2014 RAM 1500 Express Crew Cab

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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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Trabuco Canyon, CA
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Got to work today and mounted the new full spare inside the bed, i took off the factory spare from underneath, and tried one more time to mount the full spare in the factory location,... maybe a 295 will fit, no way i could mount the 315 under there, so i threw the factory dunut in the garage and will be in Craiglist soon for $50 :)

The instructions on the nfab rapid spare mount do suck, the bolts provided in the kit are too short, so i had to go to Lowes and bought similar ones 2" longer, and i ended up drilling 4 extra holes, mostly my mistake, and mostly because this thing is also a universal mount.

I couldn't mount the main bracket in the 6:00 o'clock position (from the front of the truck), because one of the holes goes through the bed frame rail underneath, and there is no way to bolt the bracket in there, i drilled the hole not knowing of course the frame rail goes through there, so i had to reposition the damn thing after drilling all the holes initially, and bolted the main bracket in the 3" position, left one of them at 10:00 and drilled the other set of holes at about 8:00 o'clock


Spray painted all the holes with black paint, and covered the extra holes with 1/2 nylon plugs from Lowes.

29769832847_c12f9c5f56_h.jpg42895228690_e89ff50814_o by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

This is how the brackets are bolted to the bed, i ended up requesting assistance from the wife, as there is no way to hold those brackets underneath with just one oair of hands.

42895226350_25dee52423_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

44704793481_439079e163_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

44704793621_f33486a27c_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr
 
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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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The whole 100lbs of weight in that place doesn't seem to have affected the height of the truck, which is a plus, i haven't installed the air bags yet.

42895229420_b8e9c9cc17_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr
 

MarshRam

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Nice. You've been going nuckinfutz on your truck. That's always fun... Excellent work!

;)
 
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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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Thinking about ordering the Power Wagon gas tank skid, then figuring out what else is needed to mount it. i'll take a look tomorrow underneath, to see if there is provision in there to mount another crossmember, which seems to be exactly the same one i used to mount the transfer case skid.
I've gathered the following parts doing online searches, though i haven't ordered anything yet:

(1) Mopar 52121265AB : gas tank skid from a 2500 power Wagon
(10) Mopar 6509233AA : bolts
(1) Mopar 52121534AA: RAIL-UNDERBODY
(1) Mopar 52022046AE: Rear Cross Member, same goes behind the transfer case, Although in this case, this skid alone seems to be $150, but if i order the kit, Mopar 82214497, which comes with the cross member and the the actual skid plate for the transfer case, then it's only $82. kind of messed up, but why pay more for the same crossmember ? worst case i'll have 3 plates brand new,that i can sell a la carte, $20 each to recup some of the money :)
 
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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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Ordered the fuel tank skid tonight along with the cross member (82214497), this come with the bolts already, and i have more bolts laying around in the garage so i don't think i'll need more, the underbody rail has been discontinued, so i can't order that, everybody wanted like $200 for shipping, but i found this Athens Dodge dealer online with cheaper prices on Mopar parts, and normal shipping costs, Hopefully they won't ask me to pay more for shiping tomorrow once the order gets fully processed.

I went underneath the truck this afternoon, and i don't see the two holes i need in the frame to mount the cross member, but, oh well, damn thing is steel, and if it requires drilling, it won't be last time i'll be poking this ****** to get things done :), i'm taking the truck out with some my Jeeps fellas to the Socal desert, and not having a skid in the gas tank is getting me nervous, so i'll go ahead and do my best to get this done.
 
