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Posted by: Dragginbutt
I had an 03 Hemi Ram Quad cab. I put a tonneau cover on it and picked up a little milage. One stout package for sure. I can't say for the others with the new 4/8 thing going on, but mine without it got consitant 15.3 MPG around town. Normal driving. I COULD get around 20 on the HWY, but had to really baby the crap out of it. Towing a heavy trailer was a chore and MPG went to 6 or 7.. See my pics. My trailer is around 7000 loaded, and 11ft tall. That pushes a lot of air, and the HEMI was struggling with it. I hated to do it, but traded up for a 2500 and a Cummins. Sweet Je$$us that thing has power to pull. Love the turbo too.
I miss the Hemi sound, but the Cummins purr is a sound all it's own. Towing now, I get around 17MPH. I tow enough that in the fuel savings alone It covers the payments.
Watch out with the load ratings on the 20" wheel setup. You DON'T have the same rating with them as you have with the 17's. The tires are car tires not rated for loads. The 17 inch load rated tires are hard to find too. You get 265's on them from the factory, I went with 285's from Cooper and spent just under 900 for the set at 56,000 miles. Keep the air pressures UP on all tires. Don't let the so called mechanic tell you they lowered the pressure for a smoother ride. That is BOGUS. Keep the pressure where the sticker on the door says it should be.
All in all the 1500 Hemi is a good truck. I hated to part with mine, but that Cummins had my name written all over it. Had to pop for it.. Besides it is a business write-off anyway. Maybe next time, it will be a dually. Either way, the Cummins and I are a match made in heaven...
Posted by: Dragginbutt
The 07's are supposed to be monsters in the HP and Torque numbers, but in general, I would wait and see on the fuel issue. Right now, all the current diesel pumps are getting stickers that say that the fuel can't be used in 07's. Given that it is already difficult to find diesel in many parts of the country, this is ominous. I can't believe the stations are going to just up and swap out their tanks and dispersers just for a new fuel type. It will be interesting for a while for sure.
As for the dually, I just want the look. I don't pull a 5th wheel, and if you are not carrying the weight over the axle, you are actually better off with the SRW model. When you get in a wet condition, you actually lose traction with the dually if you are pulling a tag trailer. That is because the weight is carried over 4 wheels, so the # per squar inch of pressure is less. And that equals less traction. It could end you up swapping ends with your trailer. NOT GOOD.
Still, I want one for the looks. I have worked hard all my life, I deserve it right? The kids are grown, I am spending that inheritance. It just might make me go out and get one of those monster 5th wheel toy haulers I have been going GA-GA over.
Posted by: Dragginbutt
Yeah, but all you have to do is run into a law officer who looks at your door sticker and determines you are overweight, and you are not in a good position.
Posted by: Dragginbutt
Yeah it works that way in my neck of the woods too. I have to think that if you put that much weight on the 3/4 ton's rear end, you are going to have it screaming uncle pretty quick. When you get into the upper ranges, anything over 8000 on a regular basis, then I'd be looking at going the dual wheel route. Now a SRW 1 ton nas a larger, more durable rear end than the 3/4 ton, but it still can balk if you go much over 13000 GVWR. Remember these are MAX ratings. They are not intended for people to max out or exceed for long periods of time, or on a regular basis. Considering the price difference between a 2500 and a 3500, it is cheap insurance to go with the dual wheel combination for a grand or two in cost. Diesel is definately the way to go though. Don't get me wrong, I really miss the Hemi.. but it pales in comparison when you look at BRUTE pulling power the Cummins has. It will never win any speed challenges in stock form, but load em down, and we will see who has the upper hand then.
There are several websites that cater to the diesel crowd, and with modifications (ie plug and play chip reprogrammers), you can get some serious HP and torque numbers out of these. AND if you have glod lined pockets, you could put on a twin turbo setup, a mild cam, a bunch of electronics and now you are talking 800 HP, and over a 1000 Ft lbs of torque. Unfortunately, that will kill your 100,000 mile warranty... but the stuff is out there for the few, the brave etc..
Posted by: Dragginbutt
Not sure you are right or wrong on the RE. I was told by a trusted source that there would be a lot more maint on the 1 ton rear end than the 3/4 ton witht he open axle et al. I'll have to kick my source then. He talked me into the 3/4 ton for that very reason. I had new plates going on a really nice Red 1 ton dually before I took the time to call him and discuss the purchase and get talked down. He is the source on the stability stuff in wet conditions with a dually too. Dog gone it, I really wanted that dual wheeled monster... Oh well, maybe next time. Heck, at 36K for this one, and 40+ for a dually, that should be a long time down the road. And I'll NEED one to pull that monster toy hauler around.
