ki4npz
Junior Member
In addition to a 2003 Ram, I have a 1998 Durango. Both have the 5.9L with the 46RE. A couple months ago, my daughter rear-ended a car while borrowing the Durango. Since then it has been sitting in my driveway while I wait for my daughter to buy the parts needed to fix the truck. So I've been trying to decide what I want to do with it. I only paid $4k for the Durango, and to fix it up to before wreck condition, its going to take at least $1k before any paint. I'm not too sure if its worth it. I do like the Durango a lot, but I dont know if its worth the money and effort to restore. I was thinking that I might just pull parts that I could use as spares for the Ram, such as engine/trans, and refurbish those parts and store in the garage...just in case .
A few questions come to mind. The Ram has an open diff, the Durango has limited slip. Both have 9.25". Would it be feasible to swap the diff from the Durango into the Ram? Oh, the Ram has 3.55, D has 3.92. Could I swap the limited slip parts and keep the stock ratio? If not, would the front IFS diffs be compatible. Starting to sound like its not worth it... Transfer cases...both vehicles have a manually shifted T-cases, but the Durango has a "full-time FWD" as well as a "part-time 4H", the truck only having the standard 4H/4L deal.
What would you guys do? I do like the D for a lot of reasons. That third row sometimes comes in handy. We went out to dinner last night and we were 3-across both rows in the truck, so a little crowded. I was thinking that the D would be really handy in that case. Plus I like having a spare 4x4 for the snowy winter time. I just dont know if i want to go through the trouble. The Durango is a spare vehicle basically. My wife has her car, I have my Ram, and the Durango is basically a just in case, spare car.
None of the repair work is especially hard (new hood, radiator, grill, condenser, facia, fogs, etc.), but the D has some other prexisting issuse that need to be addressed as well. Needs a new steering shaft, front steering/suspension could use an rebuild, has an oil leak somewhere, driver's seat rocking chair issue, etc.
Thanks for reading, hope it wasnt too long...
A few questions come to mind. The Ram has an open diff, the Durango has limited slip. Both have 9.25". Would it be feasible to swap the diff from the Durango into the Ram? Oh, the Ram has 3.55, D has 3.92. Could I swap the limited slip parts and keep the stock ratio? If not, would the front IFS diffs be compatible. Starting to sound like its not worth it... Transfer cases...both vehicles have a manually shifted T-cases, but the Durango has a "full-time FWD" as well as a "part-time 4H", the truck only having the standard 4H/4L deal.
What would you guys do? I do like the D for a lot of reasons. That third row sometimes comes in handy. We went out to dinner last night and we were 3-across both rows in the truck, so a little crowded. I was thinking that the D would be really handy in that case. Plus I like having a spare 4x4 for the snowy winter time. I just dont know if i want to go through the trouble. The Durango is a spare vehicle basically. My wife has her car, I have my Ram, and the Durango is basically a just in case, spare car.
None of the repair work is especially hard (new hood, radiator, grill, condenser, facia, fogs, etc.), but the D has some other prexisting issuse that need to be addressed as well. Needs a new steering shaft, front steering/suspension could use an rebuild, has an oil leak somewhere, driver's seat rocking chair issue, etc.
Thanks for reading, hope it wasnt too long...