1998.5 Dodge Ram CTD - Sally

[frojoe]

This is the only real damage after 9 days down in Moab (a couple little fender dings.. but at this point that isn't even "damage" haha).

I decided at the beginning of the trip that this would be the last outing for the factory bumper (sad, but I've pushed the limit of what I can do with it in the vain of "keeping a factory-ish appearance").

Resting at least half the truck's weight on the NV4500 ended up breaking the rubber trans mount, and push the Atlas breather fitting up into the trans tunnel and break it.

I've since replaced that fitting with a NPT -> JIC 90deg steel elbow, and JIC to 3/8" hose barb adapter.. hopefully the fitting doesn't break again if contact is forced.

But really, I need to make a strong trans/Tcase skidplate and multiple-squaretube bracket system for it to hold the weight.

Since I mounted my ARB Twin next to the passenger battery (via a plate bracket I fabbed) for some reason I have rattled off 4 of the rearmost threaded plastic filters. Truck just sitting, there is a good finger-width between intake elbow and the filter, but maybe with engine movement and vibration the intake tubing would touch and rattle loose the filter. it's happened so many times with only that filter, after using pipe thread tape/paste, even blue Loctite.

I got tired of that, so I deleted the 1/4"-NPT threaded plastic filters, and made induction tubes to the post-filter side of the airbox.

I used 45deg bulkhead fittings on the airbox side, so I could adjust the angle of them and reef the bulkhead nuts down (with some RTV) to hold in place. So far so good, with no fitting loosening/movement.

I did tack weld on "safety nuts" on the end of the bulkhead fitting threads, so to ensure nothing rattles off. I left a gap between the tacked nut and the actual nut in case I wanted to loosen the fitting to adjust angle in the future.

Overall I'm happy with the install.. thinking about 2X 1/2" x 18" of hose for flow, vs the tiny plastic original filters, I don't believe I'd added any inlet restriction to the compressors.. but at the very least they are guaranteed to have continuous clean air from the airbox.

 

[frojoe]

I knew after getting back from Moab that the very top-priority next mod for the truck was to make a tubular rear bumper (spoiler alert: it's done & installed, will upload details shortly).

Because a no-light liceense plate around here is a great way to call attention from the local law enforcement folks, I wanted to figure out a new relocated-plate out of harm's way as well as a light for it.

I settled on a tailgate-mounted plate, and the location shown is about as high as I could go without the light-wiring hole being drilled above the internal tailgate bulkhead (very important to know for those of you who might want to try something similar on a 2nd gen tailgate, with tailgate-internal wiring.

I also 3D printed a drill-guide to get the wiring passthru hole exactly where I wanted it..

 

[frojoe]

Also forgot another failure in Moab, after the last trail of the trip, noticed my hydroboost started leaking P/S fluid. At camp while packing up to head home early the next day, I brakecleaned and filled the hydroboost case bototm drip/vent ole with RTV so it wouldn't leak along my ~2500km roadtrip back home to BC Canada.

Before returning the truck to semi-dailydriver duty, I rebuilt the hydroboost unit. Attached a few pics for anyone interested in how the assembly looks.

I also ended up having to cut the pushrod from the brake pedal to full remove the front seal, and ended up threading the two pushrod halves and fabbing a threaded sleeve to also be able to adjust pedal location in the future.

And another mod, which I had lined up for several months before emarking on the Moab roadtrip, is new leaf springs. The factory-Chevy 5-leaf 2500 pack that I originally swapped into the truck circa 2018 or so, were just bagged out and done. Flexed beyond flat, and drooped/arched beyond what any factory Chevy would be designed to do haha.

I ended up choosing the Deaver G7 leaf pack, which is the 4in-factory-block-delete leafpack to maintain "factory ride height" on a NBS Chevy 2500/2500HD truck.

I figured that going with the military-wrap design, as well as deleting the 2" block I had, should help handle Cummins torque better. And between the previous ride height honestly being a bit low, and the 3-height adjustment on the Thuren leaf shackles, I figured this pack being designed to ride 4" higher than a factory pack, should end up being okay.

Below left is before, and right is after (with bumper removal and bed chop (obviously haha). "Standard load" in the bed for both pics... fullsize spare and slammed full toolbox, otherwise "empty bed".

