Hi all:
Congrats on the truck pick. All of the major problems have been addressed by others (lift pump, shocks) but I thought I might way in on the steering. I have a 2001 Dodge Ram CTD that I purchased about 16 months ago and I have been doing similar upgrades. No build thread yet but there will be soon. For the shocks, I would second Bilsteins. I plan on the 5100s or 5160s. Depending on your budget, I don't think you can go wrong with the 5100s. I had Rancho RS shocks on another truck and they were not that great.
Also, on the FASS lift pump is there a way to adjust your pump rate? I own an Air Dog Raptor, and with that lift pump you can adjust the flow rate to set it for a 16-17 psi pressure at idle (essentially increasing or decreasing the flow rate to increase or decrease the pressure). I am assuming you can do something similar for the FASS? If so, adjusting it to the recommended setting may help with your pressure readings at open throttle.
For tires, the truck came with 285/75 r16 Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs and I didn't like them. They wore very quickly with hot highway driving and the wider tires didn't help at all with the steering. I just switched to 255/85 r16 Cooper Discoverer STs and I am very happy. Lighter, narrower, good road manners but they have lots of traction. We just received 20" of snow over 2 days here in central Oregon and I was able to drive all over my unplowed neighborhood in 4L with no problems and I also had them out for about 90 miles of driving on packed snow and ice and they were great. I have heard good things for durability. My only worry is they might be a bit soft with a camper. For your application, I think they would be fantastic. I was also able to find four of them for $880 mounted and balanced. I have had BFG A/Ts on other trucks and I was very happy. I probably would have put them on this truck as well but they don't make them in a 255/85 r16.
For steering, I believe the best option for your 1999 is an upgrade to the 1998-1999 HD Steering Kit. It is an OEM part from Dodge that was an upgraded beefier design. It should be a bolt on swap and relatively inexpensive. I believe it was offered as part of the snowplow package. If not, I think you can also upgrade to the 4th gen steering with some minor modifications. Here is a link to a discussion of it on the Cummins Forum: http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/98-5-02-non-powertrain/372455-09-10-steering-best-322-ever-spent.html. Also, if you haven't read Cummins Forum yet that is a great resource. Other steering improvements are a steering brace, which I believe you mentioned from Dodge Off Road (DOR), possibly a new steering box from Redhead or from Dodge Off Road (although that would probably be my last fix), and the Rock Solid Ram steering bushing upgrade: http://www.rocksolidramtrucksteering.com/. I have been researching these issues for the past month and that is my plan of attack (although I have a 2001 versus your 1999).
Lastly, if you are looking for a shell or canopy I have one for sale in the classifieds on ExPo. I just pulled it off of my truck as I am upgrading to a pop up camper. Here is a link to my Craigslist ad: http://bend.craigslist.org/pts/4301224180.html. I live up in Oregon but I need to come down to California at some point this spring and I could possibly bring it with me. Or I could meet you halfway. You will probably find something that will work for you pretty quickly in the Bay Area, but if you want one that has already been cleaned up, improved, and modified for camping let me know. I had a sleeping deck in the back of my truck and it was comfortable for my wife and I and two dogs.
Congrats on the truck pick. All of the major problems have been addressed by others (lift pump, shocks) but I thought I might way in on the steering. I have a 2001 Dodge Ram CTD that I purchased about 16 months ago and I have been doing similar upgrades. No build thread yet but there will be soon. For the shocks, I would second Bilsteins. I plan on the 5100s or 5160s. Depending on your budget, I don't think you can go wrong with the 5100s. I had Rancho RS shocks on another truck and they were not that great.
Also, on the FASS lift pump is there a way to adjust your pump rate? I own an Air Dog Raptor, and with that lift pump you can adjust the flow rate to set it for a 16-17 psi pressure at idle (essentially increasing or decreasing the flow rate to increase or decrease the pressure). I am assuming you can do something similar for the FASS? If so, adjusting it to the recommended setting may help with your pressure readings at open throttle.
For tires, the truck came with 285/75 r16 Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs and I didn't like them. They wore very quickly with hot highway driving and the wider tires didn't help at all with the steering. I just switched to 255/85 r16 Cooper Discoverer STs and I am very happy. Lighter, narrower, good road manners but they have lots of traction. We just received 20" of snow over 2 days here in central Oregon and I was able to drive all over my unplowed neighborhood in 4L with no problems and I also had them out for about 90 miles of driving on packed snow and ice and they were great. I have heard good things for durability. My only worry is they might be a bit soft with a camper. For your application, I think they would be fantastic. I was also able to find four of them for $880 mounted and balanced. I have had BFG A/Ts on other trucks and I was very happy. I probably would have put them on this truck as well but they don't make them in a 255/85 r16.
For steering, I believe the best option for your 1999 is an upgrade to the 1998-1999 HD Steering Kit. It is an OEM part from Dodge that was an upgraded beefier design. It should be a bolt on swap and relatively inexpensive. I believe it was offered as part of the snowplow package. If not, I think you can also upgrade to the 4th gen steering with some minor modifications. Here is a link to a discussion of it on the Cummins Forum: http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/98-5-02-non-powertrain/372455-09-10-steering-best-322-ever-spent.html. Also, if you haven't read Cummins Forum yet that is a great resource. Other steering improvements are a steering brace, which I believe you mentioned from Dodge Off Road (DOR), possibly a new steering box from Redhead or from Dodge Off Road (although that would probably be my last fix), and the Rock Solid Ram steering bushing upgrade: http://www.rocksolidramtrucksteering.com/. I have been researching these issues for the past month and that is my plan of attack (although I have a 2001 versus your 1999).
Lastly, if you are looking for a shell or canopy I have one for sale in the classifieds on ExPo. I just pulled it off of my truck as I am upgrading to a pop up camper. Here is a link to my Craigslist ad: http://bend.craigslist.org/pts/4301224180.html. I live up in Oregon but I need to come down to California at some point this spring and I could possibly bring it with me. Or I could meet you halfway. You will probably find something that will work for you pretty quickly in the Bay Area, but if you want one that has already been cleaned up, improved, and modified for camping let me know. I had a sleeping deck in the back of my truck and it was comfortable for my wife and I and two dogs.
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