1998 Dodge Ram 3500 build

jason

New member
Just joined the site after reading post after post for a while now. Great site, should have joined up earlier!

Anyway, the truck started life pretty hard, but has come a long way. There's a guy on here that gave me some pretty good ideas on what to do with it (I think it was project redux?). Anyway, here's a few pics:

This was on the eastern side of the Wasatch's about 45 minutes west of Evanston, WY:

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Right after I got my newer bed, bumper and fuel tank:

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I have a lot more, but that's the general idea. I just finished up pulling the auto out and swapping a 5-sp. in. Pretty easy and straight forward. Since the transmission is taken care of and the engine has good power now, the fun part begins: axles. Plans are ARB's front and rear (keeping the 4.10's currently in there), lockout hub conversion up front with 35-spline inners/outers and a 1-piece passenger side axleshaft. The lift and tires will be conservative (35" KM2's and 2" lift front/rear). The dually bed, rims and tires will be taken off and a regular 8' bed put on with some fashion of 16x8" rims. The paint job is in fair shape, so I'm thinking about a darker green but in a flat color (OD green maybe?) and rhino lining the rockers, fender flares, grill and bumpers.

I would like to get out and see more of Utah and the surrounding states (been here about 1.5 years now), so this vehicle will be suited to that.

I will try and get some newer pics up so it doesn't look so much like a farm truck. Still waiting to add some D-ring mounts for the bumper in my garage. Looks like this one (only black):

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. I hope to get started on this in January sometime.

Also, anyone have any experience with the can back's? I've been eyeing them a while, but haven't seen a lot of them in person. By the way, great site!!!
 

Kilroy

Adventurer
You might want to think about an aluminum flat bed instead of a regular bed. Great utility.:sombrero:

The dually bed, rims and tires will be taken off and a regular 8' bed put on with some fashion of 16x8" rims. The paint job is in fair shape, so I'm thinking about a darker green but in a flat color (OD green maybe?) and rhino lining the rockers, fender flares, grill and bumpers.
 

Rot Box

Explorer
Great looking truck! The manual upgrade is a good one--well worth the effort :elkgrin:

You're not too far down the road from me. Do you ever make it over to RME at all?

Can-Bak's are pretty cool, but most I have seen don't like being in the sun too much as they shrink up a bit and tear zippers. Still may be worth the headache vs. the cumbersome fiberglass shells...

Edit: I can't quite see the emblem... You have the 24V right? What modifications (if any) do you have to the motor?
 

jason

New member
Thanks for the compliments. The standard bed should do me fine, as I haven't seen too many flat beds yet that aren't more farm and ranch-style. If I do go that route, it will be a custom one though. Still thinking that part out.

Rot Box, the 5-sp. was definetly worth it. I think I'm into the swap less than $2k with a clutch that will hold 500hp and a driveline that is completely rebuilt. The cheapest I could find a stout automatic for was over $4k, no shipping, fluids or driveshaft work. The engine's a 12 valve with a few small things done to it. I didn't want to go overboard with it, so a few adjustments here and there suited it more to my tastes. The only other plan is a turbo waiting to be put in for better EGT control. Should be fun.

Edit: Just checked out RME. Haven't been over there before, but I'll check it out. Thanks!!!
 
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Rot Box

Explorer
The engine's a 12 valve with a few small things done to it. I didn't want to go overboard with it, so a few adjustments here and there suited it more to my tastes. The only other plan is a turbo waiting to be put in for better EGT control. Should be fun.

12V... quad cab... 5 speed... :drool:
 

jason

New member
Yep, you were the one I was thinking of. I see yours is an 01.5, having rear discs. I like that better, as the dually axles with single wheels and drums are more noticeable. I like the bed that you built, as the base of it would be a great place to start for me. Still up in the air about it, but I will probably go with the regular SRW bed. Good job, though. I'm going to steal your paint idea. The color was rock moss green or something like that. Mine is in need of a new paint job, and the flat paint combined with no clearcoat would be perfect for this application.

Do you know how much they used to paint your truck? I see they offer the kits which make 1.5 total sprayable gallons. Not sure if that's enough to do a quad cab and long bed, though.
 

