# 1996 RAM 2500 HD Cummins Questions



## ALEX516 (May 24, 2003)

Just purchased another Cummins, here's the details.
I am curious on what the specific contenet is on hte underlined items, if anyone can shed some light on this I would appreciate it. Anyone also care to comment on the axles that are in this truck? Good, bad, ulgy?

Also wondering what everyone thinks about this truck.
Will be adding a Western plow on it once I locate one nearby hopefully.

Oh, that's my 1997 Cummins 3500 Dually behind the White 2500.

TRAILER TOW GROUP 

HEAVY DUTY SNOW PLOW PREP GROUP.

HEAVY DUTY INSTALLATION GROUP.

136 AMP. ALT.

750 AMP. BATTERIES

ANTI-LOCK

47RE TRANSMISSION

241HD TRANSFER CASE

DANA M60/248MM FRONT AXLE

3.55 AXLE RATIO

DANA M70/267MM REAR AXLE

ANTI-SPIN DIFF. REAR


----------



## amsoil man (Feb 6, 2005)

nice trucks but the front ends are suspect check u-joints balljoints and track bar before plowing, jr


----------



## SnowGuy73 (Apr 7, 2003)

I had a 2000 ram diesel before never had a problem with it, nice truck.


----------



## TEX (Nov 24, 2003)

*options*

trailer tow usually get you the towing hitch mounted to the fram(of course its a tow pkg), heavy duty ALT, depending on the pkg might include rear aux springs, aux trans cooler, and in some places a cert for in bed camper. plow prep pkg gets heavy duty service front springs
and HD install- i have no idea-----hope this helps just my 2 cents worth


----------



## MSC (Oct 19, 2003)

Also with the tow pkg you should have a limited slip diff, a rear sway bar, and the wiring harness for the electric brake control.
Rich


----------



## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

MSC said:


> Also with the tow pkg you should have a limited slip diff, a rear sway bar, and the wiring harness for the electric brake control.
> Rich


um, not exactly.
Trailer tow is simply, and ONLY the trailer hitch frame, trailer wiring plug on the frame, and the plug harness for a trailer brake included in the glovve box when new. The sway bar is not trailer tow nor is the plug under the dash for the brake unit- it's there on all of them.

The Camper special package adds the sway bar and additional booster rear spring packs.

The snowplow prep (there is only 1 plow prep- they just call it heavy duty) takes the 80 amp alt to a 136, boosts the batteries to 750CCAs (diesel already has), boosts the front springs to the heaviest (which the diesel already has) adds the hood insulation (which the diesel already has),aux transmission cooler, and adds the transmission overheat idiot light. Important to add it also makes your truck warranty freidnly for plowing.

I don't know about a heavy duty installation- never heard of it.
Where did you get this info on the truck- the window sticker has all of it explained. ALso, the 3.55 gears were NOT available with the anti-spin diff- you had to order the 4.10 gears to be able to get the anti spin. (the 4.10 was available without the anti spin but not the other way around). The Spicer/Dana 70 is the HD rear for the 2500's- solid axle. The Dana 60 is a solid front but the engine weight PLUS plowing makes it wear out- expect ball joints and shocks.

go to any good Dodge truck dealer with your VIN and they will run it in the system and print you out a complete factory build sheet with all the options it came with (the same sheet the factory floor uses to assemble it) Also check under the hood- there is a sticker there with many build options.
My 96 has almost the exact same setup (camper, trailer tow, snowplow, 4.10 antispin, plus some) but I have no HD install on my window sticker.


----------



## ALEX516 (May 24, 2003)

*Options*

Sorry, I have no been on hte board here recently...

I got the options breakdown from a lady at dodge corp., on the phone with her after giving her my vin#...

I think I'm gonna replace the shocks all around, I've got an 8' western pro-plow mounted.

Overall it's a great truck, wish it had power windows and door locks.

Thinking about getting remote start installed, and having them add door lock actuator for both doors, so if I forget to lock the doors, etc...

Anyone have any comments on the various models of auto starts out there, I've read, I think on here that there are a few with automatic cool-down timers built in to the system, I'd love this... Is it temp controlled or just time based?

THanks for reading.


