DevilzTower

Well, some of you may know, I've been hanging around DTR for quite a while and while a pretty new HPCR isn't in my future ... a 12V 93' Ramcharger is ... I think.

I just picked up a 93 Ramcharger, specs: 318, 4x4, A-518, NP241, D44 front, 9.25" rear ... see pics here (I'll post some in my galley soon, but these were taken by the former owner).

http://community.webshots.com/album/566012868OtndlR

I'm going to admit, this will be my first major auto project, I know cars, but don't have the tools to do a significant amount of fab work.

So ...

I was thinking that the easiest swap would be to throw in a 92-93 12V + drivetrain from a 4x4. Picking up some tips from Fred Swanson's and Trooperthorn's builds. Should be almost all bolt-in stuff, right? Something I'm missing?

Questions:
1. Do I really need the 3/4 drivetrain if this is just going to be a road ranger with some very light wheeling possible? I would prefer to do it right with the 3/4 ton 4x4 drivetrain (D60/D70) but 2wds are so much easier to find.
2. I think I remember reading that the bolt patten on my A-518 is different than the bolt patten for the diesel, is that correct? So I'm looking at a transmission swap anyway?

Sorry for the long post, but I've been looking forward to this for a long time and want to walk around all the traps instead of falling into them on a project like this ...

wannadiesel

The rear will live assuming no towing and reasonable application of the power. You may find that you need a taller ratio, though. A lot of those trucks have 3.91's out back. If you get a 4X4 RC you NEED to swap a D60 under the front, you will kill the 44 just from the weight.

Yes, you need a diesel trans.

PapeCAT

really really clean looking rig!! definitely worth the extra work to fab in the D60/70 front and rear..

vic340

Me too check this link this is what im buyin
http://www.high-impact.net/transmiss...88-03_auto.htm


All you have to buy is the peddle assy. thats it!! even lube is included.


I called ATS for a auto trans 618 stage 2 trans. 4450.00 plus 1200 core charge plus 450-500 freight. no thanks.

vic340

My ramcharger is a 92.. I pulled the 12v out of the donor truck last weekend. I think this is the best route with the nv4500. The 618 or 518 don't have a lockup mode. And for the auto RH trans. you have to buy a bunch of stuff to convert to a lockup flexplate adapter plate adapter for the t-case so its on the correct side etc...

DevilzTower

if we're to get the lockup converter and keep the wiring as simple as possible, then maybe the better plan is to get a 94-95 12V, since it'll still use the OBD1 computer and swap that in...

The heartache with that option is to create mounts and arms for the coilover front suspension on those trucks ... but, that was something I wanted to do in the long term anyway ... swap in a coilover suspension at least in the front.

Would the PCM swap in to control the T/C lockup or would it still be on a switch?

DevilzTower

alright ... i get it, i talk to much without cutting metal or posting pictures, i've violated the unwritten DTR law ... don't worry ... one day I'll have something worth showing on here.

SRobertson

Beautiful looking RC.

My 87 will be getting the 12v out of my rolled truck. Along with the NV4500 and D80 and D60 front. (It was a camper special and had a SRW Dana 80). A bit overkill but it is what I have.

I took all of the molding off my RC, Good news is that there aren't too many holes, it was rust free, interior was in good shape and the price was right.

From what I have heard and others mentioned the 44's don't hold up well to the 12v 1200 pounds. Finding a D60 will be a bit tough, I have to cut my coil buckets off and weld on some custom perches, we'll see how it turns out.

Best of luck, they should run pretty good if the truck was turned up, my should be 2000 lbs. lighter than the 4x4 extended cab.

Fred Swanson

I like the Blue. Awesome color for a 1st gen body style truck or RC. How is the work progressing?

