Project Crewcab Dually has begun.

[dazedandconfused]

I've done torches as well but it's been so long since I've had my tanks filled I'm not sure they even work.

[Fastback66]

I done this same conversion earlier this year. I torched the rivets on every cross member from the front bumper back to the rear axle. One at a time of course and re-supported along the way. I did a 2wd to 4wd conversion and a diesel swap at the same time. It was a 1978 2wd crew cab to start with. Not a whole lot of pics but here's a link.

http://s726.photobucket.com/albums/ww26 ... cab%20CTD/

Vinny

[lugnutz]

I done this same conversion earlier this year. I torched the rivets on every cross member from the front bumper back to the rear axle. One at a time of course and re-supported along the way. I did a 2wd to 4wd conversion and a diesel swap at the same time. It was a 1978 2wd crew cab to start with. Not a whole lot of pics but here's a link.

http://s726.photobucket.com/albums/ww26 ... cab%20CTD/

Vinny

Hey Vinny,
Nice job on the conversion. I'm curious about the airbags on the front leafsprings though. Did you install them for ride quality control or another reason?

[Fastback66]

The air bags are Kelderman. I wanted them to keep the nose of the truck up and level and also I intend to add a snow plow at a later date. Maybe sooner than later if all goes well. I hoped it would soften the ride,but it doesn't seem to help. I also have the rear bag setup waiting to be installed, though it looks like that will be in the spring. Snow is upon us and my truck is just too long to fit into my garage. I can squeak it in but you cannot get from one side of the garage to the other without sliding through the cab.

Vinny

[lugnutz]

Pictures from Sundays work.

The whole purpose behind the Ramcharger tank was for an auxillary fuel tank. I had read in a few places online that it fit between the frame rails and it was no big deal to install. It was also mentioned that the Ramcharger fuel sending unit reads just a little off compared to the Diesel sending unit.

Then, I heard a rumor that the 91 to 93 Ramchargers used an electric in the tank fuel pump and that the Diesel sending unit might be the same physical size as the Ramcharger electric pump module. If it is true that they are the same size than I would think that I could use a Diesel sending unit module in place of the EFI module and the gauge would read correctly. So, I thought why not, let’s try it.

I got the fuel tank bracket holes drilled and installed. Then I tried to install the tank and discovered that the tank would not fit. It turns out that the CC frame rails are wider than the Ramcharger rails and would not allow the Ramcharger tank to slide between the frame rails of the CC.

I had to trim roughly 1/2” on both rails to get the tank to fit. But, once they were trimmed it fit right in like it was suppose to be there. I did not compare the EFI module to the Diesel unit as of yet. I have to pull the module out of my parts truck and I will try to do that tomorrow.


CC frame no brackets and holes are drilled.

CC frame rails measured almost 2 5/8" (The tape is not square while trying to take a picture)

Ramcharger frame measures 2 1/8"

Trimmed metal from CC frame.

Ramcharger tank installed




EFI fuel pump module from the top.

[Fastback66]

Looks good so far, you are doing everything I wanted to do. I had the dually bed and axle and still have the R/C tank from a 1992. Have all the brackets as well. I also scored a factory rear tank from a early eighties model 1/2 ton in case the R/C tank wouldn't work. In the end, I didn't want to do a repaint so the dually dream got put on the sideburner. I will most likely do the dually conversion and rear tank at the same time. Maybe next year if I can find another bed. I sold mine. I am also contemplating a 5 gear swap in the very near future.
Keep up the progress.

Vinny

[lugnutz]

Small update:
I got the sending unit out of the Cummins parts truck and the EFI module out of the Ramcharger fuel tank tonight. I put both of them on the table side by side to compare the differences. The extended and collapsed heights of both modules are the same. The float arms go up the same distance. The hole diameter in the tanks and the diameters of the two modules are also the same. I installed the Diesel module into the Ramcharger tank and it went in just like the EFI module came out. Unless somebody can tell me why it won’t work I am going to assume that the Diesel sending will work just fine in the Ramcharger tank and the fuel gauge should read correctly.

I also got the call tonight that the front frame clip was ready to be picked up. I shot over there to get it and it was a nice surprise to see that they left the transfercase and carrier bearing crossmembers attached.

