The truck I bought 10 months ago had a lot of frame, cab corner/rocker, front fender rust.   The rear fender just starting to blister in the wheel well and the  cab floor boards are solid with some light surface rust some spots.   That being said I could deal with these rust issues but...

 

 

Copied this thread over from Cumminsforum.com since can not upload photos...

https://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/auto-body/2482091-1999-ram-2500-rusted-out-cab.html

 

 

Quote

https://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/auto-body/2482091-1999-ram-2500-rusted-out-cab.html

 

 

I also have another rust out location which totally caught me off guard!

I have a broken dash, a leaking heater core and water leak around rear window so removed all of the interior.

After removing the instrument panel from the truck, notice some daylight between driver 'A' pillar and the steering column cab support. Poking at the rusty sheet metal and my fingers went right through.  

Remove the wipers and cowling cover to get a better idea what is going on. Notice on this truck the firewall does not go all the way up to the windshield but there is a large plenum space. The interior cab side of this space the seam sealer coating in the trough has all flaked apart. The space by the driver A pillar has heavy rust from where water was standing. The drains are in the cowling space. Truck was parked outside for three years on a uphill incline so assume this was cause with the water pooled in this location.

Debating course of action - since I will also have to deal with rocker/cab corner replacement on both sides, a cab replacement from a drier southern location may be better option.

Right now leaning to just address the rusted areas and weld in new metal where base metal is thin.

Need suggestion recoating the inside of this plenum space.

Bob G.

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 20195 yr by JD435
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Yeah - This is the truck I am trying to confirm.  Do you know what the roll up door opening width is?  I need 7’ 6” for the cab to slide in.

 

Was there a wheel well hump inside the box?

 

Do you know what mpg this truck gets?  At  a conservative 12 mpg rate, I figure my total cost should be about $335.

 

Thanks again.

Interior is listed at 7'-8", there were no obstructions inside the box.

 

You will want to call them to see if its 7'8" clear through the door. If so its tight but works.

 

That unit against the back wall is 48" on the one we rented.

 

Maybe to be safe go with a stake body?

 

https://www.enterprisetrucks.com/truckrental/en_US/vehicles/stakebed-trucks/sixteenstakebed.html

 

I'm guessing its as wide as it is tall, and long, so putting it sideways is not going to help.

 

I thought I wrote down the MPG, then remembered I had to use the PA turnpike rest area to fuel up and they were short staffed they do this long winded thing with the paperwork and they gave me this giant piece of paper like I was doing my taxes.

 

But I have a feeling it was 13-14MPG.

Just for information purpose. Great app for your cellphone. 

https://www.simplyauto.app/

On 7/14/2019 at 9:09 AM, Timd32 said:

Interior is listed at 7'-8", there were no obstructions inside the box.

You will want to call them to see if its 7'8" clear through the door. If so its tight but works.

That unit against the back wall is 48" on the one we rented.

 

Maybe to be safe go with a stake body?

https://www.enterprisetrucks.com/truckrental/en_US/vehicles/stakebed-trucks/sixteenstakebed.html

 

I'm guessing its as wide as it is tall, and long, so putting it sideways is not going to help.

 

 

The Enterprise manager over in Harrisonbug, VA confirmed that that door opening width is 7'4" (88 inches).  I need 75 inches at the cabs widest point so no problems here.  The cab mount on the skid is 5' and the door opening is 7' high.

 

I originally planned to rent a flatbed pickup but could not find one to rent so called Enterprise because they offer the small Isuzu stakebody truck shown above on their website.

 

They confirm the 16'  truck also includes a tailgate lift.  Between three people, a couple of 2x6x8 boards and a come-along, should have no problems loading the truck.  

 

Will post pictures later...

 

Edited July 15, 20195 yr by JD435

On 7/14/2019 at 2:09 PM, Mopar1973Man said:

Just for information purpose. Great app for your cellphone. 

https://www.simplyauto.app/

Downloaded will give it a try.

 

On the truck.....

Yeah I miss read your spec of 75" as 7'5", so yeah should be fine. They ride pretty rough but is not horrible for what they are. We had fun with our rental adventure.

 

I found some old pics the previous owner supplied of my truck, he did a ton of work to it. He owns a body shop so not fair really he had some serious time and effort into the truck. He handled most of the body issues, I have a ton of hours into the truck fixing the mechanical stuff, I have a ways to go, Im rebuilding my 47RE right now thats been quite the adventure but fun when I get out to the garage to tinker on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heck yeah that looks awesome!

So you had a cab adventure too?   

What top coat color did you go with?

What was the black coating under the cab?

 

I am afraid when I get this new cab here that I will want to have it painted even though  cab is in good shape and same color as the old cab.   This project has been a mission creep from the begin .   Was going to just repair what needs to be done and get it inspected - that was one year ago.  With fuel tank, vac/ps pump and starter removed had good access to frame to address the rust issues and so the journey began...

 

At least with all the new rust-free sheet metal on the front end, could just compound and buff out the paint.  Then down the road at a later date, can repaint the truck. 

 

 

 

10 hours ago, JD435 said:

So you had a cab adventure too?

 

Nope but seen plenty of projects...

 

10 hours ago, JD435 said:

What was the black coating under the cab?

 

Typically that is a petroleum based under coating. 

 

I'm battling to prevent that from even starting the best I can.

