The Project Pad

I recently acquired a 2002 24v Cummins auto 4x4 for the farm and going to work out of town.

Truck is mostly solid for it's age and mileage (308k km) and mostly stock. I've christened the truck as 'BertanCummins. Only mods are an MBRP dual exhaust and an AFE cone-style intake box and filter which I'm replacing with a stock airbox (got a great deal from a local wrecker yard for $100).

I've recently run into a few issues with the truck, some affect driveability and others not so much. Spent quite a bit of time browsing various forums online, but there is a lot of info to cover -- or, more accurately, a lot of wheat to separate from the chaff. If anyone here is able/willing to offer advice/experience and point me in the right direction I'd love to discuss and maybe even do a build thread.

I’m looking to buy the same thing. I don’t have much info yet but interested in learning and sharing here with people I trust. Some wild hillbillies with these rigs and I have a different approach to their mods and life in general, lol.

Totally understand your POV, hence the impetus behind me making a thread.

I can look around and find some info that I think will provide a solid starting point as a buyers guide, if you like. The main things seem to be the auto transmission and the steering/front suspension. And that the non-sport headlights are unrefuted hot burning garbage. The rest are just old truck things. To summarize, the Cummins engine and Holset turbo are mostly bulletproof, the problem seems to be the Dodge that surrounds them haha

That would be great. I’ve watched videos and read, seems to be as you said. I’m looking forward to some mileage better than my 08 Sequoia. I’d swap a diesel in but I can hardly keep up with the lawn these days. Just decided to homeschool my kids so I’m out of free time indefinitely! Fortunately they love the garage and we will have shop lessons for sure.

This is a decent buyers guide:

https://www.dieselarmy.com/buyer-guides ... 1998-5-02/


The thing I hate the most is the slop off-centre while driving. I swear I'm sawing logs just to keep the thing straight, easily going between 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock or more sometimes just to keep it straight. Hit a pothole when there's a semi coming up and she gets a bit too sketchy for my liking. From what I've read, the later gen2 ('98.5-'02) can use a 2009-10 tie rod set up (Mopar Part No.: 52122362AF) as a bolt on upgrade (and not bad price wise, under $400) in addition to an aftermarket steering bracket (about $150). That's supposed to tighten up the slop quite a bit.

The fuelling is the other big thing with these trucks. The VP44 needs a constant supply of fuel (5psi minimum, 15-20 psi is ideal), so people are upgrading the lift pumps. FASS gets good grades, among others.

Only have experience on a 1st gen mostly as plow truck but usually the linkage to the steering box is the culprit. Borgeson makes some nice replacement shafts with ujoints. Other than that watch out for frame cracks and you'll probably end up in the auto tranny if you're hauling or rough with it. I had a bunch of tranny issues, planetary, cracked clutch band, torque, broken shaft(2nd gen has a better one). Always gotta baby it a little.

Not sure how much rust you guys get in AB but if crusty i'd change the brake lines to cunifer or pre-bent stainless and fuel lines while it's summer.

Interesting.

I know that rust can be an issue on these trucks but I've mainly attributed that to washing/maintenance moreso than salt as we don't use much here. Thinking more like Montana than Maine.

As far as the linkage to the steering box, (I believe) that would be the early inverted-Y set up versus the inverted-T in later models. That's what the Mopar kit I mentioned fixes. Or did I miss the boat completely (I'm still rather new to the platform)?

And yes, totally agree. Gotta baby the tranny. As such, I drive like there are eggs under the pedals.

I have driven the manual and find it much harder to keep in the boost. At some point a billet trans upgrade is in order but nothing too crazy, just enough to support a decent tune and some angry highway trailer-toting pulls. Maybe an HX40/H1C. And water/meth. Because why not?

I'm in Qc, so lots of salt here in winter.

Sorry for not being clear i meant to say the linkage on the steering column. Usually it's the weird type of "joint" between the steering box and bottom shaft that gets pretty loose.
This guy: https://ramchargercentral.com/images/ho ... Image7.jpg

The rubber rag part at mid can also be an issue but unless it starts to crack it's not so bad.

The upside is there's plenty of parts available for tranny upgrades.

I joined the Cummins club. Got an 11 4x4 crew cab 3500 shortbed. Got a good price from the guy I bought a travel trailer from. 80k miles and seems solid with good maintenance, no rust! So far so good, only done 200 miles as I’m pretty much staying home with the kids these days. Got a 200 mile round trip with the family and trailer coming up in 2 weeks. Looking forward to using it for its intended purpose.

A common rail, nice!

That engine is much closer to my TDI than my Cummins haha.

Can't wait to hear more of your impressions as they trickle in.

I've found Thoroughbred Diesel on YT pretty good, FWIW. Lots of product placement but they do give a few good nuggets every video for n00bs.

I’m impressed so far, pretty quiet and 600tq is nice. No smoke and exhaust is less smelly than my S4, lol. I’ll check out YT, thanks!

Might be a little late on here, but talk to JCarrick. I'm sure a few of you might know who he is. He is on here as well as MG, or used to be. Has a Urs6 Avant, used to have a blacked out UrS4. I'll add his link to here as well.
https://www.motorgeek.com/viewtopic.php ... 274ac2d89e
His Instagram is Carrick Customs and he is also on Facebook. Knows more about Cummins than anyone I have ever met.

Agreed. I've reached out before to great success. Love the projects he puts together.