1997 Cummins Towho/Expo
- Thread starter blakeape
- Start date
mustangwarrior
Adventurer
nice, i like the slider, thats what i'm gonna do with mine, stick 'em out far enough to keep from rubbing, and i like the rack, didn't think about the ledge for loading and rubbing, haha, i just wanna keep my cover
chilliwak
Expedition Leader
I am really impressed with the way you have built up your Dodge so that it is a serious 4by4 machine. I was wondering how the truck handles on the highway as opposed to the original stock set-up. I am sure the leaf spring set-up is way better off road. Keep us posted with pics and comments. Cheers.:victory:
Thanks again for all the kind remarks everyone. The truck actually drives much better on the road with the leafs than it did before. I think the front end is actually about an inch lower than it was with the coil lift and the axle is about 4 inches further forward. I was able to get my caster set properly at about 6 degrees if I remember correctly and I have zero bump steer or death wobble. With the old lift I was always fighting death wobble and constantly messing with the caster. I did build a trac bar even though I have leafs and the truck feels very planted and stable. I know a lot of people don't like lifted trucks for tow rigs or expo set ups, but this truck is somewhere around 21-22 feet long. With the extended cab long bed wheel base I really like a little ground clearance. I have a dump trailer and Kubota tractor that weigh close to 11,000 lbs together and I regularly pull them around. With the air bags at 80 psi and the tires pumped up to 60ish psi the truck tows great. I usually run the front tires at 35-40 psi and the rears about 45 psi when I am not towing or road tripping and it rides pretty good. The leafs are a little stiffer than the coils, but its a heavy duty truck. I recently installed a PSC steering box brace, which firmed up the steering, but I need to do a new steering box soon. I have fixed my sector shaft seal once, but it is leaking again and there is definitely a lot of play in the box.
I recently put some tractor utility lights into the front bumper and got a brand new set of 150 watt KC Daylighters for under $50 that I mounted higher up on the bumper. The utility lights are wired into the factory fog light switch and I tried to run the Daylighters off a relay from the high beams but it didn't quite work right. I heard the 2nd gen Dodges change between high and low beam through a ground so maybe that is the issue. I don't even use the factory crappy high beams now I just flip on the KC's and walla daylight. The low beams with the fog are actually way better then the factory high beams because I have the fogs pointed a little bit out towards the side of the road and it really illuminates the ditches. I also started a rear bumper with some utility back up lights. Eventually it is going to get a swing-out tire carrier as I have no place to put a 37" spare when the camper is in. Other future plans include a SVO 2 tank waste vegetable oil system, a rear ARB air locker and a winch. I have a 9000 lb warn and a receiver cradle that will do for now, but eventually I would like a hard mounted 12-15K winch in the front bumper.
I recently put some tractor utility lights into the front bumper and got a brand new set of 150 watt KC Daylighters for under $50 that I mounted higher up on the bumper. The utility lights are wired into the factory fog light switch and I tried to run the Daylighters off a relay from the high beams but it didn't quite work right. I heard the 2nd gen Dodges change between high and low beam through a ground so maybe that is the issue. I don't even use the factory crappy high beams now I just flip on the KC's and walla daylight. The low beams with the fog are actually way better then the factory high beams because I have the fogs pointed a little bit out towards the side of the road and it really illuminates the ditches. I also started a rear bumper with some utility back up lights. Eventually it is going to get a swing-out tire carrier as I have no place to put a 37" spare when the camper is in. Other future plans include a SVO 2 tank waste vegetable oil system, a rear ARB air locker and a winch. I have a 9000 lb warn and a receiver cradle that will do for now, but eventually I would like a hard mounted 12-15K winch in the front bumper.
pulltilbroke
Adventurer
Are those GY MTRs or are those Treadwrights? If there Treadwrights how do you like em?
Anyway you cut it thats a sweet rig YOU built.
Anyway you cut it thats a sweet rig YOU built.
The tires are the old style Goodyear MTR. I found a brand new set of 4 for $800. I really like the tires and wish they still made the 37x12.50R17 in an E-rated tire. I ran 2 sets of MTR's on my Tacoma and was very impressed. A 37 also fit in front of the wheel well quite nicely until I build my swingout.
The 1979 Ford Dana 60 has a lot of strong points over the factory Dodge Dana 60. It is high pinion, has traditional wheel bearing instead of unit bearings, manual hubs, Kingpin knuckles instead of ball joints and no vacuum actuated 2 piece axle shaft. The 1978/79 Ford Dana 60 diff is also perfectly offset to work with the Dodge t-case and like I said before I can do 75mph with the hubs turned in and no vibes.
