After freaking 6 months I have a light at the end of the tunnel, and there's this HUGE Ram 1500 sitting in the middle of it!

The negotiations are finally going, which means that I am in the final stretch of my wait til I can go get my truck and be done a good chunk of what has been going on this past 14 months.

It could be any day in the near future now... so I am is desperate need of feedback and maybe some wisdom from the older DF members here.

Ive been doing a little homework, looks like I am going to have to switch out the gears to 4.56 because they are going to have the 3.92's in it. Ive already accepted this... But there are several more mod's that I am going to have done where I get her before I leave there and bring her home.

The plan looks like right now I will be driving my car there (I have a 06 Colbalt, which she is all stock right now so it's weighing in at about 3,000lbs) and Towing it back on a flatbed behind the truck...

So I know that I am going to be doing a lot better off with the 4.56's and air ride bags so that it dont drag the back of the truck and strip, blowout or break something. But how many miles would you say I would want to break in the gears before I decided to haul the car back? In the rear airbags, I know there is a switch option to where you can have it installed in the cab, which is probably what Im going to opt into, there pros and cons to this? Its going to be a trip well over 600 miles at the least I will be hauling. So If I need to do some driving in the truck before I leave I can probably do that.

Opinions in installing a tuner/programmer before I leave to help? Im leaning on installing an SCT anyways, but if sooner would be better then I will.

Im planning on keeping factory 17's unless I need to go bigger, I dont plan on taking her on any real off roading right away, we have the Rubicon for that if we do. Im going to end up with 265/70/17 if I keep the factories.

Im going to get the bed sprayed with line-x and plan on installing wheel to wheel/3 step nerf bars on the truck too before I leave on the trip home. I have found these, they are made by ICI, (yes I have looked at the FAQ's about them) but dunno how these are suited, they were the first set that I saw in the finish that I liked and were the 3 step and not 2.
They'd end up running me about 340.00... obviously off deals of steel.com but really didnt see anything else anywhere that had something of interest to me for less... Feedback or does have somewhere that may be like these or better? I didnt see much in the FAQ's about these...

Is there anything else I would be missing to have my truck ready for this hauling trip once I get it?

All the mods that I will have done to the truck are listed in the garage, and if theres any feedback on those too... let me know!

Thanks - TTFN

Rodeo

 

Only problems I see are:

500 miles break-in on gears MINIMUM before towing ANYTHING! And a proper break-in too, with lots of short heating and cooling stops, then a looksie and fluid change and you'll be set.
No disadvantage to an onboard compressor except for cost.

17's or 20's don't make a difference as far as what size tire you can put on them, but I'm NOT a fan of 20's on a 4x4 unless the tire is gonna be at least 37", it just doesn't have enough sidewall for proper flex off-road. So plan on keeping the 17's, it will also make your tires cost half as much.

Forget the SCT!!! It comes with nothing on it, NO CANNED TUNES! You would need a dyno or at least a tune written for your mods. NOT near enough mods to justify this. A Superchips Flashpaq would be my first choice, the Diablo Predator would be good to, but they don't have the tranny firmness under control yet, so for a tow vehicle, I'd go with the Superchips, no question.
Nerfs look good, price ain't bad for a three step. Personally, I'm not a fan of the look, but at almost 6'3" I can reach into my bed from the ground. The third step in the back is a good idea for a short chick.

Over-all, you've got a good handle on where you are going with this, you've done your homework obviously. You don't sound like someone whose not had a truck or been on a truck forum for only 3 weeks or so. Good job...

 

So you think it would be better to leave the car in the area that I would be buying the truck from, cause I think I have a place I could short term anyways. but more so, if I did that would mean I would have to fly back and get her from said place at a later time. I'm benching on the B/f won't be able to get a pass to drive her back for me.

Hey, I'm 5'8" now, don't blame me for the inch of height lost here - but you gonna tower over me, b/f is 6'2" and I feel so short around him and my dad... I'd opt it out to the reasoning of I would have an easier time with RODS in my back of getting around the bed of the truck when needed...

Far as the SCT vs Superchips, I was looking at them as well but leaned on the SCT because of a friend who can write the tune... but I dunno... I will look more at Superships to see what they offer...

Thanks, and its been 5 weeks I been harassing you for 3 weeks now, LMAO. I don't plan on having a truck and not knowing anything about it... hence, the homework...

 

If you can, leave it, you are going to want to take it back there to inspect the teeth of the gears anyway after the break in and change fluids, so this would be the time to tow the car. But remember, you need to break in them gears before any sustained driving, regardless if you have a car in tow or not. If you can't stay there long enough for at least a couple hundred miles of short burst then rest driving, you will have to relegate yourself to the fact that you are gonna drive home in 30 min. intervals, with 20 min cooling periods and NO speeds over 55-60!

Yep, been there done that, my spinal fusion cost me about 3/4 of an inch in height.

The SCT would be a mistake for you unless you NEEDED a custom tune to control a cam, head, etc. You will LOSE features that the Superchips offers that SCT does not have (at least not yet).



Harassing would be an understatment, kinda like saying The Great Chicago Fire was a weeny roast!!!

 

Personal opinion: id look into reflex for the spray in liner. Its got a rubbery finish and is non skid. Lifetime warrenty and about the same cost as line-x.

 

...but is as durable as line-x. Im going to need durability as well, I have a feeling there is going to be more than just saddles, furniture & the like in my bed, Im also planning on a tri fold toenannu cover for the bed to, so would that have any interfearance with it?

I don't know if that is available where I will be buying the car tho, something to definitely check out. thanks!

 

Chances are its available however i wouldnt guarentee that. I would say its every bit as durable if not more. Ive seen line-x chip under abuse. It too has a lifetime warrenty so its repaired for free but a pain to take time to do so. You can run a cover with it. I have it in my truck. It works great as far as im concerned.

 

cant you take a plane there to go pick it up, so then you dont have to leave a car there? or even just rent a car and leave it down there... it would be alot easier.

and I would wait to do gears until you get back home. also, I would get a lorrado access roll up tunno cover. they are alot better then tri-folds imo. and get a superchips for it. the shift points make it worth it by itself.


and where are the pics of it? what colour is it?

 

Right now, they are telling me that they just got in a 07 blue and 06 white 1500 QC Hemi's - they sent me a link but I am not too happy with these, one they just got off auction and they are going to certify it so right now its still in the air, regardless I am getting the work done to it, this is the white one Im referring to and it looked rough...

As far as flying, I could but it would cost A LOT more than to drive, since I have to buy 2 full price tickets, but also driving there I have family there, so I wanna see them and know that if it came down too it I have a few places to store my car. I dont care about the miles on my car so that isnt a big factor. I take good care of her, and I plan on keeping her, she's going to be sitting a lot more when I get my truck and Jeep.

I dont trust the people here where I have my place with cars, hense why I am buying from over 500 miles from me. If anything may look into areas around the b/f's base to do my work... I dont know just yet. It took me 14 months to find a dealership that I trusted with my colbalt, and its 40 miles from me but worth the drive. They are the one that did my body work when they repaired it from both accidents.

When I have pictures I will def post them though, Im gonna go crazy with all 3 cars picture wise as I get work done to them!!

 

Can you post or PM me some pics of the bed of your truck so I can see what it looks like - Pretty please? You have intrigued my curiousity.