1500 2wd to 2500 4x4 Conversion PICS! (Long Post)
67 Attachment(s)
Okay, I've been asked for pics, so here goes: If you haven't read the back story to my truck yet, here's a recap:
I got a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie 2wd w/ the 5.2L quad cab, 6' Box. I got it dirt cheap a few years ago ($450 from the company I work for). It was a little rough, rusting in the usual spots for a northern truck, and it has 198k on the odometer (currently got 223,000 miles on her) But I didn't care, the interior was nice, everything worked, and it ran great! But as winter came, I missed having a 4x4 (Prevously owned a GMC 2500) I found a beat 1998 2500 plow truck on craigslist for $500. It was so bad the drivers seat was falling thru the floor and the chassis had holes in it. But it ran and drove (That freakin' Dodge, kept on fighting till the bitter end!). Jacked that pile up and took a cutting torch to it. Removed the front Dana 60 Axle, Rear Dana 70 leaves and all, the 46-RE Tranny and 241DHD transfer case. Saved the 5.9 as well. Removed any and all useful parts too. Nothing left, but a sad carcass when I was done with it. I put my truck up on stands and did the same. Cut the front independent suspension off, rear 9 1/4" axle off along with the little 1500 springs. Scrapped the parts truck carcass and my 1500 parts, got $650. Nice I'm in the green! Now comes the careful part. Welding the attachments to accept the 4x4 components onto my chassis. The front crossmember, coil spring bells, trailing arm brackets and the wider rear leaf spring brackets. Bolted things in replacing bad parts along the way. Had to have a rear driveshaft made by a local company called Fleet Pride. Cut a hole in my floor, put in the shift lever, installed the replacement 4x4 tranny and transfer case. (Sold the 2wd tranny for $250. Sweet, more green!) Added fluids and voila! I've got a 4x4 2500 now on 33" tires. That wasn't enough though. I found a brand new set of 4 - 37"x12.5"x16.5" Military Humvee tires for sale. Lets do it! 3" body lift for sake of time did the trick. Runs and drives great on and off the road. Really kills it in the mud too! I've put 10k on it since. No I've got a V-10 and I'm in the process of acquiring a 47-RE transmission to go with it for a transplant. Attachment 45096 Here's what it looked like when I first got it, right after I removed all the company logos. Attachment 45097 Added some Hella 8" lights w/ 130 watt bulbs tied into the high beams with a relay for serious nightime visibility. Also found some American Racing rims on the side of the road with a "Free" sign on them. Attachment 45098 Got a fiberglass cap for the dogs to ride in the back and for dry storage in the winter. Attachment 45099 The parts truck. Attachment 45100 Attachment 45101 Attachment 45102 Attachment 45103 Front Dana 60 out! Attachment 45104 Attachment 45105 Out with the rear Dana 70, tranny and transfer case. Attachment 45106 Attachment 45107 Attachment 45108 Attachment 45109 Attachment 45110 Attachment 45111 One of the rims that the owner of the parts truck threw in the back for me. Attachment 45112 Mounted the 33's Attachment 45113 Attachment 45114 Cutting the trailing arm brackets off so they can be welded to the frame. Attachment 45115 Last shot of it as a complete 2wd. Attachment 45116 Attachment 45117 Attachment 45118 Attachment 45119 Welding Attachment 45120 Attachment 45121 Forklift helps IMMENSELY! Attachment 45122 Trailing arms bolted into the freshly welded bracket. Attachment 45123 Attachment 45124 2500 vs 1500 in one truck! Attachment 45125 Attachment 45126 Attachment 45127 Attachment 45128 Attachment 45129 Attachment 45130 Attachment 45131 Attachment 45132 Attachment 45133 Attachment 45134 Now 4wd w/ a 2500 suspension on 33" tires. Attachment 45135 Time to get rid of the carcass. Attachment 45136 Attachment 45137 Attachment 45138 Attachment 45139 Attachment 45140 Attachment 45141 Attachment 45142 Time for the 37's. Even Lewis General Tire (commercial truck service center) couldn't get the bead to seat. Attachment 45143 Got it myself! Attachment 45144 Tires rub, time for lift! Attachment 45145 Cab first Attachment 45146 While I'm under there, de-rust and undercoat/paint the axle. Plus all new steering components. Attachment 45147 Done! It grew up so fast! https://dodgeforum.com/forum/attachm...ine=1360176262 Comes with a price though. http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/...0902121632.jpg Still drive up to the lake with it! Attachment 45148 Cap off Attachment 45149 ATV's got a steeper climb now Attachment 45150 Doesn't squat with the beefier suspension though! Attachment 45151 Tested it's limits Attachment 45152 Aftermath Attachment 45153 Attachment 45154 Mud graffiti (Funny thing is the 'dirty' comment was my own!) Attachment 45155 Adding dual stainless pipes that have been hanging in my father's rafters for about a decade and a half. Attachment 45156 Ran out of argon, weld looks like garbage. Attachment 45157 Attachment 45158 How I park on the construction site at work Attachment 45159 V-10 in the barn (next to the 360 from the parts truck for size comparison), soon to go in! https://dodgeforum.com/forum/attachm...ine=1360176262 A to-scale CAD drawing I made of a stainless steel light bar to attach to the roof of the cab. Fabrication is in process. |
How long did it take to complete the axle swaps?
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The axles alone took two weekends (Friday night through Sunday night), remember though it wasn't just a simple axle swap. I had to torch cut down to the bare frame and weld 4x4 brackets and crosspieces on to accept the axles and suspension. It took a third weekend to get the transmission and transfer case in and tie up loose ends like the shifter through the floor, brake lines & hoses, new u-joints, re-position the steering gearbox, and run vacuum lines for the front actuator.
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Damn man.. Thats some good work.. I should let you have my truck for a few weekends and let ya loose on it lol... Cant wait to see the v10 swap.. What made you want to go with a v10 though? Why not Cummins?
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Thanks! Haha, sure! I love my truck so much more because it's my own creation. It's not something I just went and bought lifted, y'know? I can take real pride in something I "built" Quite a few people who see it have an appreciation for it to, which is nice. I don't really get people saying "That's dumb, just buy a truck the way you want it" anymore.
I chose the V-10 for 3 reasons... 1: Upfront cost, I don't have tons of money anymore lol. 2: I don't have to change my fuel system. 3: Higher revs and a higher tolerance for contaminants (No turbo to ruin if a little water leaks into the intake). In the world of mudding, at least up here, gassers are chosen much more commonly over diesels for mud truck builds, even on those that people spend tens of thousands of dollars building just to go through the mud. Granted I want mine to be more of an all around truck. |
That is awesome.
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Thanks!
Haha, I like how under my username it says "rookie" |
Itll change with post count lol
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Did you just put in a body lift?
Nvm. I read the sig lol |
Yes, it's lifted way higher from when it was a 2wd 1500, but that only brought it up to a factory 2500 height. I added a 3" body lift to help clear the 37's, but suspension height is still "factory"
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