3500 w/ anti-spin and 4.10-can't find on dealer lot

[JRyan]

Is it me or are dealers not stocking what seems to be to be a pretty basic request. We are trading up from a 2004 2500 4x4 QC to a 3500 QC to pull a larger fifth wheel. It's easy enough to find one with the basics: dually, QuadCab, SLT, auto (wife drives too and insists on this!). But I also want the anti-spind diff. and 4. 10 rear to get the most towing ability and my local dealer can't find any with the anti-spin and 4. 10 combination so I will probably have to order. Does anyone know why that combo is so hard to come by? Or am I missing something?

 

[klenger]

Welcome to the TDR. I suspect that dealers don't stock 4. 10's because too many buyers assume that 4. 10's = bad milage, and they don't stock anti-spin because it's an extra cost and adds no visual value to the truck. Order what you want, but hurry. It may already be too late to order a 2006, so you might need to wait for a 2007, but as I understand it, the model year 2007 trucks built in calender year 2006 will not have the 2007 emisions.

 

[p-Bar]

Hard to believe that. Have the dealer do a search on their computer ,they should be able to track one down. If they won't find one that will.

 

[GFritsch]

Try going to the Dodge website and do a dealer search. From there you can go to that dealers inventory and search yourself. The links bring up the sticker on the vehicle so you can see exactly what the truck is.



Good luck. I have always ordered my trucks to get exactly what I want.



Greg

 

[RustyJC]

I tried dealer searches nationwide and didn't find our truck in stock. Very few dealers will stock the maximum GCWR towing configurations. We (and most other RVers I know) wound up ordering our truck to get the combination we wanted.



Rusty

 

[nps]

I tried dealer searches nationwide and didn't find our truck in stock. Very few dealers will stock the maximum GCWR towing configurations. We (and most other RVers I know) wound up ordering our truck to get the combination we wanted.



Rusty

I saw your new rig over on irv2 Rusty. But how are you towing that 5er with a camper on the back?

 

[RustyJC]

I saw your new rig over on irv2 Rusty. But how are you towing that 5er with a camper on the back?

With one of those 5th wheel tow dollies. :-laf



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Rusty

 

[JRyan]

klenger, you have a good point, particularly since I am in the metro Washington DC area, where these kind of trucks are not exactly a hot item. My dealer claims he did a search but limited it in terms of distance because I was not about to pay another $700 to get the truck here from a couple hundred miles away. I guess I will have to go Rusty's route and order, though probably from another dealer-the salesman was really poo-pooing going the special order route (this may be the saleman and not the dealer's attitute). Oh, well, I guess I will get into the order frame of mind. By the way, does anyone know how long ordering takes? According to the dealer, I can still order for another couple of months. I guess the benefit of ordering is that I don't pay for stuff I don't want. Thanks for the input and quick replies. Oh, and I will take a look at Dodge's website. I just found the inventory search section.

 

[jelag]

This is the option of choice for those who tow all the time... ... All my trucks have this. . and I've had to factory order them... . Most customers want the better fuel economy of the other ratio... . since its not the popular choice the dealers don't stock it unless your doing business with Dave Smith or Dishman who do handle the heavier trucks.....

 

[GFritsch]

Following the Dodge link "dealer search" near Alexandria VA. I found several dealers with a 2006 4X4 slt 8 ft bed Auto w/ LSD



http://www.dodge.com/ram_truck/index.html?bid=1758118&adid=23855501&pid=12218068



Ourisman

Darcars

Koons

Waldorf



Depending on how far you are willing to drive you can find more. I would call the dealer before driving out to look as the lists are not always up to date.



Good luck, Greg

 

[RustyJC]

Greg,



Based on my experience, the dealbuster will likely be the 4. 10 gears (see post #1).



Rusty

 

[JRyan]

Greg-thanks for the link. I've been exploring Dodge's inventory section of their website as you first suggested and found some trucks but looking at the "window sticker", none locally have the 4. 10 option with the other things we are looking for. However, Rusty's comment about dealer's not carrying trucks for RVers made me realize we are not too far from horse country so I looked in those areas and, you guessed it, there are a couple of dealers with trucks that generally fit our needs.



Unfortunatley, one option I forgot about was an exhaust brake. I assume that can be an aftermarket item, although I beleive Dodge offers it as an option.



Anyway, it's back to doing my homework on this deal. Thanks for all the responses, they really gave me a leg up on this agitating process.

 

[RustyJC]

Unfortunatley, one option I forgot about was an exhaust brake. I assume that can be an aftermarket item, although I beleive Dodge offers it as an option.

Yep, if you want the Jacobs brake, that's a dealer-installed option. They don't come from the factory with an e-brake. Ours was installed before we took delivery and, therefore, covered by the 3/36 Dodge bumper-to-bumper warranty.



Rusty

 

[TowPro]

You should try to find a 2wd outfitted to tow with! Forget it! I had to order it.



My dealer up here in Downingtown PA has 3 3500's listed on the dodge site, 1 manual 2wd, 2 auto 4wd, all with LSD none list 4:10's. But the manual with 3:73's is the same RPM in OD as the 4 speed with 4:10's is in OD.

Edit, I think the manual version is a SRW 3500

 

[JRyan]

TowPro-I originally looked for a 2WD when I bought my 2500 and again when we started looking for a 3500-talk about an effort in futility!



I would actually consider a manual (in DRW only) if I actually knew how difficult it is to shift in a manual. My wife can drive a manual but my understanding is that shifting a manual diesel is a different thing altogether. (I guess we could test drive one - if I could find one close enough). The advantage of the manual is that they offer a better range for towing at mid-level highway speeds.



By the way, where did you get the information on the RPM similarities?

 

[SBeretz]

I just bought a 2500 Megacab with the 6 speed. Wife balked a little at first when she found out it was a manual, but after she drove it a few times she is starting to actually like it. It is a nice shifting transmission, other than getting it into reverse, but it drives nice, and I spin a touch over 2200 at 70mph and the 4. 10 geared autos I drove were right around 2050-2100 at 70. Scotty

 

[jelag]

All my trucks are manual... they are no harder to shift than some passanger cars... . nothing like you'd expect to find in a class 8 truck.....



Jim

 

[TowPro]

I was compairing it to my 2002 2wd, Auto, 4:10's. I think my 06 manual with 3:73's is about 100 rpm higher at 65 then my 02 was, but keep in mine the 06 has taller tires so the Auto with 4:10's would be lower rpm then the manual with 3:73's. Klinger has a set of graphs on his website where you put the tire size, rear, and pick your transmission and it will show you your RPM.

Works nice.



Take one out for a test drive (if you can find one).



Shame you wern't looking back in Feb. I traided in a 2002 auto, dually, 4:10's with around 34,000 miles on it. If only you could buy used trucks for what they offer you for them on trade

 

[TowPro]

All my trucks are manual... they are no harder to shift than some passanger cars... . nothing like you'd expect to find in a class 8 truck.....



Jim

I agree with Jim, I feel a diesel is a good way to learn a clutch, you don't even have to give it fuel, just let out the clutch and it aint going to stall, it will move, even in 2nd and probably 3rd :-laf



You don't even use first except for when stuck in traffic, just put it in first and go 2 mph at idle. Drives everybody behind you crazy.



Even towing 11,000 lbs, you only need 1st for starting up hills.

 

[klenger]

Here's the gear speed calculator refered to above.



http://www.klenger.net/dodge/general-reference/gear-speed-calculator.xls