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Luxury Laramie Edition

90K views 745 replies 57 participants last post by  Arth 
#1 ·
Hello all! Welcome to my build page (well, building page). LOL

My goal with my new rig is to chrome it out to be the best damn looking Laramie in the Basin (live just south of SLC).

This is her window sticker:
Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4x4
Mineral Gray Metallic
Dark Slate Gray
Leather Trimmed Bucket Seats
Floor-Mounted Shift Lever
Heated Second Row Seats

5.7L V8 HEMI (Love this part!!)
6 Speed Automatic

Standard Equipment
Power Adjustable Pedals w/Memory
Security Alarm
Trailer Tow Wiring w/4 pin Connector
7-Pin Harness
HD Engine Cooling
Advanced Multistage Front Airbags
Supplemental Side-Curtain Front & Rear Airbags
TPMS Display
Remote Entry
Electric Shift on Demand Transfer Case
Parkview Back up Camera

Interior
Second-Row In-Floor Storage
AC w/Dual Zone Control
730N SAT/CD/DVD/MP3/HDD/NAV
Alpine Surround w/9 Speakers & Subwoof
Heated Front Seats
10-way Pwr Driver w/Memory & 6-Way Pwr Pass
Front Center Seat Cushion Storage
Memory for Radio, Driver's Seat, Mirrors & Pedals
Heated Steering Wheel (very nice feature! no more gloves!)
Wood Grain Instrument Panel Accent
Deluxe Door Trim Panel
SiriusXM Travel Link/1Yr Sub
SiriusXM Sat Radio/1Yr Sub
Uconnect Voice Command w/Bluetooth
40GB Hard Drive with 20GB Available
Steering Wheel-Mounted Audio Controls (a must have)
Rear 60/40 Split Folding Seat (This is NOT true.. they only flip up.. they DO NOT fold down! :4-angermax:)
Power Lumbar Adjust
115V Aux Power Outlet
Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel
Sun Visors w/Illuminated Mirrors
Rear Power Sliding Window

Exterior
20inx9in Aluminum Chrome-Clad Wheels
Dual Rear Exhaust
Lower Two Tone Paint
Bright Grille
Body Color/Chrome Door Handles
Accent Fender Flares
Halogen Quad Headlamps
Fog Lamps
Chrome Exterior Mirrors
Power Multi-Function Mirrors w/Manual Fold-Away
Exterior Mirrors w/Heating Element
Auto-Dimming Exterior Mirrors
P275/60R20 BSW All Season Tires

Optional Equipment (the fun starts here!)
Leather-Trimmed Bucket Seats
Floor-Mounted Auto Shift Lever
Heated Second-Row Seats
Ventilated Front Seats (woo baby.. up the neder regions! :SHOCKED:)
Customer Preferred Package 25H
Protection Group
Tow Hooks
Transfer Case Skid Plate Shield
Front Suspension Skid Plate
Monotone Paint (had to have this.. trade in was two tone..not a fan anymore)
Body-Color Fender Flares
Front and Rear Rubber/Slush Floor Mats
3.92 Rear Axle Ratio
Anti-Spin Differential Rear Axle
Power Chrome Trailer Tow Mirrors w/Manual Fold-Away
Power Sunroof
Chrome Tubular Side Steps by Mopar
P275/60R20 OWL All Season Tires
Remote Start System (omg.. the best!)
Class IV Receiver Hitch
Trailer Brake Control

More pictures to come!
 

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#194 ·
Hey everyone.. I finally got around to installing this kit I bought four months ago. There was some discussion that this kit was not correct for our Rams.. I can confirm that it will work with a 2012 Laramie CC 4x4 (not sure if the equipment under the hood and the setup of the front bumper varies between models).

This kit is available on eBay.
Also available direct from the seller's website.

