Brent's 2017 Limited 2500 Build Thread

**BrentM** · 07-02-2017

Got my Cummins a few months back after special ordering the truck. I have been steadily modifying small items and figured it was time for a build thread. I will bring this up to current over the next few days since I am a few months behind.

I have always wanted a heavy duty truck and a diesel. This being my 3rd ram truck I figured the time was right. I am planing the following:

Engine:
- Tuner, full delete
- Straight exhaust no muffler
- Head Studs

Suspension:
- 6" or 8" BDS lift with Fox Shocks
- BDS Dual steering stabilizer

Appearance:
- De-chrome
- De badge
- Bushwacker fender flares (color matched with black oxide finish stainless allen head screws)

Wheels / Tires
- Black 20 x 10 or 22 x 10 wheels
- 38 x 13.5 tires

Started researching about a year ago and after seeing the great info on this and a couple other forums, I decided it was time to get serious. I contacted a couple of local dealer about placing an order, told them want I wanted and one couldn't be bothered and the other came back and said that they rally couldn't quote me until I placed the order but they could probably do MSRP. The truck I was looking at was about $73,000, I said no thanks and I would go somewhere else. Guess they figured that since I was on an island (Honolulu, Hawaii) where was I going to go. After reading about a couple dealers in Indiana and Idaho I got a quote from Dennis Dillon in Caldwell Idaho of $59,000. I said Sold, this was November 1st 2016. I sent them my deposit and waited. Truck was built 11/26/16 and went out to get the bedliner which took about a week, then took the long trip to Idaho. Because of the winter weather it took 2 months to get to Idaho. I picked it up Jan 15, 2017.

It was 8? out and there was a storm coming Monday night, we picked the truck up Sunday, so we booked it across the mountains

Drove 600 miles to Seattle and put her on the Matson ship to Honolulu, Spent a few days there since I have work in Seattle anyway it was great to Drive the truck around the City, saw a few sights...

Got her home about a week later

Started removing the junk... First off the mud flaps

More to come...

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**BrentM** · 07-05-2017

My plan was to de-chrome the truck....

first was to take off the side steps and replace with Amp steps.

much cleaner....

Spent some time on the wheels next. Pulled the wheels off and the chrome trim pieces all come off from behind the wheel. three screws and the trim pops off. I coated these with Rustoleum Peel Coat in their graphite color which is an amazingly close match to the crystal granite metallic.

Before:

In process:

After:

Next was to debadge the truck. I removed all the limited trim, Ram and 2500 badges. all pealed off without to much trouble. I thought about painting them but decided against it, going for the subtle look.. yea right.

More to come....

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**BrentM** · 07-05-2017

Next was to tackle the chrome on the back. The chrome RAM letters did not fit with my plan so I ordered some OEM letters from the Rebel model I think, they were black....

Before:

After:

The limited trim on the bottom of the tailgate has locator holes so I had to do something with that. Some sandpaper, rattle can paint and 3M double stick tape and the limited trim was black.

I am not usually a fan of these moldings but in this case I like it.

Continuing on the rear end, the tail lights with the chrome trim had to go.... Some hunting on ebay found a pair of sport tails for $350 so I figured I could sell mine for the same price so I pulled the trigger...

Before:

After:

more to come....

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**BrentM** · 07-05-2017

Next was to get rid of the exhaust pipe sticking out behind the rear tire... I ordered a 4" - 6" exhaust tip. I have cut all my trucks exhaust pipes to hide them up above bottom edge of the sheet metal and bumper.

Went from this:

Knowing I would be replacing the exhaust system anyway, the band saw, and grinder with cut off wheel made pretty quick work of chopping off the visible parts. Slipped on the tip and now it is subtle and black

Clean and subtle

More to come....

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**Yamaha242LS** · 07-05-2017

Looking good man!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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**HKBIGDADDYDIESELDAN** · 07-05-2017

I see your making progress step by step day by day and hour by hour looks good bud great jobs

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**Power247** · 07-05-2017

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**Peter Champion** · 07-07-2017

Looking good

2017 2500 Black Larime CCSB | AFE CAI |
4" Straight pipes |MM3 tuned by Anarchy

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**BrentM** · 07-07-2017

Thanks everyone the great comments.

Next was to remove the vinyl between the front and rear windows, small thing but I never liked the look of the flat black strip, so off it came...

Moving to the front the chrome grille could not stay. Just did not fit with the black and grey theme...

Stripped the grille apart and found that all the chrome parts separate from the black parts which made my task much easier.

Sanded all the chrome with 80 grit, then shot it with epoxy primer after cleaning really well. Sanded with 400 grit then shot another coat of epoxy primer, 2 coats of base and 4 coats of clear in my garage

And after some sanding with 2000 grit and polishing compound the end result...

Now we are current, oh except after not wining the giveaway I placed my order for a MM3 tuner, EGR delete, 4" flo-pro no muffler system from @Double R Diesel

More to come...

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