RamHeavyHalf06 Ram MegaCab Build and Adventures

[RedRunner87]

Some of you may or may not know but during the 3rd Gen Ram cycle they introduced the Ram MegaCab. For some reason they sold it in a "1500" marking, even though it is running on 2500 running gear. So I have a 2006 Dodge Ram MegaCab 4WD 5.7L Hemi, that is basically stock at the moment. I will be documenting trails and mods as I do them.

Current Set Up:
Bilstein 5160's
17" Method NV's
315/70R17 Cooper Discoverer STT Pro's
Full LED's minus Headlights
Tyger Fender Flares
Front Tow Hooks
Patton Fab Light Mount
22" Extreme LED X6
Aux Fuse Set Up

Goal List for Summer of 19:
22" Extreme LED X6
OTRATTW 6 Panel Switch Holder
OTRATTW V Series Switches
Softtopper w/ Tent attachment
Bed LED Lights
Bilstein 5160's
Detours of Maine RidgeRunner Swing-Away Spare Tire Mount
Spare 17" Rim
Used Full Size Spare
Front Tow Hooks
Aux Fuse Set Up

Current Picture:
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How it all started:
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[Phildirt]

Do like. Would look nice with clear heads, not sure if they make them for that model. Looks to be in pretty good shape for the year.

 

[RedRunner87]

Do like. Would look nice with clear heads, not sure if they make them for that model. Looks to be in pretty good shape for the year.

Thanks. I got it from my father-in-law and it used it just for towing. Super good shape minus the inside of the bed. Still need to figure out what to do with that.

 

[RedRunner87]

Here is how she started out when I first got her. I haven't gotten to far into the build, up next is the Bilstein 5160's.

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[RedRunner87]

Here is pictures from my trip to Mt. Princeton in Buena Vista, CO. The trail ends at just over 12k feet, at that point you can hike the other 2k feet to summit the 14'er. Most of the trail is pretty easy, only the last mile or so it tuff. The trail turns into switchbacks and narrow shelfs road.

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Looking down on the Valley
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A little further up
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...and the narrow shelf road heading up to the summit
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At the summit
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Heading back down
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[megacabcummins]

Nice truck and some great pictures. I need to get down there to see my daughter and grandkids, and look around a bit. I saw a heavy half mega and I thought the person was playing a joke and put 1500 emblems on it... Is that a 10.5 rear same as the Power Wagon?

Phil if you mean no orange strip across the bottom the '07 head lights do not have that and fit right in. Mines an '06 also but I went with '07 housings.

BTW if you're interested I have a Patton Fab 3 tab light bar and factory tow hooks that it fits between if you plan to keep the stock bumper.

 

[RedRunner87]

Nice truck and some great pictures. I need to get down there to see my daughter and grandkids, and look around a bit. I saw a heavy half mega and I thought the person was playing a joke and put 1500 emblems on it... Is that a 10.5 rear same as the Power Wagon?

Phil if you mean no orange strip across the bottom the '07 head lights do not have that and fit right in. Mines an '06 also but I went with '07 housings.

BTW if you're interested I have a Patton Fab 3 tab light bar and factory tow hooks that it fits between if you plan to keep the stock bumper.

It's beautiful out there, summer's get crazy with all the tourist. Definitely worth the drive though. I am going to post up pictures from the Black Bear Pass and Alpine Loop trip we took. I did it in my old 4Runner and my friends Tacoma though.

I think the 06's were the only year that they did that with the headlights.

I am pretty sure the 10.5's are the same, I haven't seen if the lockers are a direct swap or not. When I re-gear I would love to put a PW locker in it, since it is the only locker available for the 10.5's.

I definitely interested in the tow hooks, what size light bars does the Patton Fab hold?

 

[RedRunner87]

This trip started out featuring 3 vehicles; 17 DCB TRD OR Taco, 97 Limited 4Runner and a 01 Disco II. The Disco dropped out before the trip, so we started off by heading out to Black Canyon National, then off to Black Bear Pass and knocked out the Alpine Loop.

