thinking about a dodge ram

[TOI]

as the title says im starting my search for a second gen ram 1500. i've always liked the looks of the truck since i was little-er. and the added solid front axle and 5.9L just kind of make it a better choice over any IFS truck. i've always been a jeep guy, (5 XJ's 1 ZJ 1 MJ) and although i have driven and know someone with a second gen ram. i basically know squat other then the vacuum axle lock sucks, and the 5.2 also sucks. so trying to be an informed buyer how do you ram owners like living and driving your trucks on a daily basis? i would be using this truck as my DD/4wheeler/expo/small trailer and crap hauler and am wondering how it copes with such uses.



yeah thats pretty much it, basiclly am asking if a 1500 ram is a good around truck for DD and expo use.


thanks
-ian

 

[JayT]

A second gen ram likely has a 5.7 Hemi, not a 5.9. I've got an '04 2500 hemi and couldn't be happier. Solid truck with now over 150k and no serious issues.

Good luck with your search.

 

[Revco]

Personally, I'd suggest a 94-98 2500 with the 12-Valve Cummins diesel, the 96-98's have a little more power and upgraded interiors than the 94-95's. The Cummins is damn near bullet proof, gets incredible fuel mileage, is easy to maintain, and even easier to modify for more power. The 98.5+ 24-Valve Cummins have computers and a different fuel system, which to me is too much foo-foo to deal with, since the 12-Valve requires 1 wire to run and has proven itself reliable.

The 2nd gen gas trucks had 5.2 and 5.9 Magnums in 1/2 tons, and the 5.9 Magnum, V10, and Cummins Diesels in the 2500/3500's. The 5.7 Hemi didn't come out til 3rd gen.

Automatic transmissions are junk, no matter what engine is in front of them. Fortunately, they are easy to beef up, but that can cost some dough. The manual transmissions are better, but still have their minor issues. The 1/2-ton rear differentials are weak, the 2500/3500's got beefier Dana 70 & Dana 80 rear axles.

I don't know anything about the front axles in the 4x4 trucks, but I know the 2500/3500's have alot of slop in the steering due to a weak frame at the gearbox mount. There's a cheap fix for that though, not sure if it also applies to the 1/2-tons. I'm sure someone will chime in with more specifics.

I've owned two 2nd gen 12-Valve diesels, one was a 2500 Automatic, the other a 3500 Dually 5-spd Manual, both 2wd, so I don't have personal experience with 4x4 Dodges, but I've got a few friends with 2nd gen 4x4 1/2-tons, all of which have had major problems with engines, transmissions, and front/rear axles with under 200k miles.

My old '97 Dually got 26mpg on the highway, while a friend's '98 1/2-ton 4x4 got 12mpg with the 5.9 Magnum. Another friend had a '98 2500 Club Cab shortbed 4x4 with the V10 and he got around 10mpg with it. I'll gladly pay $.50 more per gallon for diesel if it means I'm getting double the fuel mileage of a gasoline counterpart with a Cummins.

This is just personal experience, and personal opionions talking...

 

[Calplaya]

Personally I try to stay away from Dodges. I recomended my now ex girlfriend not buy her 96 Ram with the 5.9L Magnum cuz I would be doing a lot of repairs for her. She didnt listen. In the time we were together her body rusted like crazy (and she washed it every week, but dodge bodies are notorious for this) and her "freshly rebuilt" transmission went out (another one of those certain facts of life with a dodge) and her front axle shattered while she was going off road one day (they wernt even that bad of trails) and her heater went out in the dead of winter on her too. after fixing all of that for her we shortly after decided we made better friends then a couple. I havnt kept up with whats happened with it since.

That being said, if you look for a 2500 or 3500 Dodge you can typically pick them up for thousands less then a Ford or a Chevy, and they do get a beefed up transmission under them. For that reason alone I would be more willing to pick up a V10 or a Cummins powered 2500 or 3500 Dodge. Tho im not sure if the beefed up parts continue over to the axles, but I would assume they are a little tougher in the very least. Also your suspension will hold up better with the heavier duty Dodges, but the body will still be a pain. If you have the money buy the third gen with the HEMI, I almost opted for one this summer but decided to buy a Lincoln instead (Wish I wouldnt have done that, but now thats going to pay for my burban build lol) Again, the third gen is still prone to rust, but i do think they are a little bit better then the second gen trucks. If you live in an area where you dont have a lot of rust inducing conditions, then you might be better off then I am lol. I hope this helps!

