First Time Owner 1994 Dodge RB350 SMB

[jmh]

My wife and I are super excited to be a part of the SMB community! Just purchased a White '94 Dodge RB350 SMB. I'll post pics soon but first needs a little TLC.

Do you have any recommendations for quality, trust-worthy mechanics / shops in the Denver / Boulder area? I saw some posts that mentioned Pellman's and Boulder Off-road. Any additional suggestions are appreciated.

Best -
Jason

[Ben10281]

I use Antero Automotive in Greenwood Village. They have solved every issue I have ever brought to them.

Antero Automotive & Truck Services
6615 S Dayton St Suite BSuite B, Greenwood Village, CO 80111
(303) 708-8855

https://goo.gl/maps/F95e27Z9Rhm

Ben

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[winmag4582001]

I don't know any shops for motor or tranny work, but for gearing I use Colorado Axel and Gear, for alinements I only use Kennedy in Commerce City. I do all the other work myself. I'm not a great mechanic by any means but I'm still better than 90% of the mechanics at any shop.
What kind of work is it needing? Is it something you could do yourself and save a ton of $$$? Good mechanics are very expensive, great mechanics are way out of my price range.
Build it/fix it yourself is my suggestion.

[REF]

As mentioned, finding the right shop all depends on what you need done, and where you live (which is?) I still recommend Pellmans in Boulder for general maintenance and repair and Boulder offroad for any suspension, 4X4 or fabrication work.
Stay away from Lucky’s diesel in Longmont-crooks! Installed new parts unnecessarily that didn’t remedy the issue, twice! HPOP to fix a leak and all new rear brakes to fix the E-brakes, still leaked and still didn’t hold, Thought my days of getting bent were over......


'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
SMB RB50 w/CCV top
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile RIP kit

[SMB OCD]

Welcome! You've got the same van as me! Do you have the 318 engine?

[Pntyrmvr]

Originally Posted by jmh

My wife and I are super excited to be a part of the SMB community! Just purchased a White '94 Dodge RB350 SMB. I'll post pics soon but first needs a little TLC.



Any additional suggestions are appreciated.



Best -

Jason

Congrats. Dodge issues:

Battery tray and inner wheelhousing beneath it will be rotted out from battery acid.

It’s a unibody vehicle so check all the suspension mounting areas for rot and cracks.

The strut rod bushings will be shot and not look bad. Replace them with factory or Moog pieces only. Install exactly as instructed.

If rad is not plastic and aluminum replace it.

Timing chain on small block Chryslers is very long and prone to stretching. Replace it with a Hughes engines’ deburred unit and run the V6 Magnum engine chain tensioner.

Front brake pads start to rattle over time on unpaved roads. Beat the ears of the pads over HARD with a hammer.

Replace the rear end lube. No one ever does and the rear axle gets noisy.

Exterior rear view mirrors have a clip in them that breaks and the damn thing folds in when you slam the door.

When the key is first turned to “run” the check engine light comes on as a test of the light’s function. The day it doesn’t replace the pcm/ computer. It’s toast.

Turning the key to run then off to run to off to run should cycle the pcm code reading feature. Handy when diagnosing gremlins.

Best wishes.

I own 7 of them... including a ‘96



"Talk is cheap. Whiskey costs money."

[EricW]

Welcome! I've got a '95 Dodge B350 SMB with the 318, so we have similar thoughts and issues... and not that many of us on the forum!

Eric W.

[SMB OCD]

Hi Gavin and other Dodge guys!

I have a 1994 B350 RB SMB. I think I need springs and shocks all the way around. I think the springs and shocks are original. Over bumps its terrible. It's like there's nothing left to the suspension. The rear leaf springs are flat / level. no curve to them. The ride is terrible. Do you have recommendations on what type of springs and shocks I should get, where to get them, and what I should pay? I talked to a spring company that does heavy trucks, but I'm not sure if they'll know what's best to use for RVs like we have. Any help would be greatly appeciated. Gavin - I know you're a Dodge Guru so I thought you'd be a great person to ask. I'm an hour north of Boston, Ma. Thanks! Lee

[Pntyrmvr]

Originally Posted by SMB OCD

Hi Gavin and other Dodge guys!

I have a 1994 B350 RB SMB. I think I need springs and shocks all the way around. I think the springs and shocks are original. Over bumps its terrible. It's like there's nothing left to the suspension. The rear leaf springs are flat / level. no curve to them. The ride is terrible. Do you have recommendations on what type of springs and shocks I should get, where to get them, and what I should pay? I talked to a spring company that does heavy trucks, but I'm not sure if they'll know what's best to use for RVs like we have. Any help would be greatly appeciated. Gavin - I know you're a Dodge Guru so I thought you'd be a great person to ask. I'm an hour north of Boston, Ma. Thanks! Lee

I'd do shocks and bushings front and back including the leaf spring shackle and front eye bushings.

Then see where she sits. Any competent leaf spring shop can re arch the rear leafs.

Put as much back to factory condition and it'll ride like new-ish.

Cheers,

G.

[soaringhawk]

Welcome Jason! Your in the right place. I bough my 1994 Dodge B350 RB30 eight years ago with 64,000 miles. It now has 133,000. The guys on this site are the BEST! Very knowledgeable and willing to help. They have helped me out many times. My van started needing replacement items at about 100K to 120K. Had to replace fuel pump, leaking hoses, fan clutch and several other items while on summer trips. Reason is it isn’t driven often during the year so problems become noticeable on trips. Absolutely serious about this next comment. In hindsight, yeah, ain’t hindsight great! I would have replaced everything that was attached to the serpentine belt with new, also shocks, rotors, pads, rear shoes & cylinders, brake lines. Had to do all this anyway, sometimes out on the road at tourist prices. Would have saved hours and hours of time. The peace of mind would have been priceless. Just saying. (Love the solar panel I added) Terry