by MrQ » Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:36 pm
Believe me it has crossed my mind. However, unlike the Explorer frames where Ford made it fairly easy for one to change between a 2wd and a 4wd suspension setup, Dodge is nowhere near as enlightened. It would take me days to just remove the 2wd part as it it welded to the frame even with a plasma cutter; it is not the fairly simple bolt on affair found on the Explorers. Besides I don't see a great need to throw money into what will become a giant nightmare when there are 4x4 frames out there aplenty that I can just do a body swap on.
I would prefer a short bed for off road use as well Kris, but then it would do me no good as a USEFUL truck to me necessitates the 8 foot bed. I know that you will have to have bigger tires and lift to clear a break over point than you would have to with an Explorer, but the trade off is a stronger frame, engine, and suspension which for use as a recovery vehicle it would be spot on.
-Dan
1998 Ford Explorer 4WD "Red Flyer II"
1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4WD "Tanner"