Why would I do that? The turn buckle I used was meant for heavy equipment and it has a jam nut (turn buckle good for 45klb pulling/push power), it will never see any where close to that much stress on my truck. I have faith in my welds, I used to weld trailers for a living? Plus I did it for under $20!

 

^^^ I would like to hear what the DOT would say about it, you might have faith in your welds but I sure as heck don't. Me I am just glad you don't travel the same roads as me. I am glad you only value other people lives so cheaply, you save a few bucks but might kill someone ... nice. Do it right or don't do it at all. That's all.

 

^^^^ +1....

 

If you wanna do it right then leave your truck the way it came from the factory!, any modification you do to your truck has a possibility to fail, or kill someone. I'm not saying what I have done is perfect, and by no means are there any aftermarket "lift kits" are perfect either. I've seen many fail, trailing arms brake, leaf springs snap, lift blocks crack. Hell my neighbor ran a car over in a traffic jam in his lifted truck. All I'm saying is there is a risk for any modification you do to your vehicle whether home made or or purchased from a name brand supplier.
So the next time you get on the highway with your lifted truck think of the lives your putting at danger just because you wanted to stuff some big tires ( not to mention your braking distance is greatly affected now to). Food for thought.

 

Your happy with your work that's all that matters right.

As for my truck I have always done what I can to help braking due to larger tires/mass. Right now it has the best brakes it ever has even with stock size tires and no lift, braided lines, bigger master, thing like that have been addressed. As far as I know these are the biggest stock rotors 12.5 for this year truck, when I go to the 97 Ford knuckles and part time hubs it will move up to 13" rotor, as for the rear, yes discs would be nice and when I find an 80 with that setup for the right price it will get one.

90% of my truck is know 2500 or better rated many improvements over stock 1500/2500 parts, top of the line parts some are, but not cheap stuff either. You might have a look at my garage page.

 

If the axles were from a lite duty 2500, they are probably beefed up 44/9.25 diffs. I would definitely check the numbers on them.

My HD 2500 has three inch springs in back.

 

light dutys have 2.5" springs. i also have axles out of a 96, and theyre 3" also.

 

This is a build sheet I requested from Ram Customer Assistance Center with my VIN# for the 97 light duty 2500 4x4 (from the factory).




Sales code description:


DJFS Dana m60/248MM Front axle
DMDP 3.55 Rear axle ratio
DRDP 200MM Rear axle
241 transfer case


K.

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sj...model/ram-1500




https://www.google.com/search?q=1995...ml%3B150%3B150




http://www.dtprofab.com/DTP02000HD-T...FT-_p_343.html




http://ok4wd.com/rock-equipment-heav...ront-axle.html




http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/prod...roductID/54270


So here are kits ranging in price from $180 to over $400. Sure that isn't a drop in the hat but then also what is your life or the life of any one else riding in your truck worth? Also even if your life isn't worth a plug nickel what is the life of that family in the mini van next to you if your track bar does fail? And when an investigation is done by the police and they find that track bar your insurance may not pay for damages. You can try to shift attention to other people but it is just BS!!! I'd ride in Merc's truck before I would your's. And you can make a lifted truck safe if you do it correctly. The fact your neighbor ran of a car just shows there is more than one idiot on your block.

 

I had a buddy look into the axles for me and conferemed they are d 60's, he said the front should have been a d 44 but its not so the po must have changed it. Explains why I had to get shorter drive shaft front and rear (bigger u joints in rear).