exiLe
Junior Member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2015
- Posts
- 19
- Reaction score
- 4
- Ram Year
- 1998
- Engine
- 5.2 (318ci)
Hey guys, just ended up trading away a 97 Escort Wagon for a 98 Ram 5.2L SLT Laramie extended cab 4x4 with 185.5K on her. She's got some bad rust holes on the wheel wells and lower door skins as well as rockers. Plan on removing the rust and adding big fender flares to cover the damage there. Best part - minimum coverage on the Escort cost MORE than the Ram, how does that even work?!
PO installed a new sway bar and track bar to fix the "Death Wobble" or so he claims. But I think it's still kind of there, as from 65-69 mph there's some very violent wobbling. Once you hit 70 it's smooth sailing though.
My list of things to do are as follows:
- Front shocks - PO said they're blown and boy is he right.
- Oil Change - Mobile 1 Full Synthetic
- Plenum Gasket - assuming it hasn't been done
- Transmission Shift Linkage Adjustment - when shifting into R or D I have to drop the shifter past the gear intended and then push upwards until I hit the gear needed; sort of frustrating
- U Joints Inspection/Pinion Bearing Inspection/Wheel Bearing Inspection - I'm getting a whirring/grinding noise from the front end only on deceleration (i.e. no throttle) from speeds 30 mph onward. After doing some major searching here and elsewhere online I've come to the conclusion it could be a Pinion Bearing up front or a U Joint some where (although I would assume the U Joint would make noise all the time not just on deceleration?)
- Transmission fluid drain and refill (W/ OLD FLUID) and filter change - the transmission shifts smooth and doesn't slip at all when changing gears. I'm assuming at this many miles it had to have been rebuilt once already. I'm hoping it was rebuilt and bulletproofed when done.
-Rear cab door latches. PO said the owner before him got fed up with the latches locking shut so he removed them (wtf?) so I need to find the right part for the latches on the doors and order and install those. Right now their held shut by a ratchet strap hooked into the top of the doors...
Luckily he gave me the door panels for the rear with the truck so I don't need to find those.
- Neutral Safety Switch (?) - Sometimes I have to start the truck in neutral instead of park. I was told this is due to the neutral safety switch. Does this mean it's going back or it's doing its job?
Anything else you guys can think of doing? Other than that the truck is great. 4x4 engages with no clunks, the interior is really clean for its age and miles as well as NO DASH CRACKS.
Very excited to finally have a truck. I now have the best of both worlds - a lowered sports car and a full size pick up truck!
PO installed a new sway bar and track bar to fix the "Death Wobble" or so he claims. But I think it's still kind of there, as from 65-69 mph there's some very violent wobbling. Once you hit 70 it's smooth sailing though.
My list of things to do are as follows:
- Front shocks - PO said they're blown and boy is he right.
- Oil Change - Mobile 1 Full Synthetic
- Plenum Gasket - assuming it hasn't been done
- Transmission Shift Linkage Adjustment - when shifting into R or D I have to drop the shifter past the gear intended and then push upwards until I hit the gear needed; sort of frustrating
- U Joints Inspection/Pinion Bearing Inspection/Wheel Bearing Inspection - I'm getting a whirring/grinding noise from the front end only on deceleration (i.e. no throttle) from speeds 30 mph onward. After doing some major searching here and elsewhere online I've come to the conclusion it could be a Pinion Bearing up front or a U Joint some where (although I would assume the U Joint would make noise all the time not just on deceleration?)
- Transmission fluid drain and refill (W/ OLD FLUID) and filter change - the transmission shifts smooth and doesn't slip at all when changing gears. I'm assuming at this many miles it had to have been rebuilt once already. I'm hoping it was rebuilt and bulletproofed when done.
-Rear cab door latches. PO said the owner before him got fed up with the latches locking shut so he removed them (wtf?) so I need to find the right part for the latches on the doors and order and install those. Right now their held shut by a ratchet strap hooked into the top of the doors...
Luckily he gave me the door panels for the rear with the truck so I don't need to find those. - Neutral Safety Switch (?) - Sometimes I have to start the truck in neutral instead of park. I was told this is due to the neutral safety switch. Does this mean it's going back or it's doing its job?
Anything else you guys can think of doing? Other than that the truck is great. 4x4 engages with no clunks, the interior is really clean for its age and miles as well as NO DASH CRACKS.
Very excited to finally have a truck. I now have the best of both worlds - a lowered sports car and a full size pick up truck!
