2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission New Owner questions...

[JCard]

I am the new owner of a 2001 Ram 2500 Diesel SLT Quadcab 4x4 auto with 120,000 miles that is completely stock with the exception of a brush guard. This is my first diesel vehicle so I am trying to learn as much as possible. I have a few questions concerning the diesel but I will ask those in the engine fourm. My question here is this:



The front end seems to bounce around more than it should. I believe it needs new shocks in the front. What brand/type do you all recommend? Should I concider replacing the steering stabilizer as well? Should I replace all four shocks at the same time? Is there anything else I should concider doing? I have already replaced all the fluids in the engine, transmission, and transfercase. Thanks for any advise you can give me!



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[WBusa]

Replacing the shocks (yep, all four of them) would be where I'd start... made a huge difference on my 'new' used CTD at 150K, which used to bounce around like crazy (to the point of being unsafe). Many here, including myself, are very pleased with the Bilstein 2549/2550's; I highly recommend them. I was considering all sorts of expensive repairs before I got the new shocks, but shocks alone cured the problem.



I can't tell from the picture how much your brush guard might weigh, but I'm guessing in the neighborhood of 200 lbs. You might also think about dropping your brush guard, just as an experiment, and see if that improves things. The substantial weight of the Cummins engine has our front ends just about maxed out... an additional two hundred pounds north of the front wheels might not seem like much, but could be the straw that breaks the camel's back if suspension components such as shocks are sub-par.

 

[cyborg]

Yes, drop the brush guard. Drop it off at my house! :-laf

 

[Jschafer]

I am quite sure my plow is heavier than that brush gaurd my truck handles that ok.

 

[SnoKing]

Check out this site for two nefty fixes for the front end. www.solidsteel.biz Have someone turn the steering wheel back and forth while you look at the steering components for play. If you are going to haul varying loads, you might want to think about adjustable Rancho 9000 on the rear. Front load is pretty static.



1. Get a fuel pressure gauge installed ASP. Boost, EGT and transmission in the output line are all good to have, before you start other bombs.

2. With that mileage I think a good performance transmission like a DTT http://www.dieseltrans.com/ would be a good second step, then you can do whatever you want under the hood and not worry about the transmission.



Welcome to life with the CTD, you will be ing a lot. SNOKING Oo.

 

[BTighe]

bilstien shocks in all 4 corners. check out kore products if you want to level or lift it.

 

[sardoghauler]

welcome

1. cut up your credit cards



2. direct deposit your paycheck into a no-withdrawl acct.



3. go get hooked on a useful addiction like crack, it'll be cheaper



4. put some gauges on. regardless of the above... you'll be bombing soon.



welcome to the horrible influence and worst scool of budget management on earth... the TDR.



good people - excellent knowledge

 

[Tcolesanti]

1. cut up your credit cards



2. direct deposit your paycheck into a no-withdrawl acct.



3. go get hooked on a useful addiction like crack, it'll be cheaper



4. put some gauges on. regardless of the above... you'll be bombing soon.



welcome to the horrible influence and worst scool of budget management on earth... the TDR.



good people - excellent knowledge

That about sums it up! :-laf Nice truck by the way.

 

[JCard]

1. cut up your credit cards



2. direct deposit your paycheck into a no-withdrawl acct.



3. go get hooked on a useful addiction like crack, it'll be cheaper



4. put some gauges on. regardless of the above... you'll be bombing soon.



welcome to the horrible influence and worst scool of budget management on earth... the TDR.



good people - excellent knowledge

Thanks for all the replies! I will look into the Blisten shocks for the front and rear. As for spending all my money, I already have a Jeep (in the background in the pics) that saps me dry so the Dodge will have to compete with it. JEEP = Just Empty Every Pocket! Thanks again and I hope to be around the site more.

 

[WBusa]

I will look into the Blisten shocks for the front and rear.

$65 each (free shipping!) at Offroad Warehouse:

http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/Store_ViewProdDetail_Bilstein.asp?ProdID=1072&Cat=413

I paid a local alignment/suspension shop $100 to install them for me. Well worth it; when I went to pick the beast back up the guy told me he would have quoted me a lot higher had he first looked under the truck and seen the amount of rust and crud he'd have to deal with. Better him than me :-laf

 

[cyborg]

And keep your Sig updated so we can see how the $disease$ progresses