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Dan's 2023 2500 Tradesman UNLimited

Continuation post from https://hdrams.com/forum/index.php?threads/dans-2023-2500-tradesman-unlimited.14060/post-264276
Thanks to @AH64ID for the inspiration. Led me to explore further and dig into available pass-throughs.


From the thread linked above, I left off with this:
Under dash: From the light gray connector (D2621A) included in the upfitter kit Yellow/Violet(G425 pass through) tied in with Red/White at rear of truck on Aux 6 and a handy battery power Red/White in cab for later use with (dash cam, radar, whatever)
Under hood: the lower, light gray connector, ports 2 (Aux6) and 4 (G425 pass through) jumped.

Which left me with in-cab on the light gray connector (D2621A) Orange/Pink still looped providing ignition-on power to the rear of truck. And an unused Beige/Gray W550 Pass Through

As seen below:
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Time to bring this connector into play. Also included in the upfitter kit. Black connector that goes under dash mating up with a white connector called D2433A
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And time to break into this 4 wire bundle under the hood, commonly has a piece of yellow tape on it.
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Untape this and you will see that 3 of the wires (W547 Beige/Dark Blue, W548 Beige/Brown, W549 Beige/Dark Green match the colors on the black connector for D2433A and the fourth wire W550 Beige/Gray matches the Gray under dash connector we used earlier on connector D2621A
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The black connector that goes to D2433A under dash also includes a black ground wire which most people find insufficient (or can't verify continuity) so they look for some metal framework under dash to make a good ground.
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So while I'm making use of the yellow-taped pass through bundle I'm going to also bring in a hardy or more robust ground using the available port 3 on the under hood light gray connector.
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I have chosen W548 Beige/Brown simply because its the hardest wire color to make out of the 4 available pass thru wires which I imagine will be even harder as time goes by and dirt and age do their thing so it will become my in-cab common ground point.
W548 beige/Brown to port 3
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And while I'm here lets connect Aux Switch 5 to the remaining port 1 on the light gray connector under hood.
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Jumping back into the cab now. Time to clip the Orange/Pink that feeds the rear ignition power.
The now dead side of the clipped Orange/Pink gets connected to the Beige/Grey W550 (that was left unused before on connector D2621A) that we connected to port 1 on the light gray connector under hood. Now Aux switch 5 controls that ignition power source out back.
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And just a reminder Aux switch 6 controlled Red/White to Yellow/Violet G425 to battery power source out back.
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Which leaves me with
in-cab free to use battery power source
in-cab free to use ignition power source
in cab free to use common ground
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Final look before it all gets tucked away.
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And the reason for the tape on the small pink wire, Ignition-on lower volt power.
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These were the hardest part, sounds and feels like you are going to break them and as another member posted, best not attempted in frigid weather. And yep, that's a little smear of blood on them :D Caught a sharp edge of plastic, all is well, no hospital visit required.
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It's called chinking if you are working on a log cabin, I'm not so I'll call it something else when I'm done today. ;)
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But I'm still just closing a gap so maybe I am still chinking?
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Might want to rethink that.

That small opening provides air flow to the power steering cooler. That's the only place it get's airflow from.

I doubt the RAM engineers designed a opening for no reason.
 
Crusty old shellback said:
Might want to rethink that.

That small opening provides air flow to the power steering cooler. That's the only place it get's airflow from.

I doubt the RAM engineers designed a opening for no reason.
Click to expand...
Also brought to you by Ram engineers.... 3 horn honk/key fob, auto park, MDS. :D
Among the bajillions of light bars installed in grilles, I'm confident in throwing caution to the wind.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: CFE
But light bars do not totally block off the opening. ;)
3 honk key fob and auto park is probably a legal thing due to some Darwin award recipient. :rolleyes:
MDS is from the nature Nazi/CARB/EPA etc. :mad:

You say chinking so I am ASSuming you are blocking off the complete opening. :oops:
 
44Dan44 said:
Among the bajillions of light bars installed in grilles, I'm confident in throwing caution to the wind.
Click to expand...

And yet I won’t run a light bar in there for that specific reason. Light bars in front of it, on top of the bumper, don’t block flow the same.

Unlike some of the dumb thing engineers give us, cooling flow is designed out of function.
 
Minor fitment notes on MandR light bar, truck issue not a light bar issue.

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Levels out ok. As long as it doesn't interfere with the re-mounting of the grille.
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Been seeing this thread for a while but finally took the time to go through it. Thanks to whomever worked on the site speed issue and made this possible.

Cool thread and cool build. Not my thing as I recall doing this shti for my boss years ago and I hated it. Always worried about screwing something up on a new truck, felt like that proverbial long tailed cat. But kudos to those who undertake these projects. You're definitely making this truck your own. Are you keeping a time card? LOL

I won't comment on the light bar/PS cooling issue. If that's what you want, go for it. Maybe we'll learn something. History favors the bold!

Let us know what you think of the tail end toolbox. My experience with anything aft axle is that everything in there gets the pudding shook out of it but my experience is mostly with duallys so YMMV. I've actually had tools taken apart into a pile of parts, pieces and fasteners!

I want those mirrors! You sure they won't fit a '22?

Keep up the good work!
 
Blythkd1 said:
Been seeing this thread for a while but finally took the time to go through it. Thanks to whomever worked on the site speed issue and made this possible.

Cool thread and cool build. Not my thing as I recall doing this shti for my boss years ago and I hated it. Always worried about screwing something up on a new truck, felt like that proverbial long tailed cat. But kudos to those who undertake these projects. You're definitely making this truck your own. Are you keeping a time card? LOL

I won't comment on the light bar/PS cooling issue. If that's what you want, go for it. Maybe we'll learn something. History favors the bold!

Let us know what you think of the tail end toolbox. My experience with anything aft axle is that everything in there gets the pudding shook out of it but my experience is mostly with duallys so YMMV. I've actually had tools taken apart into a pile of parts, pieces and fasteners!

I want those mirrors! You sure they won't fit a '22?

Keep up the good work!
Click to expand...
Thanks for taking the time, I know its rough on the slow days.

Lol, no time card, I'd just owe myself a bunch of money. Best to not know ;)

I do appreciate all feedback and comments, reference the light bar. It's like anything else one does on/with trucks from pushing towing limits, lift kits, deletes, intakes, etc. Each does what they are comfortable with. I'm happy to risk (which I consider nil) it for the way I want the truck to look in conjunction with light output provided.

Will do on the tool box. "Pudding shook out of it" never heard that one before, apt since I'll use it to keep the groceries away from the dogs in the back seat without spilling all the rollables. :D

I think it's a shame they made the mirrors incompatible. At least you could do the hood if you wanted, I'm not going to but I appreciate the opportunity.
 
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44Dan44 said:
Minor fitment notes on MandR light bar, truck issue not a light bar issue.

View attachment 57949
View attachment 57950

View attachment 57951
View attachment 57952

Levels out ok. As long as it doesn't interfere with the re-mounting of the grille.
View attachment 57953
Click to expand...

More detail on the fitment.
Here are the backside pics of the M&R brackets where they attach to the truck. I'm okay with it(for now) since approximately 70% of that bolt is in contact with the surface of the M&R bracket, but I would like the additional ⅛" down adjustment some grinding would provide. It's a tight spot so I'll save that task for when I take the grille off again later and I have some smaller burr bits. Bookmarking to hold myself accountable for following up. On the bright side, after you've experienced removing the grille its an easier task than some people encounter getting the factory tight oil filter off lol.
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