Just curious though, is there a way to get the sticker updated to reflect the increased load hauling capacity when you DO install heavier spings or air bags etc?
Posted by: Dragginbutt
Actually he has been a truck driver for almost 30 years, and before that a certified Mechanic working on heavy trucks in the USAF. He is my brother in law, so I have to trust him. I found one interesting tidbit on the service schedules for Dodge trucks. The dealers will always tell you to follow Schedule B, which mandates changing gear oil every 15000 miles. However if you are like most people, only occasionally tow or haul weight, don't drive in stop and go traffic, or don't drive on highways for hours on end, then the Factory service people say that Schedule A is good to go. At least that was the word on my old 1500.. and I have not had to call the regional service manager for a while now, so I don't know what the rule is on the 2500 and 3500's. 15000 between changes I'll buy if it was working hard, but that seems a bit much if you are not abusing it. Otherwise some of us would be changing the gear oil twice or three times a year.. That seems a lot in my book. I agree it is cheap insurance over replacing a Differential or a transfer case. I change mine every 30,000 just to keep things reasonably affordable. I still can't seem to get out of the dealer's garage for under 200 bucks. I understand the 3 gallons of oil is expensive, and the cost of filters etc... but man that is steep. There is always something they say needs to be serviced over an above what I had planned every time we change the oil.
Posted by: Dragginbutt
So you recommend Redline then? Almost to a man, I have heard everyone go aftermarket when choosing oils etc. Redline is on my list. Because I have a new truck, and this is my first oil change coming up in it, I want to get it on a program that I will keep for a long time.
Posted by: twentycharacters
sounds like a good deal. makes me wonder how much markup is really in these things if they can slash the price like that so drastically!
is that a nationwide discount?
my chevy kicks in at 97mph. it could do more but 97 hits, the engine rpm goes to idle until the speedo hits 96 and its back tapped out again..a reprogrammer can increase the limiter but i guess they feel its unsafe for the ordinary person to be going that fast in a truck...
you hear bad and good stuff with all brands. im not a huge dodge fan but know several people with them and they love 'em. if anything has a good warranty and the dealers wont screw you around in getting it fixed, i suppose almost any oem will do in todays market; although i do have a bad taste in my mouth for GM after spending $2400 on a new tranny for the chevy recently (at 49K miles).
let us know how it holds up... i may can become a dodge fan for the power/price...
Posted by: 86250rrider
try the cummins,you will never go back !!
Posted by: raidermike67
I just purchased a new Dodge Ram 1500 "Bighorn" edition, 5.7 Hemi with 20" chrome wheels. Dodge is sitting on a 6 months supply of inventory and has started to blow these things out. I got mine for $18,999 with a MSRP of almost $33,000. The only things I have to ad are a receiver hitch and I have to get longer ramps as it sits too high for the ramps I currently have. I'm also going to get a lineX bed liner and am considering a Turbine 3030 muffler from Aero Exhause Performance.
I was surprised to learn the speed limiter kicks on at 105 MPH, I wonder if this is because its a pickup? My Saturn doesn't kick in until 110 and it's only a 2.2 litre. I've only driven it about 200 miles total so far but the power of the 5.7 litre Hemi MDS(from 8-4 cylinders when at cruising speeds) engine is pretty impressive and overall the truck seems to have everything, all power, Sirus satellite, fog lights, tinted windows etc....even has heated mirrors, not sure what for where I live but who knows?
Anyone have any experience with this truck, pros or cons? I'ts pretty big, barely fits in my garage.
Posted by: raidermike67
sounds like a good deal. makes me wonder how much markup is really in these things if they can slash the price like that so drastically!
is that a nationwide discount?
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I don't know but three different dealers came out with the same deal this weekend so something is going on right now.
I got this truck mostly for hauling my quad<s> so I don't plan on putting a LOT of miles on although I might be encouraged to take a few more longer trips now<G>
Posted by: raidermike67
what kind of gas mileage are you getting? i get about 17 driving around normally. highest ive gotten was 20 but that was going 60 downhill LOL. just curious to see if that 4/8 cylinder thing works
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I can get 19 MPG on cruise with no a/c keeping it around 65......my last two trips, with two quads, a passenger and gear I averaged about 14 MPG mostly NOT freeway, winding low mountain roads with minor grades but almost no cruise control and with a/c on most of the time. Hauls my quads like nothing is back there and can't even tell I'm pulling a trailer. You can't even tell when it switches from 4 to 8 cylinders.
