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1st Gen. Ram - All TopicsDiscussion for all Dodge Rams prior to 1994. This includes engine, drivetrain and non-drivetrain discussions. Anything prior to 1994 should go in here.
Today, me and the old girl took a ride to the home cheapo to get some oil for,the dodge oil change. (Dodge behind the old blind dog)
The depot has the lowest cost locally for full synthetic Rotella. $22 a bottle , and back home to tend to her younger brother who decided to tear his nail off. I think wearing my wife's tube sock held on with electrical tape is actually killing him more than the pain of the nail being gone.
Spoke to the local powder coating company today regarding my truck.
Rebuild my rear brakes again, using Chinese drums and hardware, ultimately having them delaminate again from inside the metal, or switch to rear discs.
I am specifically asking those (such as Mark who have already done this.
Reason? Throwing good money after bad.
I spent a lot of $$ rebuilding my rear drums and now they are nearly toast again. In order to redo again, these Chinese brake drums are going to be replaced. They are rotting from within the metal of,the drum due to poor material during manufacture. They are Raybestos.
$400 on new drums alone (and having them powder coated for better resistance) or do I invest a more and get disc setup? Something that performs, and will not be subject to this rotting away in 4 years.
Mark, how much was was your swap? Anyone else who did,theirs? Trying to weigh the cost vs benefit ratio.
Thanks.
I did my rear disc conversion for about $315. I still need to rig up a parking brake and install an adjustable proportioning valve. I'm going to do that next month when I do the hydroboost conversion.
I did my rear disc conversion for about $315. I still need to rig up a parking brake and install an adjustable proportioning valve. I'm going to do that next month when I do the hydroboost conversion.
AJ, please make sure and start a new tread on your hydroboost and prop valve with pics. I’d like to follow it for sure!
I have a set sitting on the garage floor, waiting for ARB lockers, a re-gear and some welding for suspension mounts. It’s going to be a while though, since my new project will be here on Saturday and I have a 1700 mile move East coming up next month. I can never get any sleep!
Got the cracked aluminum extension housing out, 241LD transfer case pulled, new snap rings in the 241DHD, new cast iron extension housing bolted up to the NV4500 without issue, 241DHD back in and ready for action with new seals to boot. Let it sit overnight so the RTV could cure up and added fluids this morning. I made her great again. No leaks after the drive to work. Now, I’m just waiting on my new class V 2-1/2” hitch, ball mount and wiring kit for the Prodigy P2 to arrive tomorrow. Hoping everything comes in.... ship weight says 31 pounds, so I’m guessing it’s missing something
I have a set sitting on the garage floor, waiting for ARB lockers, a re-gear and some welding for suspension mounts. It’s going to be a while though, since my new project will be here on Saturday and I have a 1700 mile move East coming up next month. I can never get any sleep!
Am curious as to how you plan to do the mounts. Are you going to go leaves in the front, or fab up some mounts for the stock f550 springs and links? Would be quite the challenge to do leaves so far as space goes.
Bought a 2005 f550 chassis with 4.30 gears that am going to just simply swap the 1st gen body onto, with the ve cummins. Feel this is the simplest way for me to get those beefy axles under my 1st gen, and the added plus of the beefy f550 frame.
Am curious as to how you plan to do the mounts. Are you going to go leaves in the front, or fab up some mounts for the stock f550 springs and links? Would be quite the challenge to do leaves so far as space goes.
Bought a 2005 f550 chassis with 4.30 gears that am going to just simply swap the 1st gen body onto, with the ve cummins. Feel this is the simplest way for me to get those beefy axles under my 1st gen, and the added plus of the beefy f550 frame.
My front mounts have been shaved off, so it looks like a “normal” Dana 60. I’m going to have to fab custom mounts and it will be a parallel 4 link with track bar, just like a 2nd Gen. I’ll have to preheat the driver’s side (because there isn’t enough tube to weld to, since the pumpkin is all the way to the left) and weld to the cast iron. I’ll tie the upper and lowe mounts into the pumpkin and the inner C. Now I’ve had GREAT results welding cast iron to steel with 6011 rod on a Lincoln buzz box, for hydraulic cylinders. I’m thinking 7018 will be the way to go. I don’t really want to MIG it. Luckily, the guys at Dodge Off-Road will be within 30 min of my new house. Maybe they’re capable of doing the welding, or can send me to someone who can. If not, I’ll take a crack at it....no pun intended.
