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my 06 mega rehab/build

18K views 80 replies 33 participants last post by  ramthis06 
#1 ·
Hello everyone. Not new to the site, but new to the 3rd gen crowd. I dumped 3 of my previous trucks in favor of the only truck i could think of that would take place of my 85 w350 crew cab.... The coveted mega cab!

My Budget put me in the 06-07 range, of coarse I wanted the lowest mileage possible.

After a few local deals falling through, I found an 06 3 hrs away. I talked with the owner and we agreed he would bring me the truck. Our agreement was that the truck was everything he said it would be or I would send him back home with his truck.

The PO only had the truck only a few months, 5k mi. He wanted to sell it pay off business equipment. In the few months that he owned it the following was added to a basically stock unmolested truck:

window tint
5in turbo back
wheels/tires
bully gt tuner

I run an automotive repair shop for a guy. As soon as the truck arrived i checked it over top to bottom and found the following problems not mentioned and or incorrect information to a question that was asked over the phone:

ball joint play
rust in dr rocker/cab corner
rust in pass side cab corner
had been on gravel
front pinion leak

Other than the list mentioned, she is a very nice 06 Laramie with 106k mi

We cut a deal for a few thousand less than the already decent asking price. I am the new owner of a new Cumminsforum project!!!



 
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#2 · (Edited)
First thing on the list of upgrades was air intakes to complement the exhaust and programmer. All of the mods the PO installed were for fuel mileage. I wanted the package complete to see what my new rig was capable of. Other odds and ends installed that night but no pics
was a new AFE stage 2 w/ dry filter, pyro probe for gt tuner, and power cable for tuner that didn't come with the truck

 
#3 ·
Soon after i purchased the truck I noticed when the truck was at idle, it would start an extra vibration. Not quite a full miss but more of a soft rocking. After a quick search through this forum I tried the free fix first. I grabbed the Chrysler star scanner and ran all of the available updates. Luckily that fixed it.

I plan on removing all the chrome in favor of simi gloss black.
A quick prep of the tip w/ a fresh coat of paint was the first change. The cell phone pic makes the bottom of the truck look worse than it is. Refinishing the frame/underside is on the list to do. However it comes sooner than expected.
 
#4 ·
Being new to this body style and seeing the difference in the headlights was kind of a shock. Being a truck guy in all I guess i never looked that close. I knew the big headlights came in 06 and i liked them. The 07 headlights however are way better looking IMO.

I called a vender we deal with regularly here at work that also deals in new aftermarket lighting. I picked up new headlight assembles for 82ea and started my own transformation.






 
#5 · (Edited)
Now comes that fun part. Gravel roads suck on trucks. A good friend of mine is a painter at a local body shop. I'm Mr Mechanical, not a body man. I do enjoy doing body work but i know my limits. The thin sheet metal on these trucks is not for the beginner. Could i replace the sheet metal myself? Yes. Would it be time efficient for the price that im going to pay to have it done? NO. Also, my idea of how the rust repair on the cab should go didn't coincide with the opinion of said professional. NO BRAINER.
I did however save myself a ton by removing rear interior and bed before dropping the truck off. Well, that was until i found a little surprise hiding under the plastic bed liner.










Did I mention that this truck has a B&W ball? Did mention this truck had been on gravel?

Yep..... The dust packed itself between the plate and bed and apparently had a good time turning the bed floor into Swiss cheese... Oh well I thought to myself, I can fix that. (luckily my painter friend scored me a free floor section out of another dodge that was getting the bed replaced)

So next was removing the running boards and rear interior (including my new nemesis, the back seat)

So here's some thoughts about my nemesis. You're heavy, you wont sit still when folded, you're heavy, you should be moved with more than one person, did i mention you're heavy?

After spending all afternoon into the night stripping all the crap off and out of the truck, I was down to removing my nemesis. My plan was to stand in front of it and stand the whole assembly on end and slide it out the back door...... by myself...... ya...ok
Reaching under the bottom cushion to lift from the seat bracket put enough pressure from my forearms onto the cushion to turn my nemesis into a catapult. it's target you may be asking? my center back window via center headrest. Ya, that just happened. Fuuuuuu**..... Lesson learned. Using dumb monkey strength didn't pan out well. I really can't complain. I have had crazy crazy good luck in so many other projects, I was just due for an oops.