1speed

Explorer
The painter used one kit to do the cab plus jambs. You would need two to do the cab and a regular truck bed. I would not recommend the Hot Rod Flatz paint. It seems tough as hell but it's way too porous and hard to clean. Maybe a darker color would be okay, I'm not sure.
 

jason

New member
Being a flat color, cleanliness isn't as important. If I was back in GA, I would say it is as the clay is a nightmare to get off (being from FL, I'm sure you know). I figure a simple and inexpensive paint job is better than a $1500 one like I was looking at for an expedition vehicle. I'm not going to beat the crap out of it, but I do plan on using it for what I intend. The more I think about it, though, a flat bed may be better in this case. I found 2 locally, but they're $500 or so. Add in the time/supplies to paint it, and I'll be about $700-900. That could be used to build a simple but very effective flat bed. Plus I can build it to suit me. Last but not least, durabillity. I would take a tree anyday to a flatbed over a regular bed. Still not sure yet. That's the great thing about the planning stage. Ideas, ideas, ideas.
 

jason

New member
Updates, yay. First, I got the bumper on. I measured and it looks tight, but do-able for a winch. It will be getting different mounting brackets, and a fairlead of some sort; but probably not until this summer. I've got some Hella 500FF couresty of a wal mart gift card. They look pretty good, especially for being from wally world. I'm going to try my hand at herculiner with it and the rear bumper. We'll see how it goes.

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I also picked up an NP205 transfer case this past weekend. It's from an early 70's ford F250 or something similar. It's a divorce-mount, 32-spline input/outputs and super heavy. For something that small, you would think it would be somewhat light. Anyway, I'm in the process of cleaning it up and getting ready for paint and a rebuild. The yokes will be replaced in favor of 1410 series ones, as well as twin stick shifters. I've seen more than enough NP241 and 241HD's broke to know I wanted something stronger. Aluminum and chain drive in anything with some weight and power is asking for trouble. Plus, the parts are cheap, plentiful and these are about as basic as you can get. The only thing I'll loose is the shift-on-the-fly ability. But that's okay, the rear ARB should help somewhat if I get into trouble. I also hope to have the front axle rebuilt in February, if I don't get deployed again. A guy in Salt Lake has a hub conversion kit with 35 spline outers, and may be able to fab up a crossmember for me. Then some 35 spline inners (1-piece passenger side shaft), an ARB (maybe an OX?) and other small things, the drivetrain should be good. Dana 60 front, 80 rear, np205 32-spline transfer case, nv4500 with a ceramic/kevlar 13" clutch, 1410 u-joints. I hope I don't break anything. If I do, I'm selling it and buying a Jeep. :)
 

Rot Box

Explorer
My brother broke a 241HD with his Cummins, but that was because he was being dumb and a heavy right foot and two Phat Shaft turbo's didn't help :Wow1: :coffeedrink:

The 205 won't let you down that's for sure and for a few extra dollars (well quite a few) you could always put a 203 in front of it. Keep us posted that selectable hub kit will be well worth the cash in the long run.

If I do, I'm selling it and buying a Jeep. :)

..........:yikes:....................
 

Funrover

Expedition Leader
Beautiful rig! I have a soft spot for those Dodges. I wheel with a guy here in CO who has the 2500 Diesel long bed ext cab. Does amazingly well. Good luck to you I will be checking this page often!
 

jason

New member
Well, not much in the way of updates. My 205 rebuild kit and twin stick rails should be here tomorrow. Since it's a ford case, there's not a lot of options when it comes to twin-sticking. I had to have them machined by Off Road Design, but at least it was able to be done. I now have to figure out if I want to use a rod and heim setup or cables. The cable setup is expensive, but adjustable beyond belief. I hope to have it rebuilt by this weekend, and the crossmember started on.

I also ordered some tubular control arms from topguncustomz.com. They're 3/4" longer to allow for a 2" coil spacer, or skyjacker 2" lift coils while still keeping the axle centered. Very nice quality and they have the skyjacker press-in bushings with grease zerks. Should be worlds ahead of my broken junk on there now.

The front axle may be taking a different direction, in the form of a '79 high pinion D60. After pricing inner "C's" and kingpin knuckles out, it may just be cheaper and easier to start with that axle from the start. Lockouts, 35 spline shafts, high pinion and kingpins really sold me on the deal. Even a rebuilt one at $1500 is still less than just the parts listed above. By about $700. I've got a buddy in PA that did the swap, so I'll have to contact him about welding the brackets/gussets on for me. Should have some pics by this afternoon showing the new parts. More to come...
 

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