One last note, I found a NV5600 4x4 extension housing today for a reasonable price compared to what I was finding online. That leaves the mainshaft (some people call it the output shaft) and a 29 spline NP205 to acquire. If anybody has one laying around just collecting dust or using it for a door stop and you want to part with it, let me know.


Diesel on the left and gasser on the right.

Diesel on the left and gasser on the right.

[PToombs]

Ah ha! Maybe I'll try to fix my sender and put the old module in my RC tank too. I use the RC electric pump to pump the fuel thru a strainer to the front tank. I can check for crap in the fuel and can control how much fuel I transfer that way.

[lectro_static]

[quote="lugnutz"]Small update:
I got the sending unit out of the Cummins parts truck and the EFI module out of the Ramcharger fuel tank tonight. I put both of them on the table side by side to compare the differences. The extended and collapsed heights of both modules are the same. The float arms go up the same distance. The hole diameter in the tanks and the diameters of the two modules are also the same. I installed the Diesel module into the Ramcharger tank and it went in just like the EFI module came out. Unless somebody can tell me why it won’t work I am going to assume that the Diesel sending will work just fine in the Ramcharger tank and the fuel gauge should read correctly.

Measure the resistance on the two sending units that will tell you if they are the same, I would assume they would be

[lectro_static]

Small update:
I got the sending unit out of the Cummins parts truck and the EFI module out of the Ramcharger fuel tank tonight. I put both of them on the table side by side to compare the differences. The extended and collapsed heights of both modules are the same. The float arms go up the same distance. The hole diameter in the tanks and the diameters of the two modules are also the same. I installed the Diesel module into the Ramcharger tank and it went in just like the EFI module came out. Unless somebody can tell me why it won’t work I am going to assume that the Diesel sending will work just fine in the Ramcharger tank and the fuel gauge should read correctly.

Measure the resistance on the two sending units that will tell you if they are the same, I would assume they would be

[lugnutz]

Another update.

First the good news. A big brown truck dropped off the NV5600 4x4 extension housing. The label said it weighed 65 pounds.

And then the bad. The frame clip that I picked up turned out to be a 5.9 gasser clip.

It was dark when I picked it up. I put a tape measure to it and it was 7 ½ inches tall and I thought everything was good to go. Upon further investigation in the daylight, the frame rails are the same height and thickness but the very front crossmember is not. It is thinner material and it’s shaped just a little different. The Diesel front crossmembers are thicker and shaped different for a reason so I want to use the original one.

In looking at the frame clip, the front crossmember would get removed and replaced, which in turn would also remove the front leafspring mounts (same rivets) and the transmission crossmember gets relocated (bolted in) anyway because of the different transmission. So, it really only leaves the engine crossmember and the rear leafspring hangers intact on the original frame clip. And, since the wrecking yard I got the clip from does not have another truck available from any of their 8 other stores that were not hit in the front, it looks like I am going to drill the rivets on the original CC frame and convert it to a 4x4.

Plus, as I mention earlier, I had planned to drill the rivets and then bolt everything in, I already had a section of frame (from a diesel) that was cut off just behind the leafsprings for all the parts. So, this frame clip can go back.

On another note. I have read posts asking why the Crewcabs can’t be used on Club cab frames without notching the floor and why the 2x4 engine crossmembers won’t work when converting to 4x4. Take a look at the side view of where the club cab frame kicks up compared to a Crewcab frame and the overhead view of the 4x4 and 2x4 engine crossmembers.

Edit: Looks like I forgot to get pictures of the front crossmember differences. Will do that later.


Left side front.

Left side.

Right side front.

Right side.

Overhead view of engine crossmembers. 4x4 top 2x4 lower

Clubcab frame (top) versus Crewcab frame kickup

Clubcab frame (top) versus Crewcab frame kickup

[BobS]

You can splice the frame in the front cab mounting bracket area. You would vertical cut ahead of the body mount down to a predetermined measured point, then go horizontally through the 4 mounting holes with 2 above and 2 below, then continue downward after the rear of the mount to the bottom of the frame. This gives you a standard by using the body mount brackets as a "go or no go gauge" I planned on doing this on my conversion but because of rust issues I ended up using the 2WD frame and converting it to 4WD. I used the original sides of the 4WD diesel frame as templates by bolting them onto the 2WD frame at the cab mounting and bumper bracket mounting locations. I used through bolts to draw it up tight and then used a high quality 7/16" drill bit to bore through the frame. Removing the 2WD engine mounting crossmember is a real PIA. It has 2 rivets per side that go through 3 layers. I used a small scarfing torch and an air hammer with a punch tip to remove the rivets. The drill idea failed because it was ovaling out the rivet holes because there was no way to keep it on center. I burned off the heads until only the round outline of the rivet was visible. Then I smacked it with the round punch on the air hammer which sent a glowing rivet flying across the floor of the garage.

