2005 5.9 Ram build.

[Cope]

I'm redoing our old shop truck. I plan to build it into and a daily driver / work and mobile repair truck.

The 5.9 will be coming out, fully gone over and refreshed to last another 350,000 miles.

Currently I am doing the "Blend Door USA" upgrade. They sell full cnc aluminum blend doors for the HVAC plenum and boy are they nice.

I got the dash out, the heat ac box out and strongly contemplating removing the seats and cleaning or replacing the carpet.

The old owner was a smoker (as was I) and it stinks of smoke.


I have the Fleece proformance coolent bypass.

A Redhead steering box and PSC Hydro assist ram.

Getting my injectors rebuilt.

Not sure on replacing the turbo yet but I am leaning that way as the last owner said he thinks it is original and the clock is at 338,000 or so right now so it definitely need looking at.


I'm gonna need some help from you 5.9 guys so thank you in advance.

 

[Cope]

Got my full size spare tire in.

Trailworthyfab.com custom built it, supplied the tire, ballance media, assembled it and air tested it for four days to assure no leaks.

I can't recommend them enough for your custom military wheels and tires.


This is a 90-100 tire. It has 90-100 percent of the tread life.

This tire has never even rolled.

It's classified as "used" because it touched dirt.

 

[Cope]

I plan to modify this HF "bed crane" to run air over hydraulic and use it to lift heavy items into the bed.

My big wake up call was the spare tire.

No way I'm lifting that tire into the bed on the side of the road. It just ain't gonna happen so if I wanna recover my custom rim and run flat insert I need a bed crane.

 

[dukeboy440]

I'm redoing our old shop truck. I plan to build it into and a daily driver / work and mobile repair truck.

The 5.9 will be coming out, fully gone over and refreshed to last another 350,000 miles.

Currently I am doing the "Blend Door USA" upgrade. They sell full cnc aluminum blend doors for the HVAC plenum and boy are they nice.

I got the dash out, the heat ac box out and strongly contemplating removing the seats and cleaning or replacing the carpet.

The old owner was a smoker (as was I) and it stinks of smoke.


I have the Fleece proformance coolent bypass.

A Redhead steering box and PSC Hydro assist ram.

Getting my injectors rebuilt.

Not sure on replacing the turbo yet but I am leaning that way as the last owner said he thinks it is original and the clock is at 338,000 or so right now so it definitely need looking at.


I'm gonna need some help from you 5.9 guys so thank you in advance.

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Head studs for any Cummins should be a must. Especially if you’re playing with turbos.

If you want a heck of a deal on a brand new set, I ordered two sets by accident, hit me up,

 

[RustyRatRod]

Where'd you get the crane? Got a part number?

 

[Cope]

Head studs for any Cummins should be a must. Especially if you’re playing with turbos.

If you want a heck of a deal on a brand new set, I ordered two sets by accident, hit me up,

I will hit you pm me your phone number let's talk.

Rusty, the part Harbor freight part number (SKU) is, 60732, 1647


1/2 Ton Capacity Pickup Truck Bed Crane

 

[Cope]

Be aware Rusty, you gotta build (weld) in some kind of footing for it to function like in the picture.

It even says in the Instructions not to mount it to the bed. "It must be mounted to the frame".


It comes with some half *** angle iron that you are suggested to use under the bed but I'm gonna build a true mount for it.

The system is nice but you have to be willing to "make it work" and make it nice.

 

[dukeboy440]

Be aware Rusty, you gotta build (weld) in some kind of footing for it to function like in the picture.

It even says in the Instructions not to mount it to the bed. "It must be mounted to the frame".


It comes with some half *** angle iron that you are suggested to use under the bed but I'm gonna build a true mount for it.

The system is nice but you have to be willing to "make it work" and make it nice.

Could you make a Reese hitch attachment for it?

 

[Cope]

I am nervous that the entire crane system may not work at all due to my bed height, rear lumber rack and other circumstances that I can't envision yet.

I need to make it work so.. let's see.

 

[dukeboy440]

I am nervous that the entire crane system may not work at all due to my bed height, rear lumber rack and other circumstances that I can't envision yet.

I need to make it work so.. let's see.

I’ll see if I can find a picture of my buddies set up. He took one out it in the hitch, but he didn’t have a lumber rack.

 

[Cope]

What do you 5.9 folks think about the hydroboost system?

I swear, I can never one to work good.

As thus is my truck I'm just going with the Redhead box and psc ram and hope it over powers the shitty hydroassist...

 

[dukeboy440]

What do you 5.9 folks think about the hydroboost system?

I swear, I can never one to work good.

As thus is my truck I'm just going with the Redhead box and psc ram and hope it over powers the shitty hydroassist...

I’ve had 4 of these trucks now, one with over 500,000 miles I’ve never had any issues with the hydro boost itself. I did have one truck that kept eating power steering pumps that power the hydroboosts. and ultimately determined that the bleed job when swapping the pumps was the cause. So I got better at that and it solved the problem.

 

[Cope]

Can you give me your bleeding system?

.because good lord, I have tried every ND any bleeding system on hydroboot.


Ferd and dodge, they never work.

 

[dukeboy440]

Can you give me your bleeding system?

.because good lord, I have tried every ND any bleeding system on hydroboot.


Ferd and dodge, they never work.

It’s stupid simple. And free. Well mostly.

Park the truck on concrete, raise the front end up just high enough that the tires still have some of the weight of the truck, say maybe 25 percent or so still on the wheels. Then, take off the power steering cap, top it off to the full mark, not an ounce more, leave cap off, with the engine OFF( this is critical) , turn the steering wheel lock to lock while having someone watch for the tiny tiny bubbles in the power steering fluid all go away. Occasionally pump the brakes a few times as you’re turning back and forth.

