2013-2017 Ram 3500 front axle disconnect? (Paralysis by analysis)

[Durango]

I'm coming down to the wire on ordering either the F-350 or Ram 3500 Chassis Cab SRW in a regular cab configuration for my already ordered FWC Grandby Flatbed. I've driven and analyzed (too much!) both models and will order one of them in a gasser. Both seem to be good trucks and Chevy doesn't offer a SRW C & C. (I've been happy with my 2012 Ram 2500 crewcab.)

So my research tells me Dodge added a front axle disconnect in 2013 to their 3500 Rams. (And maybe the 2500's in 2014. My 2012 has a full time front end.) For those who are driving these models please weigh in with your real world 4WD experience? (We don't do super rock crawling but do get back in on moderate 4WD roads and all alone too. So reliability is paramount.) Also your opinion in general of the late model 3500 Rams?

NOTE: I like the F-350's manual/automatic front hubs and the real electronic lockers. But I can't order a power seat in the Ford regular cab and Sioux has a hard time seeing over the steering wheel without it.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Steve

PS Here's what we're driving now and actually pleased with it. I'm addicted!

 

[Halligan]

I've owned the following vehicles with the center/front axle disconnect and I never had an issue with them
1994 Wrangler
1998 Dodge 1500
2001 Dodge 2500
2015 Power Wagon

I owned one vehicle with locking hubs which was a 2008 F350 that ESOF. I had the hubs replaced twice under warranty due to them squealing and the hub dials corroding and not being able to turn them. For the record I was religious with exercising the dials.

Maybe my Ford was an unique but it did turn me off to Ford's hubs.

 

[Buliwyf]

My '94 YJ had that setup. It failed. And I got stuck in an expensive wet mud hole.

It also would spin all the front components. So it would steer nice like 2wd, but had all the wear and tear of someone leaving the hubs locked all of the time. The drive shaft and axle universals wore to the point that the bearings fell out. Had to be an entire inch of rotation back and forth. LOLz.

Never experienced that with a Dodge Truck, because I ran as fast as I could away from Dodge when they started using it. (fool me once)

 

[dstn2bdoa]

If the front sway bar disconnect on the ram truck is the same at that they use on the power wagons, I would avoid it. Or modify it.

On my 2008 power wagon the swaybar disconnect motherboard went out. The lockers are wired through this unit for some reason, and therefore woundnt work either. I have read many stories on the internet about this happening to other guys, repeatedly. So I decided to make the swaybar disconnect manual (there are kits for Rubicon’s that will work) and hardware the lockers directly to Independent switches. After that, it was great.

 

[LimaMikeMike]

The axle disconnect and the PW sway bar disconnnect are two different animals(yes the PW sway bar disconnect can be fininicky)

The new style electrically actuated axle disconnect has been in production since 2013, appears quite reliable. I've yet to hear of one failure of this system and I follow the Cummins forum, PW registry and ram forum. Some of the guys on PW registry wheel their 4.5 Gen PW hard and haven't seen any skiff of unreliability in that particular system.

Only part of the system I don't like is that if you get a manually actuated transfer case you still get an electric axle disconnect, so it's not true manual 4wd it still has to connect the axle electrically through a bunch of switches.

 

[Dalko43]

The late model Ram 2500/3500's are much better built than the Ram's from 10 years ago. Better interior, better creature comforts, more robust build quality overall. The saying used to be: 'a ram truck is a Cummins engine wrapped in a turd.' That statement, which was arguably a hyperbole to begin with, no longer rings true.

The Central Axle Disconnect (CAD) system seems reliable enough. There are plenty of Ram owners using their trucks 4wd for normal and even overlanding use, and I haven't heard of widespread problems with the system. The guys over at Diesel Power Products built up some Ram 2500's and found that the CAD 4wd can malfunction under extreme offroading (think MOAB-type rockcrawling). They replaced the factory CAD system with a locking hub setup: https://www.dynatrac.com/free-spin-kits/dodge-truck/free-spin-kit-2012-2017-dodge-2500-and-3500-with-warn-hubs.html

I'd say if you're just cruising some moderate dirt and gravel roads, the factory setup will likely work fine. If you want the peace of mind of a more robust setup, there are aftermarket options.

 

[ChinaLakePW]

My '94 YJ had that setup.

The RAM 2500/3500 now uses an electronically controlled split axle. The YJ is a vacuum operated system. I'm waiting for mine to be delivered, but I haven't heard of any issues with the CADs on the 2013 and later RAMs.

