Another happppy dura-whatever owner

[Texas Diesel]

This is the second one of these I have seen this week sitting by the road side. He has a bunch of $ in this one, full front end replacement, REAL rear bumper, bug deflector, running boards, tool box ( the truck needs that as OEM equipment )

Pretty soon they'll be available by the pallet load

 

[catoiler]

:-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf

 

[DarrellB]

That's the one

I saw, said



For Sale



Need More Pulling Power



Buying Dodge Cummins









:-laf :-laf :-laf



Darrell

 

[rbagley]

I've only been on this forum for a short time, but I've noticed something that is really odd. There seem to be a set of people that absolutely, without reason, hate the Duramax. I don't get it.



My father owns a Duramax. A 2002 4x4 2500 with the Allison. You would not believe the comments Ford and Dodge owners have made to him. He even had a valve stem stomped and ruined by a Cummins driver. Ended up ruining a tire because it went flat while he was on a long trip.



His truck will literally eat mine for breakfast. His pulls better, tows better. Gets better fuel mileage, no matter if he is towing or not. It has a better ride. It is heavier built.



What is the problem?



I guess Cummins owners never sell their trucks?

 

[Texas Diesel]

... and then you woke up...



I could relate story after story about failed dura-whatevers, be happy your dad has one of the few good ones.

 

[rbagley]

Originally posted by Texas Diesel

... and then you woke up...

What is that supposed to mean? That I'm dreaming? Please explain.

 

[rbagley]

Originally posted by Texas Diesel

... I could relate story after story about failed dura-whatevers, be happy your dad has one of the few good ones.

Yes, and this website is dedicated to the absolute, 100% perfect Dodge Ram w/CTD. Never been a fuel system problem, automatic transmissions never fail, standard trannys can be used in M1 Main Battle tanks and it gets 30 MPG while towing three large office buildings at 120 MPH. Oo.

 

[Texas Diesel]

exactly, meant in humor not to offend.



It rides like a car because it is...

Measure your tie rod diameter and then measure his.

Compare the strength of a solid front axle then compare to the whimpy IFS, I know IFS rides better but solid axles are stronger.

It tows better? Your CTD must be sick, that's funny.

Heavier built????? Really? You're joking right? Compare vehicle weights (empty)

Better fuel mileage, well, it's lighter built. I didnt buy mine for most MPG's, I got it to work.

 

[Texas Diesel]

Not so, read my profile, all the failures I have had are listed there.

 

[rbagley]

Bwahahaha, your funny. I have a stock 98. 5 CTD w/AT. That means 215 HP and 420 lb/ft torque. He has a 02 Duramax putting out 300 HP and 520 lb/ft torque. Yes, his will out pull mine any day of the week, and has.



His weighs less! Not likely. His truck regularly weighs 8000 lb or more with tools and top. 0-60 times for him is 10 seconds. Mine weighs in at a little over 7000 lb and runs 0-60 12. 5 seconds.



Whimpy IFS! Never looked at one have you? The A frames are massive chunks of iron. Bigger and better brakes. Drive shaft is much larger in diameter. He also get a true locking rearend, I have a LS.



Now answer the original question. What do you really have against the Duramax? It is obvious that you are ready and willing to admit that your Dodge has choked more than his has (never). Why the prejudice against the Duramax?

 

[Texas Diesel]

To be continued.



We've been packing to move all day and I'm too tired for this now



To quote Arnold: "I'll be back" Goodnight.

 

[rbagley]

An example of some of the moronic things that have been said to my father about the Duramax.



He and I were hunting near George West (South Texas) last December and we were camped at a park outside of the place we were hunting. First morning we were there a Ford PSD owner comes into our camp and starts asking us about the Duramax. Then he starts telling us about all the problems he has heard about with the Dmax. We were polite and my father told him thanks for the info but he was having no problems.



This continued for several days. Everytime we were in camp, this jerk came over and thrashed the Dmax and told lies about how great his PSD was. About how he got 20 MPG while towing his 28' camping trailer. His wife later let it slip that they were getting about 9 MPG while towing.



Last morning while we were packing up, he drives up and says he has just been to the Chevy dealer and talked to the mechanics there and they had to keep lots of heads in stock because the Dmax was blowing them off. Guess what day it was???







SUNDAY

 

[rbagley]

I hate moving. Get some sleep.



Good night.

 

[libertyram]

I have looked at the Duramax and am not impressed. I am not anti chevy. They all have there advantages and disavantages. I was always a ford man until I decided to buy a diesel. As far as power is concerned a Vet has more HP than a lot of Kenworths but do not do well with 50K behind them. All heavy duty engine manufacturers have tried two things in the past. One is V8's , the other is aluminun heads. On both counts durability was compromised. The ford and chevy will do well in light duty applications. But there is only light duty truck with an engine with a heavy duty rating.

