adeluca73's Build - 2014 POWER WAGON SLT - FLAME RED TWO TONE

[adeluca73]

Whats happening Doc? Quit working so stinking much and get us some new updates.

Sorry, the damn SecDef has me on a "special project", which I consider a govn't charity, but I digress.

Latest updates, hmm, nothing big other than these three:

1. My PW is getting trashed parked in my driveway in VA, the pollen, the 60yd old trees surround the house, the paint is getting hammered, so this is my short term remedy:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KW ... UTF8&psc=1

2. This is for the GSP, it works great to keep his muddy paws off my back seats, and me off him....
I really like this product, it is heavy duty and looks good, and is easy to clean up. It's becoming a permanent fixture in the truck.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XM ... UTF8&psc=1

3. Another permanent fixture in the truck is this handy hunting and organizing caddy, also sort of keeps my GSP Max-the-dog from jumping on the front seat, sometimes. It takes a bit to get it sized and situated right, but once it is, it's really secure. The top pockets hold quite a bit of gear--binos, shells, dog collars and other bird dog crap, etc. and the gun cases hold a good variety of long guns. My 26" bbl wood stock Remington V3 w/ ext. choke fit, but my 28" Brownelli A5 Ultimate w/ ext. chokes does not fit all the way, and most rifles with scopes will fit, my 7mm RUM and 300RUM do not fit all the way, but close.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AR ... UTF8&psc=1
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ooohhhh and I forgot...I also some how managed to get a 'bootlegged' AEV ProCal, before AEV locked that sh@t down. There's quite the tedious, but entertaining, thread about the ongoing ProCal saga here http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... &start=175 but, aside from the jackassery, the ProCal worked as advertised. I think I am the only one here (?) able to use all the ProCal features, and yes, it has definitely changed the truck's performance. I wouldn't say dramatically, but it definitely returns the truck to at least stock performance, and permits realization of the performance upgrade in adding 4.88's. A very cost friendly mod/enhancement if you're not looking to add custom tunes or custom shift points.

[adeluca73]

Whats up, Doc?!

After seeing how easy granite crystal scratches AND shows every scratch, the ceramic coating deal has me very intrigued. How is yours holding up? Is it as durable and amazing as they make it out to be?

Hmmm, sorry I'm so late in replying. 1) Your observations are correct, and as others have pointed out, the Dodge/Ram/FIAT or whoever makes the decisions there have chosen soft paints and clear coating. So yes, they scratch easily, it's a truck, I don't scratch mine on purpose, buy if you look at the paint from the side looking lengthwise, you can see enough. Surprisingly, the most profound paint marring is along the top edge of the bed when deer antlers and hoofs sort of dangle when I transport deer on the Diamondback HD back and forth to Michigan. In the 3 seasons I've taken the PW hunting up North, I've had 10 deer up there, and you can see the marring on the paint for sure.

2) Would I do it again....probably not. I don't see all that much protection from swirling and normal paint issues anyone else would encounter. I did not take it back for reconditioning the past two yrs, so I probably voided the warranty, but DC-->Cincy is a long drive for some paint up keep.

[adeluca73]

Gotchya. Well damn. I was hoping for a different reply then that.

Does it still clean up real nice and easy, like it was just waxed the other day? Or is that a myth too?

Yes, it cleans up well enough. I’ve never taken it to a non-touchless car wash, & wash mine 90+% myself, and usually do the two bucket method and instead of drying it, I use the opti-detailer to detail/dry at the same time. I haven’t washed it since deer hunting back in November. It’s way over due

[adeluca73]

Sorry I 've been away so long...Pentagon life is busy...

Received all the Thuren 2.5 extreme parts finally. The shocks took about 8 weeks or so to arrive. I ordered the shocks mid-May, then ordered the rest of the kit end of July. Everything trickled in over the last week. Also received Marcus (DAMAGEWAGON) trans-skid a few weeks before (see landing page for links to all). Installed 12" wide x 8mil 3mm vinyl on the shock bodies--sort of a pain in the ass. But living in salt central, I'd like the shocks not to look like Neal's Carli's after one winter. pics coming.....

Complete Thuren 2.5” Extreme kit + front boogies & shock boots

[adeluca73]

See above

[adeluca73]

That's nice! I think you're going to really appreciate the Kings.

Agree...they are so much bigger in person, you can appreciate the heft and helps to connect the very high cost vs. standard OEM crap--there's a world of difference in true hand-engineered components, dialed in for you and your purpose/application.

I am not looking forward to installing all this stuff however...it will be a lot of evenings with a head lamp and my truck on blocks for a few weeks.

[adeluca73]

Some pre-installation pictures

[Colibri]

That’s an impressive pile of parts! Going to feel like a whole new truck. What stage valving did you opt for? Apologies if you said already, I looked but didn’t see. You may have issue with driveshaft contact on the rear skid plate crossmember as the rear droops out, something to check for on installation. Can’t wait to hear your impressions!

[Reloaderguy]

That’s an impressive pile of parts! Going to feel like a whole new truck. What stage valving did you opt for? Apologies if you said already, I looked but didn’t see. You may have issue with driveshaft contact on the rear skid plate crossmember as the rear droops out, something to check for on installation. Can’t wait to hear your impressions!

