Transplant Dash

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

DoggerCDN

Junior Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2013
Posts
4
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
1996
Engine
Cummins 12V Diesel
Hi all. I own a loaded 96 2500 Laramie extended cab Cummins 4wd with 5spd. The powertrain is perfect, everything works, but the body has been ruined by too many northern winters and our salt.

I picked up a loaded early 98 2500 Laramie extended cab (without rear doors) 4wd with a V10 auto in fantastic condition (any body want a V10?) to do a transplant. Swapping diffs, engine, trans, transfer case, fuel system from 96 Cummins to the 98 chassis. Everything mechanical wise and body has swapped without issue.

My question is about the dash. I used all the interior from the 98 as I preferred the integrated seat belts, leather interior, etc. I also prefer the 98 dash, but that is my issue.

Can the 98 dash, instrument cluster, and heat/AC system be adapted to work with the 96's electrical system properly?

I'm pretty handy with wiring and reading electrical diagrams, but I'm not interested in creating a frankenstein where some things just won't work properly. If it can't be done I guess I'll have to re-use 96 dash and heating system
 

Stox5225

Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Posts
40
Reaction score
39
Location
Lillington, NC
Ram Year
1997
Engine
5.9L Diesel
If you whip out the FSMs for the two and can figure out how to splice things, anything is possible I assume. But the HVAC controls in the 96 are vacuum operated and the ones for the 98 are electric. Also, the PCMs are different.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Stox5225

Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Posts
40
Reaction score
39
Location
Lillington, NC
Ram Year
1997
Engine
5.9L Diesel
Also, hop on Cummins Forum. Lots of good resources there including free FSM downloads.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Bigtman07

Registered User
Joined
Jun 28, 2010
Posts
9,329
Reaction score
287
Location
Piqua, Ohio
Ram Year
2000
Engine
Cummins 5.9
The BCM would be different as it is a gas truck going to a diesel 12v. But the 98 dash should hook up mostly with maybe some plug differences. The 98 dash still has Vac heater controls and a cable driven blend door. In 99 or 00 they went to stepper motors for the blend door but kept the vent switch still vacuum operated. The Fog light switch on a 98 is on the right side of the radio, not sure where it is on a 96 so some wiring extensions may need to be done there. You would want to find a gauge cluster out of a 98 12v and that should wire right in to the dash and give you the correct cluster for the cummins.

The other option that comes to mind is if you can find a donor 98 12v you could get the cab harness from there and it should plug almost directly into the 96. There aren't that many differences mechanically, Just the interior change in 98. I had a 98 and a 00. Learned the hard way that the interiors on pre 98 arent' always the same. Also in 99 i think they integrated the fogs into the headlight switch.
 
Top