3d/2d Gen Impressions/Comparison

[Wiredawg]

Fellow Rammers:



I posted this in the 2d gen forum as well. I'm expecting lively discussion to ensue. Might be interesting to watch.



I just bought my wife a Silver 03 2500 QC 4X4 SB HO/48RE. I bought my 02 3500 in Aug 2002 (last production run of 2nd Gen). Having owned 2 2d gens, I feel somewhat qualified to make a comparison.



The 3d gen steering is tight, the fit and finish is great and the stock power of the HO is very good. I'm not big on slush boxes, but I think the 48RE shifts crisp and keeps you in the right power band. I like the quiet of the truck. You can still hear the mighty Cummins and the exhaust has a nice tone. I pulled my 20 ft enclosed car hauler loaded at about 10K lbs and it pulled great. This is a great out of the box truck. Empty, this SB with the HO drives/manuevers like a sports car. I will add guages (EGT, transmission temp, boost, and FP) and new air filter setup. Ilike the stiff frame and the transmission cooler is massive (covers the whole front of radiater). Infinity stereo is great. The QC has lots of room and doesn't need bigger rear doors (IMO). I set the front seat where I like it and got in the back seat behind it. Lots of room.



The 2d gen 3500 steering is loose, the stock power sucks and the fit and finish is OK. I BOMBed it w/ DDIIs, TST PM-3 adjustable and Scotty Air and BD 4" exhaust. I have to say I do love this truck. It's loud and in your face power. It's big. I don't like the frame. Got stuck in mud (ugly story) and had to jack up the frame to dig out wheels. I centered 4"x4" wood on frame in front of rear wheels to jack it up. The frame isn't reinforced there and not boxed. The weight bent the bottom of frame (C-channel) up and truck fell off jack. If you jack frame, don't center wood/jack on the bottom of frame, center on the vertical portion to distribute weight. The QC is OK to haul adult on short trips, but not long ones.



I bought my 2d gen 3500 on Aug 9 and bone stock except for 4" BD exhaust and exhaust brake. I pulled my 16K lb 5th wheel with just 45 miles on it from Maryland to Indiana for TDR Nationals. There, I drove a 3d gen 3500 4X4 QC w/ HO-6spd w/ 3. 73s. Comparing 3d gen 3500 stock with my 2d gen 3500 stock, I already had regretted not waiting. The 3d gen doesn't need BOMBing (IMO) unless you want to drag race or pull big trailers up hill at 80 MPH.



Finally, if I had to do it over again, I would have waited for a 3d gen 3500. IMO, the 3d gens are overall better quality and fix all the gripes (steering, power, brakes and finish) we 2nd gen owners have complained about. BTW, I owned a 2000 2500 Ram, so I have more than a few months of 2nd gen ownership under my belt. True, I've only had the 3d gen only 2 weeks, and if anything changes about my imperssions of quality, power etc... , I'll be the first to report it in this forum.



I'm sure this will stir some lively discussion, but hey, that's what the TDR is all about. Feel free to stir the pot!



Wiredawg

 

[Pit Bull]

Wiredawg, good write-up. Can't comment on the 03's have not even driven one. I added the DSS for the steering and mine is great now (drives like a sports car). You need to add this bomb to your 3500 02. My 3500 was built in July of 02 so it is one of the last 02's made, also I have the 3500 4x4 Regular cab, seems to be a lot stiffer than my 2000 3500 4x4 Quad cab (probably has to do with the length of the frame). I could of gotten an 03 but I love the looks of the 02 and the sound of the 02 and I have all of the power I need. Plus if I need more then we all know how to get it. Also my 02 listed for $37K and I bought it new for $28. 5K. $$$ do talk. I am warming up to the looks of the 03's, starting to like them But by the time I will be ready for a new truck were talking 08's. Got any idea what they will be like?

 

[Troll]

I agree with everything except your opinion about the sound. I wish I could have checked a "loud exhaust" box , on the order sheet. I still love the truck though.

