fmf1979

Has anyone done a complete dash swap from a 96 2500 with a 2000 or 2001 ram truck?

What I want to do is find a truck in a junk yard that is a 2000 or 2001 year model and buy the leather seats and the entire dash out of it. Has anyone done this type of swap before?

Thanks.
ps im not doing this to correct the cracked top of the dash, i want to have the newer style of dash with more air vents and a nicer material.

SIXSLUG

I am pretty sure this has been discussed before.

Have you tried searching it?

Redlinear

Floor board is different, seats are different, tracks are different (UNLESS you have a reg cab truck and you use 98up reg cab for your donor truck.)
If you have an ext cab and use quad cab seats, I guess it could be done, but, prepare for some home-made floor brackets.

More than likely, same with the brackets inside the dash.
You'de need EVERYTHING out of the dash also.
Wiring then becomes a problem adapting the later model electronics to your wiring harness.

98-02 dashes just fall apart and are expensive. More-so than 94-97.
You have to at least look at your dash wrong to get it break. A 98 up simply needs air to fall apart.
98-02:
The top of the dash will break, the instruments cluster will break, the cupholders in an auto will break, the glove compartment will fall in the floor because the hinges broke. The hinges are part of the entire main dash and cannot be simply changed. The park brake release will break. And the bolster already has too many holes drilled in it for trailer brake contollers.

Decent leather seats and steering wheels are very difficult to find in a 1500. Impossible to find in a Cummins truck.

98 up quad cab power seat motors are expensive and go bad quite often.
94-97 and later reg cab power seat motors seem to be considerably more reliable, and cheaper.

By the time you finish, you'll wish you had just bought another truck. It'd be cheaper.

SIXSLUG

^^^Well...there ya go.

joem

im amazed that my 1994 power seat still works, everyting for that matter works prefect! even after its been in salt water door handle deep by its previous owner at this well known crossing at pismo dunes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR4kT...eature=related

The cardan joint and all U joints are another story

fmf1979

well, my buddy has a 99 extended cab long bed with the v10. and boy does he hate the gas engine now.

but the dash in the truck caught my eye. i want to know if it is possible to do a direct swap dash for dash, minus the instrument cluster and ac guages/*****. etc. my goal is to get a dash that has the infamous flip down broken bracket cup holders which would be superior to the 2 cup tray directly over my shift boot that is now filling with condensation and having the cyclops third eye ac vent in the middle of the dash rather than having 4 vents like a normal human truck.

i see plenty of phaux wood trim kits i can glue on the front and new vinyl or fiberglass caps i can glue on, but i ALSO want the double din radio slot that is available on the later years. ANY HELP? I dont easily accept no for an answer.

in regards to the seats, i have had numerous dodge dealer mechanics tell me that up to 2001 that the bodies are ALL the same, and so far for most generic gear thats true...

ANY ideas fellers?

patdaly

Well, redlinear tears apart more Cummins trucks a year than most Dodge dealership boys see in a lifetime, so I would use his info as a strong indication. You are asking for an electrical nightmare.

If you are serious though, get a factory service manual for your 96 and one for the year truck that you get the dash out of and start plotting your strategy.

joem

or maybe a entire cab swap- I have the old dash in my 1995, its fine for me and I come from driveing the '06 duramax back before the economey crashed

fmf1979

OK PatDaly and Redlinear... heres what Ive got...
IF I want to REUSE my existing instrument cluster, ac controls, steering column... is there going to be a problemusing the frame/face off a 99-01 truck? Or am i just glazing over a nightmare that will start when i start turning bolts?

And the leather seats... im guessing im better off getting my existing seats reupholstered and repadded... probably alot cheaper.

I really would like to get a double din radio though... cant do that with my existing dash.

AND while im at it... ive been eyeing the sport package bumpers that have the foglights set wide apart... i have the stock chrome with 2 black trim plastic pieces... is this a nightmare swap as well?

patdaly

I could see no issues if you can figure out how to retain all your 96 cluster, heating, wiring, etc. I do believe the 9802 dash bolts to the same place in the cab, not sure if the heater box outlets are in the same place and the outer plenums are what was changed, or if the actual heater box changed in 98.

99-02 sport bumper is a straight bolt in, I do believe you have some sheetmetal trimming if you want the short headlights though for the second bulb. Only problem with that swap is the price, they are stupid expensive around here.

Redlinear

Seriously, buy a 98 12v truck. Change/swap what you want, and sell the rest.
I PROMISE YOU, it will be cheaper, faster, and easier.

The floors are most definately different. AND, I think making the seats fit would be the easiest part of the job.
"Most" parts guys at dealerships are part number crunchers. Which, there is a time and place for....What you're needing isn't either.
I know you don't want to hear it, but, I'd sure not try it. And I've done plenty of stuff "they" said couldn't be done. (swaps, etc).

They make cool aftermarket leather covers for those trucks though. Fit tight like factory.

Bumper not a big deal. It will bolt right on. Just make sure you get the Sport brackets and the sport foglights also. (you'll need it ALL).

fmf1979

So after heeding ther advice of PatDaly and Redlinear, Im going to get the dash cover repair that you epoxy/glue on and a new radio and be content with it.

The seats im going to do a bit more though... reupholster, repad, and while ive got the frames/brackets out, swap out the sand trap carpet for a camo vinyl floor with fresh sound proofing under it :P

Cheap! and effective!

Redlinear

Your dash top shouldn't be "too" difficult to find in a salvage yard. (in good shape).
Yes, they break. BUT, not near as bad as the 98 up dash tops.

Check on-line for seat covers. I had a Daytona/Viper combination truck once that had some orange and black leather seats. They looked factory, but, they weren't.
Seems I researched it at the time and they were very affordable covers.

I've also seen two trucks with heavy rhino-liner sprayed in the floors. Always thought that'd be the way to go.
But, I've not done it to any of my trucks. YET.