This kit is intended to force the fog lights to come on with the high beams. The factory fog light switch will not override this mod - meaning your fog lights will ALWAYS be on whenever the high beams are on (unless you purchase additional parts for this kit). If you are like me and do not care about this (after all, isn't that the whole point?!) then please read on...
~~~~~~~~~~
A few things to mention about this kit.

On our first test run, the driver side fog light came on with the parking light. I've included notes (Step #3) about this problem below.

On our second test run, only the driver side fog came on with the high beams. The manufacturer assumed that tapping into the driver side fog light only would force both fog lights to come on with the high beams. This is NOT TRUE in my Ram. Our fog lights are fed independently. This kit does not include an additional wire to connect the passenger side fog to the driver side fog. So make note that you will need about 6 feet of #16 automotive stranded single conductor wire.
~~~~~~~~~~
Here are the instructions with my own comments/actions and, of course, some pics. ;)

Step #1
Open hood and remove driver's side head light. 3 bolts hold it in place. Clean the wiring back from the headlight socket to see the wire colors.

-They should recommend removing the front grille as doing so reduces this step by one whole degree of difficulty by getting the grille out of the way. I removed the grille which proved helpful later on...

Step #2
Mount the conversion box to the inner core support towards the top right hand side, where the washer bottle bolt is. Be sure to install the ground wire. This will be the short wire with the ring terminal.

-Due to the length (or severe lack thereof) of the white wire in the harness (mentioned and used in Step #3 below), we mounted the conversion box on the inner edge of the left fender (forward of the distribution box, using an existing ground wire bolt). The conversion box bracket had to be drilled out slightly in order to fit under the bolt.

Step #3
Install a single T-Tap on the white wire with green stripe (or the high beam positive wire) from the head light socket. Plug the white wire from the conversion box into this T-Tap.

-A MAJOR note to mention: If you are able to mount the conversion box to where you can get the short white wire to reach right behind the headlight socket wires, then this won't pose you a problem. However, with where we mounted the conversion box, we tapped into a white wire with green stripe further up the line (instead of right behind the head light socket). We became aware that there are TWO white wires with green stripes where we tapped into the loom - one for the parking light and one for the high beam! Just something to keep in mind if you tap into the loom further up the loom.

Step #4
Unplug the wiring from the fog light inside the bumper on the driver's side. It will be located on the back of the fog light. Clean the wiring back and install the 2nd T-Tap to the blue wire (or the fog light positive wire). Do not connect to the black wire!! Plug the long loomed wire with the blue male connector from the conversion box into this T-Tap.

-My fog light wiring had only one black and one white wire.. no blue! We tapped into the white. Please note!

Step #5
Run the long loomed wire with the ring terminal to the distribution box. Under the lid on the far left side you will find a 12V positive source. Mount the ring terminal to the power source and close the lid. Tuck any loose wiring back with the supplied zip ties. Check you work and you're done!






















:D:D Couldn't be happier with this mod!!!! :D:D
 
#195 ·
I hope to get night pics to show the performance of all six lights on at once tonight. It will all depend on the weather as it is snowing and blowing in Cheyenne today.

I also haven't forgotten my promise of a video of my lightbar in action now that I have completed all the hookups. I will post pics of where I tapped into the reverse lights later today. I did not connect to the driver's side tail light. ;)
 
#197 ·
Yeah, deja-vu lol..
Thanks Fast!

I know most of what I do to my truck doesn't fall into the normal mod category for everyone else on here, but I do try to post everything I do just in case someone gets interested. Now, if ever I decide to install a CAI or change my factory exhaust.. that'll be the day!
 
#198 · (Edited)
I have an update regarding day time running lights... a conversation I have had with numerous members.. I have learned that my truck, had it been shipped and sold in Canada, would have had the DRL option turned on (as it is required by law there). So, reason leaves me to believe that my truck, having been purchased in the USA, should have the ability to have the DRL option turned on somewhere inside the truck's computer.

I have visited my dealer in Utah and they informed me, after connecting their diagnostic machine or something to my truck, that there was no option displayed for the DRL and that they could not turn it on.

I just visited Cowboy Dodge here in Cheyenne (I am visiting family) and posed the same question and request to them. They said they can do it and turn the DRL on but that it would cost me $110 plus taxes. I kept my cool and asked why I would have to pay for a safety feature that is automatically on from the factory when the vehicle is shipped to Canada. Their reply was that this is a "Customer Preference" and is therefor not covered under warranty nor can it be turned on as a courtesy. My final question to them was this.. "So you're telling me that if I was buying a new Ram from you and I wanted the DRL option turned on that you would add $110 plus taxes to my out the door purchase price for the rig?" They had no reply.

