Pics of my 4500

[PLefever]

Made a shake down run to Fort Worth today, quick 400 miles, truck was great, but sure was alot of dead deer on the highway, heading to walmart this evening to get those whistles,



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[HBarlow]

How's the unloaded ride? As I've written many times, I initially wanted a Ram 4500 but was scared away by the empty ride. Does the heavy full skirt CM bed provide enough weight to settle it down? I was only able to drive a one with a stripped chassis.

 

[PLefever]

Harvey,



Going down, I pulled a light trailer with about 5k of catwalk and handrails,so maybe 7k, and empty home. Couldn't tell any difference without the trailer tongue weight. That being said, the bed does help some. The truck is very stiff, but amazingly composed over rough roads and bridges. My ford would uncoil the rear and jump from side to side and then try to pitch if that makes sense. The dodge goes over the exact same spot without any feeling that the wheels or steering are becoming disconnected. I read something about the cab mounts on the new ones, maybe thats where things stay calm inside, and the suspension does the rest. Going to run down and get a empty weight tomorrow.

Rest of the truck impressed me, really like the aisen and the exhaust brake. ran the loop at 13. 6 mpg ranging speed from dead stopped in 35w to cruising 65 to 80 varying speed for break in sake.



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[PLefever]

Guess I didn't really answer the real question, is it driveable unloaded? for me Yes, but I am used to 1 tons and added springs etc, sure isn't my wifes 09 CC 1500 hemi, but I like a work truck



p

 

[mrtrombley]

I can attest to Harvey's comments about the deer whistles, I also got a set from Horizon when I was working there. They are just cheap ones, but I have seen many deer at night that just stop in their tracks at the side of the road and let me pass by or turn and go back. I have mine stuck on top of my front license plate holder. They have stayed on there for over 3 years now.



Thanks Seafish for the link to the front bars. I've been looking for ones I like, these could fit the bill. Question?, does the upright hoop angle out away from the truck. One of the problems of hitting a deer is that they often come up and over the hood into the windshield. Pretty dangerous with a big set of antlers!!! If the hoop angled out, it would help keep the deer down instead of going up. Doubt it would help with a moose though, not much can stop them!

 

[HBarlow]

Well, good. Your CM bed probably weighs around 1500 lbs. as a guess, maybe more. That may be enough to make a difference in the ride quality. Perhaps the new and improved cab mounting makes a difference as well as you suggested.

The 4500 would be just right for the 70 gallon Transfer Flow tank I have mounted on my bed, my 14,000 lb. fiver, and the hitch, tools, etc. I carry around all the time. I was just afraid I wouldn't be comfortable with it as a daily driver. Had I had the opportunity to drive one with a heavy bed installed I might have been satisfied with the 4500.

 

[seafish]

Thanks Seafish for the link to the front bars. I've been looking for ones I like, these could fit the bill. Question?, does the upright hoop angle out away from the truck. One of the problems of hitting a deer is that they often come up and over the hood into the windshield. Pretty dangerous with a big set of antlers!!! If the hoop angled out, it would help keep the deer down instead of going up. Doubt it would help with a moose though, not much can stop them!

I have talkesd with Paul about eh top hoop and the it does indeed angle out slightly, maybe about 10 degrees or so. He does it to come in front of any lights that you might mount on the bar to help protect the lights. It is ALSO easily changed if you want more OR less... just ask him. I also agree that a slight angle will help to keep deer off the hood.

 

[Wiredawg]

Harvey,



Not sure if they changed suspension from 2009 to 2010, but one thing I noticed for ride quality is not having the HD front springs. I drove a 5500 that had them and my 4500 doesn't. big difference. The 19. 5s add a little roughness, but not bad... about like putting max inflation in the 16s on my 3500. I use my 4500 as a daily driver and no problem. Maybe even better on the 2011s.



Ron

 

[HBarlow]

Ron,

IIRC you bought your truck in AL or GA, somewhere in the south.