 

[dstn2bdoa]

My apologies for my clear lack of reading comprehension.

Yes they are very different systems, and since I have nothing of value to add, I will bow out.

 

[Buliwyf]

The RAM 2500/3500 now uses an electronically controlled split axle. The YJ is a vacuum operated system. I'm waiting for mine to be delivered, but I haven't heard of any issues with the CADs on the 2013 and later RAMs.

Let me clarify. I have no issues with the reliability of the disco system.

I don't like that my front axles are still spinning. I'd rather have hubs. That's the deal breaker. I think the electric disco would work fine for me since I exercise my 4wd systems as often as I can.

 

[nitro_rat]

I have played around with the “build one” option on the Dodge and Ford sites and I wouldn’t order a single wheel chassis cab. They only credit you like $300 for the bed and also delete the spare tire (but will be glad to add it back on as an option $$$).

I would buy the regular truck and strip the bed off myself. If you have no use for the bed and spare you can easily sell them for more than $300!

I dislike power seats as they are so ssslllloooowww to adjust even though they typically have more adjustments. I try to avoid vehicles with power seats.

I would check out spyntec as well as dynatrac for the locking hub conversion. I prefer spyntec’s kit. The hubs don’t stick out as far which is important with SRW. Also available with WARN premiums which I also prefer. I think WARN makes a hub for the Ford as well, maybe not the newer ones, never looked.

I had a SRW Ford with a service body and the locker and found that any time I engaged the locker it introduced massive scary I’m gonna bust a spring wheel hop. Maybe not on wet grass, but in sand, mud, rocks, or anywhere it was “needed.” I found momentum, line selection, and 4wd to be useful tools, the locker not so much. I prefer the truetrac in my current SRW Dodge. Both trucks are gassers, the Dodge a Quad and the Ford was an extended cab.

I do like the Ford manual/automatic hubs.

 

[Regcabguy]

Hubs,disconnect YADA YADA.
The thing that spooks me is the electronic transfer cases. Too much circuitry and servos.
You have to get a Tradesman in the Rams in order to avoid the knob.

 

[Conifer]

I have a 2016 Ram 3500 and my front axle disconnect actuator did fail on me. Luckily, it’s an easy replacement as they are a simple part located on the back of the rear axle. Having said that, RCV makes a set of shafts for these trucks that uses a one piece passenger side inner shaft, thus allowing you to run manual locking hubs and no longer have to rely on the disconnect. Yes, the actuator will still be there on the axle housing, it just won’t connect to the two piece inner axle shafts anymore to slide the locking collar over them when you shift into 4wd.

By the way, this is a tricky issue to diagnose, as your truck won’t throw a code telling you that the actuator isn’t working. You will just get a “service 4wd” message on the dash, and you will no longer be able to shift into 4wd, high or low.

 

[RoyJ]

Let me clarify. I have no issues with the reliability of the disco system.

I don't like that my front axles are still spinning. I'd rather have hubs. That's the deal breaker. I think the electric disco would work fine for me since I exercise my 4wd systems as often as I can.

To be fair, every modern truck on the road, with the exception of Ford SDs, spin their front drive train. From Ford 1/2 tons, to GMs, to 4runners and Land Cruisers, to LR3/4s, to G-Wagens...

So if you're that worried about front axle wear, then you don't have much of a choice.

 

[Buliwyf]

To be fair, every modern truck on the road, with the exception of Ford SDs, spin their front drive train. From Ford 1/2 tons, to GMs, to 4runners and Land Cruisers, to LR3/4s, to G-Wagens...

So if you're that worried about front axle wear, then you don't have much of a choice.

F150's have auto hubs that are vacuum actuated,when they lose vacuum, they lock. Guess that's another good reason to be a Ford guy. See sig.

 

[RoyJ]

F150's have auto hubs that are vacuum actuated,when they lose vacuum, they lock. Guess that's another good reason to be a Ford guy. See sig.

That I didn't know, cleaver design.

But for the OP, I wouldn't let the axle disconnect system or spinning front axle be a deal breaker. My old 1999 V10 Dodge's vacuum axle disconnect has been trouble free for nearly 20 years.

An added bonus of axle disconnect is with one simple switch, I can have 2-Lo. Great for maneuvering heavy trailers. On steep logging trails with my camper, I can lower my tranny temp by 20 degrees running in 2-Lo, converter locked, vs 2-Hi and turbine mode.