crazzywolfie's 93 RC

[SixGun]

The only one I would worry about is that last one.   

[rjtx667]

thats really cool, but does not work for ALL Dodge's... the mexico ramcharger said it could not be found 

was worth a try

[crazzywolfie]

Wow that RC had all the options...cool 

i don't have too many fancy option tho. the only nice ones i got is the a/c for the summer time

The only one I would worry about is that last one.   

lol

thats really cool, but does not work for ALL Dodge's... the mexico ramcharger said it could not be found 

was worth a try

ya it probably would not work with a Mexican ramcharger but it was at least worth a shot. i even tried getting one for my 81 but it didn't have one.

[crazzywolfie]

well the 120amp alternator is on and seems to be working but still have a bit of and electrical issue. i think i might be having a fusible link related issue but not sure yet. i just know when i was poking around with my multi meter and the alternator is putting out 15.06v but the field wire is only seeing 14.28v. there has to be a voltage drop somewhere between the battery, asd relays and everything that the asd relay powers. i made a jumper wire to go between the the field terminal and alternator output and managed to get the voltage to drop down to a steady 14.56v. i really hope i can find the weak spot that is causing the voltage drop so that i don't have to hack up the wiring

[rjtx667]

Check your Grounds. my 93 had a bad ground from battery to chassis and that messed with stuff. Just a short little wire right at the battery.

Kind of my fault since I was hacking around to install dual batteries lol

[crazzywolfie]

i don't think my issue is with the ground. i was using negative battery terminal as a ground when testing. i was possibly thinking all the loads on the asd relays could possibly be causing the voltage drop but then again i am not sure. there is 8 injectors, 1 oxygen sensor, 1 coil and the alternator field powered by the asd relay. i had to replace the orange fusible link that connects to the white fusible link but didn't think about replacing the white fusible link since it looked good even when i spliced to it.

i guess a good thing about the new alternator is it does have a bit smaller pulley which should help the charging system.

[SixGun]

I saw you bought another Dodge. When are you gonna tell us about it? Are you gonna combine them into one truck?

[crazzywolfie]

well i wasn't really going to say too much about it since it is not really mine even tho i would love to keep it and fix it. it is Collin's(4x4Klown) truck. i am just storing it for him. he bought it for the cab. it is going to be a bit hard to part out since the thing is so clean but he does need a better cab for his truck and finding a good cab is not really getting easier especially since he is only into the truck about $1300 by the time it got to my driveway. plus it would still need work. it was in an accident so it would need a new fender/rad support/grille plus it would need all new brake lines/park brake cables/and maybe other brake parts. it would be worth fixing because of how clean it is but it would take some money. i guess that is the way it always is. i am going to be getting some parts off it tho that may save the ramcharger for a bit longer. that is the advantage of storing it at my place. if Collin had to store it at his place he would have to strip it quick and scrap the rest where at my place we can take our time a bit. i know most of the parts i would be needing would be heading to scrap if he had to store it. i could use some of the parts that can be a bit stupid but expensive like the rear shackle mounts. i am  just going to swap leaf springs and mounts since that would be easier than trying to take it all apart. i may also get a good strut rod bushing off  it. they are about $40/side so i am hoping i can just swap one onto my truck. i will also be taking the motor mount extension plate off it also since it has it. i will take as much as i can store that i think i will need. i doubt Collin will mind especially if we can get most of his money back from selling the box and engine/trans. the thing runs/drives. it idles great once it is running but i think there is a sensor that is going bad. it will sometimes stall when you put it in gear or will stall when you try to rev it sometimes when in park.

