01 2500.... still making payments

Thank you LMC for providing such a nice replacement piece! My dash cracked about 3 years ago. During the summer the rattle increased under my dash mat and I found things were getting pretty bad. Replaced the top dash and put a new heater core in. Had the seats out so cleaned them and the carpet. Looks like new in the cab now. Next project will be the headliner as I see LMC offers one. Mine is juuust starting to peel at the leading edge.

Always figured we’d upgrade..... but it just never happened. Still a pretty good tractor

Nice, my 99 is still mint also, dash is still good also, store inside, don't drive in the rain etc etc, but I'm just now blessed with the river block #53. To say I'm annoyed is an understatement. Perfect pickup, block like our w5,s winning....... Bought mine 3yrs old before I ever knew about that. On another note its good to see the dash in case I ever do need one.

53.....oh no. Some do live though. I’ve seen about every repair procedure on the cracked ones and very little success in that dept. I hadn’t owned this one long when I learned of the “53”.... I was almost sick crawling under to take a look. Dodged that bullet.

I had already bought my '01 when I learned about the 53 block issues. Mine wasn't one of them.
Really cool fixing up yours like new again! Wish I could have kept mine b/c I loved that old truck, it just didn't have enough room for the family.

Anyone care to explain what is a 53 block

The # 53 block casting has inherently thin water jacket walls that are susceptible to cracking. Frequent and/or heavy towing, failing to let an engine properly warm after a cold start, and engine overheating can contribute to the development and propagation of cracks in the water jackets of these engine blocks.

http://www.cumminshub.com/cummins-53-block.html

At some point I'll be replacing the cracked dash on my 1999 Ram 2500.

Maybe this winter but I'm not looking forward to it.

thanks for the link...…..


And on another note those dash pads on the first gen. rams were horrible for cracking , but they weren't to bad to replace.

Wow . . . great to keep the truck looking/running like new !!! . . . . what year are the wheels you put on ??? . . . . I have an 02, 2500 HO (6spd), quad cab, short box, 2wd . . . only 75k miles on it now, had since new, never winter driven, no rust . . . figure this will be the truck I have forever. Seems like no one wants 2wd, but I don't care, it is used in summer to tow . . . .

Wheels are the polished 05’s...
mines an auto.... after driving through 2 stock converters I built a 47RE from a core I scored at work. That was back in 03 150k miles ago. Dave Goerend valve body kit and triple disc converter (overkill) stock overhaul kit. Edge EZ and Bosch RV275 injectors gave it great towing manners. 17,850 combined so not too bad

.....have these mounted in the bumper. What a game changer!! Lights on these truck always sucked!

I have those exact lights on the back of my trailer hooked up to the reverse light! Makes backing up in the dark much easier.

Yeah I bought a couple of their square mount in the bumper style..... daylight backing up in my dark side yard!

I can send you some thumb tacks Jay

dash, the tabs on my grill, the cup
My next job, along with a heater and a/c core, on my 01. Parts of my lower dash are cracking too. Had to fix the e-brake release when the cable end broke and left me unable to release the e brake. All the reinforcing bosses on the backside of my glove box broke, aling with one of the hinge pins and a hinge. Thank goodness for Permatex plastic weld. Best stuff I've found for gluing together plastic, bar none. It's holding pieces of my lower dash, tabs on my grill, the entire top dash pad together, and parts of the center storage box. I'd use it on a Sharktooth grill or any other plastic in a heartbeat.

Wish I’d found a better glue. Used some Gorilla Glue and not impressed. Already see one spot on lower structure that didn’t hold.

Question on your dash top project:

How long does it take to do it?

And, can the '98 and up dash be used in a '97 and down cab?

Sidenote, some energetic individual put a 4th Gen dash in his 2nd Gen:

Only took a couple hours to pull the dash, but I had it in the garage for a good day using glue and a solder iron securing the sub structure cracks. I would NOT do this job at work anymore... they’re too far gone and require a ton of time.

As far as mixing years.... not sure.

I need to do the same damn thing to my ‘02 2500 Cummins. I have the dash replacement from LMC along with a Mopar heater core, Mopar evaporator, the heater treater blend door fix, and a new windshield sitting in my garage. I just can’t bring myself to do the job. Looks way hard. LOL.

My truck was the one year that didn’t have that stupid vacuum center axle disconnect. So, I upgraded to SpynTech locking hubs and 35 spline output shafts, with a Detroit locker up front. (My truck sees the mud) I do want to change over to an NV5600 6 speed.

All stock, I need more power though. My truck struggles with 10,000 pounds of rock in the dump trailer. Thinking about a 3rd or 4th Gen. I need a dually for towing.

Well as noted above my 01 has an Edge EZ and Bosch rv275 injectors. It’s had these simple mods since 34k miles and it tows really nice even with the 3.5 gears. Three years ago I brought an 11 home from work thinking of trading. I hooked my race trailer up to it and towed up the gawd awful hole I live in (live at 500ft, gotta crest 3800ft to leave town). Now with a 6.7, 6spd auto, and a 3.7 gear I thought it would tow circles around my 01.... ohhhh heeelll no! My 01 would do the same stretch 10mph faster. We’ll be keeping the 01 probably until I’m done racing.

Just the Edge EZ alone will totally wake up a VP equipped 24V..... but if you have an auto, UPGRADE!!!

Well when the wife’s boat steers better than your pickup.... it’s time to start doing something about it. My first efforts in returning back to its factory acceptable “marginal” level (These things never did steer real good) was contacting the folks at Redhead Steering and get a reman/tested steering gear.


second lil upgrade was going to the 52122362AJ Mopar steering package. Much more robust than the twigs it was born with. My pickup is very lightly used and these are all 20 year old parts and were due for re-new...



Next will be upgraded intermediate steering shaft, upper lower trailing arms, and a track bar upgrade.