1. Is it just me, or would it be a lot better if there were some kind of seal to keep water from running down between the sides of the hood and fenders into the engine compartment? On my 99 ram, the only place there was serious rust damage to the frame was below this area where the wated had run down over the battery and then onto the frame. I've replaced the damaged section, but would like to do something to stem the flow of water. Just curious if anyone else has addressed the issue... Barring any other ideas, I'll most likely just look at different types of weather stripping to make a channel with so the water will run down the front...

2. Has anyone swapped rear disc brakes from a 2003 to an earlier year (I know where one is that I can pull parts from)? if so, did you have to swap the entire axle? or were the brackets in the right place? know if the calipers are in common with anything else? and lastly, what else (ie. master cylinder, proportioning valve, etc...) might be needed? I may be putting a truck axle under it before long anyhow rather than redoing the one that's there, but if I could score a set of rear disc brakes that I could put oversize calipers on,etc... that would be attractive... :-)

Thanks!

 

This is on a van?

Keeping the water from running over the battery, and down onto anything below it would be an excellent idea.......

You can't just swap brackets and such from the disc axle, to the drum axle. Cutting and welding would be required. Swapping the whole axle is doable though. It's *fairly* straightforward. I think the pinion yokes are different though......

 

Please include in your avatar your vehicle year, make and model and maybe perhaps your locale. 8)

 

Thanks! yes this is 1999 ram1500 high top conversion van. I can probably pick up the whole axle... just thinking through whether or not it would be worth the hassle. I agree it'd be a straightforward swap (even if a different pinion yoke). I may eventually wind up putting a truck rear axle under it instead for the extra width (would have to relocate spring perches, but otherwise that would also be pretty straightforward). I also have a 1995 ram1500 4x4 truck.

I was a little frustrated when I figured out just why that corner of the front frame rail was rotted out. I was thinking that there must be a rubber moldings or seals that I'm missing, but can't find any pics of any...