 

[78repowerwagon]

How many heavy (or medium) duty trucks use IFS. It rides better, but is a compromise. That is why class 8 trucks use a solid front axle, that is why Dodge uses the solid tube in the H-D two wheel drives, same with Ford. Look at a Ford 3/4 ton 4x4, poor idea IMO then look at the DANA 60 solid front under the F350. They realize the need for durability in a H-D pickup.

 

[Chipstien]

Seems somebody should have bought a DURACRAP.

 

[WKener]

I dunno... I am not brand loyal in any respect, I just like solid engineering and things that work hard for a long time. I hope the DMax proves all of the naysayers wrong and puts up a good fight, because it would only force Dodge to make our trucks better.



I am not, however, sold on the idea of using aluminum heads in such a powerful application (here I become a naysayer). It could end up being a great and dependable design, and I may end up owning something like it someday... But not until it proves itself. Now, I don't call two or three trucks with 200K+ miles over 2 years 'proving itself. ' If in 5 years the Dmax has made itself a reputation of taking a beating and still going 500,000 miles or more... . Then I will gladly accept the aluminum heads, and my mouth will remain shut forever. Both the 7. 3 PSD and the 5. 9 Cummins have already shown they can take abuse for years and years, which is why I don't rag on either of them. You wan't to call the DMax the best diesel? Prove it by letting the truck do it's own talking.



So why do PSD and Cummins owners rip on the DMax? Because it is new, powerful, and threatening. I think it gets ragged on because people are not 'big' enough to admit they don't have the best truck, and so the most controversial design elements get attacked (V8 design, aluminum heads, etc), often without provocation.



I feel compelled to reverse the scenario though, and ask why DMax owners seem to hold their trucks in such high regards... as if the competition is 'below' them? When someone claims they have a serious problem with their DMax, people are all too quick to accuse the person of lying, demanding vin #'s or other such proof. Is it so inconceivable that a DMax could actually fail?? If a Dodge owner says his brother's DMax grenaded, too many DMax owners will call it BS... While if a DMax guy said his brothers Dodge blew up, it would just be funny.



When is the last time you saw a post on the TDR where someone claimed their Cummins failed catastrophically, and people responded with "Prove it. "???



Wes

 

[rbagley]

WKener,



Thanks for the honest, to the point post.



I do not doubt that certain Dmax owners have superiority complexes. So do some Dodge owners and some Ford owners.



As to why the Dmax owners are so sensitive, read my post about the guy at our camp. There is so many urban legends flying around about the Dmax, it is almost impossible to get at the truth.

And some of them are so fantastically stupid and obviously lies, yet they get repeated over and over again.



My father is the one who pointed the "Great White" out to me. That is my 98. 5 24V CTD. His comment was that if I didn't jump on this Dodge I was an idiot because the deal was so good. It was well maintained and had only 42,000 on the clock. I got it for $17,700.



Once again, thanks for answering the question.

 

[DIESELMAN]

Ever see planet of the apes? It's a matter of perspective, 'I guess he's OK, he just so damned ugly'!



My neighbor and I both think our neighbor owns the ugliest god awful chunk of steel ever thought up. Then we hook up 10,000 lbs and get away from each other!



(And yes, I still give him rides in my Dodge to get CV joint parts)

 

[esommer2500]

I have had the opportunity to run all the big three trucks through some pretty tough paces at work. I work for a concrete contractor who had or has:



1995 Dodge 3500 CTD 5sp. Sold with 280,000 miles and a new transfer case and brakes. THAT IS IT. Pushed snow for 4 winters, towed about 12K every single day of it's life. Absolutely no mods, serviced regularly with Rotella and NAPA filters.



1998. 4 Dodge 2500 CTD QC LB 5sp. Paid cash for it, totaled in Ohio with less than 20,000 miles.



1998. 5 Dodge 3500 CTD QC LB 5sp. 'The White Whale'. This truck made the 95 Dodge look like a puss. Served well under the same conditions until disgruntled customer filled fuel tank with sugar Insurance replaced everything from tank to injectors. Still never ran right. Traded on Ford with 140,000. This is the truck that made up my mind that I wanted one of my own.



2000 Ford F-350 SRW 6sp. Good truck, really tall, towes decent, but defintely can tell difference in power between Dodge, especially under 1800 rpm. Had to get used to driving the diesel like a gasser. Company still owns the truck with no major problems in 80,000 miles.



2002 Chevy 3500 QC LB 6sp. Rides REAL nice, good interior controls. Clutch is super soft, shifter feels funny, less power than the Ford. Towes well once up to speed. Poor fuel mileage. 30,000 miles so far with no problems.



I have spent a lot of time in all of these trucks. The 95 Dodge is still around, working for a farmer. I think he said it has over 300,000 miles now with not so much as an oil leak. MY favorite was the 98. 5 24v. That truck would take a beating and still run like a champ (without the sugar of course).



Bottom line: These are all good trucks and all have served us well under pretty harsh daily conditions. I will say that the boss is a little leary about the Chevy, and ******* about the low power, but raves about how it rides.



It's a trade-off. Drive what makes YOU happy. Life to me is a little too short to worry about somebody else's problems. I got enough of my own. Oo.



Eric