NightMares
Senior Member
Hey guys, I've done a build thread on all my other vehicles I've owned in order to keep track and have a series of photo's to refer back to, along with feedback from everyone. So, after owning my 01 Sport for a while, I figure I've done enough to start up a build for my current truck.
To start with, I'm a very detailed person. I try to explain my intentions and ideas passively, and at times my posts become extremely lengthy because of it. With that said, this thread is my home for previous and current status of the build, as well future.
Now, onto the truck. My Ram was a one owner trade in destined for the auction block sitting in a dirt field behind a large dealership. I picked it up with 105k, and began researching what I was going to do with it. I was building a full crawler out of my Jeep, so the thought of doing a Pre-runner style truck with wide fenders and bedsides would be a nice change of pace. I slowly began turning my attention to that route, but soon decided otherwise due to terrain in my surrounding area and am planning more of an all around wheeler.
Here's how I picked up "Ruby" (the name given as per my 3 year old daughter).
The first thing I did was scrap the tires on it. It had 225/75R16 passenger car tires on it, tires much too small to really take the truck anywhere. I found a set of take off 17's from a 4th gen Ram that had some 265/70R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers that were fairly bald, but figured it would get me by for a few months.
Then, I started to pursue the Pre-Runner look and found myself a used NFAB off an F-150 that I fabbed onto the truck.
After this, I bounced back and forth between the Zone 5" standard lift and BDS 5" Long arm lift. I finally had my decision made for me when I found two BDS 3" tophats on a shelf in the backroom of my work. My boss had ordered them in for his truck years ago. I offered him 50 bucks, and then purchased two BDS shocks to go with the hats and installed them that next weekend.
Next, I attempted to cut and buff the headlights to clear them up, but no luck. So I ordered in a set of Anzo headlights, factory fog lights, and Depo tail lights (which tail lights pictures were lost when I misplaced my phone in a river)
From here, I got tired of the cali lean going on and decided to do something with the rear. BDS only offered an add-a-leaf option, which I did not want as I enjoyed my smooth ride I already had. I found the pin size of the leaf springs and bought some 2" blocks, then had a set of u-bolts made and installed. I also apparently had the black stickers made somewhere in here as well.
Soon after, I purchased a set of 35" Nitto Trail Grapplers to go onto the truck. We originally sold the tires to a customer, who after 10k brought them back in and traded the wheels/tires in off his Jeep and bought some beadlocks and 37's. After sitting in the back for a few months, we broke down the wheel's from the tires as we sold the wheels, and the tires chilled some more before I finally made an offer on them. Few days and a case of beer later, I had a co-worker mount and balance them for me. I also determined I was unhappy with the pre-runner appearance, and ripped the pre-runner bar off. Intentions of cutting and re-welding the square stock and putting some 6" LED light bars in the bumper openings are planned. Unfortunately from the recent loss of my phone this summer, and apparently storing photo's on an SD card was NOT safer than backing up to a cloud, I have lost majority of the photo's of my truck since this point. Included in the loss were photo's of my exhaust, cold air, and tb spacer. I went Pacesetter shorty headers, Flowmaster Y pipe with high flow cat, 3" to a 40 series, then 2.75" out behind the passenger wheel. K&N Cold Air, and a Airaid TB spacer.
I'll fast forward to about 3 months ago right before I had the wheels pulled for powder coat.
Next, I pulled the tires back off the wheels and sent them out for powder coat, then reinstalled for now until I can afford another set of tires. Pushing 30k on them from my use, then with the 10k already worn off before me, the tires are getting low and will probably need replaced after this winter.
To start with, I'm a very detailed person. I try to explain my intentions and ideas passively, and at times my posts become extremely lengthy because of it. With that said, this thread is my home for previous and current status of the build, as well future.
Now, onto the truck. My Ram was a one owner trade in destined for the auction block sitting in a dirt field behind a large dealership. I picked it up with 105k, and began researching what I was going to do with it. I was building a full crawler out of my Jeep, so the thought of doing a Pre-runner style truck with wide fenders and bedsides would be a nice change of pace. I slowly began turning my attention to that route, but soon decided otherwise due to terrain in my surrounding area and am planning more of an all around wheeler.
Here's how I picked up "Ruby" (the name given as per my 3 year old daughter).
The first thing I did was scrap the tires on it. It had 225/75R16 passenger car tires on it, tires much too small to really take the truck anywhere. I found a set of take off 17's from a 4th gen Ram that had some 265/70R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers that were fairly bald, but figured it would get me by for a few months.
Then, I started to pursue the Pre-Runner look and found myself a used NFAB off an F-150 that I fabbed onto the truck.
After this, I bounced back and forth between the Zone 5" standard lift and BDS 5" Long arm lift. I finally had my decision made for me when I found two BDS 3" tophats on a shelf in the backroom of my work. My boss had ordered them in for his truck years ago. I offered him 50 bucks, and then purchased two BDS shocks to go with the hats and installed them that next weekend.
Next, I attempted to cut and buff the headlights to clear them up, but no luck. So I ordered in a set of Anzo headlights, factory fog lights, and Depo tail lights (which tail lights pictures were lost when I misplaced my phone in a river)
From here, I got tired of the cali lean going on and decided to do something with the rear. BDS only offered an add-a-leaf option, which I did not want as I enjoyed my smooth ride I already had. I found the pin size of the leaf springs and bought some 2" blocks, then had a set of u-bolts made and installed. I also apparently had the black stickers made somewhere in here as well.
Soon after, I purchased a set of 35" Nitto Trail Grapplers to go onto the truck. We originally sold the tires to a customer, who after 10k brought them back in and traded the wheels/tires in off his Jeep and bought some beadlocks and 37's. After sitting in the back for a few months, we broke down the wheel's from the tires as we sold the wheels, and the tires chilled some more before I finally made an offer on them. Few days and a case of beer later, I had a co-worker mount and balance them for me. I also determined I was unhappy with the pre-runner appearance, and ripped the pre-runner bar off. Intentions of cutting and re-welding the square stock and putting some 6" LED light bars in the bumper openings are planned. Unfortunately from the recent loss of my phone this summer, and apparently storing photo's on an SD card was NOT safer than backing up to a cloud, I have lost majority of the photo's of my truck since this point. Included in the loss were photo's of my exhaust, cold air, and tb spacer. I went Pacesetter shorty headers, Flowmaster Y pipe with high flow cat, 3" to a 40 series, then 2.75" out behind the passenger wheel. K&N Cold Air, and a Airaid TB spacer.
I'll fast forward to about 3 months ago right before I had the wheels pulled for powder coat.
Next, I pulled the tires back off the wheels and sent them out for powder coat, then reinstalled for now until I can afford another set of tires. Pushing 30k on them from my use, then with the 10k already worn off before me, the tires are getting low and will probably need replaced after this winter.
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