Solga

Thank you guys. I will try this when I get home tonight, and even have my son try to help me. I can't remember if he works tonight or not. Anyway, I do remember seeing a pin about the size of my thumb under the corner...

For the life of me, I can not figure out how to remove this seat. I have done searches, and read everyone's replies, on how to do it, but for some reason, this thing does not want to move. I can pull up the front corner on the driver's side just enough to see under it, but can't get the back or bottom seat out. Anyone happen to know of a video that I can watch, because words just do not seem to be doing it for me... Thanks, Adam

I am in the same boat as you ... Unfortunately, I haven't found any kind of a bolt in kit for our trucks. It seems to be that the only options for us Dodge guys is a cut /weld in IFS, a sub frame swap, or a complete frame swap. If anyone comes up with something that I haven't found, I'll be all ears too. Adam

My apologies. When Jerry's reply was marked as a solution, I took that as the job was completed, and my pictures were no longer needed. Had I known you were still waiting, I would have provided them.

I know that I am late to the party on this one, but this weekend I will get pictures of how I installed mine. I bought the same clips from DCM.

Oh how I know that feeling ! I had all the materials to replace a small section of our roof, and it took me way longer to get started on it, than it should have. Ended up placing a tarp over it, until the wife got on me enough to fix it. ?

My daughter had a photo session for her senior (highschool) pictures today, and she asked if she could use the '46 WC for some of her pictures. I was actually surprised she asked, but it sure did make me happpy ! ?Anyway, while she was taking some other pictures, I took the opportunity to snap a couple pics of the truck with my cell phone.

My mistake, thank you for the correction. When I originally read your post, for some reason, I was picturing the centerline only as if looking at the drivetrain from the side view horizontally, and had not considered the looking from above vertically. This definitely makes sense ! Adam

Lostviking, thank you for this. Although, I am pretty sure that the 440 will be saved for another project. Although I really like the idea of it, I have a feeling that it would require more modifying and chopping of the truck than I am willing to do to it. I still have to open it up and check how bad the damage is, but I do have a complete 218 & transmission that was given to me a while back. I was told that the 218 dropped a piston, but I don't know at this point. Once opened, I'll be able to see what is salvageable. Depending on the carnage, and what all parts can be saved, I will more than likely just keep the 218 in the truck, unless I can somehow magically find a 230 somewhere. I may go after the 5 speed swap later on down the road, but as far as the drivetrain goes, I think that will be the extent of it.

You all are amazing ! I can't thank you enough for the information provided ! I do have a quick question tho. Do these angles matter if the driveshaft mounting flange, on the 8.8 rear end, is offset from center ? I didn't measure it but it appeared that it was closer to the passenger side. I could be wrong about this though, I did not measure it yet. I'll go out and double check, what I thought I saw, after my neck heals up some. Pretty sure I seriously pulled something while trying to wrestle that thing around in my shed. I'm slowly learning that I'm not as young as my mind thinks I am... Adam

A couple more quick pics

Also, here are a few of the more recent pics of my truck. Not much has changed though, except new wiring, the exterior door handle has been installed, the cab lights have been switched to parking/turn signals, a new turn signal switch, and all of the lights work now.

For anyone wanting to know, at even maybe a later reference point, I figured out the part I was missing. I will attach a couple pictures to show what I figured out. Adam

Young Ed, I completely agree with you about the 440 being way overkill. I just may try the brake modification you are talking about, until I can get the new rear end in anyway. I think my biggest issue, so far, is that there just simply isn't any bolt on or aftermarket modifications available for these Dodge vehicles, like there is for the others. If there was, I wouldn't be so gun shy about changing anything, because if I didn't like it, I could simply unbolt it and change it back. For example, I could get the power and drivability that I am looking for out of a more modern V6. But if I am going to have to permanently change a bunch of things, just to get a V6 in my truck, I might as well go with a V8 and get the sound I want as well. Which is what brought on the idea for the 440. Lol. Same with the ride, suspension and stance I am looking to accomplish... and another reason I went ahead and got an 8.8 instead of a cheaper/weaker Jeep rear end. If there was an easy(ish) bolt in way of accomplishing what I wanted to do, I would be doing it, instead of just daydreaming. ? Too bad the people that make the front dropped cross members don't make them any more... Los, I will have to look at the tag again, but I am almost positive that the 8.8 I got is the 3.73 ratio. I know it came out of a V8, AWD, 2001 Eddie Bauer, Explorer. I was actually looking for the 3.55 rear end, but I found a real good deal on this one, so I grabbed it up. I have some drag racing buddies who have put the 8.8 through some serious abuse, so I know it will take whatever I want to throw at it in this little truck. Also, because of the popularity and availability, the gear swaps are fairly inexpensive and straight forward, should I want to swap them out later. Stock ratio in our trucks (WC) are the 4.10 / 4.11, right ? Adam

Los, That's just the thing ... I don't know exactly what I want at this point. I live in a very small town (population around 1,200 people) and my truck is 90% driveable right now, and I do make very short trips in it to the ice cream shop, gas station, or local dollar general (all within a few blocks) from time to time. The only thing stopping me from driving it to work (20 miles away), or more often is the rear brakes are out. As long as I only drive in town, at about 10-15 mph the emergency brake does a good job of stopping the truck. I had some fluid leaks on the backing plate of my rear drums, so I did buy a set of wheel cylinders for the rear. But that was before I realized that I would need a $100 hub puller, and a $450 shoe alignment tool, to do the job correctly. So I figured why spend over $500 in tools just to do the brakes, when I can spend $200 for a complete rear end, with better gearing, and modern brakes ? That's not to mention, I already have all the tools to work on the 8.8 ? I do know that I won't be drag racing this truck, and I do not want it to be a trailer queen either. My ultimate goal, is to have something that looks nice, sounds great, and I can drive (somewhat comfortably) anywhere I want, including car shows. I don't have an issue spending a little money, I just don't like having to spend it on something, just to turn around and spend money all over again to to the same thing, differently.