01 SLT 4wd 318 Beater

01RamSLT · Feb 6, 2017

New member here. I bought this '01 SLT cheap from a friend. It's in mechanically good shape, just cosmetically ugly. The frame is really clean. Has many new parts. 4wd works good and it goes down the road nicely. It's got 3.55 gears which aren't great but I can work with that. I plan to cut the rusty bed off the truck in favor of a flat bed. Also plan on replacing the fenders and screwing in some cheap rockers. This will be a fun beater/work/mud truck. I'll post updates as I make them. I also own 3 Nissan Hardbody trucks and a '91 GMT400 Chevy C1500 with a 350 under the hood. I like trucks!

A video from the day I bought it last week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3P4mlJv9Uo

01RamSLT · Feb 8, 2017

So I was thinking...the best way to make a Dodge run properly is to put a Chevy engine in it. I think that is what this truck needs.

Rzrman328 · Feb 8, 2017

Could be a fun project

01RamSLT · Feb 12, 2017

Spent some time cleaning all the gak off the interior parts. Scraped off some of the stickers on the back window. Vacuumed.

Here's a pic of it with another project of mine, a retired SCCA rallycross truck that was damaged when it flipped on its roof during a race. The driver is OK, the rollcage did its job. I was given the truck and had to put a whole new cab on it. It's been a slow process but the cab is on. I am cleaning that cab up so I can get it painted.

Dodge has been given a name (snowflakes stop reading now), MudShark.

derekp · Feb 12, 2017

Looks like fun. Actually the only way to make a truck run properly is to put a Cummins in it. You could do a 4bt in yours if it's ifs and a 6bt if it's straight axle.

usaf2006 · Feb 12, 2017

4wd makes it straight axle. At least my '95 2nd gen was.

01RamSLT · Feb 12, 2017

It's a straight axle, Dodge was thinking right when they did that.

derekp · Feb 12, 2017

01RamSLT said:
It's a straight axle, Dodge was thinking right when they did that.

A short bed regular cab 4x4 with a 6bt Cummins would be badass.

01RamSLT · Feb 12, 2017

It needs flares and some deep offset black wheels.

01RamSLT · Feb 13, 2017

No pics but I just bought a driver side window regulator with motor from ebay. The window barely moves. The right side works just fine. So a new regulator and motor it is then!

01RamSLT · Feb 16, 2017

No new pics but have a 24" LED light bar coming from Amazon with wiring. I have researched all the replacement headlight options and I don't think I am going to buy anything yet. They all seem cheap or no better than OEM. At least the LED light bar will make driving it a little more tolerable till I make up my mind.

Rzrman328 · Feb 17, 2017

You'll be happy with the lightbar...big improvement

01RamSLT · Feb 18, 2017

I am looking forward to it. I have one on front bumper of my [gasp] '91 Chevy C1500 [/gasp] and I really enjoy being able to see. I drive 40 miles one way to work and I work the evening shift so I drive lots of rural roads at night. It's pretty bright and I can spot deer easier now. (This truck is not my DD but it will make the run once in a while).

I want better headlights but I can't commit to any of the options out there, especially when you factor how much I got the truck for. The light bar will do for now. I will be adding some LED pods up there as well.

01RamSLT · Feb 22, 2017

Had the replacement driver side window regulator show up. That's going in on Saturday. Also have the light bar to install. Looking forward to this.

01RamSLT · Feb 26, 2017

LED light bar installed.

Got the drivers door lock freed up and now the keyless works wonderfully.

Sadly the new window regulator showed up DOA and I had to leave the window taped up. Waiting for a RMA from the seller on ebay.

Drove the truck 80 miles today and it drove nice. Has no balls at all. The engine is too small for a truck this heavy. The suspension is smooth with no shakes or shimmies. It handles bumps well. It's easy to see everything, no terrible blind spots. Braking is OK. I still have a few things to do before I sign of that it is ready to work. Things are looking pretty good.

I like the truck overall, let's see how I feel in a few weeks.

01RamSLT · Feb 27, 2017

Oh and in other good news...this truck already has a glasspack welded on to the factory piping. Nothing too loud but has great tone. So I can check that off my list of things to do.

01RamSLT · Mar 1, 2017

Sunday I drove it 60 miles, Monday 80 miles and yesterday I took it 50 miles round trip to grab a couple new bottles for my mig welder. It did the job without incident. It's not a bad truck. Needs an oil change and a trans filter change. I will get to that.

Rzrman328 · Mar 1, 2017

Still throwin a flat bed on it?

01RamSLT · Mar 1, 2017

I think so. I have an old camper trailer frame that is dead on dimensionally. I am just waiting for better weather to stick around since that's an outdoors job.

01RamSLT · Mar 7, 2017

So I noticed the AC compressor cycling no matter what setting I had on the HVAC control unit. This of course was killing my power and causing the truck to have to downshift wayyyy too often for my likes. So simple fix, I disconnected the harness to the ac clutch. Problem somewhat solved, the truck is still horrible on hills but I blame most of that on the 3.55 gears. I drove it to work yesterday and it at least had the balls to climb a hill in OD without a downshift, a very nice ride indeed. If I ever sell the thing I will hook the clutch back in but I am not an AC kind of dude so I won't miss it.

01 SLT 4wd 318 Beater

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