The new shocks are internally limited so he shouldn't have contact with the cross member. The gas tank skid at the rear corner can be a problem though so watch for clearance.

[adeluca73]

That’s an impressive pile of parts! Going to feel like a whole new truck. What stage valving did you opt for? Apologies if you said already, I looked but didn’t see. You may have issue with driveshaft contact on the rear skid plate crossmember as the rear droops out, something to check for on installation. Can’t wait to hear your impressions!

Hey sir---I ended up going with 3/3--couldn't decide, so went in the middle. At some point, if I get ambitious again and head to Oregon, I'd have Marcus put on the Thuren truss and send the shocks to Don and have then set to 4 and 5. I did not opt for the extra 2" travel in the rear shocks and the corresponding longer links, thus no need to notch my cross member...which is precisely why I didn't opt for the extended travel. Install is going slow, painful, taking longer than expected.

[RustyPW]

That’s an impressive pile of parts! Going to feel like a whole new truck. What stage valving did you opt for? Apologies if you said already, I looked but didn’t see. You may have issue with driveshaft contact on the rear skid plate crossmember as the rear droops out, something to check for on installation. Can’t wait to hear your impressions!

Hey sir---I ended up going with 3/3--couldn't decide, so went in the middle. At some point, if I get ambitious again and head to Oregon, I'd have Marcus put on the Thuren truss and send the shocks to Don and have then set to 4 and 5. I did not opt for the extra 2" travel in the rear shocks and the corresponding longer links, thus no need to notch my cross member...which is precisely why I didn't opt for the extended travel. Install is going slow, painful, taking longer than expected.

Isn't that always true.

[adeluca73]

Took 14 days to complete a little each night, was not super fun. Pretty straightforward, but it is a pain doing this on your back, in the dark at night. Had passing help from my 11yr old, wife and a neighbor during certain parts. Good thing the PW is not my DD. Took it in for an alignment after, the shop f’d it up, have to bring it back.

[RustyPW]

Haven't aligned mine yet. When I installed the new alignment cams in the lower arms. I put them in the middle, neutral down position. The PW steers great.

[adeluca73]

Got the alignment #’s, looks like they missed hitting Thuren’s recommended numbers for Toe & Caster, gotta bring it back...thanks to Marcus for catching the cross-caster. He sebt this link to Thuren’s recommendation: https://www.thurenfabrication.com/tech/ ... dling.html

[Low_Sky]

My truck handles great aligned to Don's numbers. Hopefully they get it right on the second try.

[Reloaderguy]

AEV's hardware looks terrible. For the money they should use better bolts.

[adeluca73]

AEV's hardware looks terrible. For the money they should use better bolts.

All grade-8’s aren’t the same. Living in the rust belt is tough on vehicles, and I can’t live my life through a bottle of fluid film.

[Reloaderguy]

AEV's hardware looks terrible. For the money they should use better bolts.

All grade-8’s aren’t the same. Living in the rust belt is tough on vehicles, and I can’t live my life through a bottle of fluid film.

The factory bolts are M8-1.25x23mm Grade 10.9. I recently broke off a Grade 8 front diff bolt, as it turns out grade 8 isn't the proper grade bolt for that application. I assume most of the diff cover/guard manufacturers are supplying the wrong bolts. Probably why the factory bolts don't look like chocolate chips after a couple of seasons in the midwest.

[RustyPW]

AEV's hardware looks terrible. For the money they should use better bolts.

All grade-8’s aren’t the same. Living in the rust belt is tough on vehicles, and I can’t live my life through a bottle of fluid film.

The factory bolts are M8-1.25x23mm Grade 10.9. I recently broke off a Grade 8 front diff bolt, as it turns out grade 8 isn't the proper grade bolt for that application. I assume most of the diff cover/guard manufacturers are supplying the wrong bolts. Probably why the factory bolts don't look like chocolate chips after a couple of seasons in the midwest.

I'm using stainless bolts on my diff covers. Been using them since I installed the covers. Have replaced a couple of them from being chewed on by rocks.

[adeluca73]

Been a while since last post, I hope you’re all well!
I wasn’t planning on getting rid of Big Red.
10 years went by fast.
The only real maintenance I did was replaced the rear rotors, shoes, pads & e-brake due to rust failure this past November. Still had the original battery!
Strolling through the dealership on New Year’s Eve and the Ram + Dealership incentives were just too good to pass, so Big Red 2.0 is in works.

SO WITH GREAT SADNESS, THIS POST CLOSES MY 2014 PW SLT BUILD THREAD.

[RustyPW]

Congrats on the new one. I traded my '08 in on a '22 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Diesel. Mother nature was rusting my apart.

[adeluca73]

Congrats on the new one. I traded my '08 in on a '22 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Diesel. Mother nature was rusting my apart.

She always wins. Congrats on the new jeep…probably a better rig for all your MOAB adventures. Seems like this site is on life support, not a lot of activity anymore.

[RustyPW]

Congrats on the new one. I traded my '08 in on a '22 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Diesel. Mother nature was rusting my apart.

She always wins. Congrats on the new jeep…probably a better rig for all your MOAB adventures. Seems like this site is on life support, not a lot of activity anymore.

I'm still a PW guy at heart. I check in here daily.