Did you drive it home as a stipped chassis cab before you added the bed?

If so, did the bed make a significant difference in ride quality?

I'm satisfied with my 3500 but if I decide to replace it before I get too old to drive I might want to reconsider the 4500 next time.

 

[RobertHiltz]

Some of you guys have had better luck with deer whistles than we did. We had more deer hits with them than without. About half of our vehicles had the whistles. I think that the type or roads, type of area, time of day, and season of the year when driving can make a difference. We were nunning less that 35% highway, 24 7, wooded areas, fall and winter.

 

[CBari]

I was at a rodeo finals back in Oct. and Dodge Rodeo was a sponsor and had a rep there. He 2011 cc and had a front bumper that caught my attention. I looked like it was stainless steel. I got the opportunity to talk with him and it turns out is polished aluminum. It is made by herd manufacturing. They have just recently gotten into the pickup market have been making bull bars for semi's for years.



Best think I liked was the weight he said was light enough for him to pick up.



HERD | Animal Collision Protection | Moose Bumpers, Bull Bars, Replacement Bumpers, and Semi-Truck Grill Guards

 

[HBarlow]

I've never used them in off road situations but when I first started using them I was transporting trailers, running 135,000 miles a year. Much of my travel was in WA, OR, ID, MT, WY, BC & AB Canada where the deer were often very thick. Since I "retired" from transporting I've contined using them on all vehicles in west Texas including narrow blacktopped rural two lane highways all over the state. I've had extremely good luck with them.

For the $6 investment I consider any safety advantage provided by the deer whistles is a sizeable bargain.

 

[PLefever]

I was at a rodeo finals back in Oct. and Dodge Rodeo was a sponsor and had a rep there. He 2011 cc and had a front bumper that caught my attention. I looked like it was stainless steel. I got the opportunity to talk with him and it turns out is polished aluminum. It is made by herd manufacturing. They have just recently gotten into the pickup market have been making bull bars for semi's for years.



Best think I liked was the weight he said was light enough for him to pick up.



HERD | Animal Collision Protection | Moose Bumpers, Bull Bars, Replacement Bumpers, and Semi-Truck Grill Guards

I have looked at the HERD stuff on semi's saw on the website the bumpers for pickups, looked like a real nice finished products, I liked the polished ones

 

[Wiredawg]

Harvey,



I had the dealer install the bed so I could get the $900 upfitter credit. I liked the C&M better, but the dealer didn't sell that unit and cost advantage offset my preference. I test drove a 2wd 5500 empty and it rode pretty good. Can't recall if it had HD springs in front or not. I do have a Brown's Welding grill/brush guard that places weight in front of the front tires that smooths it out too.



All,

I install deer whistles on all my vehicles. Cheap ins and no animals hit to date.



Wiredawg (Ron)

 

[HBarlow]

Ron,

My impression from reading your and other Ram 4500 owner's comments is that installation of a heavy full skirt bed probably provides enough ballast to make the 4500s ride much better than the stripped units I test drove on dealer's lots.

Sometimes the Lubbock Dodge dealer sends Ram 4500s in inventory out to the local CM bed dealer for installation of a bed before a buyer comes along. I think I'll try to test drive one when the opportunity presents.

 

[gtoli]

Very nice truck!

 

[DThweatt]

Harvey,



All,

I install deer whistles on all my vehicles. Cheap ins and no animals hit to date.



Wiredawg (Ron)

I towed a pick up to my son in North Dakota. I had a friend help me drive and we hit montana around 7pm. when we took the cut off from I90 to a rural route (2 line hwy) around 10 pm we started to see ALOT of deer (both stopped and looking at us, and running)and a small xj was almost totaled in front of us that hit 1. I stopped at the next gas station and bought the cheap whistles.



we still saw deer but none were stopped after that. they were all running away.



I was skeptical but for $6. 00 I belive in them now