The Start
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A few hours later we finally got to Black Canyon National Park where we would stay for the night.

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It was at this point we lost my 97 4Runner. It for some reason stalled out and wouldn't restart. We tow strapped it up to the visiting center, and the Park Ranger allowed us to park it there for a few days. The next morning we left the 4Runner behind and started towards Black Bear Pass in the stock Taco.

Time to air down

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At the top- 12,840ft

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Time to start heading towards the switchbacks. We did this trail in my 4Runner last year, and being lifted/locked made us spoiled. The trail is much more difficult being stock and having a longer wheel base.

My buddy let me take over driving duties, here is spotting me down

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A nice view of Telluride down below

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We hit the point of no return with the Taco. Right before this point a guy in a 2 door Wrangler Rubicon asked if we were going to take "that" down the switchbacks. Our response was "Hell yeah"!

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Time to start

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[RedRunner87]

Down we go!

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Made it!

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A stock Tacoma will make it down Black Bear Pass. We did scrape the skid plates a few times, as well as hit the trailer hitch a few times. We had 2 kind of cringe worthy moments when the stock Goodyear Kevlar tires didn't quite grip the rocks like we wanted to.

Off to do the Alpine Loop. We started at Mineral Creek then to Engineer Pass to Cinnamon Pass/Wager Gulch to California Gulch to Corkscrew Gulch/Hurricane Pass

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We didn't get any pictures of Mineral Creek. The trail was pretty brutal on the stock Tacoma, so we spent almost all our time spotting and rock crawling.

These pictures were past Mineral Creek and going up Engineer Pass

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[RedRunner87]

At the top of Engineer Pass

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Once we were on Cinnamon Pass we took the side trail Wager Gulch and went to the Carson Ghost Town.

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[RedRunner87]

Once we left Carson Ghost Town we headed back to Cinnamon Pass.

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From there we went up and over California Pass

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...and then Hurricane Pass

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[RedRunner87]

 

[RedRunner87]

Got a couple mods done:

High Beam/Fog Light override. Makes both the fog lights and high beams work together

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[RedRunner87]

The 5160's are installed. The rear Rancho's were completely shot, the fronts to my surprise had some life left.

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Fronts
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[RedRunner87]

Thanks @megacabcummins

Now to figure out what light bar I can get on there.

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[megacabcummins]

You're welcome man :)

http://g01.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1mmkAIpXXXXXhXVXXq6xXFXXX8/9-160W-Round-LED-Driving-Light-IP68-4x4-4wd-ATV-car-off-road-driving-fog-lamp.jpg

Notice the light brackets have 3 bolts same as the tabs

 

[RedRunner87]

You're welcome man :)

http://g01.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1mmkAIpXXXXXhXVXXq6xXFXXX8/9-160W-Round-LED-Driving-Light-IP68-4x4-4wd-ATV-car-off-road-driving-fog-lamp.jpg

Notice the light brackets have 3 bolts same as the tabs

I had those on my 4Runner. I liked them a lot

4Runner Mode by redrunner87, on Flickr

 

[RedRunner87]

Front Tow Hooks and Patton Fab light mount has been installed. When we first got the truck my wife spun the truck out and hit a mountain. She ended up bending part of the front bumper in. So I will have to tweak it to get the last bolt in. I also used Rustoleum Self-Etching primer and bedliner on light mount.

The finished product.

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Primer
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Bedliner
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I had to trim the plastic filler piece

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There is always ONE BOLT!!!
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[RedRunner87]

Pointless mod but makes the fob look way better.

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[RedRunner87]

In preparation for the Extreme LED Light Bar, I got the AUX Fuse Book and the Relays wired up. All I need to do now is wire the switches and light bar when I get them.

Circuit Breaker, AUX Fuse Book and the Negatives hooked up
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Positives Hooked up
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Everything hooked up
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We have POWER!!!
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Circuit Breaker tripped=no power=good for if you aren't going to drive it for awhile
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