----------



## ALEX516 (May 24, 2003)

*more on options Rear Spring Upgrade question?*

Seems that either the previous owner removed the rear overload springs or they were never installed, as all that's there are the 4 ( I think) normal leaf springs. I put a sander in and it sinks waaay down, Not horribly, but waay more than my friend's gasser 2500 (that has overload springs)

I have a few questions after having said the above... 
1) My truck's ride height in the rear leaves a bit to be desired, will the overload springs give me the 3" "lift" I see on most trucks like mine?

2) Would I be better off getting one or two "add a leafs" for it?

3) What effect, IF any would replacing the shocks with Bilstiens have?
I'm looking towards the Bilstiens since I've done a lot of reading and they seem to be the best for heavy duty use.

4) Would I be better off trying to find a crashed truck/ junkyard, etc. and buy the springs from a 3500? or a 2500 that HAS the O/L springs?

5) Does anyone have a part # or #'s that I need for the overload springs?

Sorry for all the questions, but I've been meaning to post this for quite some time now.

OH, I have timbrens that I've been meaning to put in, but I want to solve the ride height issue first, then install them. Trucks just sits REALLY low when loaded with 2 yards of mix!

I'll post some pictures if anyone wants to see the setup.


----------



## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

You don't have the camper special package so you never had the booster springs.

The cheapest will probabily be airbags for the rear. You need the booster pack plus the frame attachment perchs for them to hit for factory packs. The ride height has nothing to do with the boosters- they only touch the frame mounts when the truck has some weight in the back- mine hit around 700lbs. Check the rear suspension for lift blocks- the 4x4's had factory lift blocks in the rear (3 inchers...) Low ride height sounds like this is a 2wd, but you mentioned a Dana 60 front...


Add a leafs will stiffen the ride consideribly- air bags are only there when needed. Of course it sits low with 2 yards on it- it's overloaded. A yard of sand weighs 2500lbs. Without the camper special pack it's only a 7Klbs truck- camper pack makes the truck into the 8800Lbs models. (which incidentally only leaves a little over 1 ton - roughly 2400 lbs full fuel and driver) Talk to the dealer about part numbers for the boosters- probabily cheaper from a yard as long as you can get the perchs off the frame- not sure if they are rivited or welded on. 

Don;t know about the shocks- looking into changing mine too.

After all is said and done- add factory boosters, add timbrins, or airbags, even replaceing with 3500 model springs (can be done- again need booster spring perchs on the frame) if you are overloading the truck it will sag.

My Chevy Dump had rebuilt springs under the rear to carry 4 tons level- it rides hard empty, even with a booster pack system similar to Dodge that only contacts the frame with over half a ton in the back. BTW- that was done to carry my 2.5 yard sander.... 1K lbs empty plus 5Klbs for 2.5 yards and the enevitable extra sand runs her really close to 4 tons.


----------



## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

Most remote starts are not diesel complient- they must be for your truck. I had a Clifford alarm installed with a remote start unit add on. I chose the model Clifford specifically because it was Diesel compatible and had a remote start that was diesel compatible. 

Normally they can be wired to wait a preset time before turning the starter (wait for the glow plugs/heat cycle to finnish) or can be wired into the wait to start light- which is the better way. Good units will offer both. The colder it is the longer the heat cycle so it's tough to judge the preset time for all seasons, and if you plug in the truck (block heater) it will be ready to start sooner than without- longer after the heat cycle before it starts the cooler the cylinders get.

Also, you are not supposed to let the engine run with the block heater plugged in- it can cause the heater to burn out faster.

Clifford was bought by some other company several years ago, and the system was expensive when I bought it- labor was gratis (a favor from the installation store manager and install manager) but the system cost me almost $700. Make sure they work with existing alarms if you have one and work for diesels.

Cool down timers are exactly that - timers. Time based. Good idea, but I simply sit in the truck a few minutes before shutting it down.


----------



## Stark_Enterprises (Mar 6, 2004)

Where are the pics of the trucks?


