Cab Cracks

[JDancoe]

Does anyone have the part numbers for the repair parts for the cowl cab crack problem per TSB 23-63-94. I checked with my local dealer and he says they no longer support this repair, but I'm trying vintage/obsolete parts sources and they are requesting part numbers.

Or, better yet, does anyone have a pair (I need left and right) they would want to sell? Thanks, Jack Dancoe

 

[CLiberty]

TSB 23-63-94

The part #`s are in there. Good luck with your search.

 

[JDancoe]

Chris, Thanks for the info. That (a printout of the full TSB) is what I asked the dealer for, after he told me they didn't have the parts, but he couldn't or wouldn't give me anything other than the drawing on page 2.
Again, if anyone has the parts, and wants to sell them, or knows where I might find some, let me know. Otherwise, my brother & I l will have to fab our own repair.
Jack Dancoe

 

[JKreiss]

I wanted to try and open this up again. I've owned my 93' for a few weeks now and have been thoroughly going through it. Thanks to all the knowledge here I've been able to press through without major issues. I've hit my first road block though. After pulling the floor mat up and assessing all the standing water, i went straight to the cowls. Mine are cracked in a way i would call severe. I'd read about this before but must have missed the part about no more replacement parts. Does anybody have a lead on where to find these parts or how to go about making this repair. I have zero fabrication skills so i'm not capable of making them myself. The truck takes on water worse than a sinking ship so I want to get the issue fixed quickly. Any help on this would be great and much appreciated.

 

[DVolk]

maybe siver solder it up then coat it with bedliner , you might look at jc whitneys web site or dodge connection .com

 

[JKreiss]

Thanks for the leads DVolk, i'm also going to look and see if there are any good fabricators or welders in my area that can help me out. I'm not worried about it, just want to get it taken care of before it gets any worse. I'm trying to get it ready for paint and want to cover all my basis.

 

[PToombs]

I made my own patch panels and welded them in, it's not that hard to do. No squawks so far!

As for the leaks, check your front window. I never knew mine was leaking until I got the dash off to swap the cab and saw the trails on the firewall. The window gasket needs to be sealed to the body and to the glass or the water will come in either way. Mine still leaks there, I check it constantly and fold the mat back so it can dry. I think I'm going to have to pull the windshield again and start from scratch to get it sealed.

 

[JKreiss]

Pete,

Thanks for helping out. I've followed a lot of your posts doing my research/homework in the months leading up to purchasing my 93' and I value your input greatly. I got as far as i could today before the rain came in. I took the cowl cover off (grill under the wipers) and did some more investigating. I had a lot of leaves and debris in the corners.





Yesterday i had the kick panels removed and had my water coming in from those vents. I did the best i could cleaning out all the stuff in the vent areas and hope that water will pass through and not into the cab. Worst case i'll just seal it up but i'm trying to avoid that. My big concern right now is all the water coming in from the passenger side by the big black heater box (evaporator heater assembly is what the book calls it i think). Anyhow it looks like that will need to come out to reseal it or i'll have to just put lot of RTV around it. I hate doing that because that doesn't really fix the problem.





Anyway it looks like i've got an afternoon of reading a head of me. I'm also going to do my best to check the windshield seal for leaks. I'm hoping that's good as it's had a new windshield put in. I want to fix the driver/passenger side leaks first because they're known right now. Thanks again for the help and i'll update as more progress is made. I bought this truck to keep for a very, very long time so i don't want to cut any corners. Being it's a rust free truck i want to do my best to keep it that way.

 

[PToombs]

No problem Joe, glad to help! I only get on about once a week unless I need to hunt for info or I get an e-mail reponse to a thread and want to comment on it. I do all my own work so I learn things the hard way most of the time.

On the vents, if you have the fenders off you can access the cracks, vents and such better. On mine there was a rubber flap on the front of the firewall/vent that was plugged up with debris. The '86 cab I put on only had an open hole, I left it that way. I may have posted pics, either here or over on 1st gen. The actual vent housing that sticks out the side of the cab, (inside the fender) I spread the bottom openings up more so stuff could get out easier. Sounds like yours are plugged up. That will let water fill up and come in to the heater (black) box, and come out the bottom or down the side where it meets the cab.

 

[jdross440]

How long do these cracks have to be to start squeaking? Can you see them without removing the fenders and hood? I have a terrible squeak. It doesn't do it all the time.

 

[RedRamAndy]

I would like to toss out a reminder that I learned the very hard way when I was a teenager. When welding, or just grinding near glass, cover the glass. If it is hot enough to spark, the metal chips will bond to the glass and be like black burrs on the surface of the window. I ended up replacing a few windows on a customer's Grand Prix in the 80's to learn my lesson.

 

[DVolk]

Has any tried vintage power waggon for those patch peices ?

 

[JMDancoe]

To: jdross. Have no idea as to length, but if they are there at all, you need to address them. Neither my brother or I could see them without removing the fenders, so I would say, you will have to remove them to appraise the extent of the cracking. they will require body work type repairing. ie: welding filling etc. We could not find a source for the original Dodge repair kits that were available. The kits contained formed patch panels that were welded in place over existing posts. If they are severe enough and have access to a non-diesel cab, you might want to change cabs.
__________________________________________________________________________
JMDancoe
Amory Ms.
_____________________________________________________
1986/92 D250 Retro to 5. 9 cummins/Auto 254,000 miles.
1996 Ram 1500 4wd 318 gasser/auto 310,000 miles

 

[JMDancoe]

To: jkreiss: Check page 13 of this forum for thread by BSchwarzli (Heater Box Cleanout- how to - with pictures. I tend to think your problem is a plugged heater box and AC drain tube. If your heater does not seem to be putting out what it should, this is a dead give-a-way. Anyway, the clean-outs are a great idea for better heater operation and no trouble to install. My brother (JDancoe) and I did ours before finding the thread by BSchwarzli. I clean mine periodically.

 

[DVolk]

The squeak is not what im worried about its the leak etc if any one finds the part post it on here includeing any mobile weiling outfits espesicially if they have locations in the Portland ,Ore area

 

[JMDancoe]

To: DVolk: From what I see in their catalog (Vintage power wagons), they don't do much beyond the 1960's. I may be wrong and tried to call them, but couldn't get through.
#:641-472-4665__________________________________________________ ________________________
JMDancoe
Amory Ms.
__________________________________________________ ___
1986/92 D250 Retro to 5. 9 cummins/Auto 254,000 miles.
1996 Ram 1500 4wd 318 gasser/auto 310,000 miles

 

[JMDancoe]

To: DVolk: You can go to your local Dodge dealer with the TSB # (23-63-94) and request a printout of the TSB. It will have the numbers you need. They will tell you, that those kits are obsolete and not available. My brother sent you some parts a while ago and thinks he may still have the TSB. If he does, he will post the numbers on here. He is JDancoe on here.

 

[DVolk]

There is a few other web sites like direct connection , the web site that has the steering box stifferners , once i have the patch peice ill still need to find me a welder as i dont have the correct machine to do it , how ever once i get it fixed i think im going to put fiberglass over that area includeing undercoating