Diesel Owners Jump In!

[skidooer1]

"When comparing a 3rd-gen LWB to a 2nd Gen SWB or LWB, the 3rd gen rides like a caddy. When you own one, you'll understand"

drove a 06 4x4 2500 swb out to vegas and back in january, and driven my bros 04 4x4 2500 swb and they drive and ride alot better than my 02 swb.caddy ride is my 04.5 6 speed drw 2wd with firestone air springs.

 

[JSCC]

it regularly tows 6 tons if not more


See, therein lies your problem. 12,000lbs is not much weight. Most every diesel truck out there will pull that like there's no tomorrow.
Double or triple that if you want to see the real test.....

 

[Superdutytd]

Thats why 100,000 is choice on mileage. By that time your drivetrain and chassis will start falling apart (if its been driven like a truck should be driven) even though the engine is still going strong.

Drivetrain and chassis falling apart? Give me a break...Never happened to any of my fords.

Oh and towing 36k pounds with a one ton truck? Talk about stupid and dangerous.

 

[JSCC]

Drivetrain and chassis falling apart? Give me a break...Never happened to any of my fords.

Oh and towing 36k pounds with a one ton truck? Talk about stupid and dangerous.

Close, 30k with a one ton truck. Legal and safe with the right equipment.

Ignorance is bliss.....

 

[DRD]

Close, 30k with a one ton truck. Legal and safe with the right equipment.

Ignorance is bliss.....

That sounds really heavy, my Dodge dually is only rated for a combined weight of 20,000 lbs. I'm not so sure I'd want to be +10K over weight.
It must really be fun going up hill with that much trailer.

 

[JSCC]

That sounds really heavy, my Dodge dually is only rated for a combined weight of 20,000 lbs. I'm not so sure I'd want to be +10K over weight.
It must really be fun going up hill with that much trailer.

Ya its heavy. Mine is rated at 38,000 lbs. She'll cruise down the freeway at 65 mph no problem. It just takes some time getting rolling.

 

[Sako7STW]

Ya its heavy. Mine is rated at 38,000 lbs. She'll cruise down the freeway at 65 mph no problem. It just takes some time getting rolling.

Some time? That's an understatement. It's like looking in your mirror waiting for Christmas to come.

Should be interesting to see how the new rig does huh JSCC?

 

[skidooer1]

That sounds really heavy, my Dodge dually is only rated for a combined weight of 20,000 lbs. I'm not so sure I'd want to be +10K over weight.
It must really be fun going up hill with that much trailer.

the registration on my dually says 33,500(commercial). tow 22,000-24,000 lbs daily and have put on 40,000 miles since june.truck has 120,000 now and so far so good.only issues with the truck to date is a throw out bearing, one new wheel bearing, apps, and a cracked turbine housing due to a plugged up cat. good trailer brakes is the key. btw it averages 9.44 mpg with that weight, and the worst mpg was in a head wind in north dakota which dropped mpg to 4.5.

 

[TBWdracula2003]

have you not figured out yet why I ask him to stfu? glow plugs in Cummins? The automatic is designed to fail? Fibers in the tranny? Is he serious, cause he sounds like he won the 100 meter dash at last summers special olympics in spectacular fashion. Please note the "our truck" reference...it ain't even his.

skidooer, I've got respect for you...you've got a bombed Cummins and a good idea about what it takes to keep one running at the middle of the aftermarket power level.

When comparing a 3rd-gen LWB to a 2nd Gen SWB or LWB, the 3rd gen rides like a caddy. When you own one, you'll understand.

ok i forgot the cummins doesent have plugs, im just used to saying plugs because every other diesel i drive has plugs.

the automatic is designed to fail, it will never last as long as a stick.
and yes there are fibers in the tranny,( you may want to sit down for this im about to lay some knowledge on your a$$) if you've ever had an automatic apart you'd know that the clutches inside are comprised of " steels" and " fibers" so yes there are fibers in the tranny. the fibers consist of a steel plate with a fibrous material attached to it for friction

 

[HuskerCat]

SO I do think we might need to go back and look at the newer Dodge's. We definitely want to move to an automatic tranny though.

I have an 08 Mega Cab with the 68RFE trans. So far I am thoroughly impressed with this trans. It is supposed to be Dodges answer to the Allison. The 6 speed auto coupled with the exhaust brake works absolutely flawless. Downshifts smooth and slows you down in a hurry, hardly need to touch the brakes. I don't know how they would hold up with extremely heavy loads, but if your doing medium duty towing as I am, I don't see any negatives thus far. I also am a member of several Cummins forums and I haven't really read anything bad about the trannys yet.
The 6.7 might be another story. I have had no trouble with mine, but I have read about a number of people having turbo issues due to the EGR sending soot back through the turbo.
Mileage is slightly less on mine than on a 5.9.
Hope that helps. Good Luck on your decision.