[Mark Nixon]

On your Ramcharger and Diesel sending units, set both units with the floats pointing in the same direction.
Now look at the orientation of the fuel/return line connectors and you'll see that the original Ramcharger unit has the fuel line connectors oriented @ 180 degrees different from the truck' s Diesel sender.

The solution is as simple as undoing the retainer bolts on the basket slide, and carefully rotating the whole assembly the 180 degrees to fix the problem.
The fuel line fitting assembly will also need re-clocked.

Otherwise, if you try to put the assembly in the tank to make the lines route as they would on a RamCharger the routing of the fuel inlets is wrong.
The sending unit float would also hit the front wall of the tank.

Looking from the REAR of the tank, the fuel line connection assembly is at @ the 1 'oclock position on the R/C.
This is to clear the rear tank support member.

If this is confusing, try putting the diesel module in the same way as the R/C's was and it will become quite apparent.

Mark.

[lugnutz]

You can splice the frame in the front cab mounting bracket area. You would vertical cut ahead of the body mount down to a predetermined measured point, then go horizontally through the 4 mounting holes with 2 above and 2 below, then continue downward after the rear of the mount to the bottom of the frame. This gives you a standard by using the body mount brackets as a "go or no go gauge" I planned on doing this on my conversion but because of rust issues I ended up using the 2WD frame and converting it to 4WD. I used the original sides of the 4WD diesel frame as templates by bolting them onto the 2WD frame at the cab mounting and bumper bracket mounting locations. I used through bolts to draw it up tight and then used a high quality 7/16" drill bit to bore through the frame. Removing the 2WD engine mounting crossmember is a real PIA. It has 2 rivets per side that go through 3 layers. I used a small scarfing torch and an air hammer with a punch tip to remove the rivets. The drill idea failed because it was ovaling out the rivet holes because there was no way to keep it on center. I burned off the heads until only the round outline of the rivet was visible. Then I smacked it with the round punch on the air hammer which sent a glowing rivet flying across the floor of the garage.

Hey Bob,
I actually wanted to do the splicing in the straight flat part under the cab just to keep things simple. I was trying to use as much of the new frame clip as I could but it didn’t work out that way.

I did not have access to a torch today so I spent all day drilling rivets and knocking them out. I started with a punch then drilled a pilot hole and then stepped up in size until I could knock the heads off. I only had issues with the bit walking on the front crossmember where it was hard to get into. It worked but, just took a long time.

I am planning to do it like you mentioned and cut the lips off the small sections of the Diesel frame rails and then bolt it to the side of the CC frame to use as a template. And yea, I agree with you, the 2wd engine crossmember was a pain.

[lugnutz]

On your Ramcharger and Diesel sending units, set both units with the floats pointing in the same direction.
Now look at the orientation of the fuel/return line connectors and you'll see that the original Ramcharger unit has the fuel line connectors oriented @ 180 degrees different from the truck' s Diesel sender.

The solution is as simple as undoing the retainer bolts on the basket slide, and carefully rotating the whole assembly the 180 degrees to fix the problem.
The fuel line fitting assembly will also need re-clocked.

Otherwise, if you try to put the assembly in the tank to make the lines route as they would on a RamCharger the routing of the fuel inlets is wrong.
The sending unit float would also hit the front wall of the tank.

Looking from the REAR of the tank, the fuel line connection assembly is at @ the 1 'oclock position on the R/C.
This is to clear the rear tank support member.

If this is confusing, try putting the diesel module in the same way as the R/C's was and it will become quite apparent.

Mark.

Thanks Mark, I see what your saying now. When the Ramcharger module is in the correct location the float swings on the driver side of the tank and it looks like the diesel one would hit the wall in that position.