Dodge truck shopping

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

While searching I found the following...

11.50 Rear Axle
Anti-Spin Differential Axle

I'm assuming the Anti-spin is posi but what importance is the 11.50?

Also does the 2500 and 3500 refer to bed length?

Using it to pull my GTS so that qualifies this post for this section.

 

[Simms]

The rear is an American Axle 11.50. Equivalent to a Dana 80.

2500 is the 3/4 ton, 3500 is a 1 ton. Bed length does not matter except a dually has a long bed.

 

[Jeff-00-ACR]

Here is my 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 4X4 Dually Sport Laramie. I LOVE it!!!

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[Chuck 98 RT/10]

The rear is an American Axle 11.50. Equivalent to a Dana 80.

2500 is the 3/4 ton, 3500 is a 1 ton. Bed length does not matter except a dually has a long bed.

What does the 3/4 ton relate too? Towing capacity?

 

[BadVenm]

Chuck,

Last Nov. I picked up my first ever Dodge pick up truck. I chose to buy it soley because the certificate we got at VOI 8. With that cerit the pricing was about as good as it would ever get, so I figured I'd try a Dodge.

I got the Ram 2500 crew cab short bed with the Cummins turbo diesel. So far, knock on wood, it has been a great truck! I went with the Laramie Package and Navigation system, the works.

It can pull a house off it's foundation and have enough spare power to pull the foundation out of the ground! Something like 600 Ft. Lbs of trq, bone stock! I have been reading about modified ones reaching over 600 HP and over 1,000 Ft. lbs of Trq.

It's a heavy truck, but it's getting an average of over 15 mpg city driving. Which by car standards isn't great, but considering my last truck got less than 10 mpg, I'm stoked about the 15 mpg.

Over all a very nice, high quality truck, it's a keeper. You'll like one if you get one.

 

[Simms]

Chuck, all you need is a 2500 unless you plan on pulling a monster of a trailer. My 2500 cummins pulls this 11,000 pound load easily.

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[hemibeep]

The 3/4 ton is the payload capacity(in bed weight).
Go for the diesel. Go for the 3/4 ton. The 3/4 ton has got enough HD stuff for you, but when you go to 1 ton, the ride gets stiffer. The longer the truck, whether by cab length or bed length, the less effect trailer sway will have on the rig. For my truck,short bed, standard cab, a little sway in the trailer and it tends to "steer" the truck. With my fathers long bed x-cab, you barely feel a similiar sway.
Not sure about new trucks, but the older ones like mine cannot go without a tranny cooler that should already be part of HD package.

 

[GTS Bruce]

You might consider waiting for a little while until the Toyota 3/4 comes out in 06.Their aim is to bury the superduty,chev and dodge.Probably at a great introductary price the first year. GTS Bruce

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Tow my GTS with a RAM SRT QC. Tow rating is 7500 pounds.

Town mpg is 10 highway 12mpg, towing(70-80mph)8 mpg. Considering its 4.56 rear gear and automatic I am very happy. And it can pull a new Vette light to light.

 

[Topawam]

Here is mine, 2002 5.9L, every option I can think of, actually for sale.

 

[96GTS232]

pull my gts and 20' enclosed trailer with a '98 dodge ram 1500 ss/t....with no problem at all...2500 should be fine.

 

[AviP]

Seen the price of gas lately. Ask yourself, do I REALLLLY need that truck? BTW, the Lexus RX400h can tow 3500 lbs and has a city/highway fuel mileage of 31/27.

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

At 3500 pounds towing capacity the Lexus can pull a small boat or go-kart on a trailer.
Towing my car to a race track do I car about the price of gas? Track gas has been $5.00/gal for many years, track mpg 4-6. A Dodge Cummins smoke *** is the best choice considering fuel cost/mile. The RAM QC SRT is great considering the fun factor.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Seen the price of gas lately. Ask yourself, do I REALLLLY need that truck? BTW, the Lexus RX400h can tow 3500 lbs and has a city/highway fuel mileage of 31/27.