 

[frojoe]

And finally, the rear tube bumper.. some details:

- 3" x 0.25" square tube main base
- 1-3/4" x 0.240" DOM tube for all the roundy bits
- 4" x 2.5" x 1/4" angle for mounting to frame rails, five 1/2"-20 grade 8 bolts per side, mounting on two planes
- 2" receiver tube welded to the 3" square tube on on all sides
- receiver tube reinforced to bumper with angle plate gusset in the rear and C-channel gusset in the front
- 1/2" tiedown shackle rings as trailer chain hooking points
- tucked/hidden mount plate for factory 7-pin trailer plug receptacle

 

[ThundahBeagle]

I honestly have no particular reason for why I chose Firestone Destination MT's, other than the look of the thread and some random good reviews online. Tire size is 315/70/17 on 17x9 Pro Comp series 97 steel rims, with 4.5" backspace I believe.

My girlfriend almost fits into one haha..

Shes a keeper if she let's you stage them in her dining room, and curls up on one, sir

 

[ThundahBeagle]

I never really considered myself a "lightbar guy", but I was on SuperBrightLED's website getting a bunch of natural white bulbs to replace all the dim, yellow bulbs in the interior, and saw these LED lights for super cheap, not really knowing much about lumens, lux, or lumens/watt, but I just bought as I thought they look like they'd stealthily fit in my front bumper.

Made a bracket to tuck them neatly out of the way..

I have a cap on the back of my truck as well. Mine is a Leer 180 with a rack. I see in some of your posts, the cap is on in some pictures and off in others in the same post.

How do you get your cap off the truck and back onto it on a whim? Did yi6 set up a gantry at home?

 

[frojoe]

Shes a keeper if she let's you stage them in her dining room, and curls up on one, sir

Hah! She is in fact wifey now, and somehow she doesn't evet comment on my 8 vehicles, only saying "well I want a fun 2nd vehicle now too"..!

 

[frojoe]

I have a cap on the back of my truck as well. Mine is a Leer 180 with a rack. I see in some of your posts, the cap is on in some pictures and off in others in the same post.

How do you get your cap off the truck and back onto it on a whim? Did yi6 set up a gantry at home?

I thought about rigging a pulley/crane for years, but I've only really put it on-off routinely for maybe a 2 year period. The rest of the time beforehand it was on permanently, and now it's realistically off permanently.

It's easy to undo the headache rack with 4 stainless bolts, and myself and 1 other friend can load thr canopy on/off as needed if there is a particular trip in mind.

But honestly, with the trees around here... I keep it off so it doesn't get absolutely wrecked and/or smash the glass.

 

[Kingsize24]

Hah! She is in fact wifey now, and somehow she doesn't evet comment on my 8 vehicles, only saying "well I want a fun 2nd vehicle now too"..!

This sounds like a good reason to vehicle shop for her an old ride that you can document on here and entertain the masses with 🤣🤣🤣

 

[frojoe]

She strongly prefers something turquoise or light green, and it needs to be an automatic.

I'm thinking a shortbed 2wd OBS Chevy.

 

[Kingsize24]

She strongly prefers something turquoise or light green, and it needs to be an automatic.

I'm thinking a shortbed 2wd OBS Chevy.

View attachment 878588

Very nice!

 

[ThundahBeagle]

She strongly prefers something turquoise or light green, and it needs to be an automatic.

I'm thinking a shortbed 2wd OBS Chevy.

View attachment 878588

Whether she has an affinity for 1990's trucks, or you are pushing that affinity onto her, I approve! Except I personally prefer with 4x4.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

She strongly prefers something turquoise or light green, and it needs to be an automatic.

I'm thinking a shortbed 2wd OBS Chevy.

View attachment 878588

I've had three GMT400's and loved then all

 

[ITTOG]

Shes a keeper if she let's you stage them in her dining room, and curls up on one, sir

Hah! She is in fact wifey now, and somehow she doesn't evet comment on my 8 vehicles, only saying "well I want a fun 2nd vehicle now too"..!

Ummmm, not so fast! Us men need a wife that helps us NOT spend all of our money. I would be very careful with this one. Not saying she isn't wife material at all, just beware!

 

[Mekcanix]

Hah! She is in fact wifey now, and somehow she doesn't evet comment on my 8 vehicles, only saying "well I want a fun 2nd vehicle now too"..!

Congrats those kinda partners are hard to find