My dad claims the a/c shouldnt impact the mileage on these larger engines. The above 19 MPG was an attempt by me to see what was about the best I could get......on the return trip I used the a/c but also wasn't watching my speed much, tapped 80 a few times and passed some people, averaged about 16.5. Kinda funny, when I first left that day, I started to watch the overhead display for mileage and was getting VERY anxious when it was kind of stuck on 11-13 mpg's....until I realized I had it set on KM's instead of miles LOL, I was looking out the back to see if I was leaking gas.
Posted by: raidermike67
Stock, most Dodge pickups come with only a little plastic deflector behind the rear tires, so they can sling rocks/muck under the bed above and in front of the tires. The parts department sells some full coverage inner wheel liners for like $80.
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I agree with the tires being expensive but I'm only putting 5-6K a year on the truck so they should last quite a while before I replace them. I was noticing the area behind the rear tires and was wondering if there was an insert or something for that. Thanks for the info.
Posted by: JeffinTD
I've known several people who have the new style half ton Dodges, and they seem to hold up pretty well. One guy had a minor leak at one of the transmission oil cooler lines, and also an insturment cluster failure, but both were handled under warranty.
Down the road, buying tires for the 20" wheels will be spendy. Lots of people upgrade their tires/wheels right after buying a truck, though, so you could likely pick up a set of 17" wheels with like new tires cheap off a classified (unless you are in love with the look of 20inchers).
Stock, most Dodge pickups come with only a little plastic deflector behind the rear tires, so they can sling rocks/muck under the bed above and in front of the tires. The parts department sells some full coverage inner wheel liners for like $80.
Posted by: JeffinTD
Yeah, for towing and milage I really love my Cummins, too.
Next time, though, I might also look at a dually (current truck is SRW 3500), or maybe even one of the 4500 or 5500 cab/chassis deals coming out for 07 (once they have been out for a while).
Posted by: JeffinTD
I'm with you, Dragginbutt, in that I'm taking a "wait and see" on the 07's, with their particulate filter and cooled EGR. Lower compression coupled with higher boost actually does have potential to make monster power without loosing fuel economy, but I suspect there will be some bugs... As I understand it, the refineries in my area have already switched to ULSD exclusively, so I suspect by the time the 07's hit the lot, finding fuel won't be an issue.
Though I'd like to have the bed free for extra quads or whatever, I really prefer the way 5th wheels handle (area I live in is known for high winds). 1900 pound pin weight dry, plus a couple hundred for the hitch, a few people in the truck and some gear in the back... and you can overload a SRW one ton in a hurry.
Flip side, I suppose, is that I live in a town where the side streets were laid out for model T's. Even with parking allowed only on one side, there often isn't room for two full sized vehicles to pass by each other...
I also drool at some of the monster 5th wheel toy haulers, though, so I suppose next truck will be a dually, unless I hit the lottery and then one of the Freightliner M2 sport-haulers would be in my future... Hmmm, I wonder if you could special order one on their all wheel drive rough service chassis?
Posted by: JeffinTD
Your GVWR is probably about 9200 on a 2500.
The pin weight of my 5th wheel, plus the hitch and two people in the truck would put you over the truck's vehicle weight rating, and likely exceed the rear axle's weight rating.
In my neck of the woods, enforcement on RV's is rare, but it does happen. The fines are stiff, and they could also take your rig out of service.
Posted by: JeffinTD
Actually, all the current diesel dodges use the same 11.5" AAM rear axle for 2500, 3500, and 3500 dually, except the width is different for the dually version. The only thing that seems to be different between my 3500 SRW and a 2500 is a set of overload springs, and a higher GVWR.
In my book, anyway, a 2500 can do fine with a fairly large 5th wheel if you add air bags, and I don't consider it dangerous unless you exceed the weight rating of the tires, but you will likely be over your GVWR- and eligible for a big ticket in some jurisdictions.
A dually will also be much more stable, especially in high wind, and once you get into the 38' to 40' heavy four seasons units, a dually is the only way to go.
Posted by: JeffinTD
flyinscrammy
Actually, I am a cop. You can exceed your Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (and as I understand it, you could get dinged for it in some jurisdictions), even though you may be under your Gross Combined Weight Rating, and yes, I know the difference.
