When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
That's a lot of reading having seen this thread for the first time.
That old truck (that I thought was a v10 to begin with) looks like a xenomorph drooled on the driver side, holy crap.
I cleaned up my fog lights with a gray 3m scrub pad and water, they look decent now.
Those mechanic stethoscopes are worth the money and much better than a metal bar like a crows foot. They're only $3 at harbor freight and $10 at advance.
The replacement dash pads came down in price a lot on LMC Truck. If you want to be a cheapo like me then a cap that covers the dorito dash can be had for about $100 on Ebay, I didn't glue mine down and it looks a lot better.
Set the welders amperage really low.
Multiple short welds with cool down time between them.
It wouldn't hurt to have someone beside you hitting the weld with air every few seconds to help cool them off but not when you're striking an arc, you don't want to blow the shielding gas away.
Practice on the panels you cut off before going for it on the doors.
In the end it will look better than what you have now.
One of my fogs took a rock, dead center in the lens. There is no saving that one..... Of course, that's the one that still works..... I am probably just going to replace them both later this summer.
If I could just do some patch panels, I would go for it... Unfortunately, the door shell on the bottom is also rusty, and... missing... in too many places to patch it together. A yard that is less than 5 miles from me has the rear doors at least, I haven't check on the fronts yet, but, I could get both rears in reasonably good condition for less than the cost of one door shell.... That's is likely the route I am going to take. I can do painting, but, metal replacement/welding? Something I am just not good at.
Originally Posted by 97ramrod1500
That's a great price for that truck! I was looking for a v10 donor truck originally for my rat rod but I couldnt find one for less than $4500.
I have been looking for more than a year. I found a couple others for less, but, they were in MUCH worse shape, with double the mileage... I got lucky on this one.
Congratulations on the find! You deserve it. Read through the thread on the updates. Well done good sir.
Originally Posted by HeyYou
Just picked this up today. Decided I am just going to sell the 96. I spent less buying a new (to me) truck, than I would on fixing the old one.
98 Ram 2500 4x4 V-10 Laramie SLT. It is not my preferred color, or interior... (tan leather on the inside....) But, everything else is there. 8.0 liter, 33" tires, 4.56 gears, LSD rear, and a clock that works. 132,000 miles. 3300 bucks. Awesome. Drives nice, runs nice. Been rustproofed, though the bottoms of all four doors need some attention.
Thanks. I am thinkin' it'll haul the dump trailer without any issues. Haven't done much with it lately, as it got COLD out.... when it warms up again, gonna try and address my steering issues.
I had a v10 for a few months. That thing was a freight train. Such a smooth motor too. It was like driving a cummins with more HP, that ran smoother, and was much quieter. To bad I was only getting 7-8mpg otherwise I would have sold my 1500 and kept that.
Let me know what you find out on the delay 1-2 shift. I am REAL curious what that's all about.
Well, finally a little update on this. I finally got around to changing out my radiator this weekend and in the process also replaced the TWO main ground cables that connect the alternator, battery, under hood fuse box, and engine block. I don't remember off hand which ones connect to which, but they're the obvious ones up front. I also drilled out the in line check valve.
The shifting is damn near right on time with where it seems like normal would be. I couldn't say, if any of the stuff I did had anything to do with it, or how, but something changed.
Could the trans cooler in the radiator have been partially clogged and restricting good flow? Check valve restricting flow? As far as the ground cables go, I did notice the insulation was broken on one of the cables where it made it's bend right at the alternator connection (copper wire was green). The other cable did seem bad but replaced it anyway. I was under the impression that the 1-2 shift was all hydraulic, but it there is electric involved, maybe that was something to do with it.
95% of the shifts are good now, but for some reason it still wants to hang some random time for no reason.
Well, finally a little update on this. I finally got around to changing out my radiator this weekend and in the process also replaced the TWO main ground cables that connect the alternator, battery, under hood fuse box, and engine block. I don't remember off hand which ones connect to which, but they're the obvious ones up front. I also drilled out the in line check valve.
The shifting is damn near right on time with where it seems like normal would be. I couldn't say, if any of the stuff I did had anything to do with it, or how, but something changed.
Could the trans cooler in the radiator have been partially clogged and restricting good flow? Check valve restricting flow? As far as the ground cables go, I did notice the insulation was broken on one of the cables where it made it's bend right at the alternator connection (copper wire was green). The other cable did seem bad but replaced it anyway. I was under the impression that the 1-2 shift was all hydraulic, but it there is electric involved, maybe that was something to do with it.
95% of the shifts are good now, but for some reason it still wants to hang some random time for no reason.
oh, and my radiator was original with 163,000
I think another guy had success on this by changing the output speed sensor in the trans..... I am tempted to try that as well. The sensor isn't that expensive..... and it's easy to change.
The shift itself is hydraulic, but, line pressure is controlled by electronics.
I think another guy had success on this by changing the output speed sensor in the trans..... I am tempted to try that as well. The sensor isn't that expensive..... and it's easy to change.
The shift itself is hydraulic, but, line pressure is controlled by electronics.
ah, I though the speed sensor was for everything but 1-2. Also didn't know about the line pressure deal. Stinking transmissions get me every time. I did change out my speed sensor about a year ago and noticed one wire going to it was exposed. It didn't look bad so I put a patch job on it with tape. I probably need to get back up under there and get that once exposed part out of there and fix it right. No codes or anything, but preventative wouldn't hurt.
The output speed sensor is actually on the trans.... somewhere..... The PCM just uses it for shifting purposes though, it uses the sensor on the rear diff for the speedo.... I don't know if there are any exclusions on which gear it matters for though.
Yeah, automatic transmissions are a lot like magic..... (black magic....) Spin one end, and it comes out the other faster, slower, or the opposite friggin' direction. Anything that happens in between is just a farking mystery.
Well, finally got around to attempting my steering fix. (T-steering, bad case of tie-rod roll) The "sure cure" designed for GM T steering didn't work. Angles are all wrong, so, soon I will be off to Lowes for some various washers, to put under the tie rod ends. I noticed that there were rubber pucks there at one time, but, they have aged poorly, and really aren't doing much of anything any more. When I pull it apart, I may just cut those down to the appropriate size, and put steel washers top and bottom. Should solve the issue. I would like to get it done before snow flies.... we will see if it actually happens that way.
Took it in to a shop I used to work at (way back when....), as I know the guys there, they give me good pricing, and do good work, to have plugs/wires done. (I tried, and couldn't get the first one I worked on out, so, figgered I would let a shop deal with it. They got all of 'em except cylinder 10, but, the part of the plugs actually in the cylinder still looked brand new, rusty as all getout on the outside..... Had one plug wire burnt thru, so that cylinder was essentially dead, and I never got a code for it....... Hhhhmmmm..... But, runs nice and smooth again. Hopefully my gas mileage will go back up. (yeah, to 10mpg.....)
03-14-2017, 12:11 PM
Of course, that's the one that still works..... I am probably just going to replace them both later this summer.
I did change out my speed sensor about a year ago and noticed one wire going to it was exposed. It didn't look bad so I put a patch job on it with tape. I probably need to get back up under there and get that once exposed part out of there and fix it right. No codes or anything, but preventative wouldn't hurt.