Can I do a cab swap with a doner gas truck?

[CumminSense]

Hello all, and thanks in advance for your valuable advice!

I'm sure this question has been asked / answered on this forum, but after searching I could not find anything...

My 93 d350 4X4 ext. cab unfourtunatly has the popular rusty roof all around the drip rail and gotten quite bad. I have been told and read where this problem is often much worse once you begin to cut out the rusted areas... basically it rusted from the inside out.

I live in the south, and other than this issue, the truck is virtually rust free (bed, rockers, fenders,etc. . )

All that to get to my simple question, Can I replace my cab with a rust free cab off of a gas truck, without having to do majior mods. ? Or do I have to find a cab from another Cummins?

Again, thanks for the help.

 

[cerberusiam]

Yep, the only differences are in the trans tunnel hump between 2 and 4 wheel drive. As long as you switch all your diesel dash and wiring over should be good.

 

[JLEONARD]

My son is running a Cummins in a 1985 dually with a dump bed. It went right in no issues.

 

[JHumphries]

Is the firewall braced in the right spot for the diesel clutch master cylinder? I seem to remember a difference there...

 

[JDancoe]

Both my '92 CTD 5-speed trucks, 1-2WD 1-4WD, have a reinforcement bracket on the inside of the firewall that bolts to the steering column/dash support to reinforce the clutch cylinder. I don't know if the older gas trucks with M/T had that bracket. If you have an automatic transmission this may not be an issue.

Another TDR member, Donovan Volk, is doing a similar conversion, I sent him a bracket from a parts truck I had.
How about this, Donovan. Can you help this man out with some advice?
Jack Dancoe
Jack Dancoe

 

[JDancoe]

OK-Brain Fart on my part! If you have a manual transmission truck you can just take the reinforcement bracket off that cab and install it on your replacement cab.
Jack Dancoe

 

[DThibault]

I'm in the process right now, everything fits perfectly except for the transmission tunnel like was mentioned above. The last one I did, just bolted it right in while lining up the reinforcement dimples, this one I welded and it looks factory. I found a real nice auto gas truck on ebay in CA and my daughter drove it to New England after a one way flight and I am using much more stuff than I thought on my manual diesel. The fasteners all come off with fingers after a couple of turns with a wrench.

 

[CumminSense]

Thanks for the replies... . Yes, I plan on swapping the dash and wiring over.
I forgot to mention that my truck is an auto. , 4x4... . So I should be ok using any cab from the same generation with 4x4 and auto trans... ?
How big a deal is it to modify if I find a 2x4 cab truck?

 

[jakesol]

I would also be interested in knowing if it is a lot of work to modify the 2x4 cab as I have access to one that I would love to put on my 4x4

 

[cerberusiam]

With a 2x4 cab on a 4x4 you have to rebuild the trans tunnel. Either find a bolt-in hump from the salvage yard or make one yourself.

 

[dodgenstein]

The only cabs with the small trans tunnel are auto equipped non OD 2wd trucks. A manual trans 2wd has a big tunnel as do all 4wd. I have only seen big tunnels in the OD auto trucks.

 

[Simplysmn]

the auto tunnel from what I have seen is the Same as 5 sp and 4 x4 just did a swap on a truck that started life as 2 wheel drive 92 and owner converted it to 4x4 then I just finished the 5 sp swap everything was the same width on the trans Tunnel . 4x4 swap's are Simple too do . So far I'm on my 3 4x4 swap and haven't ran into troubles yet most of them have been done on 80's crewcab's . you every need advise just PM me .

 

[dodgenstein]

Crewcab tunnels all seem to be the large tunnel, however regular cab 2wd autos usually have a small tunnel.

 

[Ncostello]

How do you deal with the VIN number plate? Isn't that secured to the cab? Do you just remove and reinstall on the new cab?

 

[Simplysmn]

How I deal with the Vin is this and this has only happened 1 time. If the cab is not orignal to frame then you take the tag on door jam and scrap it off as for dash vin it will swap over with dash and on the cowl there is a tag that need's to be removed and replaced with the tag from damaged cab . This has worked for me . but if you need to have the work verified then you will need to show proof that you bought cab and they may end up issueing you a rebuilt vin not sure I didn't want to deal with the Hassle of going through all that so I just swapped what I needed and went from there .

 

[DVolk]

On the clutch master cylender bracket it is in the correct spot but drilling it is a real SOB , i did it with a right angle adapter
but i need to modify the holes as it is a littel too high , in a 85 there is no holes drilled . so its a guess work also you will have to
either cut the peice off the old cab for the wholes thats needed and bolt it in or get a new peice of metal and use it of which im going to use then cut the area out for the electricle and clutch etc and re cover etc.

 

[sg5054]

I'm doing it right now. 01 1500 QC 2wd cab going on to my 98. 5 2500 4wd. I have the chassis ready to roll outside and spot blast and paint. I took the whole dash out of the 98 and swapped out the plastic (diff color interiors) panels and speedo cluster. Switched cab wiring harnesses as the 98 had infinity sound and roof lights. It's pretty much all plug and play. I will need to cut an opening for the transmission and transfer case levers, very easy to do. New cab is about 1/2 done. I will put up a few pictures later. A lot of work but not all that hard either. Definitely a lot to keep track of. Pictures, ID tags, ziplock bags for bolts with location or general assembly noted, parts and pieces in individual boxes with notes, etc, etc. Doing this saves a ton of grief later and speeds up the process.

 

[DVolk]

You just as well fix or beif up the A pilars while your at it