I am about to order some nice aluminum running boards for my 1500 Mark III conversion van. I have a really silly question, how do I know which wheelbase I have?

I assume it's the shorter 109 inch wheelbase, but I just went outside and measured from wheel center to wheel center and I get closer to 127, but not quite.

Anyway, it's not one of the elongated "church" vans, so I assume it's a 109" wheelbase, right?

thanks.

 

Based on your measurement the van sounds like 127.6 to me. Here is the wiki page with specs for the different model years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Ram_Van

 

thanks, I had seen that page earlier. What's really confusing is that info says that the 1500 only came in the 109 wheelbase and the 2500 and 3500 were the 127 wheelbase. Mmmm.

Maybe I should just check out the VIN number.

 

According to my 2000 Dodge factory manual the vin or the third line on the body code plate ( located on the left side cowl panel in the engine compartment next to the battery ) has your answer.

Digits 20 and 21 are the body type

11 ram van 109" wb
12 ram van 127" wb
13 ram maxi-van 127" wb
51 ram wagon 109" wb
52 ram wagon 127" wb
53 ram maxi-wagon 127" wb

 

that's great info, just what I needed.

btw, does your factory manual have instructions for reprogramming a remote key fob for the power door locks?

thanks again.

 

With or without the factory vehicle security system? With security requires a DRB scan tool, without means grounding one wire in the data link connector.

 

My van does not have the factory security system. I found a procedure online which has the following steps:

1. turn ignition to off

2. ground pin 1 of data link connector by grounding it to pin 4.

3. close all doors

4. turn key forward to ACC and then to off. power door locks will lock/unlock.

5. push a button on key fob.

6. for one fob (which I have) press a button two more times.

7. doors will lock/unlock.

8. remove jumper wire.

9. turn key off.

I've condensed the procedure a bit, but these are the essential steps. I get through step 4 perfectly. The doors lock/unlock. However, when I press a button 3 times nothing happens after that.

One I don't understand is that in above step 4 (step 5 of published procedure) it says to turn key to ACC and then off. then step 9 says to turn key to off again. Should the key be turned to something else in between?

Anyway to test if the fob is producing a signal? Where is the receiver in the van?

sorry, I have alot of questions. I appreciate your answering as many as you can.

thanks again.

oh, by the way, my VIN only has 17 digits. There are a whole mess of other codes on the data plate. Is there a way to decipher those? I did find out that my van was made in Canada.

Have a great day and thanks for all of your help.

Dennis

 

oh, just saw where your previous post said to look at third line of data plate.

 

The manual says digits 20 and 21 of line 3 on that plate are the body code. I looked at it again and noticed that the diagram seems to indicate that "line 3" on the body plate is actually the first line!

As in :

line 3
line 2
line 1

I will copy the keyfob remote reset procedure here tonight.

 

Got it.

Thanks very much, once again, for all of your help.