Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Hello all,
Most of the racing forums I go on it's customary to start a thread to introduce yourself. While this isn't my first diesel truck, I couldn't find a more appropriate forum on this site, so this seems like the best compromise to make this post. Please excuse me as I can be long winded at times. lol
Anyhow, my first Cummins truck was a 2003 Dodge SLT/Sport quad cab, long bed with the HO 5.9 CTD (305/555), 48RE auto trans and 3.73 gears. I bought that truck used in the spring of 2004 with just 7k miles on the odometer. I don't know why the previous owner sold it so soon, but it was a good truck for me over the years. It racked up just shy of 160k miles before trading it this past Thanksgiving. The only real issues I had with the truck were a failed water pump (taken care under warranty), replacing all four front ball joints and spindle assemblies (hub hearings loose), and front axle universal joints that kept failing at least one per year the last couple years. Knock on wood the old 48RE trans held up just fine towing my 10k# enclosed car trailer.
That said, the old '03 truck was a bit weak on power for towing the box trailer, specifically hills were the main issue. I could have easily put a programmer on and gotten power quite easily, but the trans was the weak link. Being the truck was now 12 years old I wasn't sure I was willing to invest $4-6k in a trans and converter. Also the last year or so a rust spot appeared on the drivers bed side wheel arch and was getting progressively worse. I also saw rust starting on the lower pinch weld seam of the tailgate. Given the rust and cost of power/trans upgrades I felt it was time to let the truck go and look for a new one.
I found this 2015 RAM 2500 Tradesman, 4x4 crew cab, but this time a short bed. Wow, what a difference in towing power and the integral brake controller and built in exhaust brake work very well too. I had to compromise on the trim level to afford a new truck, but honestly this thing has everything I need except for a pad on the drivers door for my elbow. lol BTW, this is my first new vehicle, somehow made it to 45 years old without ever owning new.
I tend to keep my daily drivers pretty much stock. So far the new truck has gotten similar mods to the one it replaced. Husky liner floor mats, OEM Mopar molded mud flaps and a cap. This time I went with a Leer 100XL. This truck came with the factory wheel to wheel tube steps which I had to take off and cut the front end off to clear the mud flaps. While I was at it I cut the back side off as I felt it looked stupid now that the cap blocked side access to the bed.
As far work I am a chassis builder by trade. I work for a shop that builds drag cars so fabricating and Tig welding are a daily task. Hobbies wise I drag race a street legal '79 Malibu that is a stock suspension car which has a naturally aspirated 594 ci bbc that makes over 1100 hp.
I'm looking forward to learning more about the Gen4 trucks as I dig deeper into older posts and do more searches.
Here's a couple pictures of the old rig, the new one and the race car.
Most of the racing forums I go on it's customary to start a thread to introduce yourself. While this isn't my first diesel truck, I couldn't find a more appropriate forum on this site, so this seems like the best compromise to make this post. Please excuse me as I can be long winded at times. lol
Anyhow, my first Cummins truck was a 2003 Dodge SLT/Sport quad cab, long bed with the HO 5.9 CTD (305/555), 48RE auto trans and 3.73 gears. I bought that truck used in the spring of 2004 with just 7k miles on the odometer. I don't know why the previous owner sold it so soon, but it was a good truck for me over the years. It racked up just shy of 160k miles before trading it this past Thanksgiving. The only real issues I had with the truck were a failed water pump (taken care under warranty), replacing all four front ball joints and spindle assemblies (hub hearings loose), and front axle universal joints that kept failing at least one per year the last couple years. Knock on wood the old 48RE trans held up just fine towing my 10k# enclosed car trailer.
That said, the old '03 truck was a bit weak on power for towing the box trailer, specifically hills were the main issue. I could have easily put a programmer on and gotten power quite easily, but the trans was the weak link. Being the truck was now 12 years old I wasn't sure I was willing to invest $4-6k in a trans and converter. Also the last year or so a rust spot appeared on the drivers bed side wheel arch and was getting progressively worse. I also saw rust starting on the lower pinch weld seam of the tailgate. Given the rust and cost of power/trans upgrades I felt it was time to let the truck go and look for a new one.
I found this 2015 RAM 2500 Tradesman, 4x4 crew cab, but this time a short bed. Wow, what a difference in towing power and the integral brake controller and built in exhaust brake work very well too. I had to compromise on the trim level to afford a new truck, but honestly this thing has everything I need except for a pad on the drivers door for my elbow. lol BTW, this is my first new vehicle, somehow made it to 45 years old without ever owning new.
I tend to keep my daily drivers pretty much stock. So far the new truck has gotten similar mods to the one it replaced. Husky liner floor mats, OEM Mopar molded mud flaps and a cap. This time I went with a Leer 100XL. This truck came with the factory wheel to wheel tube steps which I had to take off and cut the front end off to clear the mud flaps. While I was at it I cut the back side off as I felt it looked stupid now that the cap blocked side access to the bed.
As far work I am a chassis builder by trade. I work for a shop that builds drag cars so fabricating and Tig welding are a daily task. Hobbies wise I drag race a street legal '79 Malibu that is a stock suspension car which has a naturally aspirated 594 ci bbc that makes over 1100 hp.
I'm looking forward to learning more about the Gen4 trucks as I dig deeper into older posts and do more searches.
Here's a couple pictures of the old rig, the new one and the race car.
