Would 305/70-17 tires fit on a 2003 ram 2500 with no rubbing? thanks
Do you have a leveling kit? Im told with a leveling kit they will fit fine, but if your talking plowing then I dont know...
I have 305/70/16s on my 96, but I have a 3" body lift. I do get an "occasional" rub on extreme wheel turns. But it works fine.

I am looking to add my 1999 Dodge Dakota 4X4 to my team as a driveway machine. The drives by me are only about 35-40 feet long. My idea is to put a back plow on the truck and hang a 7.5 uni-mount on the front used only to push the snow of to the side that the back plow pulled out. With some suspension mods could I hang a 7.5 uni-mount on this truck.
Ps. The reason for this is I have this extra blade laying in my shop along with this truck, so if possible I would like to put them together :D
Any thoughts :rolleyes:
i used to plow with a '94 dakota (older body style) with the 5.2V8. it worked fine. and for driveways, i think yours will do fine. like you said, you have them both, why not use 'em!
Are you saying that a 1999 Dodge Dakota with a little work can have a 7.5 Western Uni-mount on the front of it? Just did not know about the weight thing :p
I am not really worried about if the truck can plow or not because it is really only going to push snow a matter of feet. Plus the fact that WHEN not "if" but when we get slammed with snow I have larger trucks that can use instead of the Dakota.
SO basically my question is can a dodge Dakota support the weight of a 7.5 western uni-mount plow (with a little MONSTER GARAGE modifications ;) )
Whatever makes the snow move, I would say it might be a little hard on the truck but with mods, it will help.

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
nice trucks but the front ends are suspect check u-joints balljoints and track bar before plowing, jr
I had a 2000 ram diesel before never had a problem with it, nice truck.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Where are the pics of the trucks?
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
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:
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)
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.
Looks Great!
I would take the battery out of the box and wire the salter directly to the truck battery.
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.
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
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?

Hey. Whats up Guys? I need some Advise From You:
On my 02 ram CTD I have some Serious "Free play" in the Steering Wheeel . I would say Close to 3" of it. And it HAS just become one Pain in the a$$ when towing my Landscaping and Travel Trailers. Im constantly Over Correcting or Under Correcting when Turning. Without Towing it Still is noticeable, but defintly not as much. How Can I Fix this Free Play? I have been asking and looking around for soultions and a couple of them have been: Tie -rod ends, adjust steering gear to spec, tighten steering gear mounting bolts, pitman arm or idler arm or Wheel Bearings. I've heard of the Lukes Link part but am not sure if that would do the Trick. So let me know what you guys think and any Suggestions Would be very helpful. If not on here at me email : astark907@msn.com. . The truck has 61k and Front Ball Joints were replaced 4/04. Thanks for Reading!
ok, I hate to come across this way, but have you actually checked into any of those suggestions??
Until you clear up those are not it any other's are supreflious. You have the basics to look into, and it's really easy to find steering play so have someone trn the wheel and get uinder the front end to see where the play is. Simple stuff man.
Luke's links are for track bar issues- there is no sense in useing them on tie rod ends as they cost almost the same as the end where as the track bar is poorly designed and wears out fast, plus it is hella expensive. I put a luke's link on my track bar last summer- took 40 minutes.
It's probabily your tie rods. Wheel bearings should be fine with that low milage- the track bar could also be going but it is not normally noticible at low speed (usually it results in the inability to align the truck and the "death Wobble" at highway speed).
Get under it and check out your tie rods first then the rest of the front end and let us know if there is no decisive play. (Steering box should not be the issue either but it might)
Thanks For the Response. I actually Just Researched what would be Commonly problems for Free play and Soultions to fix. I really Don't Know If its Any of those. But This weekend My Firend And I are Going to Take a look underneath and see what we can find. I let ya know.... Thanks..
AnyBody know about this Borgeson Unit? I guess its a steering shaft with a solid Steering coupler which replaces the Stock unit. Any Body have this and can offfer any info and if this might fix my problem. Thanks
Have you actually checked out the freeplay and isolated it yet?
The Borgeson is a replacement steering shaft from the colum to the steering box, in the old days Dodge had weak joints in there- this new a truck does not suffer from that. (94+ don;t have that problem)
The Dealer Said the , Right side ball joints are worn ( only 15 months old!!!) , Trac bar is worn, and Drag link is worn.
then that's the problem- the borgeson will not prevent it or fix it. the track bar should not be worn- the new style is very good, but it depends on the amount of abuse the front end takes. A CTD with a plow kicks the hell out of the front ends. Incidentaly age means nothing- it depends on milage and usage. the last generation would wear out track bars in 15K miles- which translates to 6 months to a year.
Thanks , I Appreciate the input. Do you know any Type after market Trac bar? I understand the Trucks gets abused with my heavy as hell 8.5 V plow, so maybe there might be a stronger or more durable Aftermarket Bar? But I dont know
there are several out there, from custom racing companies with heim joints to them to upgrades to use the newer factory bar- do a google search for "Dodge Ram Track Bar: and you'll find most of them. Go to Dodgeram.org for a great Ram reference site too (has links for DT track bar I believe plus installation info)
I was after a heim joint one, but will probabily get the converting mount to use the 03+ bar instead now.
I have a Lukes link on mine because it was the cheapest (needs to be rebuilt every 6 months, but cheap to do) and the bar I liked wasn't in production yet. I'll check my favorites and see what else I have saved.
Get some 4X4 magazines they have all kinds of ad's for upgrade parts and dealers you could contact.
Not saying your dealer is a scammer but I would personally jack the truck and up and check them yourself. In steering alot of play is related to your idler arm. Check this, tie rod ends, ect.
ok, I hate to come across this way, but have you actually checked into any of those suggestions??
Until you clear up those are not it any other's are supreflious. You have the basics to look into, and it's really easy to find steering play so have someone trn the wheel and get uinder the front end to see where the play is. Simple stuff man.
Luke's links are for track bar issues- there is no sense in useing them on tie rod ends as they cost almost the same as the end where as the track bar is poorly designed and wears out fast, plus it is hella expensive. I put a luke's link on my track bar last summer- took 40 minutes.
It's probabily your tie rods. Wheel bearings should be fine with that low milage- the track bar could also be going but it is not normally noticible at low speed (usually it results in the inability to align the truck and the "death Wobble" at highway speed).
Get under it and check out your tie rods first then the rest of the front end and let us know if there is no decisive play. (Steering box should not be the issue either but it might) Justme, I think you covered all of the bases.
Plow King, just have any one sit in your truck and wiggle the steering wheel back and forth, while you look under the front end for sloppy joints. so you know whet needs to be fixed before you let some shop tell you whats wrong.
The Borgeson shaft and coupler is a great unit. If you have play in your stock one I would replace it with one of these. It is easy enough to see if that is a source of some slop.