[crazzywolfie]

well the time has come. i have got to the point where i need to replace the shackle mounts on my ramcharger. the only thing i am having issue with at this point is figuring out which route to go. i currently got the the shackle mounts/leaf/axle off the 89 d150 parts truck that is sitting in my driveway. i was possibly thinking about just swapping leaf spring mounts and all to keep things simple but i am not sure the best way to get the factory rivets off the front leaf spring hanger. after cutting the rivets off the spring mounts on the 89 d150 i realized the rivets are not that easy to cut or get out especially on the ramcharger with where the cross member is. i was thinking about replacing just the shackle mount but then i would have to replace the bushing which i have never had to do. i am just not sure which route would be better to go. i really want to go the easier route but when it comes to this ramcharger nothing ever seems to be easy. any advise would be appreciated.

[SixGun]

If the riveted spring mounts are in good shape, leave them alone. They are a major pita to remove. To remove those rivets, I used a cutoff wheel, air chisel, drill and a die grinder with a carbide bit. You would think that after cutting the heads off it would just push out. Not so, since it is swollen into the frame hole. Drill it out all the way up to the lip of the hole and air hammer it. That's with both sides of the rivet's heads cut off. Moral of this story, avoid it if you can.

Replacing leaf bushings is very easy. Just burn them with a torch and with them nice and hot, drive them out with a big screw driver and hammer. Rear leaf shackle can be purchased complete with bushing for cheap at Stengelbros. 
http://www.stengelbros.com/

I would remove the whole leaf pack to do this. Good time for new ubolts. Another source for good suspension parts is ATS.
http://www.autoandtrucksprings.com/

[crazzywolfie]

Thanks Richard. the spring mounts look in great shape. its just the shackle mounts in the back that are toast. all 4 shackles between my RC and the parts truck look to be in great shape also. all the bushing don't look great but i think they should be able to last as long as i will keep the RC on the road maybe another 1 or 2 years if nothing serious breaks. i was thinking thinking that replacing the bushing might be easier but not 100% sure. after looking at it a bit more tho it looks like you you have to take the shackles out of the mount to replace the bushing which will also most likely be a fight and i guess that is why you suggest replacing them? i was also looking at the shackle bolts on the RC and it looks like they are 5/8" and the ones on the parts truck is 1/2". not sure what would be the best route to go. this has been one of the biggest things kind of driving me to look at brand new vehicles.

[SixGun]

Stengelbros has replacement bolts for relatively cheap. If you were keeping the Ramcharger, I would consider it as preventative maintenance.  One or two years, I dunno. Thats a lot of work. Do you have a pic of what your concern is?  Dropping the tank makes it a lot easier for access and avoid hot sparks on the tank..

[crazzywolfie]

i saw that they sell bolts. i am just not sure which sizes to go with. the old shackle uses a 5/8" bolt but the ones of the parts truck use 1/2" bolt. would the leaf springs be the same and i would just have to change the bushing to the 1 for 1/2" bolt? the shackle mount that is currently on my RC has a bad crack in it. the other side is also not much better. when i got it the rear shackle mounts were full of sand and undercoat which caused them to rust out. i just didn't realize they were as thin as they were.
i know it is a lot of work but i don't know if the ramcharger wouldn't have much more than 1-2 years left in especially with the way the rust is on some of the parts. i already patched up the floors and structure under the floor board but there is now other rust repair to do and it is like how far do you go before you got to call it quits? ideally i would love to stick the engine/trans out of it into my 81 eventually. the fuel tank is already dropped. sucks dropping a tank that is 3/4 full but it is done now. pumped most of the gas into my 81

[bullboy0852]

Welding machine

[SixGun]

Dodge really should have put drain holes in those shackle mounts.  The leaf spring mounting pads under the axle should have one too.  They are literally cups that hold crud that will rust it out.  In your case, it is salt.

Do you own an air hammer to drive those rivets out. As for the bolts, go 5/8" and enlarge the bolt hole in the mount.  May need a carbide bit.  The leaf spring eyes, if I'm not mistaken, are the same size and the bushing/sleeve is thinner for 5/8".  Bushings are fairly cheap as well. Nickels and dimes add up though on a job like this unfortunately.