Ram truck SLT to SRT in 329 easy steps!

[Kern Dog]

One last thing to do for these corner pieces. There are three metal clips that have to go on the sides to hold the panels tight to the body.

I just have to pull the corner cladding pieces and measure down from the tape to the flanged edges.

Here you can see a gap the will be closed up with those tiny brackets in place.

I measured 1 1/8” from the top of the panel to center of the hole for the bracket.

 

[eldubb440]

 

[Kern Dog]

Ha!
No matter what I do, I get cracks on my hands. If I sit on the couch, my hands would heal and stay soft. They dry out and get cracks when I'm busy doing man things.

 

[Kern Dog]

We all know that automakers will copy a design that others have used. Yesterday I saw this....

That is a Chevy....

Note how the panel extends past the corner and taillight.

Who did it first? The SRT-10 was built 2004-2006.

Not much progress today...

 

[Kern Dog]

Maybe you are like me.
Sometimes when I embark on a new experience, I have it in my head that it will be more difficult than it turns out to be. Often times I get into it and realize that it was easier than I expected. Sometimes it goes the other way but this time it was the former.
The little support clips for the rear cladding had to be in a pretty specific spot to work. The tape line above the cladding did give a reference point.
I measured the 1 1/8” and had it marked as such.

The drill bit often “walks” a bit and gets you away from the target.

I’m at 1 3/16” which will still work. I’d rather be slightly below the target than above it.
I made pilot holes with a 1/8” bit then a 5/16” bit.

Here is a view from underneath. The nuts and bolts are accessible from both sides.

Drilling into metal on a shiny painted surface!

The panel sips into place and fits great. Same with the left side.

Now some body filler to fill a few dings on the right bed side.

 

[multimopes]

Drilling into painted petal always makes me nervous.

Great thread Greg, not that I have done any drilling in painted panels lately, but way back when; a guy I knew that did body work & such said to always put masking tape over the area you are going to drill through to keep the paint from chipping. I'm not sure myself, but I think I used that tip a few times over the years. However I could be suffering from pre-senility!

 

[Kern Dog]

I'm looking to replace the headlight housings since mine look a bit weathered....

I saw these on ebay, they seem unreasonably cheap!

Several other listings had prices about the same so Maybe these are okay?
I might upgrade the bulbs too....

 

[multimopes]

I got a pair for my 2000 Dodge Ram at a similar price from Carparts.com, it's the old J.C.Whitney people. Very happy with them.

 

[ckessel]

See if there are pictures of the backsides of the lights. The Depo units I've been using on my 04 do not have vertical adjusters. Only horizontal. There is another brand, don't remember which, that showed theirs with vertical and horizontal.