I recently had to fix 5th gear in my transmission and took the opportunity to remove all the vacuum going to the t-case while the t-case was sitting on the floor. No vacuum goes past my firewall anymore. I also found a lock-nut that should prevent 5th from ever coming off again. If anyone is interested here is their website:
http://fifthgearrepair.com/comments.html
The 1979 Ford Dana 60 has a lot of strong points over the factory Dodge Dana 60. It is high pinion, has traditional wheel bearing instead of unit bearings, manual hubs, Kingpin knuckles instead of ball joints and no vacuum actuated 2 piece axle shaft. The 1978/79 Ford Dana 60 diff is also perfectly offset to work with the Dodge t-case and like I said before I can do 75mph with the hubs turned in and no vibes.
I recently had to fix 5th gear in my transmission and took the opportunity to remove all the vacuum going to the t-case while the t-case was sitting on the floor. No vacuum goes past my firewall anymore. I also found a lock-nut that should prevent 5th from ever coming off again. If anyone is interested here is their website:
http://fifthgearrepair.com/comments.html
chilliwak
Expedition Leader
Wow, I did not know that a 79 diff would be such an upgrade, on a truck that most of us consider to be a factory workhorse. Any info you can give us here on the forum about the availability of the front end upgrades/differential at the local wrecker, or other sources, would be a big plus! Keep the info, and especially your excellent pics coming. We all love em! cheers!:victory:
Rot Box
Explorer
I've seen a few 5th gear nuts fall off, but I wasn't aware of that particular fix :Wow1: Looks much better than some of the solutions I've seen lol.
The Ford axle has a lot going for it except availability--man they are hard to find those years! I'd bet money you'll never have to change king pins as long as you keep them greased. Ball joints on the other hand--ugh..... Glad those day are behind me :bike_rider:
The Ford axle has a lot going for it except availability--man they are hard to find those years! I'd bet money you'll never have to change king pins as long as you keep them greased. Ball joints on the other hand--ugh..... Glad those day are behind me :bike_rider:
I recently rebuilt the kingpins and the entire front end in the 1979 Ford Dana 60 that I swapped into my Tacoma. The high steer arms had cracked the factory Ford Knuckles. Tried welding the cracks with nickle rod on a stick welder, but they cracked again. I ended up putting on a set of Reid Racing knuckles and rebuilding the entire front end because my inner axle seals were leaking. I installed cromoly axles, new u-joints, new inner axle seals, and rebuilt the kingpins. It really wasn't that bad and I doubt I ever have to do it to those knuckles again.
To prevent the same thing from happening to the knuckles in the Dodge I gusseted the pass side while it was getting rebuilt. I am running crossover, but not high steer on the dodge so I didn't do anything to the drivers side.
We went Kayaking last week on the 19th of January and took the Dodge. Did great and while we were running the shuttle my friend slid on the ice and rear ended me at very low speed in his Z71. The Chevy is in the market for a new grill and not a scratch on the Diesel! Yes it was very cold.
We went Kayaking last week on the 19th of January and took the Dodge. Did great and while we were running the shuttle my friend slid on the ice and rear ended me at very low speed in his Z71. The Chevy is in the market for a new grill and not a scratch on the Diesel! Yes it was very cold.
Steinbruchsoldat
Explorer
You must be crazy... Kayaking with snow... :Wow1:
Montana is an awesome whitewater state. But man its cold here. I usually wear a dry-suit well into June. I miss paddling in just a life jacket like I did back east and in more southerly states.
The 1978-9 Ford Dana 60 is to me the most desirable axle to swap into a 2nd gen Dodge. Most junkyards know how rare they are and want $1000 to $1500 FOR ONE. You can find good deals on Pirate 4x4 sometimes, but shipping one would be expensive. I have 2, one in my Tacoma and 1 in my Dodge. Both times I found it easier to find a complete truck, take the front end and either sell the rest or part it out. I paid $1000 for this Ford, took my axle and sold the rest to a friend for $500. The flatbed went back to the guy I bought the Ford from. I do feel a little guilty cutting up cool old trucks to scavenge parts, but both the Fords I sacrificed were pretty beat and rusty.
A crappy cell phone shot of the Dodge bringing home a Load of wood last fall.
The 1978-9 Ford Dana 60 is to me the most desirable axle to swap into a 2nd gen Dodge. Most junkyards know how rare they are and want $1000 to $1500 FOR ONE. You can find good deals on Pirate 4x4 sometimes, but shipping one would be expensive. I have 2, one in my Tacoma and 1 in my Dodge. Both times I found it easier to find a complete truck, take the front end and either sell the rest or part it out. I paid $1000 for this Ford, took my axle and sold the rest to a friend for $500. The flatbed went back to the guy I bought the Ford from. I do feel a little guilty cutting up cool old trucks to scavenge parts, but both the Fords I sacrificed were pretty beat and rusty.
A crappy cell phone shot of the Dodge bringing home a Load of wood last fall.