My Power Ram 350

RonJon '06 · Aug 23, 2014

Got the tires off tonight and started to take off the Drums......yeah right. It's like they're welded on. Gave 'em several shots of JB-80 and dug out my 4lb sledge, will try again tomorrow. Fronts I can't even turn by hand they're so seized up. Thinking about applying some heat with a propane torch.

crazzywolfie · Aug 23, 2014

you need to remove the center cap off the axle to get the drums off. as far as the front brakes go if the rotors are fine it is probably best to just replace the calipers and brake lines. rebuilt calipers are usually only about $20 each by the time you return the core.

RonJon '06 · Aug 23, 2014

Well, I'd like to think that I would have figured that out eventually. I guess I don't remember having to do that on my other trucks.

I'm hoping to keep the drums but replace everything else. Really not looking forward to doing brake lines but I guesss if I have to. Thanks for saving me a lot of time and trouble.

crazzywolfie · Aug 23, 2014

all 1/2 tons got normal slide on drums. the heavier duty trucks with the floating rear axle don't. i have personally never done any work on one of those axles and wouldn't have had a single idea about that unless someone on another forum wasn't currently in the process of pretty much rebuilding there truck and has the same axle.
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the only reason i suggest not replacing the rotors unless you have to is as far as i know you have to remove the hub and pound out every lug bolt to replace the rotors. really not an overly easy job to do.

replacing brake lines is really not that hard. just get a cheap tubing bender to make the nice curves and you should be fine. just try to make the line pretty much the same as stock and you should be good. also when you are installing them make sure to keep the brake reservoir full. i know i usually install the lines closest to the reservoir first and work my way away from it so that brake system pretty much bleeds itself and requires little to no brake bleeding to get it drive able.

RonJon '06 · Aug 23, 2014

Yeah, after your post I went out and looked at the fronts and saw the hubs.....ugh. The rotors aren't looking do good after I took it for a ride. I think I have some homework to do because this truck isn't like the others I've worked on.

crazzywolfie · Aug 23, 2014

ya the older 4x4 trucks are not the easiest to do a front brake job on but with how thick the rotors are on them they don't usually need to be replaced that often. i guess if you have to replace them you have to replace them. not much you can do. i think you might require a few specialty tools to take hubs off but i am not 100% sure since i have never had to mess with a 4x4. i am just going on what i have read.

RonJon '06 · Aug 31, 2014

I went out to my Dad's place today on a quest for tires. They don't make 10.5 x 31, R16.5 for the stock "Turbine" rims anymore so I was hoping to find either a set tires or a different set of 16" rims. I found one set of brand new Generals in the right size and since they're already mounted and balanced on steel rims I'll probably just put them on as is. Also found a set of rims and tires 8.75 x 16.5 load range E and although they look small I can still get tires in that size so overall a good day. Tomorrow's gonna be brake day.

crazzywolfie · Aug 31, 2014

ya they really don't make 16.5 tire much anymore. you should see about trying to get some 16's or 17's for it. i am actually pretty surprised that it didn't have 16's on it already.

usaf2006 · Aug 31, 2014

Get some military tires. They come in 16.5

RonJon '06 · Aug 31, 2014

crazzywolfie said:
ya they really don't make 16.5 tire much anymore. you should see about trying to get some 16's or 17's for it. i am actually pretty surprised that it didn't have 16's on it already.

Yeah, that's exactly what the guy at the tire shop said. I figure once this set wears out I'll look at buying some 16" rims.

usaf2006 said:
Get some military tires. They come in 16.5

Thanks for the tip, I'll definately look into that!

crazzywolfie · Aug 31, 2014

they use the same 8 bolt pattern for a very long time so it should be fairly easy to find some rims for it. i think DD went with some stock style 2nd gen rims and it looked pretty good

RonJon '06 · Sep 1, 2014

Are the Turbine rims on you '81 sixteen inch?

The guy at my local tire shop (family owned for 50+ years) said that the 16.5 rims and tires were better at distributing weight because of the angle of the bead but that they could lose air in a hurry if they were run too low. I'm wondering if that's why they came on this 1 Ton truck.

crazzywolfie · Sep 1, 2014

no all mine are 15's since i got a d150. i just figure the 16.5 would have only been used on the 70's or older trucks and possibly the early 80's but i figure by 85 they would have changed to plane 16" rims.

PCA4208 · Sep 1, 2014

My 79 had 16.5 rims. I switched them out for some 3rd gen 17s.

RonJon '06 · Sep 1, 2014

I think this is starting to make sense.....the badge on one side says 350 Royal SE and the other side says 350 Custom so maybe whoever ordered it from the factory wanted those rims? I just checked the rear diff and it has 4.10 gears which may not have been a standard option either?

PCA4208 · Sep 1, 2014

You could basically order anything you wanted back then. I know with our truck it's an adventurer power wagon. And I haven't seen any of those around.

dodge dude94 · Sep 1, 2014

Royal SE is the top package back in the day. Prospector was the most basic, Custom being higher, and I believe there was an SE before the Royal SE.

And I am running 1997 Ram wheels on my 76, bolted up perfectly with 1/4in of clearance between the calipers and rims on the front.

RonJon '06 · Sep 7, 2014

Today I did all new brakes front and rear and the only casualty was one lug nut (stripped) but I was able to save the stud. These heavy duty axles are a lot more work, took me dang near all day.

Also took off the extended bumper using a chain and my '06, it took about 5 or 6 good jerks to break it loose was so rusted in place. It's coming along, now if I can just find the tail gate.....

crazzywolfie · Sep 7, 2014

i could see a brake job on that thing taking a bit since you have to repack so many damn bearings.

looks good. extended bumper?

dodge dude94 · Sep 7, 2014

DAMN that thing is in good shape.

My Power Ram 350

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