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#8 ·
This just about brings me up to date. The truck is still at the body shop, I hope to have some progress pictures soon. Come to find out the parts needed to repair the affected areas on the cab only come as a uniside. Buy a large piece to cut out smaller piece needed for the repair.

In the mean time I got busy on the bed











 
#9 ·
Looking good. Plastic bed liners will do that every time. Our 09 came with one. Took out as soon as we got it home. That dealer put them in every single truck on the lot. Must have gotten them in bulk.
 
#12 · (Edited)
little update: Still waiting on a uniside from the dealer. I decided to pick the truck up to do some other work I had planned to do after the body shop was done.

First on the list was removing the B&W hitch for a little rehab. I can't tell you guys how disappointing it is to see such a great product with such a huge flaw. Simply make a great product into a perfect product easily. The rust I've seen on just about every B&W hitch is crazy. Why wouldn't they just find a different paint/coating that would last? Even prep the metal better. While scraping off flaking powder coating, i managed to find an area with no rust. I was able to scrape off the coating with a simple putty knife!!

Next, as part of the fresh frame phase, I wanted to remove the rear shackles to get them cleaned up. The cell phone pics make the frame look way worse that it is. However, I'm not kidding myself, its rusty back there. I was surprised how easy they came out.
More frame cleaning, grinding, scraping, sanding. Repeat ect...


These next pics don't look much better but they are a huge improvement. The first coat is Permatex rust treatment (converter). Yet the remaining rust acts as a mirror in the photos.




Hindsight I'm glad i picked the truck up. I brought my pressure washer along with a change of cloths to the shop and spent a good 2+ hrs under the truck washing out the frame, rockers, cab supports, and everywhere underneath i could reach. I honestly couldn't believe how much "material" came out of the frame and cab supports.
More converter and paint in my near future!!
 
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#13 ·
yesterday around 5pm I pulled her back in for some front end work. I have rebuilt plenty of front ends but never the way I wanted. Most of the time doing ball joints suck, they take forever to do, and you want to get it done as fast as possible. This time around I wanted to do things a little different. The truck is getting rehab, not just repaired. I burned a huge favor with a guy that i work with. We tackled the front end with a quickness but i wanted to clean and paint all things involved along the way. 4 moog ball joints, 2 axle joints, and 3 cans of paint later I was more than proud to share these pics! I also over cleaned/anti-seized the hub bearing areas, Im sure this wont be the last time the front end comes apart

With two experienced guys behind the wrench we destroyed the shop with a quickness

Housing ends preped and painted

Knuckles were attacked with 36 grit roll-locks and a quick session of wire brush


The truck thankfully had newer pads and rotors. I recognized the pad brand and ditched them for a set of Wagner Thermoquiet, painted the rotors, then machined them. To me its the little stuff that makes the difference.



so 8hrs later It's back on the ground awaiting the next step.

This sure is a ton of prep for a lift and wheels/tires...
 
#18 ·
Imperial. hands down the best stuff I have ever used. sticks to anything, cures harder than most, just about bullet proof. After i coat what ever part, I will stand back and dust it like they do on bed liners for the textured look.
 
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#20 ·
any time you do a brake job it is best to machine the rotors. this puts a flat clean surface for the new brake pad to seat into. This will also minimize brake noise, dust, and premature wear. these rotors took .007 material ea side of rotor
 
#21 ·
Oh alright that makes sense, I actually have never heard of that. I love the idea of machining parts myself though. Im actually in a vocational school for machine trades and love it.
 
#24 ·
I looked around for info on replacing this piece of glass. 3 out of 4 places I called said they replaced the entire assm. I was able to source the glass locally for $177. Ebay has them cheaper. My part did not have the lower channel, this made it easier come to find out.

Prep: remove rear seat, mega cabs: unbolt seat, fold, and slide forward, in order to remove c pillars to remove rear rear cab panel. This is needed to get enough room to unbolt lower seat belt bolt in C pillar.



1. Slide the upper run channel (1) out of the window frame (2).
2. Slide the vent glass (3) upward to remove from the lower window frame (2).
3. Lower the glass (3) out of the upper window frame (2) and remove.
 
#25 · (Edited)
north, I just deleted the muffler. 5in turbo back, 6in tip

put bed back on while waiting for body shop parts. I was hoping this would happen, received a phone call telling my parts would be in this week.. hopeful..


 
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