANT!  Because both the alcohol and adhesive promoter eat into the dashboard, be CAREFUL!  DO NOT drip or wipe beyond the area to be covered.  The alcohol WILL wash out the dye on the tan and black portions of the dash.  Don't be alarmed, but don't stray outside your lines either.  I only washed the tan part of the dash with alcohol twice (they recommend 3 to 6 times).  Remember, this is a cleaning step!  Enough dye etc came off after 2 for me but YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary ).  I also used isopropyl alcohol rather than the denatured they recommend.  Seemed to work just fine.
• I used a hair dryer to heat the pieces, not a heat gun, as you only want them about 85º F (floppy).  Any higher and they'll liquefy.  In fact, one of the great things about this acrylic is, heating it renews the surface (it melts easily).  So, when I got some small scratches on it during installation, I just warmed the surface with a hair dryer and buffed.  For installation, warm the glue side NOT the acrylic side: 1) you don't want the finish too soft while pressing on it and 2) if you heat this stuff too much you'll get small bubbles in the finish (a real pain to get out).  I didn't overheat it this time but I have worked with this stuff in the past.
• Go slow, take your time, line things up (getting the 6 lower dash pieces to all line up is a challenge, just do one at a time right to left or left to right) and practice placing the piece.
• After placing the piece be sure to press it firmly in place using the palm of your hand (more evenly distributed pressure than your fingers).  It'll bend around contours while warm and can even be stretched a little to get the fit perfect.  Start with something like the back door pieces to get the hang of it (BTW, the door handles stand up to the alcohol and promoter better than the dash does) and make sure to do an especially good job on the edges and contours.  The pieces are thick but when warmed, and after placement, I found you can kind of "roll the edge over" with pressure so the transition in thickness from the dash to the piece is smoother.
• The transfer case shifter was a challenge cause, as I said, when you heat the piece it gets real floppy.  Not too bad for vertical pieces but on horizontal it's like trying to line up a template of pizza dough...gravity wants to stick it in the wrong place.  The overhead should be even more fun. :-|
• Ask Pam for a pen of the adhesive promoter.  The little packet they send is JUST enough to get the kit installed, but if you don't have 3 or 4 hrs. to do it in one shot, it'll dry out by the next day.  I used a q-tip, dipped in package, to apply it but  you need to be accuracy.  I couldn't get the hang of the pen (one bad dribble, but saved it) so I just used the pen to wet a q-tip.

Detailed work but fun (for a tinkerer like me) and the satisfaction of doing it myself.  It does look WONDERFUL!  Have fun, feel free to e-mail any specific questions to Matt "the" D
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One tip I can give on installation of a dash kit, is how I did mine.  Dry fit each piece, and use small pieces of masking tape to hold it in place.  When you're happy with the location, use a razor blade to cut the masking tape at the joint between the dash and the piece.  After you warm the piece with a hair dryer, you can use the masking tape as an alignment mark to help you get the piece back where you want it.  It worked well for me.

Where can I see pix of accessories ON a D?

If you're a DOC member you can visit our D-parts section or check out our member's PhotoAlbum.

What type of intake manifold does the D have?

The D uses a single plane/plenumed manifold with a two barrel - 50mm (2") for each barrel - throttle body.

Dual plane manifolds split (in most cases) the primary and secondary of either two barrel or four barrel (usually) carb. The reason for this is, splitting a carb's primary/secondary with a dual plane manifold, gives higher flow velocities through the carb and manifold resulting in better drivability/economy due to better atomization in the carb and a less of fuel separation due to the slower flow in the manifold runners.  Single plane manifolds are usually used in high performance applications where wide open throttle is more likely and drivability/economy at part throttle are less of a concern than horse power.  The single plane offers higher flow capabilities with fewer bends and restrictions.

With port fuel injection both of these schemes become less important and often designers opt for the plenum since flow velocity through the throttle body isn't required for atomization and runner flow velocity isn't needed to prevent fuel separation.  Both those issues are solved by the nature of the injector and how close it is to the intake valve.  Because the plenum solves most of the drivability issues left, high performance for port injection turns more on having as straight a runner as possible with any plenum being before the throttle body (have a look at a Viper intake system or its racing variations.

I'm currently working on developing a replacement throttle body which would provide the maximum flow possible without modifying the stock manifold.  Hopefully it'll be competitive in price yet flow better than having a flow job done on the stock throttle body.  I'm also considering a high performance intake system utilizing the Viper model with long straight runners and one throttle body per cylinder.  I'll keep the board posted as to my progress.

John Watkins

What can I do about the whimpy sounding horns?

I replaced my horns with some 130db units from JC Whitney.  They're US made, part # 13VR3190A (hi tone) & 13VR3191R (lo tone), sell for $13 each, and mount in the stock location using the stock mounts.  The electrical connection is different but it's not problem to make the change.  They're a VERY noticable improvement!.

How do I mute my radio when I use my phone?

The service manual doesn't show such a connection and there's no wire for it in the stock plug but, when I removed my factory radio, there's a pin clearly marked "mute" on the back of it!  So I connected the pin to ground - the radio muted - and then removed the ground - it came back on.  I then took the yellow mute wire from my Nokia control box and connected it to this pin and now when the phone is in use or ringing, it mutes the radio.  This was for the premium AM/FM/TAPE/CD unit, although I'm sure the other radios would be the same since they plug into the same harness.

Will 99 heated mirrors work on a 98 D?

I bought and installed the 99 heated mirrors for my 98 D and everything works except heat.  So I took a look and, although the plugs are exactly the same, the pins and wiring needed to operate the heating element in the mirror are missing from the 98 door harness (the pin slots in the plug are empty!)

One possible solution I see from digging through the manual, would be  to change out the 98 wiring harness that goes to the doors with a 99 harness.   It looks like that would get you wired to the rear window defogger relay (hot) and power seat ground wire for a factiry quality install.

The other solution would be to just run two wires for each door and route them to the R-Defog relay and P-Seat ground.  Of course, unless you re-tape all wires together, you'd have some home-grown looking wiring job dangling around inside the door!