Dodge Repair: 1999 Dakota manual tranny swap

Question
QUESTION: Have a 99 Dakota sport, swapped tranny for a manual 2000 Dakota and the drive shaft needs to be shortened. Is there any spaces on the exact length I need it cut now and if there's going to be any other related circumstances afterward to adjust like speedometer etc? Any advice would be appreciated, my husband is a great mechanic and I'm just a worried wife thinking it can't be that easy! Lol
Thanks

ANSWER: Hi Ashley,
Sorry but I don't have experience with that sort of a swap. The issue with the speedo/odo is whether there is a output shaft speed sensor on the manual transmission and is it compatible with the plug/circuit of the original automatic transmission's speed sensor. I don't have a Dakota manual for '99, but have a ram manual for '01 and for '95.
The other concern I would have is that the powertrain control module is linked to the transmission control module and the latter module is 'sensing' for info from the automatic transmission and also is trying to control its internal electronics. So exactly how the absence of those electronic interconnections will be "missed" with the substitution of a purely mechanical manual transmission is unknown. You might do well to check at a dealer parts counter to look at whether the powertrain control module for the automatic-equipped Dakota was a different part number than the powertrain control module used in the manual trans Dakota. Similarly see if the manual trans has an electrical or a mechanical output speed sensor to 'drive' the speedo/odo.
Finally, the mounting to the engine/body may be different for the trans' and also of course the gear shifters are different. So this is not a simple substitution.
I wish you both good luck.
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Its a 99 manual swapped to a 00' manual trans. Both manuals. Sorry I didn't specify that.

Answer
Oh, that sounds much better. For the Ram there are three different manual transmissions, probably related to the specific engine. I think it would be wise to go to a dealer parts counter and compare the model of trans that you had with the model of trans your are installing to see whether they can be easily substituted or not. I am concerned about the drive shaft length being different and that might also give you some indication of the importance of comparing whether the new trans ever was sold to be used with the engine that you have. It doesn't appear so, so there may be other non-compatible issues.
If you would consider rating me and giving me a "nomination" I would appreciate that.
Roland