Needless to say, I left without an appointment to return.

Does anyone have any ideas on this? I have my hometown dealer say it can't be done. Another dealer in a different state say it can be done, for a price. Is there any way to find out for a fact if it can be and how to get the instructions/steps to my hometown dealer who said that if they could do it, they wouldn't charge me anything??

Bottom line.. I do not feel as though I should have to pay for this "Customer Preference" as it is a safety feature, at least in my mind. I am starting to feel like I am getting the run around on this. I also feel as though this dealer in Cheyenne is just trying to get more money out of me. *sigh* I'm beginning to lose interest in having this done.
 
#199 ·
Does anyone have any ideas on this? I have my hometown dealer say it can't be done. Another dealer in a different state say it can be done, for a price. Is there any way to find out for a fact if it can be and how to get the instructions/steps to my hometown dealer who said that if they could do it, they wouldn't charge me anything??

Bottom line.. I do not feel as though I should have to pay for this "Customer Preference" as it is a safety feature, at least in my mind. I am starting to feel like I am getting the run around on this. I also feel as though this dealer in Cheyenne is just trying to get more money out of me. *sigh* I'm beginning to lose interest in having this done.
Pop over here and have one of our resident techs see if they can answer this for you. It could be that the truck requires a software flash vs. just turning an option on in the software.
 
#201 ·
Recon Xtreme light bar install is finally complete! I did not remove my driver's side tail light to wire up the reverse lights function of the bar. I looked into the trailer connector from the rear in the back bumper (facing the truck) and using a jumper wire, connected the battery feed (located at the one o'clock position and always hot) to the center pin and the backup lights on the truck illuminated. So, working from the rear of the connector (up under the bumper to keep everything hidden) I tapped into the center pin and now my light bar mod is complete without having to remove a tail light.

Trailer connector in the RV wiring standard is not defined by function. Most cars use the center pin for backup lights, but not all. Some vehicles use that center pin for a switched power feed to charge the battery in a trailer for electric brakes or other services only when the tow vehicle is running so you don't drain the battery in the tow vehicle without unplugging.

Either way, I enjoyed not having to wrestle with the retention clips on my tail light. I know that they will give eventually. But with it being so bloody cold outside and the fact that it probably hasn't been removed ever since it was installed at the factory.. I wasn't willing to be the first person to hear the inevitable pop/crack sound that is usually associated with such a first time part removal.

 
#202 ·
You know seeing your truck makes me think I should have added a touch of chrome and leave the rest alone... oh wait I did! Lol

Looks like the mods are coming along very nice! I didn't think to wire into the bundle for the reverse but then again I was just aiming for the known location.

I see the battle for the DRL is still going on! I figured your dealer was...strange... as was anyone's dealer who said it couldn't be done. I hope you get an answer before I make my way to the dodge dealer here and get a video done.

Keep up the great work I am enjoying watching this build take shape. Who know's maybe you would like the rumble of an exhaust sometime?? :gy:
 
#203 ·
Thanks Arth! Yeah.. I have a new found appreciation for my dealer in Utah now that I have dealt with another dealer. Mine seems to mean well, they just are not kept up to speed on everything. I know I am not the first Ram owner in the US to inquire about DRLs on our trucks.. but I would not be surprised to hear I am the first one to ask my dealer about it.

What video are you planning on having done at your dealer? Something about the DRL topic?

I am not so sure about the exhaust idea.. my truck has a perfectly working exhaust system already. Do I really need to mess with what works? Like my grand pappy used to say, "Don't fix what ain't broke."
 
#204 ·
While installing the high beam/fog light harness yesterday, I noticed that my headlights are clear. The turn signal area of the outer housing is clear too. Only the turn signal bulb is yellow. There is also a small section of reflective yellow directly above the parking light/turn signal. Does this mean I could replace that yellow bulb with one of those switchback bulbs (not sure what they are called exactly) that are white when on and only illuminate yellow when flashing for a turn?
 
