The Land Yacht 2006 dodge megacab cummins

warrpath4x4

Adventurer
Unlike some we cannot afford a vehicle specifically for overlanding, if you can ... that's great more power to you. We were using 2 trucks depending on what we were hauling/pulling and neither did it very well, both were half tons, one auto, one manual, both small gas engines. So we went looking for a 3/4 ton, had to be a dodge for a solid front axle (ford is not even a consideration), we started looking at gas vehicles but then was noticing the Cummins were a lot cheaper than we thought and were on par with the gas trucks. We found a 2006 Dodge ram, 3500, 4x4, cummins 5.9, megacab (which the wife has wanted since they came out), they paid off our old truck, nothing down, didn't move any of the old truck to the new loan, and we drove off in our new (to us) truck.


Same day we got it the wind was blowing and I kept having to tell my 7yo "don't open the door, we will open it for you" cause if the wind caught that big back door it would be like a sail, and this thing is like parking a boat so cue the name "Land Yacht".


I am horrible at remembering to taking pictures, we have had it for 2 weeks now and have hauled a ton of wood pellets in the bed, a trailer full of IBC totes, and just shy of a ton of hay in the bed, getting 17 MPG with a ton in the bed.


Build List:
muffler delete
Tuner
headache rack
bumpers
lights
CB
removable bed rack for our CVT RTT


Pic 3 was at the dealer
Pic 2 you would think they would change the air filter, doing so gained me .5 MPG
Pic 1 of course is the ton of hay

mega 3.jpgmega 2.jpgmega 1.jpg
 

Explorerinil

Observer
Good truck, I had the same one but in white for years. Check out Genos garage, get a smarty jr and set it on fuel economy and your set. Keep an eye on fuel filters, only run fleet guard /molar or Baldwin, change them often as the fuel filters on the common rail 5.9 are not the best set up. Consider and aftermarket water separator. In my ctd trucks I run rotella and a fleetgard for oil and filter.

Ball joints and wheel bearings will give you issues later on, plenty of upgrades available
 

warrpath4x4

Adventurer
Ya I work for Cummins, all I will run is fleetguard filters, I already have a new fuel filter for it but need the wind to quit blowing. On the oil, all my fluids will be changed over to amsoil. I had a smarty in one of my other trucks and liked it, a buddy works for a diesel performance shop and can get me good prices on the aftermarket performance stuff.
 

Explorerinil

Observer
Ya I work for Cummins, all I will run is fleetguard filters, I already have a new fuel filter for it but need the wind to quit blowing. On the oil, all my fluids will be changed over to amsoil. I had a smarty in one of my other trucks and liked it, a buddy works for a diesel performance shop and can get me good prices on the aftermarket performance stuff.
You work for cummins, very cool! Nice truck btw. As you are aware, you can't beat any cummins product.
 

warrpath4x4

Adventurer
Ya theres a reason I went for a 2006, no after treatment, no EGR. while I work for Cummins we don't do aftermarket or power upgrades, we just do stock replacement parts so feel free to give insight on upgrades.
 

Explorerinil

Observer
Ya theres a reason I went for a 2006, no after treatment, no EGR. while I work for Cummins we don't do aftermarket or power upgrades, we just do stock replacement parts so feel free to give insight on upgrades.

On my 5.9 truck I ran a smarty jr, ice box cold air intake, 5 inch exhaust with a fte resignator and a cat water separator and fuel filter. For the rest of the truck I had a dynatrac free spin hub kit, thuren leveling coils, 08 steering upgrade, red head steering box and some aftermarket ball joints. At 170k I put a full billit suncoast trans in it. Truck is still running around town to this day.
 

warrpath4x4

Adventurer
Yesterday I got the exhaust opened up which did wonders for the power and mileage, but while I was down there I noticed something.

me thinks something is missing and broken.

mega5.jpgmega4.jpg


so now I need to get a new mount and weld up the cracked spot.
 

VisionxOrb

Observer
Beautiful truck, around here in so cal that would be about 35k depending on mileage ( Ive looked ). Thats funny on the name, Ive got a 06 mega ( hemi though FML ) I bought new and called it land yacht as well way back when. Mine is mineral grey so her name has just became "the grey whale" over time.

Last time I was looking, doing a 6.7 balancer and hybrid turbo rebuild ( 5.9 turbo with a 6.7 exhaust I think ) along with some BBI injectors and smarty was a hot ticket for powerful but smooth running build.
 

ARD

New member
Nice truck. I still have mine but in black. Had it since new. Mostly stock, except ARB bumper, 315 tires on H2 wheels, steering brace, Bilstein shock, Frantz bypas filter, Edge with attitude plus Diablo Sport programmer and Diamondbak cover. My kids call it a Bumper Truck.
My neighbor has a 6 door conversion in orange. That is a Land Yaht.
 

warrpath4x4

Adventurer
Nice truck. I still have mine but in black. Had it since new. Mostly stock, except ARB bumper, 315 tires on H2 wheels, steering brace, Bilstein shock, Frantz bypas filter, Edge with attitude plus Diablo Sport programmer and Diamondbak cover. My kids call it a Bumper Truck.
My neighbor has a 6 door conversion in orange. That is a Land Yaht.

No that would be an ocean liner lol
 

warrpath4x4

Adventurer
We do Easter at our house so my last 2-3 months have been nothing but a huge honey do list.

the rear driver door latch actuator messed up on this on our test drive lol, the sales man climbed in and couldn't get back out, but we bought it anyway and the lot threw in a new actuator. a couple weeks later i was able to get it open after pulling the door panel and it opened and closed a couple times..... then i really broke it. well yesterday i could here the actuator moving in there when i would hit the unlock button, so i messed with it and as long as i held the unlock button i could open the door. so i took the opportunity to just put the new actuator in. SUCCESS!!!!!!

its so nice having all doors open, now i just need to fix the passenger side rear seat so it will fold. once Easter is done maybe i can get some truck stuff done, the projects are backing up, 97 chevy, 85 4runner, 72 K5, 07 jeep liberty.
 

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