will dodge front ends always suck??

[EDankievitch]

Hey before you go al nuts over the pinion seal check if it is leaking most of the time it's the engine crank case vent dripping on the axel not the seal! many seals wee replaced that are not bad!

 

[BTighe]

yeah, they will always be a solid axled vehical that drives like a truck. ive had my dmax for a few months and jumped into an 05 g56 truck. all was tight but there is a difference. all plushness aside, anyone wanna buy an 05 chevy? i miss my cummins. heck, i renewed here after i bought the chevy

 

[cksh8me]

Yes the front ends are going to suck.



When you build from the lowest bidder what do you expect.



I believe the design has alot to do with it too.

 

[HCannon]

I havent had one that didnt have problems in front. Chevy sure isnt any better, also the Ford, maybe a little better. When you do work your front end over, I have found that using the cheaper parts does not pay. The next time I fixed it I used Moog and that is working.

 

[jjdiesel]

Dodge front ends suck?

To quote Kent Kroeker, who knows a little bit about truck front ends/suspension... . from TDR Issue 48, page 74. "When I started Kroeker Off Road Engineering I could have chosen any vehicle for which to design an ultra-high performance suspension system. I looked at all the brands, examining their overall material quality, component choices, and engineering. They all had strengths and weaknesses... ... ... after months of research, if I were to follow my plan and maximize true off-road capability, I discovered there was only one option, the full-sized, Heavy Duty, Dodge Ram, 4x4. With its robust design, beefy solid axles, five link front end, full box-section frame, high component quality and large wheel wells, I felt that the Ram platform was the only truck built to withstand the speeds my suspension would permit. This original hypothesis has proven to be correct time and time again... ... "



Interesting to consider amongst all the 'front end' discussion.

 

[cksh8me]

If you want strength, reliability, low cost of operation, easyer to work on, and a ride that isn't as good as what we have now then you need a solid axle and leaf springs.

 

[DPKetchum]

Never any front end work on my 93 W250 I had. Have friends that have had a couple of 3rd gen trucks each that they have put 150k on each before trading in. Not even a alignment much less any thing else.

 

[HBarlow]

I strongly disagree with the original poster and others who say the Dodge front end "sucks. " I suspect longevity is much more dependent on driving style than design.



I put 325,000 highway miles on an '01 HO 6 speed without replacing anything but front shocks with Bilsteins and the front sealed bearing hubs once at around 210,000 miles. The truck is still in my family, was used for two years in the construction industry by employees who pounded it over rough roads and jobsites. It now has 348,000 miles and still no repairs or repacements. I drove it again recently and could feel a new looseness in the front end but it is still not wearing the front tires.



I put 229,000 highway miles on an '06 with only new Bilsteins and sealed bearing hubs replaced at around 210,000 miles.



I have not owned a 4wd Ram so don't know how they hold up.

 

[Bob4x4]

I don't think Dodge front ends are junk. They just need to be set-up properly for how we have elected to use them.



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This front end has been beefed up a lil bit for it's intended use. Still using all the oem steering and is doing fine as a week end toy and a daily driver with a 70 mile daily commute. (friends truck)



My old 94 that has seen Many off road and hiway miles as well still has all the original steering linkage except for an oem replacement steering damper and the addition off a DSS.



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Bob

 

[WoodChuck]

I feel compelled to add my two cents.
The Dodge front end is hands down the toughest and best design out there.

If I wanted a Cadillac ride I would have gotten a Duramax, I wanted a truck that would take a licking and keep on ticking and I think the Dodge has proven itself capable. I'll admit it has some shortcomings can be improved upon but all around it's a great truck and the engineers did a pretty dam good job of balancing cost, durability and ride quality.

