Ok Gang...
I know we got a lot of knowledgeable guys with a few extra part in the garage and a bit of extra time here and there... I got a wonderful member that is need of help here. Russ is in a pinch with the economy going down and with his disabilities it hard for him to do the work himself. So I'm asking all the members of the site to please look at this message below and see if you can help Russ out...
"Confession time.
I love this truck BUT the truck sales man did not do me any favors. It hauls groceries fine but I need a solid truck to tow with. I bought this truck NEW for big bucks... money that I should not have spent... & SSDI isn't enough to buy another one with the right stuff. So I'm stuck keeping this one or quitting. Sheila thinks I need to get out of the house more which is why I bought the scooter & camper (both have needed some work to be functional for us.)
Confession: 4:10 gears scream at highway speeds 60-65. I don't tow often... but when I do, I kick in the OD on level ground or down hill. If I can get the MPH up, I can make some hills, but if I can't hold speed, I kick the OD out & drop to 50-55. I know this is not recommended. I can't afford to change the ratios... might as well buy another truck.
This truck only has 55k on it.
First off what I got (off dealer spec sheet, still had it in the owers manual) I'm not really sure what is included in some of these packages.
BE7L34 2500 Quad Cab 4 X 4 155” WB
AHC Trailer Tow Group
AHD Heavy Duty Snow Plow Prep Group
AHJ Camper Special Group
DGP Transmission - 4 speed automatic, 47RE
DMF Axle Ratio - 4:10
DSA Axle Anti- Spin Differential
ECT Engine 5.9L Cummins 24V Diesel
Alternator 137 Amp
Engine Cooling - Heavy Duty
Cooler - Aux Transmission Oil
Skid plate shield - transfer case
I'm pure stock except for the oversized exhaust (yes, expands right behind the turbo). Still running OEM lift pump. Factory gauges only.
I'm way behind in repairs:
Truck was supposed to be rust proofed... it isn't & is all rusted to crap underneath, doors, etc. I don't know how to fix the rust except to replace components as they fail. The (previous) garage charged me 2 extra hours to drill out the mounting bolts when they replaced the front brake hoses. Remember front discs rusted so badly they dragged the pad frame. Every job is going to cost extra because of this. Propose to request SS or rust resistant replacement hardware anyplace we work.
All 4 doors are rusted through the bottom... I'd like to roll back the clock & get a truck with the stock ratio & rust proofing (RP was on the order list, dealer found this one & it was supposed to have everything I was going to order. I missed that it did not have even undercoating!) Heater smells of antifreeze/AC is out again (did not hold recharge)/heat is stuck on defrost (default vacuum control broke)
Shocks are shot... bolts on shock towers are just blobs of rust.
The straight through muffler sounds nice running light / beyond ridiculous under towing conditions. Wife used ear plugs on last trip.
Because the budget is so tight... not sure where to start. Want to combine tasks where possible so things don't have to be removed twice. I have to send all the work out because of my MS. At least my legs are working well enough that I can get into the driver's side of the truck if I place my feet just right (because for a while I could not).
Help me prioritize this work...
everything behind the dash: heater, AC, vent control
muffler / resonator
shocks
gauges
body
lift pump (which one & how much)
Where do I start?
Russ
What I'm asking is if there is any member on the east coast near Rhodes Island that could give Russ a hand by either donating time or possibly parts to his cause.
Ok Gang... I know we got a lot of knowledgeable guys with a few extra part in the garage and a bit of extra time here and there... I got a wonderful member that is need of help here. Russ is in a pinch with the economy going down and with his disabilities it hard for him to do the work himself. So I'm asking all the members of the site to please look at this message below and see if you can help Russ out...
What I'm asking is if there is any member on the east coast near Rhodes Island that could give Russ a hand by either donating time or possibly parts to his cause.