My Dodge Truck Project (Cummins Inside)

[joesregalproject]

Looks like it was the wrong color before anyway?

It kinda was. Chrysler put off gray/beige headliners in all of these trucks regardless of interior color. Even if you had black interior, you got a beige headliner.

If you do the visors, then the overhead console will look out of place. At least now it has a two tone vibe going for it.

Or do the visors and then match the overhead console, coat hooks and maybe buttons? Can't quite tell from the pic what color they are.

If I did the visors, I would paint the other stuff darker gray to match. The overhead console, coat hooks and buttons currently all match the old headliner.

 

[Ugly1]

They mix match the color on the headliner and seats to the dash.

Looks like it was the wrong color before anyway?

 

[64nailhead]

What is the glue you used?

 

[joesregalproject]

What is the glue you used?

Permatex 27828. Orange can with a blue cap. It works fine but you have to let it tack up for 15-20 minutes before you stick the fabric to the board. I missed that part when I did the headliner in my old 3 Series and it was sagging 2 days later...

 

[joesregalproject]

After doing the Rock Solid Ram steering bushing, the new steering shaft and replacing the seals in the steering gear, I wanted to add a steering brace for good measure. These are supposed to eliminate a lot of slop in the steering gear by preventing deflection in the sector shaft and preventing frame flex when turning. My steering is fairly tight relative to most old Dodges as it was but I've seen a lot of frames crack around steering gears and actually had it happen on my old F-150, so I'd like to prevent that if at all possible.

There's a lot of different companies selling these and prices range from $40 up to ~$300. BD Diesel sells one for $238, Sinister Diesel sells one for $235, Synergy sells one for $220 and there are a few others including a bunch of no-name obviously Chinese ones on eBay for around $40-$80. I could find no discernable difference between the Synergy or Sinister and the eBay version. The BD version has a slightly different shape in a few insignificant areas and comes with an SKF bearing as opposed to a Chinese bearing, however it is not US made nor are the Sinister or Synergy. So I set my expectations very low and ordered the $40 eBay version that made no reservations about its country of origin- Made in China 'to the USA'? Okay then.

But for $40 shipped to my doorstep, I'm somewhat impressed. The bearing feels solid, I feared it might've been made out of pot metal but that isn't the case. It doesn't feel gritty at all. The brace itself is beefy. My other fear was that the metal might've been thin wall junk, but again not the case. The black finish appears to be powdercoat and not painted. They included hardware, the 4 sway bar bracket bolts were marked as class 10.9 and the 2 bolts for the bearing were marked as grade 5. Are they actually 10.9/grade 5? Who knows.

Install was about as simple as you'd expect. Everything fit well. I replaced the sway bar bushings while had it unbolted. The end links are shot too but I wasn't paying parts store prices for them so they'll have to wait until my next Rockauto order.

Does the steering feel any different? Not really. But I didn't expect it to either. I'm more interested in preventing the frame from flexing under low speed turns.

 

[Ugly1]

After doing the Rock Solid Ram steering bushing, the new steering shaft and replacing the seals in the steering gear, I wanted to add a steering brace for good measure. These are supposed to eliminate a lot of slop in the steering gear by preventing deflection in the sector shaft and preventing frame flex when turning. My steering is fairly tight relative to most old Dodges as it was but I've seen a lot of frames crack around steering gears and actually had it happen on my old F-150, so I'd like to prevent that if at all possible.

There's a lot of different companies selling these and prices range from $40 up to ~$300. BD Diesel sells one for $238, Sinister Diesel sells one for $235, Synergy sells one for $220 and there are a few others including a bunch of no-name obviously Chinese ones on eBay for around $40-$80. I could find no discernable difference between the Synergy or Sinister and the eBay version. The BD version has a slightly different shape in a few insignificant areas and comes with an SKF bearing as opposed to a Chinese bearing, however it is not US made nor are the Sinister or Synergy. So I set my expectations very low and ordered the $40 eBay version that made no reservations about its country of origin- Made in China 'to the USA'? Okay then.
View attachment 208362
But for $40 shipped to my doorstep, I'm somewhat impressed. The bearing feels solid, I feared it might've been made out of pot metal but that isn't the case. It doesn't feel gritty at all. The brace itself is beefy. My other fear was that the metal might've been thin wall junk, but again not the case. The black finish appears to be powdercoat and not painted. They included hardware, the 4 sway bar bracket bolts were marked as class 10.9 and the 2 bolts for the bearing were marked as grade 5. Are they actually 10.9/grade 5? Who knows.
View attachment 208363
Install was about as simple as you'd expect. Everything fit well. I replaced the sway bar bushings while had it unbolted. The end links are shot too but I wasn't paying parts store prices for them so they'll have to wait until my next Rockauto order.
View attachment 208364
Does the steering feel any different? Not really. But I didn't expect it to either. I'm more interested in preventing the frame from flexing under low speed turns.

I used these to eliminate the joint that goes bad on the swaybar links. Allows you to use GM style replacements

 

[Supercharged111]

So it just kinda docks with the end of the steering box? Will it decouple if the frame flexes enough?

 

[Ugly1]

No. It

So it just kinda docks with the end of the steering box? Will it decouple if the frame flexes enough?

slides up over the output shaft on the steering box then you put the pitman arm on and tighten the nut.

 

[Supercharged111]

No. It

slides up over the output shaft on the steering box then you put the pitman arm on and tighten the nut.

Ahh nice. My GMT400 has cracked the frame at the steering box on one side and down at the cross member on the other side. There's a sort of V that ties the frame rails to the lower cross member and on the driver's side it ties right next to the steering box. This looks beefier than that brace, seems I could use the same thing if it were a thing.

 

[Ugly1]

Ahh nice. My GMT400 has cracked the frame at the steering box on one side and down at the cross member on the other side. There's a sort of V that ties the frame rails to the lower cross member and on the driver's side it ties right next to the steering box. This looks beefier than that brace, seems I could use the same thing if it were a thing.

I’ve never looked up if anyone does them for anything but dodge. But to make one is a totally doable thing. Just time and money. Always the money…🙄