350 S. St. Charles St. Jasper, In. 47546
Ph. 812.482.2932 Fax 812.634.6632
www.ridetech.com
Part # 13056799
97-04 Dakota Airbar
Components:
2 90009000 Rolling sleeve air spring
1 90000227 Driver side frame plate
1 90000228 Passenger side frame plate
1 90000230 Panhard bar axle bracket assembly
2 90000231 Upper axle bracket including flip bracket
1 90000229 Upper cross member assembly
1 90000233 Lower cross member assembly
2 90000070 Pattern plate for lower airspring mounting
1 90000936 Panhard bar – TT 16.625” (C-C 20.125”)
2 90000972 Upper bar – TW 20.75” (C-C 22.500”)
2 90000960 Lower bar – TW 18” (C-C 19.750”)
2 90001589 Kevlar lined Heim end – installed on panhard bar
4 99752004 ¾” SAE jam nut – installed on rod ends
2 90001584 Threaded rod end – installed on upper bars
6 90001942 Rubber bushing – pressed into bars
4 90001586 poly bushing rod end - with red poly bushings ( for axle end of lower bars)
2 90001599 Inner sleeves for poly bushing
6 99752004 ¾” SAE jam nut
4 90000034 Upper and lower shock mounts (powder coated)
2 90001082 short bump stop
1 99010010 Hardware kit
Fasteners:
8 5/8 x 61/2 sae bolts axle brackets
16 5/8 sae flat washers axle brackets
8 5/8 sae nyloc nuts axle brackets
8 5/8 x 2 3/4 sae bolts airbar rod ends
8 5/8 sae nyloc jam nuts airbar rod ends
2 5/8 x 1 3/4 sae bolts panhard bar ends
2 5/8 lock washer panhard ends
4 1/2 x 2 1/2 uss bolts shock mounts
12 1/2 uss nyloc nuts shock mounts & frame plates
8 1/2 x 1 1/2 uss bolts frame plates
16 1/2 uss flat washers frame plates
4 7/16 x 1 1/4 uss bolts upper crossmember to frame
4 7/16 x 1 uss bolts shock mount to frame
8 7/16 uss flatwashers upper crossmember to frame
8 7/16 uss nyloc nuts upper crossmember to frame & shock mount to frame
8 7/16 sae flat washers shock mount to frame
2 3/8 x 1 uss bolts lower airspring to mount
4 3/8 x 3/4 uss bolts upper airspring to mount
6 3/8 sae flat washers airspring to mounts
6 3/8 lock washers airspring to mounts
6 5/16 x 1 1/2 uss bolts panhard bar axle bracket to rear end housing
6 5/16 uss flat washers panhard bar axle bracket to rear end housing
6 5/16 lock washers panhard bar axle bracket to rear end housing
350 S. St. Charles St. Jasper, In. 47546
Ph. 812.482.2932 Fax 812.634.6632
www.ridetech.com
ABAR11009 1997-2002 Dakota rear AirBar installation
1. Raise and support truck at a safe, comfortable working height. Use jackstands under the
frame.
2. It is best to disassemble one side of the rear suspension at a time. This prevents chasing the
axle all over the garage! Remove the leafspring and the front leafspring hangar. This will
require that the hangar rivets be drilled or ground out. A torch is NOT recommended because
of the proximity of the gas tank.
3. Install the front AirBar
mounting bracket into the
existing leafspring hangar
position. NOTE: On the 4
door truck this will require
minor trimming of the cab
sheetmetal. This can be
accomplished with a snips
or a cutoff wheel.
4. Install the axle bracket onto the
axle housing. NOTE: The lower
crossmember will not be attached
yet. Do NOT tighten bolts yet.
Hand tighten only.
5. Install the bars into the frame bracket and the axle bracket. The longer bars are xxxxlong and will
go into the upper brackets. The shorter bars are xxxx long and will go into the lower brackets. Make
sure the bars are the same length from side to side.
6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 on opposite side of truck.
7. After the bars and brackets are installed on both sides of the truck, you can install the lower
airspring crossmember. With the axle housing supported by a floor jack or jackstands, remove the
nuts and washers from the bottom axle brackets and install the lower crossmember. Re-install the
washers and nuts. Now these assemblies can be final tightened. Make sure that the “flip bracket”
ears are properly seated into the leafspring mount.
8. Install the panhard bar axle bracket.
Be sure to use the longer grade 8
fasteners provided with your AirBar
system!
9. Install the upper airspring crossmember. The panhard bar mount is made into the upper
crossmenber and will be positioned on the drivers side pointing forward. This will position the
airspring mounts and the lower shock mounts to the rear.
LEFT: Top view of upper crossmember assembly from
passenger side.
BELOW: Detail view of driver side upper crossmember
including panhard bar mount
RIGHT: Driver side of upper crossmember
assembly.
BELOW: Passenger side of upper crossmember
10. Install panhard bar into axle bracket and upper crossmember bracket. Adjust panhard bar length
to center the axle to the framerails.
11. Install shock into lower shock bracket.
Install upper bracket onto top of shock.
Swivel up into position with the upper
mount against the OEM crossmember and
mark for drilling mounting hole. [See
picture below] NOTE: Make sure the axle
assembly is at ride height and centered to
framerails before marking upper shock
mount location.
12. Install airsprings into upper and lower airspring brackets. Be sure to use the flat round base plate
underneath the airsprings. This is to support and prevent damage to the airspring.
13. Run the airlines and inflate to check for leaks. You will need approx. 60-75 psi of air pressure to
start tuning for best ride quality. The best ride quality will occur when the airspring is inflated to
approx. 9” tall.
NOTE: Sway bar end links were cut down to 3 ¼” center to center measurement
Axle
Upper AirBar
Washers
Upper Axle Bracket
FRONTREAR
Bridge Bracket
Lower Axle Plate
Lower AirBar
Washers
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