2WD to 4WD First Gen Conversion info ?

[DVolk]

Does any one have any info on the what to dos or not to do ?

Thanks Donovan, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !!!!!

 

[RSchwarzli]

Do a search or PM SamsRams. I believe he did this to one of his trucks a while back. If memory even serves, he had a tilting one piece from end that opened like a Pete!

 

[RoadHogg]

Do a search or PM SamsRams. I believe he did this to one of his trucks a while back. If memory even serves, he had a tilting one piece from end that opened like a Pete!

I'd be interested to know this too. I searched for SamsRams on this forum and didn't find anyone with that handle. Any other help in finding the info? Thanks.

 

[RSchwarzli]

Let me see what I can find... .


Edit: Sorry. My bad. I have been here too long. Sam changed his name many years ago from samsrams to Mad Max. Sorry. My fault. Try looking that up!

 

[HHhuntitall]

Yep. My cousin and I did one of his a few months back. Not that hard. Had to cut out the crossmember and replace it, drill the frame at the back for the rear spring shackles..... no big problems... . pic in my gallery of his gray 4 door. I bought a '92 club cab that had been rolled over, so we transplanted the front crossmember, axle, engine, transmission, dash, steering column, etc. OK, so it took us almost a year, but it wasn't that hard, working at nights and weekends. My greatest concern is the crossmember rivets. We used grade 10 bolts and tack-welded them, but I'm always checking to make sure they don't work loose. Go easy with the torch. We burned a lot of grinder discs, but I think in the end, it made for a better job done.



Mikee's new ride! - Photo Gallery

 

[DVolk]

I renember a Mad max from the Saltlake area , but i thought that was a Ford custom project that was a extra big crew cab build , cummins powerd .



I looked at the 2WD again it looks like front cross member and front hangers are there (holes) , i think , im not shure about the rear spring hanger , i see the oval shaped slot .

Were to put hole ? Is there any source for new hangers ive seen GM stuff not mopar

Shackles are no big deal plenty of aftermarket for that , it be nice to have new crossmembers but oh well Any ideas or a good thread on this . Or better yet any one in my area whom has done it ?

 

[RSchwarzli]

You are correct. Sam is the one with the mega cab crew cab first gen. He also has a few other trucks but all dodge to my knowledge.

 

["Mad Max"]

hiya fellas. Ya I've done the 4wd conversion a couple times and it's pretty straight forward especially if you have a donor vehicle to rob all the hardware from. one of the hardest parts is un-installing the 4wd bracketry from the frame. Best way I know of is drilling/cutting/chiseling off the steel rivet, then pounding it out of it's hole, then repeat for all the rivets. Time consuming... and knuckle consuming too!, but works good. Then open up the rivet holes to 1/2" and drill the holes in the 2wd frame, then use grade 8 1/2" hardware - course thread - to install the bracketry, then suspension, etc.



Donovan what specific q's do ya have? Oh and I'm on Ramchargercentral.com most of the time these days, same call sign. All of my build threads are there too. My current truck's are a '93 Cummins Ram D250 tugboat (this is the basis for my 1st gen mega4xdually), a '93 Ramcharger W250 Cummins rig (daily driver nearly complete with the repower), and a 78 Power Wagon crewcab Cummins trail boss (project on deck). Nacho (with the tilt front) was my 78 RC - sold the body/interior to a buddy in Austin, Texas.



Happy Holidays!

- Sam

 

[DVolk]

I know about the grinding offf the rivits . I guess my specific questions is , what needs to be pulled off and transferd or refurbished , I want to install every thing on a D350 crew cab i gor a W 350 That was scabed together by some one , the cross member has some rust under the radaitor area , nothing major though , What do i use for correct mounting measure ments , i think i seen the front ones in the frame , but were to drill in the back ? Is there a place to get new spring hangers ? I got a military 78 frame sitting here as well , I also have 1 ton gm front spring hangers , just no rear stuff , What do i do for those pull them off a donor frame ? For the shackels i was going to buy the ones from Offroad design there nice beefy plus greasible , but hangers any ideas ?

 

["Mad Max"]

oh yeah - ORD has some really great stuff - I've bought from them before, or you can give "Jungle" Jim a holler - he's definitely 'the man'.



RamchargerCentral. Com - Jungle's HD Dodge componets



As far as what swaps, pretty much everything from the W-series rig will swap directly to the D-series, and just make the 1/2" holes on the 2wd frame to mount up the 4wd stuff - some of the bolt holes will line up exactly. Sometimes the trans crossmember has to be moved one bolt back, redrilling the bottom of the frame for the new bolt (the top is usually sandwiched between the bottom of the cab and the frame - can't get to it), but that's only usually when going from a non-od to an od.



You'll definitely need the engine crossmember from the W truck, and getting the 2wd crossmember/front suspension out is always fun... not.



On the suspensions brackets, I mean all of the bracketry will need to be swapped - I guess I'm not understanding the issue?

