mckustomfab
1/2 ton status
Ok, so a few updates seeing as I have been slacking. I logged about 1000mi on the Cummins and it had a slight "tick" that I was sure was just the valves. I started to diagnose the tick and never could figure it out, so.... I talked to a friend and got a good deal on having the engine rebuilt and getting some machine work done on it. While it was off getting work done I had them do the "everyday driver" head studs, install the 3200 gov spring and add slightly larger injectors.
I got the engine back, reinstalled it and have been enjoying it for the last 1500mi. The gov spring made a huge difference on the drive-ability of it and now that I have started to tune the AFC it is really waking up the truck. I also ordered up the hydro assist kit from Redneck Ram, I am in the process of installing it currently. Then one day while hanging out at a buddy's house I did this.....
If you cant tell, that is a 46" Goodyear.... I have been thinking about the 395's for a little while because they are a little more than half the price of the current 335's I have now. I borrowed the tire to do some test fitting to see how much work it would take to fit them.
Never-mind the miss-matched flip-flops on my youngest, he was upset that the tire was as tall as him! He soon got over it when he realized that it would make my truck taller. Here is what it looked like mocked up in the wheel well, the tires are not perfectly straight ahead so it makes it look a little weird but you get the idea.
After some measuring and soul searching I have decided to make them fit. Currently I have about 4.5" of lift with the axle moved forward slightly, and seeing that I don't want a huge lift (relatively speaking), I think I can make them fit with 7". So a order was placed with ORD for some custom springs and they should be here in about a month. I plan on limiting the up-travel some in the interest of keeping it low and maintaining my inner wheel wells. This is not a crawler, more of a pseudo expedition (back roads camping) truck. The next order of business was stopping the big-a$$ tires, I have been looking at a big brake kit for the GM D60 for a while and this gave me a excuse to get it. It is the Torq Axle caliper bracket kit, it allows me to run 2009 and newer Ram 3500 front brakes. The rotor dia is a little over 14" and it has large dual piston calipers. This kit coupled with the Chevy AAM 10.5 axle I have ready to go in should stop the heavy pig!
I have also been (slowly) working on sectioning a set of fenders for the truck, looks like I may need to speed up that process along with building some slider style steps.
I got the engine back, reinstalled it and have been enjoying it for the last 1500mi. The gov spring made a huge difference on the drive-ability of it and now that I have started to tune the AFC it is really waking up the truck. I also ordered up the hydro assist kit from Redneck Ram, I am in the process of installing it currently. Then one day while hanging out at a buddy's house I did this.....
If you cant tell, that is a 46" Goodyear.... I have been thinking about the 395's for a little while because they are a little more than half the price of the current 335's I have now. I borrowed the tire to do some test fitting to see how much work it would take to fit them.
Never-mind the miss-matched flip-flops on my youngest, he was upset that the tire was as tall as him! He soon got over it when he realized that it would make my truck taller. Here is what it looked like mocked up in the wheel well, the tires are not perfectly straight ahead so it makes it look a little weird but you get the idea.
After some measuring and soul searching I have decided to make them fit. Currently I have about 4.5" of lift with the axle moved forward slightly, and seeing that I don't want a huge lift (relatively speaking), I think I can make them fit with 7". So a order was placed with ORD for some custom springs and they should be here in about a month. I plan on limiting the up-travel some in the interest of keeping it low and maintaining my inner wheel wells. This is not a crawler, more of a pseudo expedition (back roads camping) truck. The next order of business was stopping the big-a$$ tires, I have been looking at a big brake kit for the GM D60 for a while and this gave me a excuse to get it. It is the Torq Axle caliper bracket kit, it allows me to run 2009 and newer Ram 3500 front brakes. The rotor dia is a little over 14" and it has large dual piston calipers. This kit coupled with the Chevy AAM 10.5 axle I have ready to go in should stop the heavy pig!
I have also been (slowly) working on sectioning a set of fenders for the truck, looks like I may need to speed up that process along with building some slider style steps.