DevilzTower

I'd love to tell you I have it half ripped apart with a donor truck sitting in the yard, but I don't, the only real work I've done to her is basic maintenance and checking to make sure everything is in working order. So far the truck seems solid, nothing weird to speak of. The ABS light and the parking brake light are on, which I've heard is the rear wheel speed sensor located on the pumpkin, haven't addressed this yet, I'll wait till I don't have to lay in snow to fix it, the truck doesn't fit in the garage with 4" lift and 33 x 12.50 BFGs.

Unfortunately, life got in the way. I moved from STL to Milwaukee to be near my girl again and when I did I had to leave my duplex behind. With the housing market shot, it looks like I'm going to have to hold onto her. I've been trying to sell for 5 months, nothing is moving in the area. Now I'm going to have to rent it out ... supporting two mortgage payments just eats everything up. Once it's rented I can get my cashflow back, but this isn't the time of year people are moving, looks like I have to hold on to spring.

I'm trying to set aside some cash in case the right donor truck comes up. Everything I see is either 5K for a decent runner, or 3K for a truck with a shot transmission. I don't have the skills to pay the bills in regards to a transmission and sending one out to Goerend, DDT, etc will kill my budget for the build.

So I'm just trying to be patient and not get too down being "stuck" as I currently am, I'm just thankful at this point that my g/f and my job seem to not be in jeopardy.

I'm keeping an eye on your truck though with affixed eyes ... she'll look great with 35s on her.

DevilzTower

one more thing (for now) ...

I also have basically parked her for the winter since I want to rustproof the old gal before I put here on snowball duty ... they salt around here really bad and I don't want the clean truck I found to turn into a bucket ...

plus, 33 x 12.50s stink in the winter, I had some on a '78 Bronco w/ 4" lift in my younger years and it wasn't all that pretty

DevilzTower

Well, I'm sure I could find the answers eventually if I plowed through the search functions long enough ...but, I'm going to ask anyway.

Will dually axles have the wrong offsets to work with a std width application? (i.e. for my conversion)

TIA

SRobertson

Are you talking spring width? My axles are from my 96 (made custom pad for the front axle), but the rear bolted right in, the pad on the axles was a bit bigger but the width was 100%, just bought new U bolts.

DevilzTower

Well, it's time to start this, finally ...

I found a donor truck from a fellow DTR member. A little bit of a fiasco getting her home, but she made it in one piece after a long day. Specs below ...

92 4x4 5spd (rebuilt) 3.55 gears, 205K

Right now the truck has an issue. Around 1100 - 1200 rpm the truck coughs and shakes hard. She sounds good at idle and short shifting a lower rpm, put some throttle to her and she spits a bunch. I was given a donor VE from an 89 in case that was the problem. The fuel shut down solenoid is toast, currently a pull cord member (didn't even know this was a common issue until the last few days ...). The truck will do this while sitting in park and manually hitting the throttle, so I think we can rule out a boost leak since it needs load to build boost.

It seems plausible that it's a fueling problem and that if could be anything in the following list, but I'm open to any thoughts.

1. Fuel Filter - checked looks pretty new, bought an extra just in case
2. Injection Pump - bad diaphram, bad AFC (?) etc.
3. Lift pump - toast and causing a restriction in the tank causing low fuel at increased volumes.
4. Hole in fuel line, or at least something to suck air in the line (believe I've read this one before).
5. more?

I'll post some pics once I get some air in the front tires, apparently U haul trailers were made to pull VWs and Cobalts, not trucks ... who knew? We couldn't even get the straps to come down to the ratchets without completely deflating the front tires ...

SRobertson

Sounds like your swap should go a bit smoother. I am not familiar with the VE pump, but it sounds like you may be getting some air in the fuel?? That is what my truck did after I fired it up before the system was purged.

Yours should be more of a bolt on swap given the 1st gen donor truck. You will be very happy once it is done. I have the stock 12cm gated exhaust housing on and it spools nicely for such a light vehicle. I should have a new Thermocouple here in a couple of days and I'll see what the egts are doing, but I don't suspect they are any where near hot as it doesn't have much of a load on it.

Looking forward to pictures, keep up the work, its worth it!!