#207 · (Edited)
I added a few extra bolts to my mud flaps today. There are now a total of 14 bolts holding all four flaps.

The front flaps have three bolts each, rear flaps have four bolts each.. two are my fender flare bolts pulling double duty and one (front) or two (rear) added more midline.

These really help keep my heavy duty flaps from 'flapping' too much and they also corrected the inner (toward midline) lean they seemed to have before. Please pardon my severely dirty truck! I am away from my favorite car wash!



 
#208 ·
My AVS replacement visors arrived and were installed last weekend.. I must have not done it right the first time as they are working just perfectly now. No catching on the front windows! Yay! Wonderful customer service on Lund Intl's part. I will buy anything from them again should the need arise.

Also.. don't you just hate it when this happens? I cleaned and polished up the truck earlier this week only to have a blizzard hitting the Cheyenne area (and almost every town between here and home) tonight and tomorrow. And I have to drive home on Sunday. Ah well. I really do like cleaning and buffing my truck.. just wishing for winter to end soon...
 
#209 ·
Also.. don't you just hate it when this happens? I cleaned and polished up the truck earlier this week only to have a blizzard hitting the Cheyenne area (and almost every town between here and home) tonight and tomorrow. And I have to drive home on Sunday. Ah well. I really do like cleaning and buffing my truck.. just wishing for winter to end soon...
Yes I do! Fortunately for me, it usually is too cold for salt and sand. But today we got our first above 32 day for about 6 months so now my truck is starting to get dirty. :sad:
 
#210 ·
After putting a total of 1457 miles on my truck this last ten days, I am finally home! Home is certainly where the heart is (and your own bed!)! LOL Anyhoo... I took my boxer with me to visit family and he decided to help himself to the front seats AGAIN. The supple exterior top of my center console is now riddled here and there with marks from his nails from him walking/landing on it. :( Any suggestions on how to fix/mask/hide these? My Meguire's leather interior wipes polish it up for awhile, but the marks 'come back' after a few hours. These marks are nothing too hideous.. I am just wanting to try to remove them as the console's top is no longer uniform in its appearance due to the sporadic spacing of said marks/scuffs. I will try to get pics tomorrow.. but I need to clean my interior before hand.. (no one wants to see my rig post-vacation drive). ;)
 
#211 ·
Our center console scratches/scuffs fairly easy.
I rested a 2x4 on it and out my back window and I too have a scratch. The dame thing didn't even slide around...I guess it did slightly, but I too cannot get rid of it.
Ever since that scuff, I am not as nice to my interior and i havent see a scuff since....maybe that is the key to it all....dont baby it....LOL
 
#212 ·
Due to operator/installer error, I had to ask 'Santa' to buy me a replacement Recon Xtreme tailgate light bar. I purchased one here on eBay last weekend and received it Friday. Was all excited to get a new, working bar back on my truck earlier today... after removing the dead bar, I examined the new bar only to discover a black mass inside the sealed tube, in front of some of the LEDs. (Pics below)

So, I shot off a message to the eBay seller and within fifteen minutes (on a Sunday evening!) I had a response! Impressive. Within a total of twenty minutes from my initial message, I now have sent the pics to the seller's personal email which he has forwarded to Recon and he claims they will have another sent out to me sometime tomorrow and that Recon may not even want the defective bar sent back (the seller is an authorized distributor of Recon's products and my first bar was actually shipped to me direct from Recon's own warehouse).

We shall see.. but wanted to let everyone know that this seller is a definite go to for Recon products!







 
#214 ·
Thanks Fast. :) If a problem arises, which is rare for me, I am always willing to let the seller/company/website fix the issue and make things right. It's only fair. ;)

And I know I'll love the light bar! Had it working for about a month before the crack I caused while installing it finally made the bar go the way of the Do-Do. That's the reason why I am not willing to settle for a different light bar.. because I know how brilliant this one performs! :D
 
#215 ·
So I went to the dealer yesterday...

Had the exterior weather strip on the drivers door replaced as it had a very interestingly placed gouge.. (I was in last Thursday for the same thing, but they accidentally ordered and replaced the front passenger door strip instead, hence my return)..

