My first truck as a “grown up” - 2014 CC EcoD 4x4

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4eyedconekiller

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Not sure how deep I’m going to get with this truck, but figure I might as well start a build/photo thread. Plans are to make the truck a bit more tasteful, but aggressive at the same time.
-Chrome delete
-Tow mirrors
-Bilsteins all the way around
-Rear away and panhard/track bar
-Airlift or similar rear airbag helper setup
-Torn, but likely a black wheel setup
-removal of the rest of the stock exhaust
-Laramie/Sport seat swap, adding heated/cooled Seats
-Retint the front two windows and maybe windshield
-Better sound system. The stock 6 speaker setup is dull to say the least.
-Lighting upgrades!

Back story: Been truck shopping for MONTHS, and really couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger on anything. Either it was too pricy for my taste, or o couldn’t afford to buy Mama and I both different vehicles - my RAV4 was almost finished with its lease, and my wife’s Passat was getting smaller by the day (we have 3 kids).

Prayer, looking, shopping. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Up late on FB marketplace, and ran across this fully deleted gem, with some tasteful mods and a bad engine:

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We struck up a deal, and it spent a month in the shop getting a New engine installed.

Mods at purchase (Owner’s description)
-Bilstein leveling shocks on front
-Magnum step rails
-Frontier front bumper
-Ranch hand rear.
-Sportsman camo seat covers
-Husky floor mats
-Edge CTS2
-Fully deleted
-PPEI 40hp tune with turbo brake
-LED lights in bed
-H&S oil cooler
-AEM intercooler tubes
-S&B cold air intake

I’ll post more pics and progress tomorrow. Stay tuned!
 
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MADDOG

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Looks like a good truck to start a project with.
 
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4eyedconekiller

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Thank ya sir! My previous truck was a project too:

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Want to do something similar, but since this one is 4x4, and I plan to be able to ease around a little bit with my kids hunting, lowering it didn’t seem like a good idea, lol.

First things first - I put her to work a bit:
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Don’t have pictures, but scraped off the PO’s family farm sticker on the back glass, and got started pulling off the Sportsman covers. Left the fronts on till I get my new seats in. Gonna go ahead and do the back seat mod the first chance I get, as the PO left the center seatbelt BEHIND the backseat, lol. Guess for now I’ll do washers, and modify the hooks on the new seats. PO’s previous wiring job for the aux reverse lights and bed LED’s wasn’t very substantial, so I’ll get it squared away too.
 
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4eyedconekiller

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Removed pinstripes, added my tailgate assist, and about to order a bed cover. Hoping to get some new seats this week, too. Truck needs a solid detail, but just haven’t sat still long enough to make it happen.
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TXCOMT

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You left out the Pedal Commander in your mod list...get it, then get on it! You will thank me...and Matt at Moe's!

TXCOMT
 

Donutsahoy

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Did you replace the bad engine with a new eco diesel? My Current truck is my first truck as a grown up as well :D


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4eyedconekiller

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You left out the Pedal Commander in your mod list...get it, then get on it! You will thank me...and Matt at Moe's!

TXCOMT

I’ll be honest, I’m not sure about them. I’ve still gotta research a bit. Does it just trick the truck into seeing more throttle application than what actually is being applied?
 
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4eyedconekiller

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Did you replace the bad engine with a new eco diesel? My Current truck is my first truck as a grown up as well :D


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I did! I’d been pining for an EcoD, and found this gem!

I call this my “grown up” truck because my last one, I was single, and wasn’t really thinking about my actions other than just the present, lol. Now that I’m married with a family, there’s a bit more weight to the decisions. This is why it isn’t getting a compound turbo setup thrown on yet, or anything else crazy. This is my daily, so I’m making it as aesthetically pleasing as I reasonably can, and keeping the MPG’s up.
 
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4eyedconekiller

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sweet! what bed cover did you pick


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Well, I picked up a used truxedo deuce used while I was in Nashville a few weeks ago, only to find out the guy sold me one for an F150 with a 6.5’ bed [emoji30]
 
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4eyedconekiller

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Just a few pics... looking forward to laying eyes on my new seats and installing them soon!

Took these after a spritz bath with the pressure washer a week or so ago...
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Took this one just because I loved how shiny my truck was in the lighting!
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First halfway decent cleanup inside... was rushed, but it’s MUCH better.
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4eyedconekiller

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So, this happened...
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2016 Laramie seats with heat/cool fronts, and heated rears! Going to be using AlphaOBD to turn on the ventilated portion of the fronts and the heated rears.

Also did this today:
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dalton2425Texas

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Interior looks great! So do the wheel stickers... now, it’s time for Bilsteins and some All Terrain tires!


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4eyedconekiller

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Believe it or not, it has bilsteins on it already... I’ve not looked into adjusting them, but the PO said they were adjusted all the way out. I’ll wind up going with a more aggressive tire, as soon as it’s time for the SRA’s to go.

Maybe it’s the front bumper?
 

dalton2425Texas

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How much does your front bumper weigh compared to the stock setup? ..if you’re not sure, research it then compare.

Also, you say someone told you that the Bils were set to the highest, but have you gotten under your truck and verified for yourself? There’s 5 rings I believe, so when on 2.8 it’s on the top ring, which means you should see 4 rings exposed.


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cuminslvr

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Nice truck. Mods are looking great too! Enjoy the ED I really like mine. I get avg about 21.5 mpg around town.
 
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4eyedconekiller

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How much does your front bumper weigh compared to the stock setup? ..if you’re not sure, research it then compare.

Also, you say someone told you that the Bils were set to the highest, but have you gotten under your truck and verified for yourself? There’s 5 rings I believe, so when on 2.8 it’s on the top ring, which means you should see 4 rings exposed.


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According to this post:
https://www.ram1500diesel.com/foru...eight-aftermarket-bumper-effects.html?t=17010

There’s over 100 pounds of extra weight added to the front. That would explain a lot. I will get under the truck tomorrow, weather permitting, and see how the bilsteins are arranged. I would have never expected the stock front bumper to be so light!

If the bilsteins are already set at max, I’ll probably do like the OP in that thread did, and just add some spacers. I need to go measure a stock truck too.
 
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4eyedconekiller

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Nice truck. Mods are looking great too! Enjoy the ED I really like mine. I get avg about 21.5 mpg around town.

Thanks! Yours is pretty sharp, too! Full disclosure - I bought it with most of the mods in place... Mine usually averages around 20-21 in town, and my best hwy mileage has been 26.x
 
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