Allright guys I'm new here so Hi! Yall seem to be a pretty level headed bunch of guys and gals that know what your talking about. So here it goes:
I've spent several days (and months researching the other aspects of this build in my spare time!) reading through the other posts about gas to diesel conversions so please hear me out first! I have a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 Regular Cab w/short bed. It's fully loaded with leather seats, power windows and all that other stuff. It has a 360 5.9 gas motor with a 4 speed automatic.
I really like my truck, it has 78,000 miles on it and I know what the the truck has been through. However it's getting to the time that things are going to start wearing out and when the do I'd like to upgrade to something stronger. Herein lies the problem, I'm almost done paying for this truck and other than the gas motor I love it (interior and style wise). I'd love to do a swap to diesel down the line when my current motor meets its end. In the mean time I'm looking at a new suspension from T-rex (awesome set up if yall haven't seen one!), Dynatrac D60 or D70 axles and an Allison MD3065 or 3000 transmission (hold on, don't shoot at me yet!) I love a manual but I hate shifting in traffic and the Allison is a pretty bulletproof and well geared (4.56 1st .65 6th) automatic. My goal is to replace things one at time as they wear out on my truck (except the tranny, transfer case and driveshafts which I would do at the time of the motor swap). Then by the time (which will be several years) I'm ready to do an engine swap the rest of the truck will be almost ready and I'll be in a position to put the truck in the garage (b/c it'll take alot of time to the conversion right). A shortbed Reg. Cab truck is awesome in tight spots on and off the road. A truck like this with a Cummins would be even neater, a real one of a kind! This would be an awesome longterm project. However, if the frame of the 1500 can't be strengthed or a new one fabricated down the road to withstand the torque of the ISB 5.9 600 that Cummins makes for Dodges then I don't want to waste the money on other mods.
So after all that here's the question: Can the frame be strengthed and if not does anyone know a shop (like Art Morrison who does hot rod and muscle car frames, pretty sweet ones too!) that would make a frame to fit my cab, bed, axles, suspension and eventually Cummins motor and Allison tranny on?
Second, if the frame question can be answered, what kindof transfer case will mount to an allison tranny and how will this affect my driveshafts? I'm thinking the front will have to be longer and the rear shorter but I'm not sure by how much if at all.
It will be an expensive project but I DON'T want to sell my truck in the end. I like the cab layout, turning radius, overall length and history of my truck. The investment I'm making is in the fun and pride of the conversion of my truck. Basically what I'm saying is that this is going to be a project truck eventually and I plan to do it right and spend the money I have to. I'm only gonna live once and I think this would be a fun, neat one of kind project that I'd love to do!
So please, I'm still in the playing stages so send my suggustions and Ideas on what I'm gonna have to do to make this work and most of all work well! Tell me what yall think of the suspesion, axles, and tranny options I'm considering also or anything I'm leaving out. I know theres a bunch of odds and ends (like guages and dual batteries, but it'll be fun!) but I'm planning on getting the motor new through cummins (whichever size I go with) with the computer along with the RoadRelay4 (which is pretty sweet also) which should help to.
Oh, and while I'm at the drawing board and possibly considering having a frame made would a Cummins ISL or C motor really be shooting the moon? They're both about 1500 lbs (the ISB is about 1000 according to cummins website) with 960 and 1100 ft lbs of torque respectively (alot of power!).
Thanks in reading all this and for the help! Oh yeah, and awesome website!
Ross

 

Check out this thread.

Most of the cons have been mentioned in there.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...threadid=49766


phox

 

Follow the thread posted by phox. I really think you would be ahead looking for a different truck, rather than replacing everything as they wear out. If you do replace everything, then why not start with a different truck? If you like your layout in the cab, etc., maybe swap the cab and interior to a 2500 CTD shortbed frame. Then you can keep your body and have the stronger factory frame setup, ready to go. You would want to change out or adjust your tach, though, since redline is much lower. Just my $0.02.

 

Thanks Phox,
I read through that one earlier and the general conclusion seemed to be that the frame was the weak point and you'd have to be very motivated to want to do this!
I'm very motivated which is why the frame concerns me. I don't want to build an awesome truck with 1000+ ft lbs of torque just to wrap the frame around the motor the first time it cranks up! So I guess what I'm asking now is how do you stregthen the frame or who would make me a custom chassis for my truck to withstand the torque and hold the truck together?

 

Zulusafari,
I thought about swapping the cab over to a shortbed 2500. However I didn't think that dodge made a short bed regular cab 2500. If I'm wrong please let me know because that would be an awesome option.

 

Im sure that if you got ahold of a 3/4ton Std. cab frame that some body could work with you and shorten it. Then just throw your truck cab/body on it (made it sound real easy huh? )and go from there. Mabye you could come across a cummins in the frame with it.

Looks like a fun project! Good luck -Jake

 

I am new at this site also. I just bought my first Diesel Truck. There was a 3500 diesel short bed std cab that they had sold.

 

There are no standard cab shortbeds above a 1500, it wouldnt make any sense.

 

360mag...what are your intentions with this truck?? are you going to be using it for hauling dirt or hauling a$$?? if you've got the money (it sounds like you do), then there are definitely other ways to get A LOT of power to the ground. there are many rams, dakotas, and durangos running around w/ 408 stroker motors...some of which are blown or turbo'd (even twin turbo'd) with nitrous, etc... all i'm saying is that it would be MUCH easier, and probably less expensive to go this route. just a thought. if you are interested let me know, and i can get you started in the right direction!!

later, dustin

 

For what its worth there are Dakotas running around with cummins in them. Im sure if you found someone who knew what they were doing the frames could be beefed up. Its totally possible.

 

Hey guys, thanks for the responses.
As for my intentions, I want to build a reliable fun truck for work and play. I want it to have more power than I'll ever need and be able to do more than I ever normally will need. I'm over-engineering it so that I know it will last me. I plan on driving it every day to work and where ever else I need to go. I want the diesel because of the torque it produces at low rpms. The cummins ISC (it's about 4 in longer, and about 600 lbs heavier than an ISB, correct me if I'm wrong though) makes 330 hp and 960 ft lbs of torque at about 1900 rpms I think (granted thats almost red line in that motor). Yet, and heres the kicker, that same motor makes at least 800 ft lbs at 1300 rpm and it is ALL stock! The motor can be rebuilt up 6 six times and if I ever have a problem with it that I can't fiqure out I can go to the cummins dealer. I can't take a stroker to my mechanic if I get in a bind and a stroker doesnt have a factory warranty. I can buy my axles, tranny, suspension, and motor and I'll know they'll all work together and work together well. I want all this in a short bed because they are so much easier to manuever on and off road than huge long bed and extended cab. I'm also hoping to balance some of the extra wieght that I'm putting in the front.

Ross