New CO member introduction and build

[RckyMtnRam]

Hello! My name is Craig. Thank you to all that have contributed to this site thus far. I have already learned a great deal more about PWs and specifically the latest generation from you. My father bought one new in the late seventies. A blue club cab. Drove it all over Arizona but mostly in and around flagstaff. It was a beast.

Have had mine a couple weeks now and love it so far. It's a base model crew cab short bed with carpet delete, spray liner, rambox system, extra trailer assist, popular group, and clearance lights. White. Took it up above boulder fishing yesterday with my son. 4wd and sway bars all worked nicely. Found it online and on a train coming to a local dealership in the group that my brother works at. My father in law is a chrysler retiree also. It's such a help in the car buying process to have that. Thanks out to them.

Could use some thoughts on splitting off the clearance lights from the running lights to a toggle switch. Have been searching for info and closest I'm coming to is the installation process and a striped wire. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. Would love to integrate the toggle cleanly in where the tow/haul, etc switches are. That would be ideal. Thanks again.

Craig

[ScottWagon1]

Carl Scott
Cheyenne Wy

Just curious as to why you want to do this!

[BigRed2007]

Welcome to the forum. I am in Colorado Springs.

Your best bet is to direct wire your clearance lights to a separate switch. I wouldn't think tat would be too difficult.


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[RckyMtnRam]

Thanks. That's what I was thinking. As to the "why" question.. I don't have a consistent need for them to always be running when my driving lights are on. Also, frankly, if I had ordered the truck myself I wouldn't have selected the option.

First turck purchase ordered yesterday: Carli front diff guard.

http://www.carlisuspension.com/Instruct ... CS-FDG.pdf

[SilverWagon05]

Welcome.

[stamm20]

Welcome aboard I see the sickness has set in already!!! You'll love the diff guard saved my butt quite a few times already!

[RckyMtnRam]

Thank you for the welcome(s)! Yes, the sickness is ramping up...quickly. Carli guard should show up some time today. Hope to install and test this weekend if it does show in time. Front windows get tinted Monday. Found some great information on auxiliary switches(including the oem 4 switch panel). Looking for a rear diff guard now. Saw the prototype thread.. posted a reply there seeing if anything has come available from that. Also, looking at onboard air. Really like the arb twin compressor. Not sure if portable kit or hardwiring is the way to go yet.

[gun45boat]

Welcome. The Carli diff guard is ballz, I beat the shit out of mine on a regular basis. it is 1/4" thick, and I have some dents in mine, but it is well worth the money, OH and spend the extra$15.00 and go to Lowes (or something) and replace those cheap ass bolts that come with the kit with grade 8 bolts, I have sheared a few of those bolts that came with the kit off from the abuse..

[05PWrockcrawler]

DOR has front and rear diff covers Dodge Offroad very nice people to work with also.

[RckyMtnRam]

I just noticed on the 2013 tradesman trucks that they have a nice integrated auxiliary switch panel set included? Not sure how to post a pic here. Will try the url. Found it through a quick google image search Anyone looked in to this part availability? I'm going to call dealer and see about that and compatibility. Looks just like mine except it has 4 auxiliary buttons on the bottom row.

http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/ram_chassis_cab/upfits/

[RckyMtnRam]

Woohoo! Just ordered the corsa db catback exhaust yesterday. Found a deal online for less than $500 including shipping.. can't wait to get rid of the ups truck sound.. From the sound clips I've heard online it should be sweet. Anyone else running this setup?

[SheepdogOutdoorsman]

I just noticed on the 2013 tradesman trucks that they have a nice integrated auxiliary switch panel set included? Not sure how to post a pic here. Will try the url. Found it through a quick google image search Anyone looked in to this part availability? I'm going to call dealer and see about that and compatibility. Looks just like mine except it has 4 auxiliary buttons on the bottom row.

http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/ram_chassis_cab/upfits/

I've got a 2013 PW myself, and I've already inquired into the auxiliary switch panel. It won't work for the 2013's and up because the dash is different. In speaking with Mopar they're no longer going to offer such a panel as they're going away from having individually wired switches to circuit boards and a singular wiring harness. We're out of luck when it comes to a factory switch panel. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news ... I was bummed myself

[RckyMtnRam]

Thanks for the info. From reading various posts, I had guessed as much but it's definitely nice to know for sure. I notice you are in Mesa. I grew up in the valley. Was down in Peoria last weekend for my parents 50th wedding anniversary.

[SheepdogOutdoorsman]

Thanks for the info. From reading various posts, I had guessed as much but it's definitely nice to know for sure. I notice you are in Mesa. I grew up in the valley. Was down in Peoria last weekend for my parents 50th wedding anniversary.

Yeah, I originally hail from Michigan and moved here for college. After experiencing the nicer weather I decided not to move back. I'll take four months of brutal summer over eight months of brutal winter any time. I've been her over ten years now and love it.

Keep an eye on my build thread. I have some more mods coming this weekend that I'll post toward the beginning of next week. Hopefully you can gain some insight. One thing I've learned is that if I keep reading what others have done to their trucks my wife is going to disown me. I'm turning into a PW freak that spends every dollar he has modifying a brand new truck he already spent too much on in the first place.

[myoung84]

The 2013 HD's have an AUX panel with 5 buttons, but it's built into a common switch panel which is going to make retrofitting a lot more difficult. The blank spot on the left is for the brake controller which makes this even harder.

[myoung84]

Here's another configuration.

[FirerescuePW]

It seems like Ram is completely missing the point of AUX switches.

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[SheepdogOutdoorsman]

The 2013 HD's have an AUX panel with 5 buttons, but it's built into a common switch panel which is going to make retrofitting a lot more difficult. The blank spot on the left is for the brake controller which makes this even harder.

My understanding (from speaking with Mopar and Part Department personnel) is that the switch panel that comes with auxiliary switches is specific to certain vehicles and the wiring harnesses themselves are going to be different from vehicle to vehicle depending on what options were chosen from the factory. No more are the days of generic wiring harnesses. They're all specific to the build and can't be easily added to. Again, this is just what I was told ... right, wrong, or indifferent.

[SheepdogOutdoorsman]

It seems like Ram is completely missing the point of AUX switches.

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Agreed

[myoung84]

I also agree. From the looks of it, if you don't order your truck with the switches you are SOL. Here's a thread I started that gives all of info that I have found so far.

http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... f=2&t=1521

[RckyMtnRam]

Ordered a Volant/Donaldson cai ($344 shipped). I'm not expecting a big performance gain or anything like that, but I am very intrigued with their option of the Donaldson filter with their ram kit. I've always heard great things about those being used in the commercial vehicle, etc. areas.

http://www.autoanything.com/air-intakes ... 7A0A0.aspx

Also ordered a BT catch can.

http://www.custombilletstore.com/product_p/20014.htm

Will post up pics hopefully next weekend.. assuming everything arrives.

[RckyMtnRam]

Here are a couple pictures of the volant. Good fit and finish. Detailed color pictures. Went on with zero issues. Less than an hour. sounds louder and probably thus far I'd say my perception is better throttle response. I've re-set the mileage and will report back after a full tank runs through.

[RckyMtnRam]

Here are a couple pictures of the volant. Good fit and finish. Detailed color pictures. Went on with zero issues. Less than an hour. sounds louder and probably thus far I'd say my perception thus far etter throttle response. I've re-set the mileage and will report back after a full tank runs through.

[ScottWagon1]

Looks good! I love the noise too!

[05PWrockcrawler]

Nice! Good job


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