 

[Steve M]

Personally speaking... I wish I could get an ISBe in an '02 with 3. 55 ratio and six spd. I like the motor and alot of things about the '03 truck but it doesn't have nearly as much character (personality) as the '01. 5 I traded for it. The '01. 5 had plenty of power. It would break traction if I nailed it to get going in traffic. I just needed to re-gear it to get the motor into the power band for towing our 10,400 lb 5th wheel. Wife said, why not trade for the new quiet Cummins and get the four doors and 4. 10 to boot. I'm not going to pass up the oportunity to buy a new truck so I duplicated as much as I could of the '01. 5. I'll probably warm up to it when I get my gauges in working order and personalize it some. ( I guess I could P on the tires. )

My '95 pulled to the right, the seats weren't too comfy for eight way power, the auto transmission was programed all wrong for towing but a good truck otherwise. My '98 5spd/4. 10 club cab was a power house but noisy. I think the cab mounts weren't isolating property due to damage to the frame somewhere along the line. The front end never looked like it lined up right with the bumper, grill and headlights. I drove other 5spds that were quiet in comparison. My '01. 5 was perfect. There was absolutely nothing I could complain about. I should have re-geared it and kept it until I was ready to part with it. It (and that little gal in high school) was my one true love!

Pictures in the readers rigs... except the '95.

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by Steve M



( I guess I could P on the tires. )



.

:-laf Steve that is the cheapest bomb that I have heard of on the TDR.

 

[RobG]

What's a DSS??? Might be just what I need to cure my loose steering too.



As for the third gens, I want one, but my '01. 5 is so heavily modded that it isn't worth undoing it all to trade up until two more features are available that I really want:



- Fully electronic/automatic dual-zone climate control

- Rain-sensing wipers



I still want a larger crew cab area, but I suspect it won't happen until the 4th gens at the earliest (if even then). But as for the little things I listed, all DC has to do is dig into their Jeep Grand Cherokee parts bin for them. My '02 GC Limited has 'em and I absolutely love those things about it and find myself frequently wishing for them on my truck.



While I'm at it:



- Better headlights, like the 2nd gen Sport lights (which I have on my current truck)

- Electroluminescent guages (again, like on my GC)





Again, I'm definitely not knocking the 3rd gen. I still want one, but it will be much easier to justify the switch once it has everything I want, even the little stuff.



As for driving one, I don't want to... because if I do, I'll end up buying one.



Rob

 

[D808]

I finished breaking in my 2003 HO by driving it from Toledo, OH to the Auto Fair in Charlotte, NC. Don't normally haul or pull anything, so I figured heading for the mountains was the next best way to break her in. We hit 90 a couple of times, once on the heaviest grade. That's after I got passed the smoke blowing Duralaxes and broke down Ferds!Needless to say, absolutely nothing passed us on the uphill climbs. The only limiting factor was the curves. I loved the '96 HO we last had, but the 2003 does have a much wider high torque band, better brakes and better steering, which gives a lot more comfort on long trips. Well, time marches on. DC could not have continued to compete with GM and Ford without playing new cards, and there's no doubt in my mind that DC played exactly the right cards. Even their TV commercials make the airplane towing Ferd look absolutely ridiculous! (Who in the blue blazes cares about pulling an airplane down a runway... . I for one just want to look good crusing down the Boulevard... . or climbing mountain grades)!!!!

 

[bighammer]

DSS = Darrel's Steering Stabilizer

 

[tgrfan2]

I went with a buddy to pick up his new 35' Montana Big Sky yesterday. His is a 3500 SRW HO 48RE with 3. 77. Amen to the great handling and ride. It is very strong at 800 miles and if it loosens up like my Y2K company truck did it will be super strong. Pulling the fiver, it was very stable in some good cross winds. The transmission was firm shifting like the old 727 and the torque converter is much tighter. I will know how it compares to my 98 power wise in a few weeks when I add the TST plate, but it did not seem to have quite the kick of my 95 in the torque band. I think that is mainly because it is still tight. We have a challenge to meet a DMax on Saluda mountain this summer to settle a bet. Can't wait.

 

[jimnance]

My buddy with bombed Powerstroke and same fifth wheel can't quite keep up over the hills. He's got the power, but half way up the hill he has to get out of the throttle because of EGT's.

 

[GHinton]

Comparing my 97 4x4 5spd QC lwb to current truck, the first thing I noticed obviously was the lack of noise eminating from under the hood. It took a long time to believe how quiet it was. I did not like it at first until I began to drive and noticed the effortless power compared to the old 12v. What really impressed me the most was the stiffness of the chassis, and how much better this truck handles than the 2nd gens. Only thing I really had to get used to was the drive-by-wire throttle (Did earlier 24v have?) and lack of resistance associated with it. I look for any excuse to drive this truck anywhere, and mileage has increased from 16. 3 (by calculator, not overhead) to 19. 5. 12V did 24. 3 at it's best. I hope it as reliable as ol' whitey was. The high beams suck, if I can think of something to change. -Jaybird