Spare Parts for 2012 Ram 3500 CTD

[bc4x4]

I have a 2012 Ram 3500 diesel manual crew long with about 80,000kms. I have owned it since new and been meticulous about maintenance on it to the point were it still drives like new. It has been tuned (+40hp) with some parts missing and recently has ARP 2000 studs installed for reliability. Other mods include warn 9.5xp on a hitch mount, airbags and lights. I recently went over the entire truck cleaning it and looking for anything warn and the only thing that came up was a coolant leak from the EGR bypass which was due to a cheap oring (replaced with a cummins oring)

There are a few routes that I want to drive some routes which are more and more remote which has me thinking about spare parts. So far I have come up with the following list which doesn't take into account misc electrical items, bolts, pins and cable ties.

Fuel filter
Air Filter
Belt
Unit bearing (with appropriate hub socket)
Waterpump (cummins seem to go through these)
Tire plug kit w/ compressor
EGR coolant oring

Other parts I am considering are
Upper/Lower rad hoses
Tensioner pulley
rear bearings

I am curious to see what others carry and if I am overthinking this.

 

[Stroked 550]

That sounds like a good list of parts to keep, although I have never had issues with RAD hoses, tensioner pulley or rear bearings

I have a 13 Ram with 128k mile I only keep spare tire with me and an air compressor

 

[Explorerinil]

I’ve owned 7 cummins trucks, I had one water pump fail in my 04 at 160,000 miles, they aren’t as common as you think. You are planning on carrying a spare unit bearing? Those are not a easy swap on the side of the road. I just carry extra fuel filters.

 

[bc4x4]

I’ve owned 7 cummins trucks, I had one water pump fail in my 04 at 160,000 miles, they aren’t as common as you think. You are planning on carrying a spare unit bearing? Those are not a easy swap on the side of the road. I just carry extra fuel filters.

I agree it is definitely not an easy road side fix, but some routes I am thinking of are in northern Alberta into the NWT on little traveled roads were cell coverage was gone 200kms ago and you are 300km from the closest community. For those trips within 50 or 100km off pavement I would call that excessive as well.

I have never had a hub fail on a dodge, but 2x on a GMC half tonne (different trucks) both around the 90,000km and 100,000km marks. One gave warning and I was able to get it back home, but the second failed about 300km from home and had to be fixed before going further. Generally when I am working (or used to be as I am more of an office monkey now), you were in remote areas in contact with others so it has never concerned me, but in remote areas solo... I am trying to reduce the ways one can be stuck in the bush, not on the side of the road.

Thoughts?

 

[Explorerinil]

I agree it is definitely not an easy road side fix, but some routes I am thinking of are in northern Alberta into the NWT on little traveled roads were cell coverage was gone 200kms ago and you are 300km from the closest community. For those trips within 50 or 100km off pavement I would call that excessive as well.

I have never had a hub fail on a dodge, but 2x on a GMC half tonne (different trucks) both around the 90,000km and 100,000km marks. One gave warning and I was able to get it back home, but the second failed about 300km from home and had to be fixed before going further. Generally when I am working (or used to be as I am more of an office monkey now), you were in remote areas in contact with others so it has never concerned me, but in remote areas solo... I am trying to reduce the ways one can be stuck in the bush, not on the side of the road.

Thoughts?

I see your point, but swapping that hub can be a royal pain, espically if it’s seized. If your that worried about the hubs, bite the bullet and get a free spin kit. I go in some pretty rough areas also, I carry spare fuel filters and make sure I’m ahead of maintenance. I will probably swap out the unit bearings for a free spin kit, as like you I worry about the factory unit bearings.

 

[bc4x4]

I see your point, but swapping that hub can be a royal pain, espically if it’s seized. If your that worried about the hubs, bite the bullet and get a free spin kit. I go in some pretty rough areas also, I carry spare fuel filters and make sure I’m ahead of maintenance. I will probably swap out the unit bearings for a free spin kit, as like you I worry about the factory unit bearings.

I think you hit the nail on the head.. staying ahead of the maintenance is key. I think in most cases things give some sign of warning before needing replacement. The previous bearing failures have been on company vehicles that I do not go over in detail like I do my personal vehicle so I don't know if there were any warning signs that could have been caught. Mechanics are hit and miss and my just try and get your vehicle out the door to get another one in.