Towing 3500 lbs is great if I'm not including a 2000 lb trailer and another 2000+ lbs of wheels and tools.

 

[GTS Dean]

Chuck,

11.5 (inches) is the ring gear diameter. The venerable 9-3/4" Dana 60 axle was standard in 3/4 and 1 ton Dodge trucks (and 440 and Hemi cars with 4-speed option) About the time of the Cummins 5.9 debut in 1990, they moved to the Dana 70, then to the Dana 80 in '94 or '95.

I think you'll be just fine with a 2500 series truck.

 

[MannyC]

Chuck, you and I are too similar in too many ways. I've got a diesel 2500 (non dually) and that is all you need. I use it to to my enclosed trailer and car and gear which is a total of 13,000 pounds. I've towed 10 hours each way at 85 MPH with no issues, up and down mountains passing other trucks that are chugging along.

That black dually shown above does look nice though. I got my truck because I didn't like the look of the dually at the time. I didn't get the 4X4 because it reduced the tow capacity and I needed the full 13,000 pounds. My trailer weighs 8,500 pounds empty (lots and lots and lots of diamond plate, ramps, generators, etc.) Throw in the car, two sets of extra wheels, jacks, gasoline tanks, etc., and I am at the 13,000 pound number.

Manny

 

[Janni]

3500. Dually. Diesel. Manual. Here's why:

3500 - cost differential is minimal. Don't you want all the truck you can get? You'll NEVER haul less crap to the track - your "support stuff" WILL grow. Believe me - I know.

Dually - Stability. Drive a std 2 rear wheel across a bridge towing a trailer in a nice crosswind. You'll thank me for the training wheels. Besides - start loading up the rear axle and you will exceed the weight ratings of the tires. 2500s may not come with E load range tires.

Diesel - mileage and torque. Plus - the best tow rating. Also - if you tow a trailer of any size, I can tell you firsthand it's almost IMPOSSIBLE to find a gas station that you can get in and out of. We pulled out 48' f'lite with a V-10 gas for a couple of years - NEVER AGAIN.

Manual - 2 words - EXHAUST BRAKE. Towing heavy will be common. Being able to head down a 6 mile 6% grade without ever using the service brakes is a HUGE safety benefit. In fact - you'll hardly ever use the brakes - just harness the massive stopping power of the exhaust brake. (Sounds cool, too) Going is nice - stopping is better.

I know you Chuck - you'll start off hauling one car and tires and tools. Next thing you know - someone else wants you to haul their car, and tools, and you'll be going longer distances, and you'll need a nice BIG trailer for the VCA Edition Comp Coupe you'll win.

We've been doing this road racing thing a long time now, and I think we've already made all the mistakes - I'll save you some time. Dollar for dollar, pound for pound and wheel for wheel - the dually is the truck to get. I know you are not a wimp - just do it.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Dangit Janni, I know you're right but the truck will probably pull double duty and I'm not sure I want a dually for everything.

Do chicks dig dually more than a 2500?

Manny, I agree but where we differ is you're loaded with $$$ and I got stuck with being great lookin'.

When is the raffle? Maybe I'll wait until then.

 

[rac156]

A few comments on Janni's post:
first 2500s do come with E load rated tires

second diesel is definately the way to go. There is a reason all the semis on the road run diesels.

third This is only an issue if you're getting an extended cab but an extended cab dually gets to be a long truck (big turning circle) You can get a 3500 with the short bed but w/o duals.

 

[peakcompletions]

I currently have 14 04 and 05 Dodge trucks running the roads, 3 gas 1/2 ton 2wd gas trucks (1 being the hemi) and 11 3/4 ton (2500) 4wd diesel short box turcks;

here are a few of my thoughts:

Like most are saying - go with the diesel. The truck pictured below is a 2500 4x4 cummins diesel automatic. I have changed the exhaust and air intake and installed a volumizer chip. Currently when running empty down the hiway at 85 mph, I average between 26 and 30 mpg. No BS! Upgrading to 5" exhaust made almost as much difference as the chip on this truck when it came to mileage. The other thing that I liked about the Dodge 3/4 ton was I could put 315 75 tires under it with no lift.. factory suspension only.

