Finally took delivery of 3500 Megacab 4x4 6.7ctd today

[PLanciers]

Cool

Ivan sounds like your having fun Oo. You know if your real desperate for an excuse to put some miles on you can come on down here to San Diego and visit me while I'm waiting on mine to come!



Just checked the Union Pacific Site mine is just South of Waco right now...



Pete

 

[GHanna]

Towing with that brand new rear differential is a no no. One of the primary reasons for the 500 mile break in is for those gears to get acquainted with one another. My '04 3500 was on its third rear by the first 20,000 miles and I don't tow anything! I also drive very conservatively, (I'm old). Hope you have better luck.

 

[EB]

Towing with that brand new rear differential is a no no. One of the primary reasons for the 500 mile break in is for those gears to get acquainted with one another. My '04 3500 was on its third rear by the first 20,000 miles and I don't tow anything! I also drive very conservatively, (I'm old). Hope you have better luck.

I don't know about that, I'd like to believe the computerized equiptment matches up gears better than that. None of the big rigs baby their trucks the first few hundred or thousand miles. Most of them run a million miles or more with no problems. My last truck, a 2003 pulled a 22,000 lb load for 250 miles the first afternoon I got it, then pulled the 7500 lb trailer back. It continued to do that for the next 345,000 miles and the only thing I did as far as the rear end was to change the limited slip unit and some axle seals. Never any gear problem at all. My new truck, a 2007 cab and chassis has gotten the same treatment, up to 31,550 miles now with no problems. To each their own, but I believe you need to break your equiptment in the way your are going to use it. If you are going to go to the coffee shop or grocery store with it every day, that's great. If you are going to work it, work it, it'll be fine.

 

[jraker]

I noticed in the picture that the truck has to be a Laramie because of the leather. I also noticed that it had the shift lever for the Transfer case. I was told this was not possible by Dave Smith and Carlin Dodge in COS. Is this true? If not why is it pictured here? I was told I would have to get a SLT and Dave Smith could take it to Cat Skinz leather to get that put in if I had to have it that way.

 

[mattymac]

Towing with that brand new rear differential is a no no. One of the primary reasons for the 500 mile break in is for those gears to get acquainted with one another. My '04 3500 was on its third rear by the first 20,000 miles and I don't tow anything! I also drive very conservatively, (I'm old). Hope you have better luck.

Thats why you have been though so many rear ends! You baby it!!! I towed HEAVY in the mountains when my truck was about 3 days old, now Im over 500 HP and it was fueled up since day one! NO PROBLEMS FOR ME!!! Break it in like your going to drive it!

 

[FredMaryLou]

I also suggest following the book. The book says ... 500 miles of easy driving ... 500 miles of towing no faster than 50mph while varying the speed. I have 250 miles on mine. I will tow for the first time in early May. Fred

 

[GHanna]

Thats why you have been though so many rear ends! You baby it!!! I towed HEAVY in the mountains when my truck was about 3 days old, now Im over 500 HP and it was fueled up since day one! NO PROBLEMS FOR ME!!! Break it in like your going to drive it!

That's just flat ignorant. I've owned eight pickup trucks- three of them diesels. I've towed with most of them; just haven't with this one yet. I've always broken them in carefully. Never had any problems with differentials before the infamous American Axle. Look back in past threads, these things don't have a great track record. Why abuse the thing before it's broken in. I hope your good luck continues, but I see no logic in your reasoning. At least they fixed mine under warranty- they might take a dim view of your mods.

 

[RDHamill]

I picked up my new '07 on Thursday, I'm very impressed, the auto works nice, as does the exhaust brake. Had they offered 3. 55 gears, I might have stayed with the manual. I'll judge the gear selector / exhaust brake better when I tow down a mountain grade.

 

[FPettijohn]

Ahh the old break in controversy rages on, EB is correct; todays assembly is a world different than even 10 yrs ago. Everything from the lower end bearings to the valve guides are better fit and need little mating time. Remeber they used to use "break in oil". Run it like you stole it!

Fred

 

[Mel Swanson]

Great Questions

I noticed in the picture that the truck has to be a Laramie because of the leather. I also noticed that it had the shift lever for the Transfer case. I was told this was not possible by Dave Smith and Carlin Dodge in COS. Is this true? If not why is it pictured here? I was told I would have to get a SLT and Dave Smith could take it to Cat Skinz leather to get that put in if I had to have it that way.

When I contacted Dave Smith Dodge, in Dec. 06, I received what I thought was questionable information.



You could call the product knowledgeable, Adam Macomber.

BusinessLink Specialist / TDR member representative

Dishman Dodge; http://www.dodge.com/commercial/

509-924-3250 / 877-568-3363/Cell 509-475-2480 Adam Macomber.



Everything that guy told me rang true.

Good luck.

mrs

 

[TKeeler]

When I contacted Dave Smith Dodge, in Dec. 06, I received what I thought was questionable information.



You could call the product knowledgeable, Adam Macomber.

BusinessLink Specialist / TDR member representative

Dishman Dodge; http://www.dodge.com/commercial/

509-924-3250 / 877-568-3363/Cell 509-475-2480 Adam Macomber.