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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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Got the Tailgate assist installed, easy 10 min job, and it works great, bought another one for my Silverado.
Gas tank skid and cross member are in transit, and should be home by Wed next week. damn it, i was hoping to have more crap to do this weekend on the truck :)
 
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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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Visiting the Pomona offroad show tomorrow, and thinking about buying Icon 1.5" rear coil springs
 

revitupmoto33

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nice build so far! for the price can't go wrong with the icon coils definitely an improvement over stock
 
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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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Man, i wish i had the money to afford the Dirt King Fabrication long travel setup, it's pure dope
44277813974_ea5a7fec05_h.jpg by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

44277814874_3f8fa3874f_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

44085779155_3edb3b64d6_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

Love the front bumper, simple, lightweigth, and it must be a breeze to install

44996719271_f2b30d8928_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

44277811664_48d602ead4_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr
 
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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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And i just ordered the Icon 1.5" coil springs, along with Rancho RS999269 shocks, listed for the 2009 RAM 2500's, but should have the same shocks mounts as ours and should work nicely will see,... they're 27" extended, 17" compressed, so basically 1.5 inch longer than stock.
 
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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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Gas Tank skid showed up yesterday, so i tried to install it today. No way to get it installed as a plug and play thing, at least on my truck. i wouldn't have no issues drilling the frame to install the needed cross member, but the skid has two brackets, one fit as expected, and will need just a washer and nut, the stud is already in there coming from another cross member directly above the gas tank, the other bracket also bolts to the frame in a different spot, (see below, bracket with 4 holes), but i think i'll have to dismount the gas tank so i can drill the frame, and there is a chance that 2nd bracket will need to be bent slighty to clear the control arm, i don't know how complicated will be to drop the gas tank, but i'm thinking i'll need a little fab work, so i'll start calling some offroad shops to see if this is something they can do for a moderate price.

30164513247_000b65e293_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr
 
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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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I also got the new Rancho shocks and the new Icon 1.5" springs.
I did some measurement on the coil springs to check free lenght, the Icons are 19.5"
44381987984_200fb4dabb_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

Factory Mopar Springs are 18 1/4" long
45760193241_8e1269eee4_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr


Shocks will fit without any issues.
Rancho RS999269 measurements, 17" compressed, 27 3/8 extended
44381987714_69ab8c3e89_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

44381987204_b3540eaa59_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

Compared to Mopar stock rear shocks, 16.5" compressed, 25.5" extended

44381987884_8dce056d95_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

Looking to see if i can get a piece of something to extend the brake lines, seems easy enough, and from the kits i've seeing from the 4-6" lifts, they are extending the brake lines with just a little rectangule thing that seems to be 3-4" long, so i'll see what i can i dig from my Garage or Lowes

44381988064_66b8e45453_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

I'll try to replace the rear springs and shocks this coming Sunday.
 
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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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I've also scheduled an appointment with my local Jeep shop (3 weeks from now), to get the gas tank skid installed. they're fabricators, so they should get the job done, hopefully it won't cost me an arm and a leg.... because the skid is not a bolt-on, they can't quote me an install price, so basically i have to show up with the skid, they'll grab a couple of dudes and start the install, then see what it takes, $140 an hour. ******** it :)
 
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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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ram1500rsm

ram1500rsm

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Got the new Icons springs and Rancho shocks installed.
Here is a side by side view with the Icons, i'll be measuring the stockers to see how long they're.

45167406571_34282b8dce_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

The install went easy, not a lot of things to disconnect
Took the wheels off, the fender liners off, disconnected the upper sway bar links, brake line brackets the speed sensor plastic retainer, and also the fender support bars, (only the top portion besides the shocks upper bolts, then lifted the truck from the rear diff, and placed HD jack stands under the frame, close the rear LCA's, after that, dropped the diff down, then realized i needed also disconnect the track back braket (axel side), to give me more droop, and that was it, the factory coils came out without a sweat

45167406481_f1ebe0a667_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

To get the upper shock bolts out, i used a 6" wrench from Harbor Freight, fits like a glove in there.

44256202445_6fe77f0e60_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

Bolted the new springs, they're longer but they'll fit if you put some weight on the hubs and push the axel down a tad.

30229185907_09ccfe3548_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr


Then installed the new Rancho shocks
30229186197_d6ead82656_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

43353324120_eb5dc254b4_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

This are my brake entension brackets, $2 at Lowes for a pack of 4 :)
44256202545_71d8cbaf4f_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr

43353322830_7597c095f3_h.jpgUntitled by Wrangler RSM, on Flickr
 
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