Ok guys 2gen owner here push me off the fence into a 3rd gen

[rivercat]

still have the truck in my sig. But im so sick of the front end probs I might try and sell it despite the 10k + upgrades and start over with a 03 up auto long bed. Feeling more like stock these days. I just want something to replace the 01 Excursion I am now driving to the beach surf fishing. If I had a 8ft box I could sprawl out in the bed! So whats so good about the 3gen? besides not having to sweat a VP44 injection pump? Are you guys having front end issues that are hard to solve after 100k or so? death wobble? what else?

 

[Slow Six]

My 3rd gen had the death wobble problem, u joints, 6th gear in NV5600, rear end, lift pump & 2 sets of injectors and other minor problems. The exhaust pipe also cracked in many places and had to be replaced. I don't think you will be getting away from your present issues. As for your VP44, a good lift pump and fuel pressure guage should solve the problem. So far there does not seem to be as many issues with the 4th gens but they may not have the miles on them. IMO staying stock will prevent a lot of problems as well.

 

[mini14]

ive got a 99 and an 05 if i had to get rid of one tmrw for whatever reason, it be the 05 and my 99 has a 53 block.....

 

[AEdelheit]

Front end problems can be solved pretty easily just takes a little bit of money, are you fighting death wobble? I see you have a muff country lift, a 3rd gen track bar upgrade will help alot if you havent done so allready

 

[BDaugherty]

The true 4door cab was the biggest thing that got me out of my '01 and into an '03. Since then I have really liked the reduced noise level and with the common rail you can use a lot more power without having smoke. My '01 really made a lot of smoke if you tried to use more than just a little added power. However, I still had to start over getting the front end back to where it needed to be. The axle itself is a little better without the vacuum disconnect, but the unit bearings, ball joints, steering linkage, etc really aren't much different. Even though it costs more to replace, I like the electric fan clutch. My '03 really seems to warm up faster than the '01 did.

 

[JHumphries]

Since you already know the problems with the 24V,stick with an 03, 04.
I've never owned a 2nd gen, but i've had 3 1st gens, a 4th gen and a 3rd gen. I just went back to a 1st gen because, I don't like the 'refinements' in the newer trucks.
With a 3rd gen, no hubs/axle disconnect, so the front drivetrain is always spinning.
Also, no easy way to do 2wd low. Hard to grease u-joints.
More electronics, albeit better electronics, but harder to work on.
Lower fuel economy, heavier truck, more on the road, so it looks like everyone else...

 

[TGVET]

Since you already know the problems with the 24V,stick with an 03, 04.

I've never owned a 2nd gen, but i've had 3 1st gens, a 4th gen and a 3rd gen. I just went back to a 1st gen because, I don't like the 'refinements' in the newer trucks.

With a 3rd gen, no hubs/axle disconnect, so the front drivetrain is always spinning.

Also, no easy way to do 2wd low. Hard to grease u-joints.

More electronics, albeit better electronics, but harder to work on.

Lower fuel economy, heavier truck, more on the road, so it looks like everyone else...

Read my posts. .

 

[rivercat]

my 02 has no axle disconnect either so the front running work spins always. Probly ready for front u joints and seals at the ripe mileage of 87k. As far as good pressure saving the VP I say bull! I have run tandem carters that produce 22-30+ psi since new and I had to change pump last year. Its like a light bulb the heat cycles get the board or the crappy ULSD fuel gets the internals with wear. Also I am betting the DW is allot easier to fix with only like a track bar on the 3rd gen. The reason the front end is so different is to help that. Thats why its so much easier and cheaper to lift a 3 gen instead of a 2 gen. Does anyone know right off when the 47 re was completely gone? like if I find a 06 will I for sure get the 48re ?

 

[SpeedBeef]

I went from a 2000 to a 2006. I much prefer the 06.

 

[cerberusiam]

Also I am betting the DW is allot easier to fix with only like a track bar on the 3rd gen. The reason the front end is so different is to help that.

Not really. The front end is a little beefier but the suspension geometry and its restrictions remain. Take it out of it operating range and DW is there.

Thats why its so much easier and cheaper to lift a 3 gen instead of a 2 gen.

Again, not really. You have to do the same things on a 3rd gen as a 2nd gen or the same problems exist. Don't do it correctly and it is DW city at the first hint of problems.

Does anyone know right off when the 47 re was completely gone? like if I find a 06 will I for sure get the 48re ?

The 47RE went out of production in Dec 2002. Mid year MY03 and on was 48RE. You might find a 47 in a Cali SO up until March of 03 but thats not a given.



The 06's all have 48RE's with bad converters. :-laf

 

[rscurtis]

Having owned both, I'd say the third gen. is a superior truck. Not having the CAD in a second generation is a disadvantage IMO, as it does not have the good driveline angles that the third gen. does. It has also been my experience that tires last twice as long, and brakes by a factor of 2 or 3.