 

[skidooer1]

ok i forgot the cummins doesent have plugs, im just used to saying plugs because every other diesel i drive has plugs.

the automatic is designed to fail, it will never last as long as a stick.
and yes there are fibers in the tranny,( you may want to sit down for this im about to lay some knowledge on your a$$) if you've ever had an automatic apart you'd know that the clutches inside are comprised of " steels" and " fibers" so yes there are fibers in the tranny. the fibers consist of a steel plate with a fibrous material attached to it for friction

manuals still require clutches,bearings,flywheels,throw out bearings etc.building in auto vs a manual for towing is going to be twice but in the end an auto will be less maintinence.my preference for towing heavy is a manual, cause going to the exact gear is important when your rolling loaded 10k over gcwr of the truck. If I remember right the 68rfe has that capability. for most it would be the way to go but for me a tq converter, input, vb would be in the near future.For light towing an auto is the way to go.light towing imo is under 12k.

 

[TBWdracula2003]

manuals still require clutches,bearings,flywheels,throw out bearings etc.building in auto vs a manual for towing is going to be twice but in the end an auto will be less maintinence.my preference for towing heavy is a manual, cause going to the exact gear is important when your rolling loaded 10k over gcwr of the truck. If I remember right the 68rfe has that capability. for most it would be the way to go but for me a tq converter, input, vb would be in the near future.For light towing an auto is the way to go.light towing imo is under 12k.

yes the stick will require some clutch parts but an automatic overhaul will cost about twice as much

 

[slyrydr]

i have two megacabs, an 06 and 07 with the 5.9 and fourspeed autos....the 06 is our cadillac, it rides exceptionally well...i put an ats valve body and torque converter in it for $2600 because i tow a 15000 boat (11 ft wide and 13 1/2 ft tall) so it catches a lot of air, very happy with it, comfort and reliability, gets 21 on the road at 65 mph and 18 at 80 mph.....the 07 is my personal ride, it's lifted, runs 35s and does everything i could ask, zero problems....both have edge towing chips in them and have all the towing power i can use responsibly

 

[GlennRMK]

I know of not one single failure of the 68RFE

Know someone on their third torque converter in one, but 4wd boosted launches with the Juice are a little hard on them

I recently switched from an 01 6 speed to an 03 48RE. I miss the manual sometimes but generally like the auto. I have Goerend valve body and planning on a torque converter eventually. The auto is way faster once you start modding. I am planning on some heavy mods down the road and the auto is the only way to go.

However, I still think the manual is better for towing heavy loads(like 10k plus).

I think you will like the 3rd gen a lot better. I love mine.

Also, while clutch packs wear out so do synchos

Some people can break anything!

 

[Luke The Drifter]

Welp, I'll chip my two cents in here.

I have both a stick and an auto Dodge CTD, granted they're 11 years apart (93 and an 04) so they are completely different in feel but heres what I've come to the conclusion. The stick is a PITA around town, seemed like in my 93' people liked to drive in between my gears, either too slow (lugging) or too high (revving the snot out of the engine). I specifically bought my 04 with an auto tranny because I was sick of shifting all the time. I think auto trannys have come pretty fair in towing and hauling capabilities. I've got 204,xxxKMs on my 04' and the tranny is still holding up just fine even after numerous WOT runs with my predator set on extreme.

About the whole "autos wear out faster, yadda yadda". When you get an understanding of how these things work come back and talk until then, keep quiet. Anytime there is metal to metal contact (with lubrication of course) there is wear regardless of an auto or manual. I've seen manual trannys pile up just as quick as an auto, depends on how its maintained and operated. Its funny how quick some guys shoot down an auto. Hell the Volvo A30D and A40D haul trucks I work on are automatics, and they hold up just fine, I've yet to come across one with a toast transmission and a lot of the operators bag the sh!t out of our trucks.

Anyways back on topic, if your looking at a Dodge, get a 3rd gen. I love mine, rides pretty smooth and does everything I want

 

[Polar Express]

I personally have owned a '96 dodge CTD, '99 dodge CTD, '04 GMC Duramax/Allison and now drive a '06 Dodge CTD.

I don't consider myself to be brand loyal. I have a Bachelor's degree in Vehicle Research and Design, and have worked as a professional Mechanic as well. Every manufacturer has their successful designs/products, and their failures out there as well.

