What did you do to/with your second gen today?

[Shadow_Death]

I've been doing little tests on the truck to determine if my fuel pump is actually going bad or not. If the truck sits it seems to stumble to life after a long crank. When it does I can rev it a few times and get it to idle smoothish. After a short drive I can shut it off, then crank it again and it fires right up and drives strong. Going to check fuel pressure soon. Also I ordered the Rocksolid Ram steering fix Friday. Not much left on this thing left to fix besides looks.. But I figure once I get it running good something else will brake... that's how it usually goes.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I had those same symptoms for years before the pump actually quit working. I should have changed it out before it left me stranded.

 

[Shadow_Death]

I had those same symptoms for years before the pump actually quit working. I should have changed it out before it left me stranded.

Thanks for the confirmation. Yup, It's getting changed soon. Luckily I work across town.. which for where I live means 15 min drive if I'm taking my time. I have a strong urge to change it now. Today it acted like it was a brand new pump and pushed me back in my seat when I pressed the gas like I usually have to.

 

[Shadow_Death]

I installed the 'Rock Solid' Ram Truck Steering fix yesterday. I discovered while reading the instructions that most likely the people who complained about it making their steering too stiff didn't read the instructions at all. I deliberately made mine a little stiff because I don't like a steering wheel with super easy turning. Next up, checking fuel pressure... although I'm sure I know how that will go.

 

[dodge dude94]

How hard was the install? I'm seriously considering doing one when I do my box eventually.

 

[Shadow_Death]

How hard was the install? I'm seriously considering doing one when I do my box eventually.

The hardest part was getting the stock equipment out. The clip, spring, and the bearing cup were a pain. a good sized pry bar and some leverage and it was easy. Make sure you read the instructions though. The further you insert the bushing the stiffer your steering will be. Some people mistakenly seat it all the way and that's why they have super stiff steering. It says to install it in stages of 3 for automatic transmissions. Each time you tap it in a little further and then you check steering and then the shifter for stiffness. Then you basically stop when you're comfortable with where you have it. It does note that the bushing does have wear in period. So I tapped mine in just a bit further than where I want it. It's stiff for now but after a while it should loosen up. It did seem to take care of the uncertainty of turning too. There is one other issue these trucks have though.


This guy addresses the play that remains in the steering wheel. The play he is speaking of doesn't seem to effect driving though, it just seems to effect the steering wheel actually moving around.

That those 2 black plastic pieces on that shaft are the fix. He ran his all the way in, I didn't need to. I also didn't have to clamp my clip down all the way like he did. He took a pair of pliers and crunched the **** out of his. >.>


I haven't had much of a chance to drive my truck since I fixed it Friday night though. I've been busy all weekend getting some stuff setup for my Niece's Graduation. We setup the guest house/room with A/C for her. Knocked out a useless hot window and framed in a big damn window unit that's good for 1,000 square ft... that went into a 20 x 50 foot room. That room is going to be cold.

 

[dodge dude94]

The hardest part was getting the stock equipment out. The clip, spring, and the bearing cup were a pain. a good sized pry bar and some leverage and it was easy. Make sure you read the instructions though. The further you insert the bushing the stiffer your steering will be. Some people mistakenly seat it all the way and that's why they have super stiff steering. It says to install it in stages of 3 for automatic transmissions. Each time you tap it in a little further and then you check steering and then the shifter for stiffness. Then you basically stop when you're comfortable with where you have it. It does note that the bushing does have wear in period. So I tapped mine in just a bit further than where I want it. It's stiff for now but after a while it should loosen up. It did seem to take care of the uncertainty of turning too. There is one other issue these trucks have though.


This guy addresses the play that remains in the steering wheel. The play he is speaking of doesn't seem to effect driving though, it just seems to effect the steering wheel actually moving around.

That those 2 black plastic pieces on that shaft are the fix. He ran his all the way in, I didn't need to. I also didn't have to clamp my clip down all the way like he did. He took a pair of pliers and crunched the **** out of his. >.>


I haven't had much of a chance to drive my truck since I fixed it Friday night though. I've been busy all weekend getting some stuff setup for my Niece's Graduation. We setup the guest house/room with A/C for her. Knocked out a useless hot window and framed in a big damn window unit that's good for 1,000 square ft... that went into a 20 x 50 foot room. That room is going to be cold.

Yuhhhh good to know. Maybe it'll help alleviate my floppy auto shifter too

 

[Shadow_Death]

Yuhhhh good to know. Maybe it'll help alleviate my floppy auto shifter too

My shifter has some up and down play that I can tell isn't play in the rooster comb. Most I can figure is there is some play in the lever itself somewhere. I haven't really looked yet.

 

[Yeret]

Read about relocating the IAT sensor and I realized that I still had the bottom half of my old airbox sitting in the barn. So, after examining it, I decided to experiment! I drilled a hole into the part until the "head" of the IAC could slip through and was a bit disappointed when I ended up drilling the hole a pinch too large (I swear, that last bit was the perfect size!). I tried to stick the base of the sensor onto the box with some black RTV with predictably hilarious results. Let's just say I opted to just try to stick the sucker in there and see how well it held. It wasn't bad but wasn't great, but then in a moment of "Redneck engineering" brilliance, I grabbed a twist tie from an old loaf of bread and used it to tie the sensor wiring to the PCV hose, which held it in place much firmer. Still not exactly optimal but good enough for experimental purposes and if I don't like it, I can just swap back the other bottom half and put everything back to the way it was.

