Diesel Pickup Horsepower Race continues...

[CUMMINZ]

If I were in the market for another HD truck I would today order a new Ford F-450 in a heartbeat. Saying that I also think I have the most beautiful, best built truck I have ever owned. I have had very little trouble with this early 07. 5 6. 7L and it now getting 18mph on the highway with the most ingenious little box with a adding machine keypad with a wire hooked onto it. The only thing I would change is that I would have ordered my Smarty in a white box.



Greater than 400HP

Snow plow front springs

19. 5 x 245 x 12ply Goodyears with 4000# rated aluminum wheels

modified factory cool air box

AMSOil dual bypass oil filters MBRP 5" DPF to rear exhaust

4. 10LS rear axle and 4x4

Front mounted Reese hitch

Re-inforced rear factory hitch

EGT & transmission guages

Front & rear extra capacity diff covers

Full Line-X in bed and on fender well tops for hauling protection

Full size fender flairs and custom mud flappers

Custom 32k x 8k Hitch Crafter air ride 5er hitch

See more at CumminZ.com 2007. 5 Dodge RAM 3500 6. 7L Cummins Diesel®



Built for Towing not for looks



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[HBarlow]

In the interest of full and honest disclosure, I should report that I may be experiencing my first ever failed u-joint. I have never replaced one in 325k and 230k miles on my previous Rams.

I have recently hauled three loads of gravel in a gooseneck dump trailer to rebuild winter damaged driveways. (I also had three tractor trailer 25 ton loads delivered)

Thursday I hauled 5. 67 tons net, a little over 11,000 lbs. of gravel out of the pit which is about 63 miles from my farmhouse. My GCWR over the scales was just under 26,000 lbs. which is over Dodge's rated gross combined weight for my C&C. The truck has accumulated 73,000 miles.

On the way home I began noticing shudder as I gently accelerated up to road speed from a stop. I knew I was heavily loaded and didn't know how much of that weight was on the truck's rear axle. The truck sat level so I didn't worry about it. I just eased back a little on the fuel pedal and approached cruise speed a little slower. When I got home I dumped and spread the gravel and dropped the trailer. Yesterday morning when I left home I felt the shudder as soon as I pulled out onto the highway.

I called my mechanic buddy and reported the symptoms and called a local NAPA parts house. No u-joints in the west Texas area. I called MOPAR4LESS (Advantage Dodge in Farmington, NM) and ordered all three universal joints. I hated to buy all three but don't know yet which joint is (probably) bad. The joints won't arrive until Tuesday and I'm not sure when my after hours mechanic will be able to install them. He has a real job during the week.

So my '08 is experiencing a problem I never had with my two previous high mileage Dodges.

 

[rscurtis]

Those who find fault with the Dodge should keep in mind that Ford and Chevy are not without their issues too. True, ball joints should last 100K + miles, but no one makes a true HD steerable axle anymore with roller bearing kingpins. Why? First is cost, and perhaps more important, they lack the 44 degree steering angle possible on the axles used today. Dodge was the first HD pickup to have real brakes- Ford followed in 2005 (after copying Dodge's front suspension), and GM is just now putting real brakes on their 2011 trucks. Studying some of the Ford forums has revealed transmission problems(since remedied), tracking issues, and we won't even talk about the "6. 0 no what is it this week" engine, or the customers who "traded it for a V10 because I couldn't have it in the shop a couple days every month. " True, the Dodge front end could have been done better, even just the addition of grease fittings would have been a welcome addition. My '03 has the original ball joints (54K miles-personal use), but I did install grease fittings on the uppers - a 15 minute job. The only thing that's failed that shouldn't have is I lost the recirculation door. Haven't decided if I'll use the Heatertreaterweb3 fix or take the system apart and update it. Bt the way HTW3 has a Ford fix listed also. The Dodge may not be perfect, but if we start the comparison with the 3rd generation trucks, it was the best choice of the three.

 

[Grizzly]

You are free to disagree, this is America! My '05 has been the best pickup I've owned in some time, but ball joints, wheel bearings and front end issues are all too common. I have owned all three brands, all properly maintained, and stand by my statement.

I'm saying I've never had any problems with my two Dodge CTD trucks, however I sure had more than my share of trouble with the one Furd F250 gasser I had before I switched to Dodge. I've never had a GM. My son has also never had any problems with his 04. 5 nor any of my friends that have a CTD. Must have something to do with how you treat your truck.

 

[TFucili]

I'm saying I've never had any problems with my two Dodge CTD trucks, however I sure had more than my share of trouble with the one Furd F250 gasser I had before I switched to Dodge. I've never had a GM. My son has also never had any problems with his 04. 5 nor any of my friends that have a CTD. Must have something to do with how you treat your truck.

Serviced by the book, infrequent towing at way, way below max, minimal off road use, unless you count living on a dirt road abuse. Why would you assume anyone who has a problem is abusive? I really like my truck, but it doesn't blind me to the fact that they missed the mark in several areas, the front end/steering being one of them. It's OK to admit it, really

 

[Grizzly]

Serviced by the book, infrequent towing at way, way below max, minimal off road use, unless you count living on a dirt road abuse. Why would you assume anyone who has a problem is abusive? I really like my truck, but it doesn't blind me to the fact that they missed the mark in several areas, the front end/steering being one of them. It's OK to admit it, really

They didn't miss the mark on my two Dodge trucks! The 95 was never in the shop for any repairs and so far the 05 hasn't either.

 

[PFlory]

Wow, I guess I was lucky. I had 180K on my 3500 C&C 01, with a 6000# service body, always drove it like I stole it trying to make a living in the HVAC business. The only thing I ever did to it was a lift pump at 90K, when fuel pressure was dropping to about 3 psi under WOT.

Replaced it with an '08 3500 Sprinter which has had several limp mode problems, which after many dealer trial and error repairs, seems to have be resolved with a new computer. My '06 mega used for towing near GVWR has yet to have any issues either... . knock on wood.

 

[HBarlow]

I guess we could all agree that some folks use their trucks harder than others do. My trucks are highway driven and I avoid holes in pavement and slow for rough or broken pavement.

 

[JUeckert]

I'm saying I've never had any problems with my two Dodge CTD trucks, however I sure had more than my share of trouble with the one Furd F250 gasser I had before I switched to Dodge. I've never had a GM. My son has also never had any problems with his 04. 5 nor any of my friends that have a CTD. Must have something to do with how you treat your truck.

GRIZZ, LET IT GO ! Friend, you are harping on a truck that cant even compare to the subject. It's wasnt a diesel, and it was how many years ago? Geez, why dont i bring up the 70's or 80's model dodges i had with the slant 6 or 360 v8's, talk about junk... hell, those things were so miserable, no wonder dodge nearly became extinct.

 

[Grizzly]

GRIZZ, LET IT GO ! Friend, you are harping on a truck that cant even compare to the subject. It's wasnt a diesel, and it was how many years ago? Geez, why dont i bring up the 70's or 80's model dodges i had with the slant 6 or 360 v8's, talk about junk... hell, those things were so miserable, no wonder dodge nearly became extinct.

Okay, no more talk about my junky, miserable F250 Furd. You're right, there is no comparison to a Dodge with an in-line 6 Cummins.