They also took more photos of both my front seats. I am starting to have the same issue I've read about others having with their front leather seats becoming lumpy/hilly.. they said they'd call me when the new leather seat covers come in.. I guess that means they know how they're going to fix the problem..

Only issue I am not sure about their answer on is the USB ports (both ports.. the one in the upper glove box and the one in the flip panel on the radio face).. after reading the manual for my 730N, I resized and put a few pictures on three different thumb drives.. and none of them were recognized by the radio. The end answer from them was that thumb drives won't work.. the USB ports only work with a USB cord when plugged into a phone or MP3 player. This doesn't sound right to me.. especially since this is not how it is stated in the manual. :( I would love these ports to work as described.. I think I need to keep riding them on this issue.. any ideas??
 
#216 ·
Received the replacement bar direct from Recon on Saturday.. it passed both inspection and installation and is working like a gem!

Got a call from my dealer today.. my warranty claim they submitted for my front seats has been approved and I will be called when my new seat covers arrive.. however I just read someone else had a seat cover and bolster ordered for their seat.. wondering if my issue was really with a bolster as my covers are just fine, it is what is underneath my covers that is causing my particular issue.

Called around the great state of Utah today pricing out the costs to have a clearance light kit, front leveling kit and tailgate remote lock kit installed. Some places were insane (quoting me 7+ hours to install the clearance lights, for example). It seems I can have the remote tailagate kit installed for $130 and the leveling kit (with alignment) done for around $200.. still waiting to hear back tomorrow from my dealer's body shop. Lady informed me that the body shop's hourly labor rate ($46) is much better than the service dept rate ($98).. so I am *really* looking forward to getting that call back (the manager was out for the day). It would be nice to get this all done for half what the service dept will charge me.

Finished up the day by ordering my Mopar chrome fuel door replacement! Should arrive Thursday or earlier. Can't wait to get it on and post some pics! :)
 
#217 ·
Okay.. to sum up my tailgate light bar drama.. Recon sent me a replacement and I have slid it into place and it is now working as it should. As for the defective bar, they said to keep it so hubby has it in his workshop.. he's going to see if he can't remove the black mass inside the tube and then install it on his new work rig (a Ford, but we can't hold that against him.. it is what the company supplies).

I got my truck leveled yesterday! Decided to go with a shop in town who sells and installs Tuff Country kits.. they warrantied everything for 36 months or 36,000 miles. They installed a 2" Tuff Country front level kit, re-aligned, road tested, checked headlight alignment and fixed the steering wheel alignment. Total cost out the door was $315. Not too shabby based on my research for parts and labor here locally. Driving it home felt like I was driving a new truck again. I had to reset my memory seat and mirror settings. 2" didn't sound like much.. but wow, there is certainly a difference. No difference in road handling and the shocks seem unaffected.. you can simply notice the change in the front angle.
I have before pics but haven't taken afters yet. To be continued....

I am (im)patiently awaiting my USPS driver's arrival today.. she has my Mopar chrome fuel door on board! Will be posting before and after shots once I get that switched out.

More to come!
 
#218 ·
wahhhhhhhhhhhhhh I want pics :)
 
#220 ·
The funny thing is.. after the level (that my hubby totally agreed with and paid for!).. my badges are all misaligned with level now! Soooo.. I may actually FINALLY win the six month battle of de-badging as they now look silly.. hopefully de-badging (or at least buying a set of the stacked 2013 badges) is in her near future!
 
#221 ·
wait what? how are they misaligned? they aren't set equidistant front to back from say..the bottom of the window sill? they look straight to me.

anywho...looks good!
 
#222 ·
They are equally spaced from front to back.. but they are now cantered at a downward angle from front to back.. basically, drawing a line under them would result in that line pointing toward the bottom of the rear tires
 
#224 ·
really? that seems very strange to me. you'd think they'd be centered to the vehicle body...therefore stock they'd be angled down too. not put on parallel to the ground at stock rake. that's silliness
 
#223 ·
OH!! And I ordered my Recon Cab Light kit.. will be here come Monday or Tuesday and I will have my dealer's body shop install it for $185.. so come next Tuesday or Wednesday I shall have MORE LIGHTS! Hehehehe
 
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