As far as plugging the hole in the manifold, I rummaged around and found pop's old, long-forgotten, rusty toolbox filled with plumbing stuff and just happened to find a totally clean brass plug that fit perfectly in place. How lucky!

A golden day of Redneck Engineering, I'd say. So, what difference did it make? Well, I'll let you all know tomorrow as by the time I was finished, I had downed a can of Monster and vodka and several cans of Natty Light and was well too toasted to hit the tarmac. IAC relocation into the factory air intake seems uncommonly done, so it should be interesting to see what (if anything) changes.

 

[Shadow_Death]

Read about relocating the IAT sensor and I realized that I still had the bottom half of my old airbox sitting in the barn. So, after examining it, I decided to experiment! I drilled a hole into the part until the "head" of the IAC could slip through and was a bit disappointed when I ended up drilling the hole a pinch too large (I swear, that last bit was the perfect size!). I tried to stick the base of the sensor onto the box with some black RTV with predictably hilarious results. Let's just say I opted to just try to stick the sucker in there and see how well it held. It wasn't bad but wasn't great, but then in a moment of "Redneck engineering" brilliance, I grabbed a twist tie from an old loaf of bread and used it to tie the sensor wiring to the PCV hose, which held it in place much firmer. Still not exactly optimal but good enough for experimental purposes and if I don't like it, I can just swap back the other bottom half and put everything back to the way it was.

As far as plugging the hole in the manifold, I rummaged around and found pop's old, long-forgotten, rusty toolbox filled with plumbing stuff and just happened to find a totally clean brass plug that fit perfectly in place. How lucky!

A golden day of Redneck Engineering, I'd say. So, what difference did it make? Well, I'll let you all know tomorrow as by the time I was finished, I had downed a can of Monster and vodka and several cans of Natty Light and was well too toasted to hit the tarmac. IAC relocation into the factory air intake seems uncommonly done, so it should be interesting to see what (if anything) changes.

I'm assuming by IAC you actually mean Ambient Air Temperature Sensor. lol

 

[dodge dude94]

Shock swap day.

Time to see if those free Ranchos I got will bolt in.

 

[Yeret]

I'm assuming by IAC you actually mean Ambient Air Temperature Sensor. lol

D'oh! Yeah, I meant IAT, not IAC. Crap, I had one too many Natties by the time I typed that, LOL.

 

[dodge dude94]

Got the shock swap done. Bilsteins out Ranchos in.

Drivers side was a ***** to get the one out. 3in lift shock is a bit long, had to loosen my MC to slip the tower by.
Truck rides good again, now to just get that bilstein to my friend so he can send it out for warranty.

 

[Yeret]

You swapped your Bilsteins for Ranchos? Interesting. Were the Bilsteins worn or are the Ranchos (which are a lot cheaper...I think...) better?

Went for a drive with the relocated IAT. My butt dyno wants to say the truck has a little better throttle response but my brain is saying "eh..." I'll run it for a few days to let the computer get learned and stuff (I unplugged the battery before putting the stuff together). Man, those headers sure throw a ton of heat so I'm not sure if there really is a "cool" spot to place the sucker. I always wanted to get ceramic-coated ones but the good ones are expensive as hell and the cheap ones don't last, hence why I just went with uncoated deals which were cheaper yet.

Oh, and I tried to do my annual spark plug change. Turns out the driver-side header tube for cylinder 7, which does a loop-da-loop thing, is completely in the way and the only way to replace that plug is to remove the header. Dammit! No idea if the Remflex gaskets, nice as they are, are reusable so I'm just forgoing the plugs for now. If the gasket can't be reused, it's gonna run me at least thirty bucks for a new set. I'm thinking of just running the plugs for the rest of the year and maybe switching to long tubes, which don't have weird, "equal length" bends, next summer. Dunno yet. Has anyone else had clearance issues with spark plugs and headers?

 

[dapepper9]

Saturday I removed the rear coilovers and swapped in Monroe Gas Magnums. Sunday I swapped in a 180 tstat and rearranged my 2 coolant temp sensors that control the fan. Also removed the rear blocks on Sunday. Monday I removed the front level kit and swapped back to the Bilstein 4600 shocks over the 5100s. Rides SO much better.

 

[Shadow_Death]

Bilstein 4600's in the rear and Monroe Gas Magnums in the front?

 

[dapepper9]

Bilstein 4600's in the rear and Monroe Gas Magnums in the front?

Other way around

 

[Shadow_Death]

Other way around

Gotcha. I'm just taking notes for future references. My shocks have about had it but my fuel pump is closer to taking a dirt nap. After I replace that I'm thinking the shocks will be next.

 

[dapepper9]

Forgot to also say that about a week ago I completely changed the exhaust. Went from the Carven TRs which didn't fit in a dual setup to a single Dynomax UltraFlow dual in/dual out that fits a bit better.

 

[dodge dude94]

I swapped to Rancho because they were free and one of my Bilsteins blew a seal. Lolllololllllol


Truck rides better with the lighter shock.