About to buy my first pickup

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

Man, great job in bringing it back to life, I can tell you are a professional in the work you do, nice job on that flowmaster exhaust nice and straight!!!

 

[Peep6543]

Junkyard find! Dodge stamped drop in bedliner and the tailgate piece. The tailgate had a Mopar sticker on the back. $50 and some cleaning.

 

[Peep6543]

$200 for a set of 5 Pro Comp Alloy Series 69 and 285/75/16 Pirelli Scorpion MT. More tread than I had. They came from a JK so I added 1.5" wheel adapters. Torqued and threadlock applied. Cleaned the hubs a little first also, and greased the ball joints while I was staring at them.

 

[Peep6543]

My cupholder is on the right, clearly missing the support and spring for the bottom of a beverage. Learned the hard way last year when a can went straight to the floor. The junkyard piece on the left is complete but grungy. I combined them to create a functional cupholder. Lubed the runners a little also.

 

[Peep6543]

Since lifting last year my axle has been over to the driver's side. Today I welded on this angled track bar extension bracket. It has two mounting holes to the passenger side of the factory mount, I chose to plug weld those holes. It moves the factory mounting over an inch and centered the axle. Also took the time to rebuild and grease the track bar ball joint. Drives and turns well.

 

[Peep6543]

My cruise control has never worked. I pulled the old servo to find it was damaged, likely acid from the battery above. $10 junkyard part and presto! My tubing is all good so it should hold up. Took time to wire brush and paint the fender where the was a little surface rust under the battery tray.

 

[Peep6543]

My steering wheel still has loads of slop. Redhead Steering is actually 5 mins from my house so I bit the bullet today. I got the old box off in a half hour, I will put the new one in tomorrow.




I have also heard a faint tick at cold startup that goes away after a few seconds. At first I freaked about a rod knock and a bearing job. But then I thought more of a dry lifter valley, taking a moment to lube? What do you think?

I inspected and tested for plenum failure last weekend and I am still good. I was hearing a vacuum hiss with throttle but the throttle body was not sealed to the keg properly.

 

[gofishn]

Check your Exhaust bolts.
Warms up/ Swells up, after after a few seconds, sealing the leak.

Awesoem write up and really enjoyed reading everything you've doen to the truck. had a 1997 1500 I traded off for my 1999 V-10, so know the truck very well. Red, Just like yours. This thread is bringing back memories.

Thanks..

 

[GRKN]

Really nice work, looks like your enjoying your truck!

 

[Peep6543]

Got the Redhead box in today and filled the system with fresh fluid. HOLY MOLY did it make a difference. I didn't even put the frame brace back in. The wheel is tight with zero slop. I can't believe I didn't do this sooner. A little steep at ~$400 but I am glad I made that change.

 

[Peep6543]

Truck is parked for a while so going under some pretty fair maintenance and repair. The kegger is off with the Ram Plenum Repair plate in the mail. I am slow halfway through porting a junkyard OEM throttle body. Soon after I will replace the upper and lower ball joints.

 

[Peep6543]

Intake put back together with the Repair plate and Doorman kit. Coolant is new. I also cleaned each fuel injector for about $15. YouTube shows how people step up the aerosol can straw to the injector. Connect 12v and spray carb cleaner. I saw crooked streams turn into wide most atomization. Topped with eBay air intake kit. Original throttle body still on. Not quite done with the Dremel on my junkyard one.

 

[Peep6543]

Got the eBay headers on this afternoon. In a small miracle, zero bolts broke off in the heads. There was one bolt loose and another missing on the drivers side. I did have to chase 5 of the 12 threads. I used the included gasket, along with high heat gasket maker on the header side. I purchased new stainless hardware 5/16-18 1" and lock washers. Up next is ball joints.

 

[Peep6543]

Sad day. She was lifted from my driveway overnight and used as the ram vehicle in a coordinated smash and grab. There was a stolen getaway vehicle waiting at the store. The police did say the truck was running when they arrived, small win.

The ignition was destroyed and the entire key cylinder ripped out. Looks like they found a constant hot from a dash lamp and used it co complete a circuit to the starter. Battery is also missing, but that may the crooked impound lot it was taken to. Each side of the bed is pretty effed. In some miracle, the bumper and tailgate are virtually untouched.

 

[Peep6543]

Got lucky already. Local yard had a 97 just brought in, virtually complete.

I got the complete ignition module WITH THE KEY IN IT, plus a harness for the rear passenger tail, a cupholder, ash tray, steering wheel trim, and a reman battery for $103 OTD. Half hour later it fires up strong. Finding the key ready to go really saved my bacon.

I am pretty bummed they took my cupholder. Those assemblies are so tough to find and in an earlier post you see I already repaired it.

 

[aszumilo]

Glad you got it back, but, that really sucks. I had a 96 1500, with the 5.2, and it was a great truck. Trans blew in it, so, traded it in on a 2004 1500 Hemi. Still miss it though (18 years later).

Hope you get it back in shape quickly and easily.