Just as an example, my 5th wheel, loaded, puts about 2000 pounds of weight on the pin. Add about 175 for the hitch, 600 pounds of people and some camping gear, and it could easily exceed the max payload of my 3500 SRW pickup (2,680 pounds), above which I would be over my 9900 GVWR.
Again, I'm not saying the truck won't handle it, or that it's likely to get enforced, but I think that if most folks towing a 35' or longer 5th wheel with a 2500 or SRW 3500 went over a scale with all their camping gear and people in the truck, they would discover they are over rear axle weight rating, and gross vehicle weight rating, even though they may be under gross combined weight.
I'm not trying to argue, but next time you and your buddies, gear and stuff is all loaded up, run it over a certified scale (one with no cops around) and see what it says. That's the only way to know for sure.
Dragginbutt
RE: rear dif, in 2003 Dodge switched from Dana to AAM rear axles in 2500/3500 trucks, and thereafter specified oil changes every 15K with full synthetic 75W-90 rated GL-5. Perhaps your buddy was comparing service schedule on an older 2500 to a newer 3500?
Posted by: JeffinTD
flyinscrammy,
Yeah, you and I think alike, in that it isn't the slim chance of a ticket that scares me, it's what might happen if ever I was in a serious accident.... The problem for me is the one really huge 5th wheel I kind of like would exceed the combined rating of a dually. I'm going to go look at the 5500 series when they come out, but like most people if I go buy a high $$$ new truck, a fancy 5th wheel wouldn't fit in the budget (or at least I think it would be wiser to buy a house as a rental instead, if I were going to drop that kind of cash).
Dragginbutt,
I also thought the 15k change thing is a bit steep, but my truck is either sitting unused, doing short stop and go trips, or towing, so unfortunately I meet the requirement for frequent service. If I own the thing after the 7/70 expires, I'll do it less often. At least they come with a reuseable gasket, and Redline is cheaper than the factory stuff and meets their specification (They now say 75w-140 for heavy towing).
Filters and that kind of stuff are cheaper at the Cummins parts house, and cheaper yet at Gino's.
Posted by: JeffinTD
I just bought Redline because the parts guy at the Dodge dealer pointed out that it's cheaper than DC's oil, it is as good or better quality, and it meets their warranty requirements. Also, they had 75W-140 GL-5 in stock, and the powers that be had just sent something out about it being approved and a good idea to run the heavier weight oil for those who tow heavy, particularly in warmer climates. There are plenty of good gear oils out there, and any full synthetic that meets GL-5 would probably be fine.
I also switched the NV5600 out to Redline MTL, with good results. Rumor has it that the DC stuff is just Pensoil Syncromesh, and I thought it might be worthwhile to have synthetic in there also.
Posted by: 450kodman
just picked up a used 05 hemi ram with 11000 miles
put about 1000 miles on it and no problems so far
has lots of power
what kind of gas mileage are you getting? i get about 17 driving around normally. highest ive gotten was 20 but that was going 60 downhill LOL. just curious to see if that 4/8 cylinder thing works
you got yours for 19 grand new!!??
i need to move to Cali
Posted by: 450kodman
i like my ram alot
yeah, the tires will prolly be expensive, maybe i shouldnt smoke em so often
i got a pic up of my new baby
450kodman
Posted by: flyinscrammy
You don't need a dually..... I own a 2500 Cummins and put the firestone airbags on the rear axle. What a difference. I got the compressor and installed it as well. I love it and would recommend them to anyone that tows.
Posted by: flyinscrammy
20k lbs GCVWR, read it and weep....
Posted by: flyinscrammy
Did my legal research before. THere is a difference between Gross Vehicle Weight Ratio and Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Ratio... Glad you are not a cop. Good call with the rear end, they are the same, you just have to pay attention when you buy your tires and ensure you get an E load rating.
Posted by: flyinscrammy
Sorry, apparently you do know your stuff. Most people don't bother to research stuff like that. I did. It's not that easy to find though, beyond looking on your door for your GVWR, then understand GCVWR and determine what it is for your state. Had to do quite a bit of searches just to make sure. My worry wasn't about a ticket, but insurance liability. You know they will find every way in the world not to pay out if I get into a wreck. 15k on the rear end huh??? I better dig out my service manual, god knows what else I've missed! I was working on the 30k schedule (I only have 28k on the '04). Thanks
Posted by: flyinscrammy
Believe it or not, just putting redline in my manual transmission fixed the tight shifting problem that I was having in my 1500. 5500?? Wow! I'd love to have one of those or a freightliner to tow my 5th wheel, but like you, I still have to feed and cloth the family.