----------



## killed300ex (Apr 29, 2004)

the heavy duty should bring the gvw to 8800 from 7500. the 7500 comes from the factory with a dana 44 front axel yours has the dana 60. The heavy duty also has different sets of leaf packs. I beleive that the 7500 has more leafs but are narrower while the 8800 has fewer but are wider. I cant think of anything else that is different between the two. Lets see some pics of the new truck.
Evan


----------



## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

justme- said:


> You don't have the camper special package so you never had the booster springs.
> 
> Without the camper special pack it's only a 7Klbs truck- camper pack makes the truck into the 8800Lbs models. (which incidentally only leaves a little over 1 ton - roughly 2400 lbs full fuel and driver)/
> .


True, if you do not have the camper package you do not have the extra spring pack on top of the stock spring pack.

A camper package does not designate between a 75k,lb and a 88K,lb truck though.
As I have both one with the camper package and it is a 88k,lb truck and the other does not have the option or the extra spring pack and it is a 88klb truck too. 
so, I think that Kiled300ex is right on this one.
The 88k truck has the Dana 60 front axle also.
Go For the rear get air bags or timbrens or spend big payup and up grade to the camper package springs. Just an idea...:waving:


----------



## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Service group- heavy duty includes,
136amp alt, 750-amp battery, auto traney cooler, transfer case skid plate 
(4+4 only) heavy duty engine cooling(standard on 2500-3500 chassis cab.)

Trailer tow group,
class IV hitch receiver, heavy duty flasher, 7 lead wiring connector ( not available on chassis cab)

Snow prep group,
Hight adjustment springs, automatic transmission, over heat warning lamp, heavy duty transfer case.
source of info, Dodge.

camper special group,
rear stabilizer bar, heavy duty auxiliary springs (standard on 3500 chassis cab)


----------



## ALEX516 (May 24, 2003)

*Truck Pix &...*

I think I may look into a spring shop fabbing new springs or an "add a leaf" custom so to speak.... I'd like to prevent the rear end from dropping down 6+ inches when I have 1.5-2 yards in the sander... The green truck takes the same amount of sand and only drops down 3 inches, it has timbrens but ALSO has the overload springs. Anyone know how much it would cost me, Ballpark, to get the leafs done at a spring shop? Seems to me that I've read posts somewhere where people did that.

Here are pictures, please comment, I'd like to hear what you all think.
Running a Uni-Mount Western Plow, 8.5. Nowif we could only get some snow on Long Island.


----------



## cet (Oct 2, 2004)

Looks Great!

I would take the battery out of the box and wire the salter directly to the truck battery.


----------



## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

killed300ex said:


> the heavy duty should bring the gvw to 8800 from 7500. the 7500 comes from the factory with a dana 44 front axel yours has the dana 60.


 the diesel trucks NEVER came with D44's. a 44 is a half ton axle.

ALL 2500's came with D60's in the rear EXCEPT Diesel Standards, which had D70's.
The auto is weaker in effect so the 70's stregnth is unnecessary. I don;t believe it was possible to get a 2500 with a D70 and the 47RE.

I can't argue about the booster springs, but I have not personally seen an 8800 that didn't have the camper pack.

Look on the white build sticker under the hood- it will tell you what axles, xfer and weight rating- the door jamb sticker will give you the gross weight too.

If both are missing go to your local 5 star dealer and ask the service or parts dept to print you a build sheet from the DC database- you will need your VIN. I think it's a code 10 or a code 12 on the DC system It will give you ALL the options, codes, and parts groups installed on the truck or deleted from the truck as it was built.


----------



## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

FYI, 
my 98 Dodge, 2500 hd, No camper group and the door sticker says the GVWR is 88k. My wife has the truck with the camper group so thats why there is not a pic of it for compassion. Here is a pic of the spring pac.

But by his pics of his trucks I think a set of timbrens may do the trick. (easiest fix) If it was me I would prefer a truck with the camper group to carry a sander like his. jmo...
I love all the salt Mn uses..lol


----------



## ALEX516 (May 24, 2003)

*Spring Packs*

I'll take pics of the spring packs tomorrow.
I checked and verified again the door tag, and it IS a 8800 rated truck, as I thought.

The ONLY difference between this and the Green one is this one does NOT have the overload springs on it, and it DOES make a huge difference.

