known Power wagon issues
- Thread starter jgallo1
- Start date
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
Front steering/suspension components, ball joints and control arm bushings come to mind.
Explorerinil
Observer
Not been issues with the new radius arms trucks.
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
Don't let the hundreds of death wobbles stories scare you. It always a very simple fix, and components that need replaced regularly anyways.
Might want a Yukon free spin kit. They aren't too expensive.
Ball joints. I should have a vid stored on my phone still of nearly 1/4" of knuckle play. Lol.
Whens the timing chain, tensioner, service interval?
Might want a Yukon free spin kit. They aren't too expensive.
Ball joints. I should have a vid stored on my phone still of nearly 1/4" of knuckle play. Lol.
Whens the timing chain, tensioner, service interval?
Explorerinil
Observer
The new style radius arm trucks, 2013 for the 3500 and 2014 for the 2500 don’t have the issues the older 4 link had. I would not be hesitant on a good condition power wagon, just check it out like any other vehicle.
1pieceatatime
Observer
“Always” is such a strong word...
Ducky's Dad
Explorer
The biggest known issue is gas mileage, especially on the early ones. Everything else is pretty much a nit or a normal maintenance/wear item. You can always upgrade components on any truck, but the PW is pretty solid out of the box. Mine is 13 years old and the only unexpected repairs have been a cracked exhaust manifold and a broken 6-disc CD changer in the dash (apparently can't take the bouncing around off road).
05TacoMedic
Adventurer
Speaking from GOV vehicle experience. The days where GOV vehicles are exceptionally maintained are gone. Our vehicles are allowed an oil change once a year and they dont use recommendations from manufacturers at all. They laugh at alignments, rarely fix stuff without 20 phone calls (I'm serious) and when it's "fixed" it breaks again a week or two later. Just my 2 cents.
Explorerinil
Observer
Be careful saying that.... they are maintained by the cheapest means necessary now. At one time gov fleet vehicles were taken care of, not anymore, part of my job at the pd I am in change of a fleet of police cars.
This was my thought but just wanted to double check
vintageracer
To Infinity and Beyond!
Vehicle Maintenance and service quality is function of the each jurisdiction that owns a vehicle.
Some jurisdictions still do an excellent job of maintaining their vehicles so don't paint everybody in Federal, state or local governments as BAD.
More and more jurisdictions do not do as good a job of vehicle maintenance as this is an easy area to reduce budget expenses. Of course part of what makes that decision easy are the greater time and extended mileage maintenance schedules now recommended by the OEM's on all their new vehicles.
What goes around comes around!
Some jurisdictions still do an excellent job of maintaining their vehicles so don't paint everybody in Federal, state or local governments as BAD.
More and more jurisdictions do not do as good a job of vehicle maintenance as this is an easy area to reduce budget expenses. Of course part of what makes that decision easy are the greater time and extended mileage maintenance schedules now recommended by the OEM's on all their new vehicles.
What goes around comes around!
Explorerinil
Observer
Wallygator
Adventurer
It's an FCA. They are getting better. Maybe the next gen will fix the minor issues. I have never owned a Ram/Dodge/FCA vehicle but I am warming up to it. Out of the big 3 they may just be the best.
Wallygator
Adventurer
The new PW seems very solid. I thing the only real common issue is the low gas mileage. 
Wish they came with a huge gas tank.
Wish they came with a huge gas tank.