Gray Man build thread ver 2.0

[Drummin4jc]

Looking good! Can't wait to see the completed pics!

Adam

 

[Gymkata]

All finished with the install. I am exhausted...I need a lift in my garage. The hi lift jack worked well, but the angled sides of the rock sliders made it difficult to use the hi lift jack on. The lug nuts were insanely difficult to get off, and I'm not a weak individual by a long shot. I guess they must have been over tightened and were sticking like glue to the plastidip.

I will take some better pics this weekend. I took the truck around the block and so far so good. No rubbing.

 

[Gymkata]

I snapped a few quick pics on my way home from work to show the "completed" truck...until I decide to modify something else that is. the front tire in the pic is slight tucked into the fender because of the grade I'm parked on. There is a little more gap in the front than it seems in the pic. I'll get better pics at some point when I clean the truck in warmer weather.

 

[Gymkata]

So I decided to test out the new tires today and snap some pics. I drove down by the small river near my home. The short trail down to the river is steep, angled, has lots of roots, and with the melting snow the ground was mush. I had to put my mirrors in due to the trail width between the two trees. On the way down I didn't have any issues. On the way back up on the other hand I had to give it a little throttle to get over the roots. The rear tires slid sideways on the roots a bit and I kissed the tree...so unfortunately my truck got her first badge of honor today. Hopefully it will suction out.

 

[Gymkata]

The picture doesn't do the entrance to the river bank justice. It looks measly in the pic.

 

[derekp]

Looks good man. Where did you hit the tree at?

 

[Gymkata]

Looks good man. Where did you hit the tree at?

Just above the gas tank...on the tree in the middle of the pic where you see the entrance to the river.

 

[Forcepro]

Looks great! You're a braver man than I am using the hi-lift, always found it a bit precarious supporting the weight of a vehicle.

 

[Gymkata]

Looks great! You're a braver man than I am using the hi-lift, always found it a bit precarious supporting the weight of a vehicle.

Yes, but I was using the highest floor jack I have, along with 5 taped together cross-sections of 2x4s and I could barely get the truck off the ground before the jack wanted to slide out and the truck drop. The hi lift jack was stable as can be in comparison. I was still worried about it pitching sideways though.

 

[jwheeler]

That truck looks really good. I like the wheels. I just put on a set of Fuel Trophy wheels but was torn between them and the Anza.


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[PassivAggressor]

Awesome!

 

[Gymkata]

Since the forum has to save hard drive space and the attached photos are optimized to the point of looking terrible, I decided to upload to photobucket.

Gymkata1979's Library | Photobucket

 

[Gymkata]

I had a little adventure with my buddy and daughter yesterday and had an opportunity to use every piece of recovery equipment I have to avoid sliding into a small ravine. The trail was a combination of wet leaves and grass with very shallow roots on compact slick clay-like mud. I've been up the trail and turned around at the top before when it was dry, but when the ground is mush it is another ballgame. In sections even with the brakes applied the truck wanted to slide down the hill sideways like it was on ice.

I ended up using the hi lift jack in combination with various tow straps to maneuver the vehicle around the tree without sliding into it then anchored on the tree and used it like a pendulum to avoid sliding into the ravine...it took careful thinking and driving to avoid a big mishap, but in the end it was a great time and experience.



20160227_122715_zpshygemtmt.jpg Photo by Gymkata1979 | Photobucket

 

[Gymkata]

I have almost 700 miles on the Cooper STT Pro tires. So far I am impressed. They hum, as will all M/T tires, but they are smooth. Surprisingly the noisiness and smoothness feels the same at 30 mph as at 80 mph. I can definitely tell a big difference in the grip level offered with the added silica compound in the rubber. They grip much better on wet pavement than my Toyo M/Ts did on my 1997 Ram 1500. In fact, I think they grip better on wet pavement than my 275/65R20 GY Wrangler Adventure A/T w/Kevlar tires, which had a lot of siping.

 

[gofishn]

I finally got a little time to install the passenger side rock slider yesterday, and the transfer case skid plate today.

Neither the front skid plate nor the transfer case skid plate were listed as fitting a 2014 model year 1500. The front skid plate bolted right in place no issues.

The cross brace for the transfer case skid plate bolted right in, but I had to drill two holes in the skid plate to bolt it onto the cross brace. I simply bolted the front of the skid plate onto the front cross member, then took a marker and marked the location of the cross brace holes onto the skid plate then drilled them out...easy day.

DO you have teh part numbers, for the skid plates that work with a 2014 Ram?

 

[Gymkata]

DO you have teh part numbers, for the skid plates that work with a 2014 Ram?

moparonlineparts.com:
Part number 82210014 for front diff skid plate...bolted in with no issues
Part number 82210021AC for transfer case skid plate...I had to drill two new mounting holes in the skid plate to make it fit correctly on a 2014.

 

[JJP71584]

Do you prefer the 18's or the 20's (wheels)? Was contemplating a similar move myself

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[Gymkata]

Well everybody, it's been a great journey building my 2014 Ram 1500 over the last few years...but I just traded it in. With my busy schedule I didn't have time to remove parts and put the vehicle back to stock. I will put my new wheels/tires up for sale shortly though. As much as I liked my truck the way it was built, deep down I've always yearned for a diesel...and the fact that there is no rear locker available (even aftermarket) for the 9.25 ZF rear axle drove me nuts as well.

Anyway, with the crazy drop in prices I decided to step into a loaded 2016 Titan XD Cummins Pro4X. I just got home about an hour ago. All I have is a crappy pic in front of Royal Farms on the way home. Like my Ram 1500 I'm sure the Titan XD won't stay stock for long.

 

[Gymkata]

Got a few pics of the new truck in the light today. I love the feel of the 5.0l Cummins.

 

[Taylo1]

I too traded my 14 in on a XD Pro 4x with the Cummins. See you over there on the XD forum.