Ram 4500

[glav]

Has anyone heard anything about Dodge coming out with a 4500? I currently have a 3500 dually and am a full time RVer. My GCW is 24500 lbs. Just bought the truck and it is overweight also. I have heard the Dodge sells a gas model in Mexico, anybody know for sure? Please Comment

Thanks

 

[rbattelle]

Since the beginning of time there have been discussions about whether there is/was/will be a 4500/5500 "Sasquatch" Ram. None have ever materialized (except for some sightings in faraway mexican forests). The whole situation is very much like bigfoot: lots of speculation, but no undoctored evidence.



Most scientists discount the existence of the 4500/5500 because the evidence supporting belief in the survival of a large Dodge Ram-like vehicle of such dimensions and capacity is scarce. The only notable exception is Grover S. Krantz (1931-2002), an anthropologist at Washington State University. For nearly forty years, Krantz argued for the probable existence of a Ram 4500/5500, but was unable to convince the majority of Dodge enthusiasts. The evidence for the 4500/5500's existence consists mainly of testimony from wide-eyed mexican tourists, tiretracks of questionable origin, and pictures that could easily have been of large Fords or Chevys with Dodge badges. There are no frame rails, no exhaust fumes, no body shells, no window stickers, no nothing. There is no evidence that any individual or community of such trucks dwells anywhere near any of the “sightings. ” In short, the evidence points more towards hoaxing and delusion than real discovery. Some proponents of the 4500/5500 myth ignore the lack of evidence and make wild claims of being visited in the night by phantom 5500's with big engines and GVW's over 30000 lb. Such claims reinforce the skeptic’s view that the 4500/5500 legend is a function of passionate fans of the paranormal, aided greatly by the mass media’s eagerness to cater to such enthusiasm.



In addition to the eyewitness testimonials of enthusiastic fans, the bulk of the evidence provided by proponents of the 4500/5500 consists of tire tracks and film. Of the few tire tracks available for examination in plaster casts, there is such great disparity in shape and configuration that the evidence suggests many independent pranksters.



Probably the most well-known evidence for belief in the 4500/5500's existence is a film shot by Dodge hunters Steve St. Laurent and Matt "Hole Shot Holset" on Oct 20, 1967, at Bluff Creek in southern Mexico. The film depicts a Dodge-like creature with oversized frame rails and a Cummins 8. 3. Its height is estimated at between 6' 6'' and 7' 4'', its weight at nearly 5 tons. Over thirty years have passed, yet no dieselhead has found further evidence of the creature near the site except for one alleged tire track. This doesn't stop thousands of devoted Dodge dieselheads from making the pilgrimage south every year in hopes of catching a glimpse of a Mexican tooling around a construction site behind the wheel of such a great beast.



Dodge, of course, has publicly denied the existance of a 4500/5500. They went so far as to publish an official report, called "The Red Papers", that quite handily counters all the evidence presented by believers of a 4500/5500. They claim most sightings of the 4500/5500 trucks are actually sightings of Caterpillar wheeled front-loaders or weather balloons.



The struggle continues...

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

rbattelle you have far too much free time on your hands!

 

[RonA]

But it was entertaining.

 

[klenger]

rbattelle, you have a gift.



Living near Mexico, I have seen some unusual Dodges with Mexican plates. One was a late model full size RamCharger, and another was a 2nd gen 2500 reg. cab SWB gasser.

 

[bmoeller]

I saw a Ram 4000 several weeks ago. He was leaving when I pulled into Mutual Wheel so I didn't get a chance to talk to him. :{



One other odd thing, it was a single wheeled truck, not a dually. Although it didn't have Cummins badges on it, it did have one. Sounded like 24v and was backed by a manual transmission w/4wd. He had it straight-piped too. Oo.

 

[PNeuzil]

I saw a 2nd Gen Crew Cab 2500 with Mexican plates a few times. This truck was a true crew, like the Fords. Looked strange and out of place.

 

[78repowerwagon]

When I was in mexice, I saw a 1500 sc/sb 4x4 with a V-10. They get all the cool rides - maybe I should move.

 

[Flores]

a client came in with a 96 2500 gasser dually rated at 8800 gvwr. Hmmmm?

 

[rbattelle]

For the record, I copied most of that text from a website about Bigfoot and modified it for my own purposes!

 

[bmoeller]

Originally posted by Flores

a client came in with a 96 2500 gasser dually rated at 8800 gvwr. Hmmmm?

OEM or was it a conversion like what Arrowcraft has?

 

[Mike Ellis]

rbattelle -



I haven't seen a crew-cab 3/4 ton Ram, but there is a family that has kids in our school that has a Mexican full-size "Durango" or Ramcharger. It is the same size as a full-crew-cab version of the 2nd gen 2500 truck, but enclosed all the way back like a Durango. VERY sharp. I have not seen it stopped anywhere yet so I can get a closeup look, but it is definitely an import, the truck still has Mexican plates on it.



I'd buy one!

 

[bmoeller]

They sure are missing out on sales of vehicles.

 

[JRMora]

Originally posted by bmoeller

They sure are missing out on sales of vehicles.

Worked in Mexico, too.



I have seen lots of "Ram 2500's" but they are nothing more than 1500's. The use the same 5 bolt wheels and all the one's I saw had v-8 gassers in them.



In and around Baja California, I saw lots of Ram 4500's, Most of these were Cab & Chassis models fitted with box bodies (delivery vans) and most had gas engines in them. They had mirrors on them that looked a whole lot like the ones on the newer GMC Topkicks. They didn't look anything like the current ones.



I did see one (still had a 4500 on it) that looked like the GM HD's of old - the front bodies had been raised 3 or 4 inches and had a filler panel between the bumper and the bottom of the cab.



This was all back in '98 and '99, so they were all based on the 2nd gen trucks.



I saw the Ramchargers and the crew cabs as well.



Haven't been back since, so I don't know what else is new.



Juan

 

[TRLRTRSH]

My wife and I being retired winter over in San Felipe, Baja Calif. I can confirm that Dodge does in fact build a Ram 4500 in Mexico. We see a few civilian 4500s (mexican plates) in Baja but not many. The Mexican Army and Navy both use them. Some are equiped with diesel engines I do believe. I've never checked them out because I was always jealous of the the young guys driving them. We are presently in WA for the summer, but will return to San Felipe in Oct. Can't wait to get away from this RAIN and sky high diesel prices.

 

[jelag]

I was in Gualdajara(sp) last month... the 4500 is alive and well there... . saw lots of them... being used and abused with both gas an Cummins engines... All the ones I saw were cab and chassis... . some were streatched with a second dually axle behind the drive axle for extra load capacity... .



I'd buy a 4500 if it was available.



Jim

 

[RankRam]

bajabill



What's the price of fuel in ole Mexico?

 

[TRLRTRSH]

When we left the first of May it was about $1. 70 in San Felipe In El Centro it was $2. 05 and I about had a heart attack. Two things the Mexican Gov controls. Booze and fuel prices

 

[RankRam]

Originally posted by bajabill

When we left the first of May it was about $1. 70 in San Felipe In El Centro it was $2. 05 and I about had a heart attack. Two things the Mexican Gov controls. Booze and fuel prices

Thanks Bill.



Two things the Mexican Gov controls. Booze and fuel prices [/B][/QUOTE]



Only two things?

 

[TRLRTRSH]

OH, they control a lot more but,,,,,Those are the only two I really care about