Everything that guy told me rang true.

Good luck.

mrs

I didn't actually 'call' Dave Smith Dodge but I did send them an email requesting a quote and never did get a response, I guess they don't like the email route. I prefer it as I got a track record where as verbally sometimes there are differences of opinion as to what was said and agreed upon... you know what I mean. Adam promptly responded with more information than I have ever seen before that made everything easy.

 

[IStoilkovich]

2nd tank numbers. ODO 922, miles driven 461, same as 1st fill. OTC says mpg = 15. 9. Actual numbers are 31. 6 gallons of fuel for a total of 14. 58 mpg (basically the same as first tank). I wanted to change the oil to get any manufacturing left overs out. Went to a local lube shop who on the phone said they had low ash oil. When I got there, no dice. The owner of the lube shop had to call his supplier to believe me that you shouldn't run regular diesel oil. Had to go to Dodge for the oil was quoted $13 per quart!!!! Luckily the parts manager thought that was a bit extreme and sold me the oil at $25 per gallon (Still $75 in just oil for the change). Anyway, other than that the truck runs great, a little squeak in the radio nav unit but other than that truck works good. Just put power wagon wheel flares on it and it is a nice touch, easy to install.

 

[TKeeler]

2nd tank numbers. ODO 922, miles driven 461, same as 1st fill. OTC says mpg = 15. 9. Actual numbers are 31. 6 gallons of fuel for a total of 14. 58 mpg (basically the same as first tank). I wanted to change the oil to get any manufacturing left overs out. Went to a local lube shop who on the phone said they had low ash oil. When I got there, no dice. The owner of the lube shop had to call his supplier to believe me that you shouldn't run regular diesel oil. Had to go to Dodge for the oil was quoted $13 per quart!!!! Luckily the parts manager thought that was a bit extreme and sold me the oil at $25 per gallon (Still $75 in just oil for the change). Anyway, other than that the truck runs great, a little squeak in the radio nav unit but other than that truck works good. Just put power wagon wheel flares on it and it is a nice touch, easy to install.

Ivan,



Some pictures of your truck with the Power Wagon flares would be cool. I am considering adding those to mine when I get it.

 

[IStoilkovich]

Here are some pics of the flares... there not the greatest pics, but you'll get the idea. Hopefully this link will work... if I can figure out how to directly put the pics in my post I will do so.

#ad

 

[IStoilkovich]

Here are the pics...

 

[Mel Swanson]

Pic

Ivan

Thanks for the pictures.

This is what Adam sold me. Ordered Jan 15, 07, and delivered March 1, 07.

 

[PLanciers]

Damn good looking trucks!

Man you guys shouldn't have posted those pics I'm already going out of my skin trying to make the next three days evaporate till I can get up to Spokane to pick mine up!

Pete

You want your truck at the right price Oo. don't pay more contact:

Adam Macomber

BusinessLink Specialist / TDR member representative
Dishman Dodge; http://www.dodge.com/commercial/
509-924-3250 / 877-568-3363/Cell 509-475-2480

Get your truck built the way you want it now for $4. 5 - 5K under Invoice/FWP pricing...

You can pick it up in Spokane WA or have him drop ship it to a local dealer...

 

[Mel Swanson]

Sort Timer?

Man you guys shouldn't have posted those pics I'm already going out of my skin trying to make the next three days evaporate till I can get up to Spokane to pick mine up!



Pete



You want your truck at the right price Oo. don't pay more contact:



Adam Macomber



BusinessLink Specialist / TDR member representative

Dishman Dodge; http://www.dodge.com/commercial/

509-924-3250 / 877-568-3363/Cell 509-475-2480



Get your truck built the way you want it now for $4. 5 - 5K under Invoice/FWP pricing...



You can pick it up in Spokane WA or have him drop ship it to a local dealer...

Kinda like being a single digit midget. Do you remember those days just prior to getting out of the Navy?

Anybody know the motto of the Silent Service?

 

[BBeck]

Hi Mel:



What choices did you have for the canopy with Adam? The one you have looks great on your truck.



Ivan: the fender flares look great on your truck. Do they come in the OEM colors to match or only the color on yours?



Thanks,

Brad

 

[Mel Swanson]

Line X for me!

Hi Mel:



What choices did you have for the canopy with Adam? The one you have looks great on your truck.



Ivan: the fender flares look great on your truck. Do they come in the OEM colors to match or only the color on yours?



Thanks,

Brad

I picked up the fiberglass shell at a used camper sales lot in Sacrament, CA. The bottom quarter panals are sprayed with Line X, as well as the brush guard which I bought from Adam.

I called Line X dealers all over southern Califonia and found the best price at Line X, in Santa Ana. http://www2.line-x.com/nw/FindFranchise.html Call Don, 714-647-9322. Don and his crew work on my truck from 8am to 5pm. What a great job they did. They removed the camper shell, applied an over the rail camper cut bed application, bumper to bumper quarter panals and the brush guard, in place. No over spray, anywhere. A super job. Highly recommend this LINE X dealer to all TDR Members.