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

I own and drive a '96 1/2-ton. Here are my experiences:
*The 5.9 is a strong mill, with improved numbers beginning in '98. I have 225k miles on the odometer with regular 3k mile oil changes
*The transmission is said to be a problem. Again, I have 225k miles on the original (did replace the OD under warranty at 90k) with mixed towing.
Regular maintenance is the key
*The rear diff is the Chrysler 9.25. It is plenty stout for the 1/2-ton and and more
*The front diff is a Dana 44. I'd prefer a beefier unit but I've never had a problem with it. It's a modest choice for the size of the truck.
*The vacuum CAD is slow and a bit finnicky. If you were rock crawling a bunch this would be problematic but I haven't found this to be a major
issue for my use
*I've blown through an NP231 transfer case. No matter what they say, it is not a shift on the fly at any speed case. Stop, throw it in neutral,
(shut the engine off if going into 4lo), and save your case. You'll enjoy the shift lever over the electronic switch
*I've puked out freeze plugs in mine several times. I'm not aware of this being a 5.9 trait, just a quirk of my mill???
*Most of my complaints arose after I made mods on a high mileage vehicle. Small lift, larger tires, ARB bumper with Warn winch. Way too much
weight out in front and it has made the steering ponderous...I immediately replaced tie rod ends, ball joints, etc. I am going to install a beefier
adjustable track bar and steering brace and see if that helps. I may be chasing an unsolvable problem.
I think it's a great truck and would recommend them to you any day of the week. Consider this: 2nd Gens are getting on in age but can be found relatively affordable. If I were looking for a used Dodge today I might focus my search on the 3rd Gen 2500. You get the solid axle (I believe that 3rd Gen 1/2-tons are IFS) and a lower mileage vehicle. I won't even get into the gas vs. diesel argument...OK, I will...nothing wrong with a Hemi. :ar15:
Here's how I'll end it: In July of 1996 I drove into the local dealership to pick up a set of wiper blades for my '93 YJ Jeep. 3 hours later I drove out with the Mighty Dodge Ram. I've never, ever regretted it.
:sombrero:Cheers!

 

[JayT]

I stand corrected. Thought I read 3rd gen.

 

[toylandcruiser]

I own and drive a '96 1/2-ton. Here are my experiences:
*The 5.9 is a strong mill, with improved numbers beginning in '98. I have 225k miles on the odometer with regular 3k mile oil changes
*The transmission is said to be a problem. Again, I have 225k miles on the original (did replace the OD under warranty at 90k) with mixed towing.
Regular maintenance is the key
*The rear diff is the Chrysler 9.25. It is plenty stout for the 1/2-ton and and more
*The front diff is a Dana 44. I'd prefer a beefier unit but I've never had a problem with it. It's a modest choice for the size of the truck.
*The vacuum CAD is slow and a bit finnicky. If you were rock crawling a bunch this would be problematic but I haven't found this to be a major
issue for my use
*I've blown through an NP231 transfer case. No matter what they say, it is not a shift on the fly at any speed case. Stop, throw it in neutral,
(shut the engine off if going into 4lo), and save your case. You'll enjoy the shift lever over the electronic switch
*I've puked out freeze plugs in mine several times. I'm not aware of this being a 5.9 trait, just a quirk of my mill???
*Most of my complaints arose after I made mods on a high mileage vehicle. Small lift, larger tires, ARB bumper with Warn winch. Way too much
weight out in front and it has made the steering ponderous...I immediately replaced tie rod ends, ball joints, etc. I am going to install a beefier
adjustable track bar and steering brace and see if that helps. I may be chasing an unsolvable problem.
I think it's a great truck and would recommend them to you any day of the week. Consider this: 2nd Gens are getting on in age but can be found relatively affordable. If I were looking for a used Dodge today I might focus my search on the 3rd Gen 2500. You get the solid axle (I believe that 3rd Gen 1/2-tons are IFS) and a lower mileage vehicle. I won't even get into the gas vs. diesel argument...OK, I will...nothing wrong with a Hemi. :ar15:
Here's how I'll end it: In July of 1996 I drove into the local dealership to pick up a set of wiper blades for my '93 YJ Jeep. 3 hours later I drove out with the Mighty Dodge Ram. I've never, ever regretted it.
:sombrero:Cheers!

Oh wow, it's shift on the fly to high range. They never said it was shift on the fly to low. I don't know who ever told you that.

 

[Ponyracer]

Like they say, the dodge is just a shipping container for the cummins!

With that said, I own an 07 4x4 CCsb 5.9/6 speed dodge and couldn't be happier. 95K miles with ZERO breakdowns or maintenance problems besides normal service. If the cummins came in the ford I would have def gone that way but my dodge has been a great truck and would buy it again.

If your doing more road that offroad, get the newer models. If you are looking for absolute reliability and the ability to fix it with a coat hanger and duct tape then get the early versions.

 

[Haggis]

as the title says im starting my search for a second gen ram 1500. i've always liked the looks of the truck since i was little-er. and the added solid front axle and 5.9L just kind of make it a better choice over any IFS truck.