I also agree that it would be a royal pain to swap it out in the woods and should not happen under normal circumstances. I contemplated the free spin kit, but I am always skeptical of aftermarket parts which is why I haven't gone there yet. Take for example my EGR kit, I bought a kit every raves about only for it to leak coolant 30,000kms later because of a poor quality oring. I understand that this skepticism may just be me as I have been bitten once or twice before,

 

[Explorerinil]

I think you hit the nail on the head.. staying ahead of the maintenance is key. I think in most cases things give some sign of warning before needing replacement. The previous bearing failures have been on company vehicles that I do not go over in detail like I do my personal vehicle so I don't know if there were any warning signs that could have been caught. Mechanics are hit and miss and my just try and get your vehicle out the door to get another one in.

I also agree that it would be a royal pain to swap it out in the woods and should not happen under normal circumstances. I contemplated the free spin kit, but I am always skeptical of aftermarket parts which is why I haven't gone there yet. Take for example my EGR kit, I bought a kit every raves about only for it to leak coolant 30,000kms later because of a poor quality oring. I understand that this skepticism may just be me as I have been bitten once or twice before,

Free spin kits have been around for awhile, there are several companies out there that make them, dynatrac is the only 100% USA made set up. They all reuse an old proven design with off the shelf parts. I ran a dynatrac kit on my 06, I loved it. You won’t go wrong with a free spin kit.

 

[bigcalhoona]

Not sure if they were "fixed" by 2012, but the #4 fuel line seems to crack pretty frequently. At least until the last revision

 

[Explorerinil]

Not sure if they were "fixed" by 2012, but the #4 fuel line seems to crack pretty frequently. At least until the last revision

That’s a 5.9 issue, there was a fix put out for that, that is not as common of a problem as the internet makes it out to be.

 

[bc4x4]

Not sure if they were "fixed" by 2012, but the #4 fuel line seems to crack pretty frequently. At least until the last revision

As explorernil indicated that was an 5.9 CR issue and an issue that is more along the lines of preventative maintenance/fix as I wouldn't want to crack open the HP fuel system on the side of a gravel road as there is way to much of a chance of getting dust in there and taking out an injector.

 

[Buliwyf]

I'd do the free spin kit for sure, if I had chose a Dodge. I'm worried about the front shaft eating the xfer case more than hub wear.

Starter
Alternator
If you have a camper, try to use a battery in it that'll fit under the hood if needed.
Light bulbs for turn signals and such.

 

[bc4x4]

I'd do the free spin kit for sure, if I had chose a Dodge. I'm worried about the front shaft eating the xfer case more than hub wear.

Starter
Alternator
If you have a camper, try to use a battery in it that'll fit under the hood if needed.
Light bulbs for turn signals and such.

Good call on the battery! Something I never thought about and I plan on adding a slide in camper for these types of trips. It would be a bit expensive as I would need an AGM but and easy spare to carry in that regard.

My theory on the starter and alternator is that it is the brushes that typically go and they can be pulled apart and cleaned (alternator less so as it could take out wiring on the way out), but I also plan on going with some solar which should be able to keep things going if the alternator call it quits. I know this is not a perfect solution, but where do you call it quits and accept that no matter you do, you are taking a risk.

I have never hear of many transfer cases going with the exception of the GM pump rub problem. Do you have more info or examples? I have the BW 44-44 with manual shift if that helps

 

[Buliwyf]

The newer dodges have something china about the front drive shaft. It seizes up, and the xfer case literally explodes, ripping out the wiring harness, and brake lines. No brakes, after your entire truck bunny hops off it's front shaft, at 70mph, kinda sucks.

You'll have to google it for years involved, I'm not a dodge guy. I had to do some searching to see if I had to worry, cause Ford cases have been very similar to dodges for ages.

So I wouldn't mess around. Go straight to a free spin kit. The way dodge used to make trucks.

Happened to one of our work trucks this year. Now I'm going to get stuck with a POS chevy for a service truck. Lube that joint. Lolz, apparently jimmy lube isn't lubing our driveshafts. Murphy says that when almost all of your field techs started out as master auto/diesel techs, these things happen if you force them to use jimmy lube for company truck service.