Mine was redone in 2012 by the last owner,  he replaced the whole frame and a bunch of sheetmetal, rockers, cab corners, was pretty extensive. He used it for plowing and then the truck sat for a while after he finished, it leaked everything, had some issues and he got tired of it and I picked it up from there in maybe spring of 2015. We went to High School together.

 

I have all the shop reciepts from his work done, he created real invoices from his shop for what was done, the paint and undercoating looks like it was a PPG product, not over the counter stuff, it's actually pretty thin stuff compared to a heavy 3M spray can version. And nothing like a LineX type product. His shop is pretty impressive he is one of 130 certified Porsche shops and is certified Aluminum for most major mfg, really a neat small anti-insurance company shop that knows the customers rights and will fight for you kind of shop.

 

While the body stuff was mostly taken care of there are some problem areas we are in the Northeast lots of salt and the sort, so it takes constant work to keep it nice. Mechanically it had a bunch of issues I sorted out under the hood, I needed to fix all sorts of things that were not in the mix during his restoration of the body and just put back in as it was.

 

I drove mine for 2 or so years as a 3rd vehicle so not daily, now its been sitting as I finish off the transmission rebuild, almost done, then need to freshen the transfer case and reassembly.

 

Even with a full frame off after a few year it needed a bunch of sorting out.

So I would say skip the paint if it cleans up nice and focus on the reliability. 

 

Pretty nasty to start with.

 

 

Someone drilled out the battery tray to get to the cruise control.

 

This is the pile of crap not used or replaced.

 

Slowly got it all cleaned up and replaced and rebuilt a bunch of stuff.

 

 

 

 

Its a work truck after all, we use it for Hay and the sort. So looking forward to getting it back on the road again after a long time.

 

 

 

WOW - What can I say about your 'work' truck.   Fantastic job.   My standards for 'Work' truck are much lower. LOL

 

My build was just for reliability with all the rust issues.  Every part take off is recondition(blasted/repainted), repair or replace.  Chipped/Wire Wheel rust from the frame as I went along.  Still have right-rear.   Started at the rear using 'Chassis Saver' then  Rustoleum at the front frame and did front axle in POR15.     I also have a impressive scrap pile.  Bought my truck last year from first owner who had good records of oil changes.  He worked in construction and did daily 60 mile commutes to Washington D.C. so he picked up a lot of road salt over the years and did not do complete wash down under the truck.

 

Guess you are in the NW part of the state where there is still some real country.  Use to go to the Flemington Fair every year and made many trips to J.S. Covert in Neshanic Station for Deere parts in the 70's.  Your kicker wagons bring back fond memories with JD 3020 PS and JD 346 baler.

 

Thanks for the photos,

 

Bob G.

Yep about 50min north of Flemington just keep going up 31 till it ends, then up that way, my dad always brought us to the fair, it's now a Lowe's and a bunch of other stores, fairgrounds and racktrack long gone. The 4H Fairgrounds are still around south in Ringoes I think.

 

I get all our uniforms from Flemington Dept Store, and added to my work fleet from the Flemington Chevy dealer down there in April. Have good friends who live in Neshanic Station, its changed alot.

 

Sounds like you have a good process for getting your truck in good shape. I can appreciate the amt of work you are up against. Worth it for sure should be a nice rig.

Well went down to Moyock, NC and picked up a 2000 Dodge 1500 cab, both fenders, hood, front support and passenger door.  

 

Started stripping down the cab and have not found any rust yet.  Will see when I pull out the carpet.  The paint on top of the roof is a little rough and a dent in the top left rear corner.  Will need to get the front windshield replace since there is a crack going across the middle.

 

Debating if should go ahead have cab, fenders, hood and passenger door painted while everything is apart or after everything is installed back together.

 

Edited July 26, 20195 yr by JD435

Looks like its all in great shape. Good find, looks like you made out very well.

Well just an update.  I have the cab in my shop (barely-so much stuff) and the interior is stripped down to just the metal.   There is no rust except a few small surface rust spots on the floor boards.   However looking inside the driver's side of the cowling, there looks to be may be some paint blisters right where my old cab had rotted out.  I think everyone should eye ball this hidden area.

 

In the meantime, my wife has been on me about her 2005 Honda CRV about throwing a P0341 code (camshafts out of phase).  This CRV is now a standby vehicle.  Found the timing chain had jumped a tooth (explain less power)  and the CRV has 260K miles and was drinking about one qt of oil every 200 miles.  Found that all of piston oil control rings where stuck, drain holes plugged, heavy carbon build up on top of the pistons, intake valves stems.   So in middle of major rebuild.

 

Not sure when be able to get back on the Dodge.

 

Question: 

Looking to also install an exhaust brake for when I will be towing my equipment trailer.   See all the new exhaust brakes use air compressors.   Looking to buy used since will only really needed on occasions towing my equipment trailer.

Anything wrong using the older vacuum direct mount BD or Pacbrake units? 

 

 

 

Edited September 30, 20195 yr by JD435

They work good too.

Dripley,

 

Would $400 be a good price for a used Pacbrake C14025 with HX35 exhaust adapter, angle butterfly/cylinder, vacuum solenoid,  hoses and wiring?   

 

Looks like will need the ECM Pin# 20 connection.   Anyone know what make/# pins used in the 2gen ECM module connector?

Dont know personally. Never researched it. Nor know what a new one cost. Mine ia Banks.

 

My Banks connects to the ECT and the TPS sensors, and the PCM. Nothing on the ECM.

 

The ECM  is 50 pin connector, what brand I dont knoe