fed up with the 6.7 and bought a 12 valve

[surfbeetle]

Love my 12v. Now to answer the brake conversion/axle comments, I would say that it would be safe to assume that the designers of the conversion looked around to see what caliper and bracket (and pads) are readily available to fit their conversion. It would be safe to also say that a Dana 70 probably isn't found on a Cadillac.



I have a '67 vw bug that I have done a 4 wheel disc conversion and the replacement pads are Ford Taurus and believe me, there is no way that the same axles from a Taurus were ever found on a VW.

 

[DSoutherland]

Everyone is intitled to their own opinion. My 95 is'nt a pop can wrapped around a motor like the 07 is.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Everyone is intitled to their own opinion. My 95 is'nt a pop can wrapped around a motor like the 07 is.

I don't follow Are you talking about sheet metal? If so, my 95 was worse than my 08. I once put a hand sized dent in the top of my drivers side fender by leaning too hard on that spot when working on my vacuum pump. That was a good day There were other spots on the truck too that were so thin from the forming process. At least with the new trucks they seem to be consistent from spot A to spot B. I won't miss the 2nd gen rusty door bottom design either.

 

[J.BURCHFIELD]

surfbeetle, Thanks for your input. The most important thing is having brakes that do the job. Dodge should have put 4 wheel disc on all their Rams long before they did. A pick up with a diesel is going to be used for towing. They should know that. The trailer being towed up to a certain size may not have breaks at all and when they do it may be on only one axle. This is when the extra breaking power of disc is needed. REALLY NEEDED. Now that my conversion has been done I wish I had done it sooner. the trailer I have had 2 axles and breaks on only one so I added breaks to the axle that did not. When you need to throw out the anchor you need a big one.

 

[surfbeetle]

J.

I agree with you completely. There's always room for improvement where stopping is concerned.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I don't follow Are you talking about sheet metal? If so, my 95 was worse than my 08. I once put a hand sized dent in the top of my drivers side fender by leaning too hard on that spot when working on my vacuum pump. That was a good day There were other spots on the truck too that were so thin from the forming process. At least with the new trucks they seem to be consistent from spot A to spot B. I won't miss the 2nd gen rusty door bottom design either.

roger that... I think my 3rd gens have actually been more resistant to little dents/dings than my 2nd gens!



3rd gen you get a stronger frame, far better braking and steering, stronger axles, a ton more smoke-free power, nicer creature comforts, room for actual human beings in the back seat, etc.



2nd gen you get more comfortable seats and 12v reliability



I want to put some BMW or Mercedes seats in the front of my truck... SOMETHING that's halfway comfortable. I think the 03-05 may even be slightly more comfortable than the 06+ I mean, yeah, you can feel the steel support bars under your butt, but the 06+'s just seem far more uncomfortable to me

 

[Coalsmoke]

Forrest, try sitting in an 08 and see if you like the feel of them, I find my seat very comfortable, more so than some of the other trucks I've been in, and the stain resistant fabric is a nice touch. Maybe a set could be bought from a wrecker and might even bolt right in?

 

[Flinty]

I have a hard time swallowing the MONSTER price tag the new trucks come with. If a person is blessed with the ability to pay cash, my hat is off to them. If not, add financing and the necessity to have full coverage insurance and I'm feelin' pretty poorish. For what... fancy interior, a little more power and less mpg. Having an older truck isn't for everyone but my money is better spent elsewhere.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

Forrest, try sitting in an 08 and see if you like the feel of them, I find my seat very comfortable, more so than some of the other trucks I've been in, and the stain resistant fabric is a nice touch. Maybe a set could be bought from a wrecker and might even bolt right in?

we've got four '08 trucks here at work w/ the premium cloth... every bit as uncomfortable as my '06 and the seats stain if you get them wet.



after an '03, an '04, and now my '06 (and the 08's at work) I remain painfully (literally) unimpressed with the seats in these trucks!

 

[DSoutherland]

I don't follow Are you talking about sheet metal? If so, my 95 was worse than my 08. I once put a hand sized dent in the top of my drivers side fender by leaning too hard on that spot when working on my vacuum pump. That was a good day There were other spots on the truck too that were so thin from the forming process. At least with the new trucks they seem to be consistent from spot A to spot B. I won't miss the 2nd gen rusty door bottom design either.