 

[DVolk]

So Jungle jim is located at ORD at Cannondale , Co Are those brackets that are avalible are any in the stock location ? I have a lift but im not after some larger lift , other than my rear springs need to be changed , some one stacked them , I wish i could find a partnumber on my springs to identify the correct spring heighth .



My question on the rear front spring hangers . How do i find the correct location area only thing that i see is the oval hole in the frame . Do you have a number for jim ? Does any one have any crossmembers they want to part with ? Other than pulling my axel i want it ready to go after i hang the axel and mine are a littel rusty and a minor crack on the member be low the radaitor , what year of gass frames are the same , i got a 70s frame here ? Thanks for your help Mad Max !!!! Happy Holidays !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DVolk]

OOPS I for got which bolts are best used Grade 8 bolts or Huckle or flange bolts ???

 

[Simplysmn]

Use Grade 8 bolt's

 

[HHhuntitall]

So Jungle jim is located at ORD at Cannondale , Co Are those brackets that are avalible are any in the stock location ? I have a lift but im not after some larger lift , other than my rear springs need to be changed , some one stacked them , I wish i could find a partnumber on my springs to identify the correct spring heighth .



My question on the rear front spring hangers . How do i find the correct location area only thing that i see is the oval hole in the frame . Do you have a number for jim ? Does any one have any crossmembers they want to part with ? Other than pulling my axel i want it ready to go after i hang the axel and mine are a littel rusty and a minor crack on the member be low the radaitor , what year of gass frames are the same , i got a 70s frame here ? Thanks for your help Mad Max !!!! Happy Holidays !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know Jungle Jim, but I've replaced a few of these brackets, as well. I'm not for certain on the pre-77 frames, but after that, there should be ALL the holes in the front of the frame for the front spring brackets on the '80s models. I don't remember drilling any up there. And the radiator crossmember is the same, 2wd to 4wd. The engine crossmember has to be replaced with the narrower 4wd to miss the diff on the front axle. Most of the bolt holes will line up, and then you have to drill 3, I think. I'm always afraid to use a huck bolt, as I'm afraid I'll have to unbolt it 10 times before I get done. I use hardened bolts and over torque 'em, then brad the threads or tack weld them when I get done. The rear spring hangers are not marked on the 2wd frames, so you have to measure carefully. The oval holes work good for reference points, but I still double check. As long as you get them close, and the fronts are exact, the front axle will be where it needs to be. We measured the bent frame we had for measurements, and then added a little steel in there to support the frame. I had an '84 I moved the hanger back and built my own for loooong leaves. (I also moved the axle 4" forward, and down about 10"!!)

 

["Mad Max"]

no, my bad - Jim is not affiliated with ORD. Jim's a good buddy of mine and fellow fabricator, and has his ads on RCC at the link I posted above.



I'll try to get a pic of where to mount the tri-bracket for the front leaf shackles.



Definitely use coarse thread grade 8 bolts. The threads on the fine stuff get's jacked up too easily.



- Sam

 

[therabbittree]

Dvolk can you measure from your W350 4x4 your getting the donor parts? if you can 't and you don't have access to a 4x4 to measure. Tell us, I have 3first gens here 2 W250's and 1 W350.

Thanks

deo

 

[DVolk]

I have a 92 first gen and this 93 ill call a mess that im going to be working on



If some one has any crossmembers they want to part with im interstested . That goes for a Gen 2 P pump cummins . But if any one has jims contact info , id like it sent to me

Id just as soon use parts that fit and are ready to use . Im wanting to have things ready to un bolt and go , Im also not convinced on this hacked 93 that any things is correct on this truck , its a mess period . Ive had problems logging into Ramcentrals site for some reason and if any one has a template made i can go from for shackel mounts id be very intersted in that stuff . if any one lives near me whom wants to help that works as well , Does any one know if there is away to save these threads on a CD to refer to them later as I can see im going to need this stuff when i start hacking .

 

[DVolk]

Any special bolts on the front spring hanger area ?

 

[therabbittree]

I would cut and paste the threads into a word processing program. . or print the thread out. unless the website goes down and loeses everything it "should" still be here. you can find it again by looking at your own posts in your control panel. As for the bolt measurements in a few days I can get you the measurement from my truck... I'm trying not to get pneumonia fighting a bad chest/sinus infection so I got to rest up. When I'm healthy I'll be happy to take the measurements or make a template. I'd be surprised if this 93 has the wrong crossmember in the truck I'm pretty sure its got the correct 4wd crossmember.

Merry Christmas,

Deo

 

[HHhuntitall]

What kind of frame you looking for? I've got a W250 reg cab, 4x4, 5 speed frame complete, minus the transmission crossmember. The axles don't go, but I'd let the rest go. All the springs and axles are under it at the moment. It's been well used, but it's only got surface rust. I haven't looked at it in 6 months. I'll try to get a pic tomorrow if it's not too muddy to get off the hill.