Just got a new to me 2001 Ram2500 5.9 24valve 5 speed 4x4 extended cab truck

[condor74]

Just picked up a new truck for myself today. It needs a bit of work but I am excited to finally own a Cummins. I have had my old 1990 F250 IDI for a few years and while I will miss that truck, I am excited about the huge power gain.

I bought the truck for $3000. It runs very good. Lots of power.

Here is the bad. I am going to have to rebuild the transfer case. It grinds when it is 4 hi or 2 hi. I had to hold it hard against the stop in 4 hi to get it home. Not easy when shifting through a 5 speed transmission.
It has the dreaded 16.5 inch wheels.
Heater Core is leaking a bit.
Dash is cracked.
Body is rough..It is an old oil field truck.
Right front axle shaft is broken at the U joint. My feeling is when this broke, it also damaged the transfer case. I am going to put a new axle in it and repair the transfer case.

What is the largest tires you can fit with stock or mild lift on this truck? 16.5 inch tires are hard to find and expensive. It has 33 12.5 R15s on it. I have seen military surplus 37 12.50 16.5 kevlar belted good year mud terrains that were take offs of hummers. They appear to have new looking tread. I can pick those up for $100 dollars a tire.....

I am former Dodge Ram technician that worked at a Dodge dealership for 15+ years.

 

[condor74]

The Dodge side of the forum is no near as active as the Ford idi forums eh?

 

[Roland_Jenkins]

Which gear ratio does it have. I think they came with either 3:55 or 4:10

That would influence how tall a tire I would want.

and then you have the dowel pin of death to worry about.

 

[condor74]

dowel pin of death? What is that?

 

[condor74]

I looked it up. The dowel pin problem is on 12 valve diesels and maybe the first year 24 valve. 2001 was a clean year for the dowel pin.

 

[snicklas]

Do a search on Killer Dowel Pin.... common on the 12 and early 24 valve Cummins. There is an alignment dowel behind the front cover of the engine. It can vibrate out and drop into the timing gear train inside this cover. If you are lucky, the pin will just fall to the bottom and end up in the pan, but most of the time, it drops in between the gears and gets eaten by the gear train. This can cause the gears to try and move away from each other, and cracking and other carnage ensues..... it is definitely something to take care of if it has not been dealt with.

If you look in the thread Droopy the Plow Truck gets a Cummins 4BT, Darrin has pics of the KDP in that thread.....

Killer Dowel Pin (Thanks Darrin):

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