I think what I will be doing, at least to see how much it will run me is to stop @ a spring shop thats somewhat local tomorrow and get a price on having new springs fabbed with two additional ones, and all with higher arches if possible, I'll be asking for a 3" higher arch in "total ride height" if there is such a description. I'll post back with my findings. I think that route will be easier than searching night & day for spring packs from a vehicle that Does have the camper package & those whatchamacaulits that stop the springs.

Any comments on the truck itself?


----------



## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

Thanks Snofarmer- there's confirmation from both of you. Check the underhood sticker to verify it's a D70. It's a first I've heard of if it is (possibly a custom order truck only speculating because it's a WT model, not a lariet)

Looks clean- check the underside of the doors for rust. As the window weather strip wears it lets water in the door and the drain hole on the door bottom tends to plug. PLUS I have noticed on mine the wheel spray angle is perfectly aimed at the bottom door gap so it gets constantly sprayed with salt, dirt and water. Even with flaps it still gets hit- thinking about running boards not simply to block the spray.


----------



## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

justme- said:


> Thanks Snofarmer- there's confirmation from both of you. Check the underhood sticker to verify it's a D70. It's a first I've heard of if it is (possibly a custom order truck only speculating because it's a WT model, not a lariet)


 FYI, On the sticker under the hood of the 98 2500 (hd) 
DJF- 4850# front axel D6 (front)
DRD- 6200# spicer 6 (rear)
If that helps any.. lol:waving:


----------



## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

justme- said:


> ALL 2500's came with D60's in the rear EXCEPT Diesel Standards, which had D70's.
> The auto is weaker in effect so the 70's stregnth is unnecessary. I don;t believe it was possible to get a 2500 with a D70 and the 47RE.


Correction- all 2500's came with Spicer/Dana 70's except 5 speed Diesel's, which had Spicer/Dana 80- same as the 3500 model. the auto Diesel had a Spicer 70.

I'll check my build sticker and relay the codes- I know I have a Spicer 70 rear and Dana 60 front, 96 CTD with 47RE, HD xfer, camper special, towing group, plow prep group, limited slip rear with low gear (only option for ltd slip was 4.56).


----------



## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

justme- said:


> Correction- all 2500's came with Spicer/Dana 70's except 5 speed Diesel's, which had Spicer/Dana 80- same as the 3500 model. the auto Diesel had a Spicer 70.
> 
> I'll check my build sticker and relay the codes- I know I have a Spicer 70 rear and Dana 60 front, 96 CTD with 47RE, HD xfer, camper special, towing group, plow prep group, limited slip rear with low gear (only option for ltd slip was 4.56).


 The sticker under the hood in my 98 (2500), auto, hd service group, Tow, plow, anti spin (Yes, it only comes in one ratio), block heater,lol 
DJF- 4850# front axle D6 (front)
DRD- 6200# spicer (6 )(rear)
I can readlol that is what the sticker under the hood says 
so I guess I got hosed.... 
I'm curious as to what your sticker says too. I would take a pic of it but the small print is hard to focus on.


----------



## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

Sorry this has taken so long, dropped a motorcytcle and bruised some ribs spent a week not driving.

I have the DC database build sheet for my truck, print out dated 8/23/96- truck build date 6/6/96.
ADJS- Heavy Duty Service Package
AHC - Trailer Tow prep package
AHD - Snow Plow Prep Package - HD
AHJ - Camper special Package
DGB - Std Duty 4spd Auto trans
DGPS - 4 Speed Auto Trans - Chrysler 47RE
DHGP - Transfer case 241 - Heavy Duty
DJFS - 4850# Front Axle - (Dana 60F)
DMF - 4.0/4.1 Axle ratio
DRES - Rear Axle -Spicer 70
DSA - Limited Slip Differential
SHAS - Sway Bar - Frt
ZJHP - Left Front Spring
ZXGP - Right Front Spring
Z7BS - GVWPayload Rating
3T1A - Trailer Tow Prep Pkg w/Snow Plow Prep
3VUA - customer Preferred pkg DH/TH - discount

I'll check the underhood stuicker for the rear axle descripton code as soon as I can.


----------



## ALEX516 (May 24, 2003)

*problem solved*

Timbrens added and utilized the factory stop plates or whatever they;re called,
NO more drop.
Well, 1.5 inches now, compared to 6 inch drop before when loaded.

Thanks to all who replied.


----------