 

[Cummins Cowboy]

you guys that are raving about lack of problems with the 2nd gen front ends are forgetting the fact that those trucks steered like old worn out school buses when new, I am talking about 4x4 models. those trucks had wonder issues and pathetically mushy and unresponsive feel through the wheel. you could turn the wheel nearly a 1/4 turn and nothing would really happen, this is just the way they where built. when talking about 2nd gens 2 words TRACK BAR.

rampant ball joint failures in many trucks before 50k isn't something to just laugh off, this is at least a 1k repair bill. when everything is working correctly the 3rd gen front end is very very nice driving, my truck steers like a sports car in comparison to my old '02. but 6 trips to the dealer another to a private mechanic and 2k later is what it took to get it back to the way it should be and I am just rolling 50k, yes dodge front ends suck and continue to suck

 

[DPKetchum]

Wow. That much work in 50k on the front end?How hard is it used? Almost sounds like abuse or one really bad lemon. I handled MANY Dodge 2nd gen diesels and saw a few ball joints a few steering shafts a few track bars over a 3 year period. Now on 3rd gens the only experience I've had is a few trucks of friends that in 150k before trade in not even a alignment and TWO sets of tires. Thats on four differant trucks from 03 to 05 models. 3 were 4x4 and 1 was 2wd. The 1998 1500 in my sig. has 92k on it as of Saturday. One alignment at I think around 40k. On my 3rd set of tires with about 12k or so on them. Replaced shocks then also. Front end checked fine even with the dust boots being rotted on the ball joints for the last 3 or 4 years. Opps sorry. The 1500 is not in my sig. on this site. 1998 1500 standard cab 1500 slt 2wd with 318. Elberbrock headers,Harlan Sharp 1. 7 Roller Rockers,Fastman modified throttle body,Hypertech programer download,magnaflo muffler with reworked exhaust. So far 92k trouble free miles other then maintance. One set of front brake pads. Mopar value line.

 

[Bob4x4]

you guys that are raving about lack of problems with the 2nd gen front ends are forgetting the fact that those trucks steered like old worn out school buses when new, I am talking about 4x4 models. those trucks had wonder issues and pathetically mushy and unresponsive feel through the wheel. you could turn the wheel nearly a 1/4 turn and nothing would really happen, this is just the way they where built. when talking about 2nd gens 2 words TRACK BAR.



rampant ball joint failures in many trucks before 50k isn't something to just laugh off, this is at least a 1k repair bill. when everything is working correctly the 3rd gen front end is very very nice driving, my truck steers like a sports car in comparison to my old '02. but 6 trips to the dealer another to a private mechanic and 2k later is what it took to get it back to the way it should be and I am just rolling 50k, yes dodge front ends suck and continue to suck

:-laf My 94 does not nor never did drive like a bus,after all these years I have not replaced anythhing other than 2 oem trackbars,then upgraded to the 3rd gen with the dss. It does get a good work out off road.

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The 3rd gen has gotten a lil more attention but I still would not call it junk.

I was at Carli suspension today when a Ford was brought in by a major off road race team. It is only used as a support vehicle. The front end was so bad you could literally kick the rf tire and hear it rattle. You might want to check out what the competition builds



Bob

 

[Cummins Cowboy]

2nd gen 4x4's do steer like school buses, if you don't think so, well I guess you don't know better, as for use and abuse, where I live there are no dirt roads, both my trucks saw very little use off paved roads, as for 3rd gen ball joints, go ask your service manager at the dealer, they know they suck

 

[hearingyourlies]

Don't know better ... ? Think he's showing you facts...

Had a 2nd gen for a while, 99, with a plow on front for all 70k miles.

Loosened up toward the end, but was good for the first 50k with SERIOUS abuse.

No parts replaced AT ALL (except transmission, lol).

 

[Bob4x4]

2nd gen 4x4's do steer like school buses, if you don't think so, well I guess you don't know better, as for use and abuse, where I live there are no dirt roads, both my trucks saw very little use off paved roads, as for 3rd gen ball joints, go ask your service manager at the dealer, they know they suck

:-laf:-laf:-laf Maybe yours IS a School bus. Mine has always been good. Just not quite as nice as my 3rd gen.

Why would I ask anyone? I work on these for a living and own 2.



Let me understand this... ... ... . you call yourself a cowboy but you don't have dirt? Are your cows in the parking lot with the bus?



Bob