1996/99 dodge cummins swaps

[KerDog77]

I have got kinda a weird scenario. A guy I know told me of a 1999 cummins truck that has been stuck in the mud for several years now. Apparently the guy who stuck it claimed it on insurance. I do not know for sure, but because it was totalled out getting a title for it is most likely out of the question. So now the land owner is wanting to get rid of it for fairly cheap. It is a 1999 cummins super cab with 6 spd and 4.11 gears(whatever dodge calls em). My dad and I are thinking of taking the front and rear complete axle/diferential and put them under his 1996 dually that is in great shape. We never liked pulling anything in this truck compaired to one other 1996 that has 4:11. I am not sure how spindles and drive shaft differ along with any abs braking or overall width for that matter might changeover.

Second question
How involving would it be to swap out the 1999 24valve motor with 6 spd into a 1996 that has an automatic? We have a cummins with auto(gutless) that can barely pull it's own A$$ mush less a trailer and thinking about giving this truck an overall if it can be done on a budget.

I have mostly driven Ford Diesel so I am unfamiliar with any of these swaps. I will have to do alot of inspecting of the truck after digging it out but before I even bother, I want to know how involving these changes might be.  I was on here reading and though I'd post. Thanks

[hogdog05]

The swaps are really that hard.  Going with the 99 motor you need wording harness and computers.  If this truck has been stuck in the mud once its out you will have to pull everything apart, axles, tranny, transfer case, I would even pull the motor apart. me personally if I was going to go through all that I would just rebuild the one truck.  Get a lost title, totaled from insurance gotta be somethin.  Anyway lots of work depending on your fab skills.  Probably a lot of stuff I left out, got to think about this plate of food my wife set down in my lap.

[SCHitemHard]

sounds like a hopless cause to me, the mud ruined prolly everything in it so a complete rebuild would be needed

[charles]

u need to caontact a dodge mech and see is there were any major changes between the yrs with the eng, wiring harness make up, motor mnts, and mating the drivetrain together. if there were no changes to the bell housings for a manual on a 96-99, the putn the trannyxtransfer in the tck wont be hard, just gotta make sure ur cross member mount brackets will line up or u will hav to fab new brackets. the hardest part will be covertin an auto into a stick, with the colum shifter n all having to come out and mounting the clutch pedal and master cylinder. on a budget, good luck, unless its a 5,000+ budget. if the axels were sealed n not leaking a drop of oil, u may be good to just drain the axels and reservice them, along with the tranny x transfer, but u gotta just open the diff up n c if any water comes out with the oil in all the drive train. the eng will b the most expensive tp rebuild unless u do it your self and then the parts will b high, but no labor charges. its not impossible, but aint gonna b cheap either. them ecus' aint cheap either, but dependin how deep the tck was in wet mud will determine if new ecus' will b needed. u may get lucky and be able to drain ALL oils, fill eng with marvel mystry oil n turn it ovr by hand for a few days and then drain it and put all new oils in all components.

[treeingratterrier]

ECM different for manual and auto trucks, driveshaft lengths different, brake system will be different due to the 99 will have rear discs, why dont you get the mudd truck out and clean it up and get it running and part it out for money enuff to have the gear ratios put in by  4x4 shop you want, that 6 speed will bring more than enuff money to pay for that, all depends if it has had water damage inside everything for years, bearing rusts, rats eat up wireing, if you have to ask how hard it is its not for you I figure unless you have a 2 car shop and can put both of them side by side and transplant back and forth and have $2000 cash for misc parts, you could get lucky or wrecked, all depends on condition of the truck, are you sure they did not blow it up and leave it there on purpose, usually nobody leaves a cummins 4x4 anywhere even if a insurance claiim and written off, pull it out, get it running, part it out and buy what you want new with the cash, 6 speed 1500$k $1500 motor, diffs$500 each transfercase$500 $3500 cash would get all new lower gears in the dually and discbrake conversion and maybe new injectors and a smarty controller or edge and a 5 inch exhaust and you still have a stock truck dually basically without all of the ecm and wiring changining out etc etc, i would not fool with a transmision been sitting in mud for anything especially if you convert from auto and find out its worn out in the first place, how many miles on the mudd truck??

[KerDog77]

Thanks for the advice guys.