I think you mean a 1st generation Ram 1500 ('04-'01) as the 2nd generation 1500s are IFS.

As far as the 1st gens go between the company and my personal trucks we owned 5 of them; '04,'06,'07,'08 and an '01. We were Dodge guys from way back in the day and owned the first Dodge Cummins (an '89) in this area. My last truck was an '01 Quadcab Offroadster that I truly loved. It was my work and adventure truck and took us to many cool places deep in the woods. But it wasn't perfect. Dodge automatic transmissions are problematic in these trucks no matter how well maintenance is done on them. Of the five trucks four had trannies go out of them, the '98 ate two. The trannies went out from 35,000 to 80,000 miles on these trucks, fluid and filter changes were done around every 35,000 miles. This is a common problem with these trucks and it's more common than not to have a problematic tranny. They are also known for eating the front hub bearing units, though I found the Napa brand to work the best. And then there's the dreaded rust, known around here in the rust belt as "Dodge Rot". Starts out in the bottom of the door seals, works its way to the rear fenderwells front fenders bumpers and so on. My truck was undercoated, had Rhino lined rockers and oiled regularly and it still succumbed to the Rot. Gas mileage for all the trucks and years was between 11 to 14 mpg. The 5.9 gas engine is a good motor and preferable to the 5.2. Gas mileage is the same for both engines but the 5.9 has more punch especially at the lower end.

That being said I still loved my Quadcab and hated to let it go, but the rust was just to bad. Around here you can still find 1st gens in good shape and get them for a pretty good deal. There's a '00 QC 4x4 down the road with 110,000 miles on it with rust free sheet metal for $2800. Can't even look at a Jeep for that price around here. So if you can find a good example at a great price and especially one with a rebuilt or replacement tranny it'd make a good truck for you.

 

[Hawkz]

I'm on my third Dodge Ram. I've been happy with all of them.

The first was a 1995 CCLB 2500 4x4 with the V10. I loved that truck, but it got 8mpg... Never had any trouble with it. It could pull your house off the foundation, but it got 8mpg...

Next was a 2001 1500 RCLB 4x4 w/ 5.9 gas. There wasn't anything wrong with the truck, but I stopped at the dealer and they were doing the employee discount sales. (2005) I drove a hemi and even as a crewcab it had way more power than the 2001, so I made the trade.

My current Ram is a 2005 1500 CCSB 4x4, 5.7 with the 3.92. This one is my daily driver and I have no complaints. No major issues and I'm at 120k miles. I can see this truck lasting a long time. Most people would never guess it had over 100k miles on it, it looks and runs like new. I put a flippac on it at about 100k miles. It cost me about 1mpg, but I think the truck actually rides a little better with the weight... The only reason I can see trading this is if Ram decides to make a regular cab Power Wagon with a diesel...

I have a Jeep Wrangler and it is fun, but I always find myself driving the Ram. The Ram is more comfortable, more powerful and gets better mpg, even tho it probably weighs 1500# more...

 

[redthies]

I think you mean a 1st generation Ram 1500 ('04-'01)

I think YOU mean (94'-01'). This era is second gen DODGE, but first gen RAM.

I currently am driving a 99' 1500 4x4 with 5.9 auto. I love it. Lots of power, updated interior. That said, it is for sale as I have a family of five, (including my dogs), and it is a reg cab. If it were a quad cab, I would air bag the rear and call it good... It is a fine starting point. There are unit bearing delete kits, and hd tranny rebuild options. Do those two things (if and when bearings or tranny fail), and you should love the truck. As mentioned, a track bar conversion to third gen style is a good idea too.

 

[Haggis]

I think YOU mean (94'-01').

Ooops..slight typo there. That 0 key is to close to the 9 key for my arthritic fingers. :drool:

 

[RusherRacing]

Every vehicle manufacturer has bad apples... Dodge just has more bad apples..
Some are great and run forever.

 

[TOI]

96-01 ram is what i'm looking for, and the wife in training refuses to learn how to drive a standard trans. so that means autotragic is what i'll be getting, which is a problem with my price range. i was hoping to find a gem under the $2500 mark. but it looks like anything under 3500 have over 150xxx miles, and some how was a work truck for all of its life. lol so its either make more money somehow, or expand my search.

 

[sisu]

1/2trucks that I've owned (Chev, GMC, Ford, Dodge) I killed. I own a Tacoma and 3/4 ton dodge Cummins and couldn't be happier. The poor Tacoma has been abused but has stood the test of time. The Cummins is giving it a new lease on life as it is now being used as it should be, lighter loads to and from outdoor activites that don't require a ton of gear for a LONG extended stay or for hauling heavy loads around for projects.

I love my Taco as I do the 3/4 ton diesel.