Fair enough... I think it was $25 per U-Bolt. I'm in agreement regarding the confidence of US steel vs China. Not looking to go cheap, just asking for a good source to order a full set as I start my build.

 

I would be dollars to donuts that if you buy a kit (set) online, anywhere, it's made in the good ole " Republic of Cheena "

Maybe this will help ya !

https://www.google.com/search?q=u-bo...nt=firefox-b-1





Seems more expensive online, than locally...

 

A spring shop can make them any size/shape you want.

 

I ordered replacement U-Bolts made by Husky Springs from RockAuto. Hope to have them in a few days. I will let you know on the quality.

 

Not a 5-speed but this guy builds 12v Ramchargers here.
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/...399359669.html

 

Nice ride, but I wonder if he upgraded to the diesel frame, or kept the 1/2 ton frame, which frightens me a bit.

 

I don't have a clue, but would it matter if it's just a driver? I wouldn't think anyone would do heavy hauling with a R/C because of the wheelbase.

 

Valid question. I would hope so.
My friend has an '05 qcsb 4wd Ram and a '93 Ramcharger in 8/10 shape. The Ramcharger gets all kind of positive praise but the '05 is just another truck out there to some.

 

Super nice truck, looks like it rolled off the showroom floor. I hope mine will look half that nice when I'm done. Who is ever really done/done... :-)

I will start a thread here shortly, but I will be building up my RC on a 92 W250 frame. I have it stripped and working on the supenssion now. Slow build as I am not in a rush.

 

Oliver's frame is from a w250 which is thicker and taller than a 1/2 ton frame. Long term, he won't have stress fracturing from use. I'm not positive that the 1/2 ton frame won't last, or have negative effects from the constant weight, and vibration a 5.9 adds to the mix. It just makes sense to me that vehicles are engineered to withstand certain criteria based , long term exposures, and a thicker, hunker, more robust frame which had the original design parameters in mind, makes me more comfortable . I'd buy that RC in a freaking heartbeat, if $$ wasn't an issue.

Besides, if you can't use it for what it was deaigned for, then its a creampuff, and I'm not a creampuff driving kind a fella...

 

I rolled the RC out of its winter parking spot in the shop yesterday and fired it up.
It started on the first revolution of the motor. I let it run for 20 minutes then dropped the oil from the engine. I added a new Fleetguard filter and some Valvoline blue.

I need to pick up a few more QTs of 5W-30 for the Getrag. I would like to change the fluid after just a year as the transmission was rebuild just before installing it.
One of the linkage clips must of come loose on the inner door linkage on the passenger side as the inner door handle stopped working. I had some of those linkage rods off when I did the door inner brace welding job last summer. I will need to pop that door panel off and take a look.
It will be back on the road on Monday.

 

Well after lunch, Charlotte and I gave the RC a nice bath to take off about 6 months of shop dust.
We took turns running the pressure washer / running the soapy hand towel while chatting about our plans for Carlisle.

She is off catching snakes, newts, frogs and salamanders in the woods with the dogs now. I am taking bets on who will be the muddiest when they return.
I will take this opportunity to hose off Poncho while the pressure washer is out.

 

keep it out...the daughter may need it....our youngest had a favorite mud hole when she was little. the wife never would let her play in it. One day the wife was gone, and I let may daughter have at it. she spent about an hour rolling around. Momma came home in the meantime....was not happy, but I told her I'd handle it. when Amber was done, I hosed her off...took her in the mud room, had her strip then off to the bathtub.

 

I did the same thing for my daughters when they were little....they found a muddy hole and started to play in it but it was pretty small, so I got a shovel and some more water and made it big enough enough for them to really have a good time.

 

Oliver or anyone really, when filling the getrag. They say to fill from the top PTO cover. Am I right in thinking that they mean to pull the boot inside the cab, then pour down the shift tower area?