Truck Nuts

[Mother mopar 3302]

Dodge was known for bad trans 10x over Ford or GM.  Between my current rides (GM 1/2 ton, Yukon 1/2 ton, and GM 3/4-ton) I’ve got a bit over 800k miles.  
 
The 1/2-ton truck needed a new trans at 185k.  It was a 4l60e and it cost me $900 and 3/4 of a day to replace it. That truck was lifted, air bagged, and goosenecked.  It was asked weekly to do things I wouldn’t even think about with a 1/2-ton anymore, but young and dumb and all of that.  Seriously that truck shouldn’t have lasted 100k miles.  I think I did the hubs on it 3-4 times in the first 100k.  Got it new as a senior in high school and it LIVED in the mud for several years.  Now relegated to deer lease duty. 20 years old.  Love that truck.    It’s in baaaad shape right now, it needs some love and will probably high rack it next year. 
 
My wife’s Denali’s transmission I don’t trust, but it is chugging along. we’ve never done anything but a flush once.  These were known to be clunky, it was the first iteration of their 6-speed after 35 years of 4-speeds.  I’ve the only impressive thing it’s done is last thru my wife’s driving for several hundred thousand miles.  Impressive, but still I don’t trust it. Little clunky. 
 
My 3/4 is an Allison and I don’t think they are worth the hype, but has been fine.  I’ve only touched it once, at about 5k miles, to change the original spin off external filter.  I’m not an Allison fanboi, but it’s fine exactly what they say it’s supposed to for 12 years now, so hard to complain. 
 
Dodge has come a LONG way on theirs in the last 10-15 years.  The 47’s and 48’s were mostly pure junk. For years the SuperDuty 4 speeds (4R100 iirc) weren’t dodge level junk, but they definitely weren’t anything to write home about. Clunky af.  
 
They can’t all be C6 and TH400’s, after all. 
 
*fwiw, I don’t like or trust any of the new 8-10 speed shit coming out these days. I’m sure I’ll be proved wrong, but I don’t like it. 

Can't speak for Ford/Chevy but the dodge 48RE needs a few upgrades before it can be trusted to haul heavy for sure. Governor solenoid comes to mind. Also one thing people forget is you have to adjust the bands on these trans or they will not work right....part of a routine 35K maintenance schedule.

I've installed a 4L65E governor pressure solenoid, upgraded valve body, and ditched some of the plastic pieces in favor of billet pieces on my 06 Dodge 2500 and she will pull all day long and never get hotter than 200 degrees.

[fattyflattie 4636]

9 minutes ago, Mother mopar said:

ditched some of the plastic pieces

GM definitely not immune there. The 1-2 plastic accumulator needs to be replaced on the wife’s with the billet Sonax.  But can’t ever seem to find the time. Makes me ragey. Cheap parts. 

[Mother mopar 3302]

I used sonax as well and was able to score them on Ebay. For the life of me I just can't understand where people equate plastic in hot tranny environments is a good idea in hopes it last 400K+ miles.

 

When I changed the accumulator piston I also changed the spring for one that was a bit more firm. Love me hard/firm shifts especially when towing.

 

[jofus 2266]

The Ford issue with timing chain is purely scary sounding. Once the oil pressure builds up the phasers tension the chain and it is fine. From what I have seen it isn't a widespread issue of the chain's breaking, just an uncomfortable sound on startup. My old truck did it for close to 50k miles and I never had any issue other than that with the motor.
I would much rather have that noise than a failed transmission in a chevy. I have only owned 1 chevy my entire life and that is the only vehicle to have a transmission failure. Same failure happened to my brother and a close friend around the same mileage on thier chevys. Glad to hear they still havent figured out how to build a tranny 20 years later.

The current 10-speed used by ford and gm are the same transmission. They developed it together.

[Brew 3045]

17 hours ago, deadshank said:

What choices do you have?  You want to pull a 32 foot PJ gooseneck?  A horse trailer that stables 4 horses, their tack and a sleeping cabin? Trailer your backhoe to a job-site?

Your choices are Ford, Chevy / GMC,  Ram and Toyota.

I agree that the new models aren't like the old ones.  The new models have way more creature comforts and usable stuff like exhaust brakes.  But the new models are weighed down with exhaust emission controls and ultra-low diesel fuel.

The biggest problem, IMHO, with the newer trucks (specifically the ones that burn diesel) is the exhaust emissions controls and ultra-low sulfur diesel.

Fight me.

 

The biggest problem now is the move to lightweight plastics everywhere including in places you never would have expected like hubs, gearing in axles, etc. and also shitty gasket materials. Most every issue I’ve had in a new truck has been related to a plastics failure under load or bad gaskets.

