So I have put a ton of work and effort already into my ram... It's like the sec love of my life. Personally I am determined to take this thing to college. I am reading up everyday and trying to figure out everything that I should prep for on these trucks. Is it a stupid idea? Probably buti just won't get rid of itt... Soooo this is what I have done..
Water pump
Thermostat
Radiator hosing
Bypass tube
Shocks
Sway bar
Track bar
Steering damper
Ball joints
Ujoints
Got heat working well
Updated headlight switch
Rhino lingered rockers
Filled/ fixed rust
Mounted 2 halogen offeoad lights
Serpentine belt
Tuff liner bed insert
Transmission was rebuilt and babied by previous owner and now by me
Good tires
Cab lights
Toolbox

To come:
Plenum gasket
Valve covers
New cat?
O2 sensors
Headers
I don't have the symptoms of a plenum gasket failure but I want to be proactive
I really would like to have the truck for the harsh winters in stevens point Wisconsin for going into our forest preserves for studying (forestry major)

Is it manageable to keep this truck?
What else should be done?

 

I forgot: 1996 dodge ram 1500 172000 miles 4x4

 

That much work done it would be waste to just discard it unless the gas mileage is a problem.

 

My recommend you do a compression test see what shape the motor is in, that will give you a idea what to add to your list.

 

Ok cool. Well the other option is to let it sit on the farm while I'm a college but I don't want it to sit. And sadly I'm getting to the point where I don't want to use it for farm work anymore because of the wear that pulling puts on the tranny. In all reality merc it's more like yours in that I use it heavily in the snow in winter to pull people out and get around then it is babied in the summer. I have had it for over a year now and I have put only 2000 miles on it. So I will do thAt. I mean it has great power and sounds great besides the exhaust manifold leak. My goal is o get the truck above 16 mpg using cold air plus a tuner and such. But that is quite a bit of money so idk. Really if it does go to college the most gas will go to the tureen hour drive into northern Wisconsin to the campus

 

I can get my buddies 318 ext cab 4x4 on 33 to 16 and sometimes 17. Just depends on how you use the skinny pedal

 

Well I rarely drive the truck over 2.5 Rpms, so I am extremely conservative. So being conservative along with parts that help mileage whole fully could really help

 

Save that CAI money for better thing's they do little for mpg and hp. 16 mpg will be at the very best high end of things, don't expect much more than that. I am not one for using a tuner on a 96, yes some do but not me. I would hunt down a Mopar performance pcm
# P5249935 it's what I use and I would use nothing else on a 96. Gears would help a little chances are you have 3.55 going to a 3.92 would help. What size tire's do you have on this beast?

 

Your off too a good start,and YES there worth keeping.Pride in ownership and dedicated maintance is the key .I've been with mine for 20 yrs,{only owner}now a classic.Just around 32 rods and other veh,but this is the only one I've kept.With what you've done 500000kmi will be easy............

 

Alright all the suggestions are excellent thanks! Merc I have 285 75r16 general grabbers. I will look into the performance PCM. What are we talking about price wise? And i see all over about regearing these trucks. Is it an extremely difficult task? I pretty much do everything by myself so it has to be do able at home. What would I be looking at over all for the gears? I was laughing with my friends because the all have watched the evolution of this truck and I told them tha someday it will have its on garage and I will keep 3 water pumps at the ready, a 46re automatic transmission on hand, some thermostats, some headlight switches.... Haha