I was very happy with the Dodge product. All of the above trucks were AT. The reason I left dodge and tried the GMC product, was the cab room. At my first opportunity, I went back to Dodge, and we now drive a mega cab.

I agree that up until recently, Dodge has been low-man on the tranny totem pole. But, that being said, they could be built to withstand just about anything you can throw at them as well. (yes, there are some folks that can break anything) for the same money as a new Duramax/Allison combo, you can go buy a dodge, and have a super-built aftermarket tranny and T/C put into it, and have a stronger package. Even the mighty Allison is not without it's issues, they have a weak spot in the output shaft housing, and tend to go out there.

While I am NOT brand loyal, I did have a negative experience with GM about my '04. I experienced that gauge cluster issue, and I was just over the 70K mile cutoff. I argued that you don't buy a $40K+ pickup do have to replace a non-serviceable, non-misuse-able part at 71K miles on my own dime. They didn't agree. Also, on that injector issue, while the warranty is good for 200K miles, they won't replace them as preventative maintenance, so when your crankcase fills with diesel, and your engine oil looses its lubricity as a result, they wont replace the injectors until after the damage is done (and they wouldn't agree to cover said damage). I didn't like that approach either. So I went back to Dodge. They had the Mega cab by then.

I have heard nothing but great things about that new 6.7 and 68RFE, but no personal experience. Ours is a 5.9 with the 48RFE, which incidentally, has a higher towing rating from the factory than the manual in '06. If you keep it stock, and don't tow more than 10K, you're probably just fine. If you want to tow more, and BOMB the truck, then start with the tranny, and then put a "SMARTY" controller in it.

When it came to towing, the GMC was in a different world than the Dodge. With my '99, I had to check my mirrors to make sure my trailer was still there. In the Duramax, (with the Edge Juice/Attitude installed) I kept thinking my trailer brakes were stuck on, or my bearings were seized. Very disappointing.

Based on my experience, my recommendation is go with the Dodge. And, today's auto trannys can be just fine, or built to withstand Armageddon if you want.

You can also check other Diesel-focused forums for great info. I recommend www.nwbombers.com, and the turbodieselregister.com

 

[Bigs Apex Turbo]

I have an 01 duramax with 230,000 miles runs like a top, at 140,000 the injectors went out and they covered under warranty, and a water pump at 180,000 other then that is has been flawless, 6 inch lift 35's and still get 20mpg and starts when it -50 below without being plugged in, I run Amsoil and change the oil and filter every 20,000. And I am hard on trucks and the duramax is the ticket. Just my two scents, can't go wrong with a cummins, just don't buy a Ford

 

[GlennRMK]

Just my two scents, can't go wrong with a cummins, just don't buy a Ford

Agreed

Forgot to mention I am running the Smarty Junior on my 03. Excellent programmer with plenty of power. Running 35" Toyo MTs with a 3" lift on mine and mileage has been 16-18 around town and 19-21 MPG highway(when driving nicely).

THE SMARTY IS THE WAY TO GO ON THE 3rd GEN TRUCK.

 

[JSCC]

Very good points.
I failed to mention none of my trucks are stock. I run a Smarty on my 07', an Edge on the 05', and the 93' is turned up. Stock powered trucks I doubt will ever hurt the G56 manual. Heck, less weight or less power would have saved my manual. But so the story go's.......


Hey Sako, I checked out some dyno sheets for the programmer on the new Ford......The lowest run I have found was at 495/1197lbs with just the tuner, dpf delete and a cold air intake. Otherwise stock trucks. Most of the runs I found have put the Hp ratings near 550 hp at the rear wheels.
Not bad for a measly little Ford. I guess we'll see how it holds up compared to my Dodges....

 

[Sako7STW]

Very good points.
I failed to mention none of my trucks are stock. I run a Smarty on my 07', an Edge on the 05', and the 93' is turned up. Stock powered trucks I doubt will ever hurt the G56 manual. Heck, less weight or less power would have saved my manual. But so the story go's.......


Hey Sako, I checked out some dyno sheets for the programmer on the new Ford......The lowest run I have found was at 495/1197lbs with just the tuner, dpf delete and a cold air intake. Otherwise stock trucks. Most of the runs I found have put the Hp ratings near 550 hp at the rear wheels.
Not bad for a measly little Ford. I guess we'll see how it holds up compared to my Dodges....

One of the guys I work with has done quite a bit with his 6.4 and I finally got a ride in it the other day. I can tell you this much, no offense to Matt, but it made his truck look slow! He was supposed to put it on a Dyno down in SLC but when he got there the dyno was broke. He took the dyno tech on a ride and he said it compared to a few others that were in the 550 HP range.