Yes i am talking about the sheet metal. I work the crap out of these trucks on the farm and on the jobsite everyday ,and it doesn't seem to take much to dent or push in a bumper. Before I got the ranch hand I taped a chevy and it pushed the bumper in busted the headlight and crinkled the front fender, didn't even scuff the chevy. I took both hands and pulled the bumper back out. I guess i'm just an old truck fan.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

oh, the factory bumpers are junk, I won't begin to argue that one!!!

 

[Coalsmoke]

we've got four '08 trucks here at work w/ the premium cloth... every bit as uncomfortable as my '06 and the seats stain if you get them wet.



after an '03, an '04, and now my '06 (and the 08's at work) I remain painfully (literally) unimpressed with the seats in these trucks!

I doin't know about that premium cloth, but I have the YESS fabric seats, dealer option ??? and they definitely do not stain when wet. I guess comfort is a very subjective thing.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Yes i am talking about the sheet metal. I work the crap out of these trucks on the farm and on the jobsite everyday ,and it doesn't seem to take much to dent or push in a bumper. Before I got the ranch hand I taped a chevy and it pushed the bumper in busted the headlight and crinkled the front fender, didn't even scuff the chevy. I took both hands and pulled the bumper back out. I guess i'm just an old truck fan.

Nope, I agree with you completely 100% on the bumpers, they are very light duty, same deal with the ones on my 95, if you so much as tap them on anything they fold up and damage the sheet metal. It would almost better to not have a bumper because I think more damage gets done when off road to the sheet metal from those bumpers. I plan to build an off-road bumper front and rear for my truck here in the coming year before something happens to the Blue Moose.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I doin't know about that premium cloth, but I have the YESS fabric seats, dealer option ??? and they definitely do not stain when wet. I guess comfort is a very subjective thing.

of course it's subjective... if something is uncomfortable to you, it's uncomfortable to you!



you'll notice there are a lot of threads about how horrible the 3rd gen seats are and how to remedy that situation. while there are very few similar threads about 2nd gens or 1st gens in that aspect

 

[DSoutherland]

I have to say that my 95's half missing seat is still more comfortable than the 07s, but I'll take it over a ford seat any day!

 

[SNGLESHOT]

Coalsmoke:
Hah! You just described MY truck. 08 Quad, 4WD, 8ft bed and all the goodies you mentioned. I just love it! My first diesel ever and I wonder why it took so long to get one. I pull a 28 foot camper with it and it dosnt even feel like it's even there. Quiet at highway and city speeds. EB works great too. Only prob I ever had was REGEN EVIC warnings over and over... that was fixed with a "flash" at the dealer and since then. . 14,000 miles later. . no problems. MPG is 18 city, 21 Hwy at 75+... if I back it off to 50mph the MPG goes up to 25-26 here in AZ.

 

[Coalsmoke]

These are great trucks aren't they. I love mine, every time we go out its like that first date feeling. Don't tell my fiancee that though:-laf

 

[DPKetchum]

Interesting about the brake conversion to the Caddy Eldo brakes. I was a service manager in a Caddy store and those old Eldo four wheel discs were a NO STOPPING pain in the rear brake system. I can remember a few of those that I thought I'd NEVER get shed of with poor braking. They worked but not well and cold backing out of a steep driveway! OMG ! I worked in a Chrysler store and did a fair truck business and other then some with rapid wear(I still think drivers)stopping 1st or 2nd gens were not a big issue as long as the system was in good working order.

 

[jimnance]

I've got a '93 12 valve. It rattles like a diesel should and gets 19-20 MPG always as a diesel should. Brakes aren't too great, and the steering is sloppy but it starts and runs every day. Taking a 1500 mile run in a couple of weeks pulling a small 5,000 lb load. Decided to take 'ol dependable cause it's a perfect trip for her. With 160K on the odo I don't like to work the transmission too hard. Hasn't been rebuilt yet, and hoping to get 200K out of the transmission. I'll probably die before the engine does.

 

[AHarris]

of course it's subjective... if something is uncomfortable to you, it's uncomfortable to you!



you'll notice there are a lot of threads about how horrible the 3rd gen seats are and how to remedy that situation. while there are very few similar threads about 2nd gens or 1st gens in that aspect

The most comfortable automotive seat I ever sat in was the seat in my old '99 Ram 4 X 2. I could spend all day driving in that seat on long trips and it felt like an easy chair.



The seat in my 07. 5 isn't too bad really... but that 99 seat felt like an easy chair. One thing I do miss is the ride of the 4 X 2... because my 3500 rides like a dump truck! On a bumpy road unloaded I feel like I'm on a trampoline!