Here is part 2:
-----------------------
And here are some test fit shots for the new crossmember showing the grade 8 bolts I used to affix each end bracket to the frame rails (which I had to drill & tap the frame rail sides for):
Here is a shot of the rear passenger side fuel tank stanchion bolt-up using factory metric body bolts (which only needed to be pre-drilled, as the body bolts are self-tapping):
Here are three pics showing the final installation of the crossmember, fuel tank skid, and skid rails:
One of the other challenges with this install was the 6.7L CTD exhaust and after-treatment system. There is a much larger diameter catalytic converter and an even more huge diesel particulate filter (DPF) unit ... both of which partially hang down below the frame rails. If you have a Dodge 2500/3500 gasser or a 5.9L CTD, you won't have to deal with this lovely "stuff". Beyond their size, there is also a different mid-crossmember which has a big dip in it to clear the bottom of the cat converter (instead of the totally straight and level mid-crossmember used in a Power Wagon). Based on this, when I went to install the Power Wagon skid rails, I discovered that I needed to stand-off the rear half of the two outboard (passenger side) rails so I would have adequate clearance with the bottom radius of the cat converter (and you can see the 1/2" and 1" steel spacers I ended up using for this purpose in the last shot above). I didn't really like how this made the "look" of the installation appear somewhat staggered, but that's what I had to do. At least the skid rails are in, and they do afford protection for the cat converter.
I also ran into some issues with the front steering damper skid plate from a Power Wagon. Here is a shot of that from the front end of a Power Wagon:
I inadvertently got a bad part number for this skid plate (P/N 82210014) and instead ended up with this really long and rectangular skid (that could not be mounted):
Another person helped out and provided the correct part number of P/N 52121419AC, so I ordered that from MoparPartz.com (which I have since received). As it turns out, a U-bolt will need to be used for the inboard mounting point (to go around the front axle shaft housing on the passenger side), but this approach will work based on what another person did for a Dodge 2500 with a CTD. Once I get this final skid on, I will have all of the Power Wagon skid plates on my Dodge 3500 (which includes a transfer case skid plate, which did come stock with my 3500).
Needless to say, this project took a lot more time and effort than I originally figured on, but it can be done.
Don
---------------------
Edit: Sorry folks ... if I had connected the dots, I would have added the second part of this write-up as a second post to the first thread instead of starting a separate thread (due to the 10 images per post limitation). If I have any posts in the future that exceed the limit, I will definitely do it that way.
Linear Mode