Top off the power steering pump as needed. And try to watch to make sure you don’t drop before minimum or it just takes that much longer.

You can also rig up a camera if you’re a one man show .

Warning, this will take a loooooonnnngg time, but once it’s done to where you get absolutely zero bubbles, you’ll have better steering and better performance out of the hydro boost.

 

[Cope]

Yup, I have done that for hours.

I have replaced all the parts, Hydro boost just sucks with big hravy wheels / tires..that is my conclusion.

 

[dukeboy440]

Yup, I have done that for hours.

I have replaced all the parts, Hydro boost just sucks with big hravy wheels / tires..that is my conclusion.

Hmm I ran 37sx12.5x 16 on mine and never had any issues

 

[diymirage]

Be aware Rusty, you gotta build (weld) in some kind of footing for it to function like in the picture.

It even says in the Instructions not to mount it to the bed. "It must be mounted to the frame".


It comes with some half *** angle iron that you are suggested to use under the bed but I'm gonna build a true mount for it.

The system is nice but you have to be willing to "make it work" and make it nice.

I just pulled the 5th wheel rails out of my truck bed, and they come with some fancy angle iron that bolts to the frame and allows the rails to mount to it

Perhaps one of those would serve you?

 

[dukeboy440]

Yup, I have done that for hours.

I have replaced all the parts, Hydro boost just sucks with big hravy wheels / tires..that is my conclusion.

You have dics on all 4 corners right?

 

[Cope]

Hmm I ran 37sx12.5x 16 on mine and never had any issues

I could be wrong but our Ferd has the same issue. I replaced the steering gear and pump and it's power steering still sucks. It also runs 37 x 12.5s.

I figure the PSC ram will over come what ever issues are happening in the Hydro boost system and make the steering much better.

 

[Cope]

Ya know, I have never looked at the brakes. I sure hope it's rear disk. I will look today. Why do you ask?

 

[dukeboy440]

I could be wrong but our Ferd has the same issue. I replaced the steering gear and pump and it's power steering still sucks. It also runs 37 x 12.5s.

I figure the PSC ram will over come what ever issues are happening in the Hydro boost system and make the steering much better.

So wait are you having steering issues or brake issues?

 

[dukeboy440]

Ya know, I have never looked at the brakes. I sure hope it's rear disk. I will look today. Why do you ask?

Because on the dodge, the hydro boost only helps the brakes. The power steering pump controls the steering even though they are in the same loop.

Now that I see what you’re having trouble with, it makes much more sense.

The Dodges from 89-2018 are infamous for the steering gear Box having issues. There’s a fix, from the factory and rebuilders too loose. You can pop it open and turn a nut that increases the pressure and thus tightens up the steering resulting in much more responsiveness.

 

[Cope]

The brakes are great on both the Ferd and the Ram but the power steering sucks on both trucks. Both trucks have basically zero power steering. If your not rolling you can not turn the steering wheel. (Well you can but it is not easy)

I already ordered the "red head" steering box and the PSC ram for the Dodge so no matter what the old dodge steering gear is going in the dumpster and I will be installing the PSC ram for additional help.

I have never been disappointed with ram assist steering. I've had it on 3 of my own trucks and put it a few customers trucks with great results.

I think it looks cool and it just seems to work good.


I seem to remember a ford tech telling me the same thing, "The Hydro boost only affects the breaks, it's not part of the steering system."

After the failure in our Ferd I hate the hydroboost system. Anyone who thinks having steering AND breaking fail at the same time is an OK thing should be kicked in the nuts repeatedly until dead.

Luckily my pops was able to force the big ford off the road and crash it into a hill but I'm not sure my lady would have been strong enough to do so. Had she been driving I'm sure she would have killed all the folks in the little car infront of us.

 

[dukeboy440]

The brakes are great on both the Ferd and the Ram but the power steering sucks on both trucks. Both trucks have basically zero power steering. If your not rolling you can not turn the steering wheel. (Well you can but it is not easy)

I already ordered the "red head" steering box and the PSC ram for the Dodge so no matter what the old dodge steering gear is going in the dumpster and I will be installing the PSC ram for additional help.

I have never been disappointed with ram assist steering. I've had it on 3 of my own trucks and put it a few customers trucks with great results.

I think it looks cool and it just seems to work good.


I seem to remember a ford tech telling me the same thing, "The Hydro boost only affects the breaks, it's not part of the steering system."

After the failure in our Ferd I hate the hydroboost system. Anyone who thinks having steering AND breaking fail at the same time is an OK thing should be kicked in the nuts repeatedly until dead.

Luckily my pops was able to force the big ford off the road and crash it into a hill but I'm not sure my lady would have been strong enough to do so. Had she been driving I'm sure she would have killed all the folks in the little car infront of us.

Yeah that’s a steering box problem nothing to do with the hydro boost. The ram assist should solve that though

I can turn the wheels at idle will just one finger tip on my Cummins but I adjusted the box to do that

 

[Cope]

Did some more work on the truck today.

The first pic is as we build the bed, the second is with the new tool box mocked up.

It's gonna take a little effort but I'm confident that the toolbox will not look like an "afterthought"

Even after the addition of the new toolbox eating up 13 inches of bed space I'm still 56 inches wide and that is measure with the race cans and spare tire. Thankfully we made the bed so wide originally.

Thanks again for everyone's time and advice over the years.