Go automatic - the new automatic transmissions are so good now that this would be my recommendation. 10 years ago I would have agreed with the manual transmission but they have "jake" brakes for both styles now, the autos are almost bullet proof, with a 4x4 put it in 4-low and idle around pulling anything out of the ground. Also, check on what it costs to replace a clutch or rebuild a manual transmission on these trucks. I have had friends who have rebuilt an automatic cheaper.. They also hold their resale value better...

Go 4x4 - my Canadian roots come out on this one as it seems un-natural to go 2WD because of the what if factor - however - with the mileage I am getting on my trucks why not. As well, the extra you pay up front will be added onto the resale price when you sell it. 4x4 trucks are also easier to sell. IMO that has been my experience.


1 ton vs 3/4 ton - personal preference - I am hauling 16,000lb trailers with no problem... Not recommended but the trucks can handle it. They sit slightly higher and ride slightly rougher. They are heavier, so when driving a 2500 it seems like you have more power.. stupid comment on this board talking power to weight ratio but you get my point.

I get no better than 14 mpg with my two non-hemi gas trucks and 11 with the hemi. In my opinion, the hemi is a big disappointment. Bear in mind that most of the time I am driving a diesel and comparing it to that, not the other gas truck.


I use all my 3/4 ton trucks for heavy oil field work (when mine is not hauling my car around and they are holding up great. I have had numerous powerstrokes (FORD) and duramaxes (GM) and those trucks did not perform in the work place 1/2 as good as the dodges. As well, I have saved almost 9,000 on each diesel over buying the other two brands - thinking of it that way on 11 diesel trucks, that is 100,000 cheaper - if you follow that way of thinking I just got almost 3 trucks for free. (compared to buying ford or chevy).


I think you should be just fine with a 3/4 ton diesel - leave the other options up to you. I think you would be disappointed in the gas trucks by any dealer.

 

[rac156]

peak,

Could you give an approximate cost for the exhaust, intake, and chip upgrades that allow you to get 26-30mpg? The best I've seen from the '05 diesel I drive (its stock) is 19 highway and 14 city. Thanks.

 

[peakcompletions]

rac156,

I spent around $1500 with labor on the upgrades to my truck, but it is an 04 truck.

$650 on the "volumizer" performance chip (plain jain with a toggle switch to go from stock/+60Hp/+100HP
$499 for full 5" exhaust from the turbo back (stainless with custom tip)
$250 for the intake system

I have a new 05 that I just put the "edge juice" performance chip, but have not had time to put on the exhaust or intake, and I am only getting about 20mpg "empty" with it.

I was told by the dealership, who are pretty frank with me because of the amount of business I do there, that the 04 trucks are better to work with than the 05 trucks. In 05, the stock motor has a little more power than 04 but the electronics are slightly different, and you can not get the difference with a chip that you could last year.

I am not sure how much performance difference there will be to my 05 when I add the exhaust and intake, but right now on "EXTREME" setting, my 05 still gets smoked by my 04, no contest. As well, my 05 pours out the black smoke on "Extreme" (+140 HP) yet my 04 does not (+100 HP).

I am still going to change the exhaust and intake and then compare.

Hope that helps.

Note - the edge chip with LCD display was around $700 for my 05...

Talk to David Weaver and Cody at American Racing Tech in Austin (512-663-8032 DW's cell #) as they have been getting into the diesel performance stuff and know a lot more than me....

 

[peakcompletions]

Here is a pic of my 05, I have since added the fender flares and bull bar...

Same Color as my GTS (almost)

 

[rac156]

I'm assuming your '04 is a 305/555 not a 325/600 (I know the 600 was offerd on later '04s)

Thanks for the info. Very helpful.

Ryan

 

[94RT10Ohio]

Whatever you do, do it now. Well if you are buying new. Those employee plus deals are very good. I thought I did good paying 25K for a 33K truck, but it is now just over 23K.