I agree, the F550 frame will be the best way to go, as well as the fastest and most cost effective. If my axle still had the stock mounts on it, that’s probably what I would do. Check out the build on my truck, I put an entire 2nd Gen front frame and suspension into the stock frame to gain the 4 link and coil spring setup. I’m thinking that since I’d like a BIG and FUNCTIONAL lift on my truck, I may just build a straight frame out of 8” x 3-4” box tube, probably 1/4” wall. I’m looking for stout and ridgid, without frame flex, although it will probably make my truck an 8k pound bohemith. If you do use the 550 frame, please do a build thread! I might even copy some of your ideas!
My front mounts have been shaved off, so it looks like a “normal” Dana 60. I’m going to have to fab custom mounts and it will be a parallel 4 link with track bar, just like a 2nd Gen. I’ll have to preheat the driver’s side (because there isn’t enough tube to weld to, since the pumpkin is all the way to the left) and weld to the cast iron. I’ll tie the upper and lowe mounts into the pumpkin and the inner C. Now I’ve had GREAT results welding cast iron to steel with 6011 rod on a Lincoln buzz box, for hydraulic cylinders. I’m thinking 7018 will be the way to go. I don’t really want to MIG it. Luckily, the guys at Dodge Off-Road will be within 30 min of my new house. Maybe they’re capable of doing the welding, or can send me to someone who can. If not, I’ll take a crack at it....no pun intended.
I agree, the F550 frame will be the best way to go, as well as the fastest and most cost effective. If my axle still had the stock mounts on it, that’s probably what I would do. Check out the build on my truck, I put an entire 2nd Gen front frame and suspension into the stock frame to gain the 4 link and coil spring setup. I’m thinking that since I’d like a BIG and FUNCTIONAL lift on my truck, I may just build a straight frame out of 8” x 3-4” box tube, probably 1/4” wall. I’m looking for stout and ridgid, without frame flex, although it will probably make my truck an 8k pound bohemith. If you do use the 550 frame, please do a build thread! I might even copy some of your ideas!
Sounds like quite the project! Lol, personally dont have the ***** to weld to cast iron, but apparently it can be done, will be looking forwards to seeing what you do down the road. Think I remember your build, where you put the 2nd gen frame/suspension underneath a 1st gen, must have ben 2-3 years ago you did that, unless am thinking of someone else.
No building yet, just brainstorming at the moment. Am picking up the chassis in a couple months, than shortly after when I find a beater car to drive around while my truck is under the knife, will start digging in. Should be fairly straight forwards for me, no real complicated modifications need to be done.
I have a growing concern with my truck. After it has been driven for a while and I go to slow down to turn off the highway or stop to pull into my driveway, the idle drops WAY down. It is the worst in reverse. If I put the truck in neutral or park though, the idle returns to normal. The thing with this that also concerns is my oil pressure gets lower when the idle gets low. It doesn’t get below the 4 sections on the oil pressure gauge, but it gets down into the lower 1/4 on the gauge. It recovers when I put it in neutral or park and the idle comes up, but it still concerns me. I’m wondering if my transmission is just suffering from when the transmission lines blew and it got just a lot bit warm and ruined the seals on the transmission. I replaced them and it still works and shifts OKAY, but that is probably just a TV cable adjustment since it shifts to second gear about 10 miles an hour and then into 3rd at about 25. It doesn’t usually shift out of 3rd on its own either when I go around corners. I just deal with it though as I want to put a 5 speed in the truck again. I don’t care much for this 47rh that the P.O. switched to from the Getrag. The OD and TC are off of switches, which makes me nervous if I ever had to make a panic stop and the TC was locked in. I know I could get a stand alone controller, but those are expensive and I’d rather save that money to go towards a 5 speed swap.
