Kerr

Some one traded ina 99 2500 SLT short bed diesel at the toyota place yesterday.

Im not sure what lift is under it but it has 38" swampers on it. The truck is a Diesel auto with 130K miles. Looks like it has never been off road. Just wondering what you all think and what i should check for.

thanks

Shawn

phox_mulder

Check for slop on all the added components:
Control arms
Trac bar or extension bracket
Pitman arm

Bigger tires means more wear on the wheel bearings, U-joints and steering components.
Grab the wheels and move back and forth, too much movement means bad bearings.
Check for cracks or slack where the steering box mounts.

Front driveshaft might have a binding problem.
Look for shaved/ground edges on the CV joint
(the joint at the transfer case end).
Also could have contact points at the differential end.

You should be able to find out what brand of lift it is by the components.

Red control arms and springs is Skyjacker, and usually a sticker on the arms.
Black control arms is most likely Tuff Country, and usually has an EZ ride sticker on them.
Longer control arms that connect further back on the frame is usually a Cepek long arm kit.

Not sure what is on a whiplash lift, but it doesn't belong on a truck that heavy anyway. (IMHO)

Those are the most popular lifts for our trucks.


phox

Kerr

hey thanks, im going to take a better look at it today. the sales man jumped me as soon as i hit the lot yesterday. We went back last night to show it to the wife but they had driven it home.

As for the lift i think it said Skyjacker on it. But everything was black.

ammo5797

I'd be a little careful w/ an auto that had 130k rollin 38" Swampers.(IMO)dealer should be able to put you in touch w/ whoever traded it in to get some kind of history, if or how many times it's been replaced etc.

phox about covered the lift question I think, other than that I would look for odd wear patterns on the tires and find some soft dirt to check the 4 wheel drive - hi & lo range listen for clicks, pops, grinding or binding when turning, stopping and starting - basically anything that doesn't sound or feel "right" - look for leaking fluid around the output shafts on the t-case & heavy oily dirt on the underside of the truck can point to past leaks -
Good Luck!

Justin

Kerr

ill get some picturs of it later if they still have it. THe wheels tires, and life look band new. I dont think they can clean it up that much... Im guessing it was one of those guys that lift it just to look good. I do know the pervious owner was from this town because i have seen it driving around. He traded in on a land cruiser at the toyota dealer. then this little dealership got it.

Kerr

ok i talked to previous owner.

He said the suspension is Superlift 4.5 " with 2" daystar spacers.

Tires are 38/13.50 ( i guess this is why it wonders a little on take off and stopping)

The trubo was replaced last year and still have a few months on the warranty from the dodge dealer.

He also said the tires have 800 miles on them along with the lift. He went on to say the truck has never been off road which it looks like it hasnot. Everything is stock but the suspension, motor, computer, echausts, brakes...

After driving the only thing i was a little worried about it it felt like it didnt want to stop. Might just take getting use to different braks and the big tires. Also the steering felt loose in the wheel. It just felt to easy to turn. Im not sure if it should be like that or not. My last lifted truck was sorta stiff on the steering.

ammo5797

The lack of braking power can be attributed to the size and weight of the tires, as long as the brakes are in good condition, you really can't do much until they come out with a brake upgrade kit for our trucks - somebody may have one, I haven't seen it yet. Do the 99's have 4-wheel disc? That would make a difference.
The wandering is undoubtedly a lot of the tires fault, also the trac-bar on these trucks are notoriously short lived.Did they do anything to upgrade the steering? AGR pump/sector etc.? Or hydraulic? These would make a difference.

Justin

Kerr

he didnt mention anything about upgraded steering and i didnt know to ask. I do know it has drum brakes in the rear.

Kerr

After talking to the wife i think we are going to buy a stock truck. She is not that big a fan of buying a modified truck that some one else has done. She also said it seem fishey to put a lift wheels and tires on it then trade it in. Which i guess she is right, i never thought of it like that.

ammo5797

That may not be a bad idea, sometimes it could end up costing you more in the end trying to straighten out a vehicle that's been modified wrong than building it right the first time. Good Luck findin' one you like!

Justin

Kerr

that and the 38's where a little big for my taste. The truck looked huge, I think there was to much lift for the tires after looking at your all sigs.

I would rather have something on 35's at the most. That way its still very stable and should not run into problems towing.

TexasZach

Kerr... I agree with Ammo and Phox, not to mention your wife, it's best to pass on this one. Buy a stock truck and modify it (if you wish) the way you want to. When I read the previous owner had spent all that money on a recent lift and tires only to trade the truck in afterwards I became very suspicious as well. That's not to say that I haven't done some crazy things before, but who knows what the actual circumstances are behind the trade in? I think you made the right decision on this one.

Good luck in your quest for the right one.

dodgediesel4x4

TexasZ has a ver good point. But to tell yall the truth, I bought my truck w/ the lift and tires already on it. I was lucky enough to talk to the previous owner via the dealership and he told me that the reason he was getting rid of my current truck is that he wanted something bigger....1 ton, 04 to be exact. So, sometimes you just get lucky, as in my case.

Good luck.

Hunter

Kerr

i thought the same thing but the story s little fishey

they said at the dealer ship he got a land cruiser, he said he got a tundra. and the reason for the trade was because his wife didnt like the sound of the diesel. which is strange with 130K miles. Maybe he just got his wife

Any way to ad fuel to the fire i called the dealer and told them i was going to pass on the lifted one. But i WAS interested in the non lifted one. It was a 98 SLT sprort auto, 120K miles. the lifted one was a 99 SLT auto with a 130K miles. The price was the same on both trucks.