 

[rivercat]

well to be honest I have turned every stone on my frontend I have done BJs T style upgrade stabilizer upgrade thuren Trackbar, borgeson box and shaft bd stabilizer the rough country lift is off for carli 2" springs and custom $$$ DOM control arms with balistic joints much like thuren's. I have had enough plus I hate my . 410 gear and Hate rowing the 6 speed and small back seat.

I fully intend to leave the 3gen stock height stock tires. I would rather get stuck in wet grass daily then have a part eating DW monster that can cross any swamp but runs line to line the whole way up the road like a boat.

 

[Blu-meanie]

Well, since opinions are like democrats, I'll add mine. I had an '01 that I replaced with this '05. The '01 (built in St. Louis) was in the dealer for probably 30 days total for various problems in the 5 years I had it. My '05 (Mexico) has had a carrier seal and the steering box replaced, total of maybe 6 hours at the dealer. I loved the '01, but this one is a much better truck.

 

[rscurtis]

That almost mimics my experience. My '95 had a host of issues that the '03 never did, including paint failure.

 

[MA2LA]

They still have issues but they are much nicer. My 06 has had ball jointsdone twice. Wheel bearing twice, and now going thru steering stuff. But I drive it hard"8500 pound sports car" and it has seen harsh harsh roads in DC. But the comfort and room is much nicer as is the ease of power increase. The 48 is pretty tough. Not sure about the conver as some one else said. I did break the input shaft at 125k but that was with about 50k miles of having a Smarty and me driving right on the edge of slipping the converter. Brakes are great and even better if you put some ceramic pads on it. 285/70/17 fit nice on the stock wheels and height if you have any other questions feel free to pm me

 

[Regcabguy]

I miss the seats in my '98. 5. That's it.

 

[jgillott]

I miss the seats in my '98. 5. That's it.

I'd agree with that. I'd love to have the seats from my '01 in our 3rd gens. I also have had quite a bit more trouble with things like u-joints and ball joints on the 3rd gens than on the 2nd. Other than that, the 3rd gens have been stone reliable.

 

[cerberusiam]

Stay away from big tires and definitely the cheap BFG's and the driving experince will be a lot better. Upper ball joints on 3rd gen are the weakest and they went 100k per set on mine. Just had to do the lowers at 190k and they weren't bad, uppers were bad again but they were cheaper ones.



Steering pieces have 190k on them with mostly larger than stock tires and now just ready for replacement.



Biggest problem with DW comes form tires that are not adequate for the weight of the engine. Second problem comes from lift kits that don't set the axle correctly with the lift. Even a leveling kit is gonna cost $2k or better to do right. Cheap ot and it will eventually cost.



Transmission is better but power is higher. Effectively a net zero game. Stock power and drive it right it will last. Thrash it with stock power and you will kill it.

 

[rivercat]

yeah the BJs I did the lowers were fine just the uppers needed changed but I did both cause I had both sets paid for. I also buttered the new ones with anti seize so they would pop out easy next time. well I guess now im on the 03-04 or 06 fence. Hard to find lowmile 03s or 04s. And its a struggle to find a 04 thats not an 04. 5. I guess the optimal combo is the 04 HO NV5600 with 3. 73s. But I am up for an auto, I even plan to finance an extra 2k for transmission upgrades. So that I can run a good 425-450 setup. I find allot of old posts discussing the inefficiency (mpg) of the 05 Up cause of a 3rd injection event. Is there not current software or tuning to eliminate that yet?

 

[TGVET]

yeah the BJs I did the lowers were fine just the uppers needed changed but I did both cause I had both sets paid for. I also buttered the new ones with anti seize so they would pop out easy next time. well I guess now im on the 03-04 or 06 fence. Hard to find lowmile 03s or 04s. And its a struggle to find a 04 thats not an 04. 5. I guess the optimal combo is the 04 HO NV5600 with 3. 73s. But I am up for an auto, I even plan to finance an extra 2k for transmission upgrades. So that I can run a good 425-450 setup. I find allot of old posts discussing the inefficiency (mpg) of the 05 Up cause of a 3rd injection event. Is there not current software or tuning to eliminate that yet?

RC,

In spite of the recent catastrophic event I had with my heat exchanger, I had upper/lowers done last year with over 200K on the OEM. I attribute almost 6 yrs, and that many miles of "nearly trouble free" daily driving to the amount of PMS(periodic maint. sched. ) I put into that rig. Greasing everything every 10K (oil change interval).



On MPG's. With the minor mods I did, (air in, exh. out, Amsoil throughout, Super-Chips (tow setting), std. tires (265x17) and PSI, my freeway MPG's are 22 to 24. I live at 700' elev. and go up the hill everyday on the way home, my avg. daily combined city/freeway tank to tank MPG's is 17 to 18, not bad for the size of that beast.



I'm driving an 06 Commander now w/4. 7L while my Ram is waiting to be fixed and it is HORRIBLE. 11-18 MPG.