[deadshank 24651]

Just now, Brew said:

The biggest problem now is the move to lightweight plastics everywhere including in places you never would have expected like hubs, gearing in axles, etc. and also shitty gasket materials. Most every issue I’ve had in a new truck has been related to a plastics failure under load or bad gaskets.

But plastics are the future, my boy. 

[Brew 3045]

9 hours ago, Handcruser said:

Agreed.

Just get the right package and a 1/2 ton will do just fine.

I’m a big Ram fan. But equipped right they’ll tow 10-12k. I’d feel fine with 8-9k behind me on a long trip or across terrain.


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Only caveat to that would be your regularly planned towing distances. If it’s towing the boat back and forth to the lake, no big deal. If you’re going to be towing the travel trailer to the mountains, the boat on long trips to the beach, etc I would spring for the 2500 series. It gets old quick making longer trips in a 1500 with a trailer behind you.

[Brew 3045]

2 minutes ago, deadshank said:

But plastics are the future, my boy. 

Then they need to figure out how to make them hold up to the stress of a 4wd system, being under load, etc for those of us that use our 1500 series as more than grocery getters. If they made a shorter wheel base F250, I would be on it tomorrow. It just doesn’t work for my day job like the 150 does. Need to just nut up and get a car to drive during the week and buy the 250, but I just haven’t brought myself to do it.

[Dbeasy 14966]

Ok, really appreciate everyone's thoughts on vehicles. I think I'm down to the Toyota Tundra and the Toyota Tacoma, but the Tacoma only has a towing capacity of 6,800 pounds vs 8800+ for the Tundra. I don't know if the Tacoma would be cutting it too close for a boat and trailer that's probably 4,500-5,000 pounds.

[Chewbacca 7730]

Ok, really appreciate everyone's thoughts on vehicles. I think I'm down to the Toyota Tundra and the Toyota Tacoma, but the Tacoma only has a towing capacity of 6,800 pounds vs 8800+ for the Tundra. I don't know if the Tacoma would be cutting it too close for a boat and trailer that's probably 4,500-5,000 pounds.

I would not tow a 4-5k boat with a Tacoma. It technically can do it, but it won't be pleasant.

[fattyflattie 4636]

20 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

Ok, really appreciate everyone's thoughts on vehicles. I think I'm down to the Toyota Tundra and the Toyota Tacoma, but the Tacoma only has a towing capacity of 6,800 pounds vs 8800+ for the Tundra. I don't know if the Tacoma would be cutting it too close for a boat and trailer that's probably 4,500-5,000 pounds.

You’ll be ok with the Tundra and 5k, just don’t get in a hurry.  Keep in mind the truck doesn’t weigh too much more than that. 
 

lol at 6800# behind a Tacoma.  Tail, meet dog. 

[Pato del Muerto 52342]

Can tow and should tow are two different things. I strenuously urge you to get the tundra if those are your final 2. It’s not just about the power to move weight, it’s being able to stop it and also control its momentum. 

[davidg 4028]

I would not tow a 4-5k boat with a Tacoma. It technically can do it, but it won't be pleasant.

This. Daughter (nopics) has 2012 Tacoma 4x4 V6 Access Cab with the tow package. We have towed the 20’ Key West to/from the boat shed a few times but I really wouldn’t want to take it for a long trip down the highway.

[HOOKEM4 5017]

I wouldn't tow 3k behind a Tacoma. That isn't even a decision there. If you insist on Toyota, get the tundra and move on.

[Dbeasy 14966]

Done. In the market for a Tundra now.

[TexasEd 8064]

On 7/2/2020 at 5:13 PM, Dbeasy said:

A 21' boat and a 23 ft travel trailer.

I've towed a 30' trailer with my 2013 F150.  I put on E rated LT tires before I did it but it did great.  I have the 3.5L twin turbo V6 it has a towing rating of 9000 lbs but I think you usually get to the max payload before you could tow that much.

 

The lesson is don't just look at the tow rating you need to check the payload and add up the weight of passengers, luggage, and hitch weight.

[LebongJames 1785]

My Tundra pulls out 5k empty weight trailer with absolutely no issues. 
 

2019 Crew Cab with tow package. It is rated for 9400 and has built in brake controller.

[davidg 4028]

So , I’ve had my Ram for a month now and have put almost 2k miles on it.  It’s my first vehicle that uses DEF.   What is your typical DEF usage?  There’s not really any statements about it in the owners manual and I see a lot of conflicting statements online.

[Pato del Muerto 52342]

11 minutes ago, davidg said:

So , I’ve had my Ram for a month now and have put almost 2k miles on it.  It’s my first vehicle that uses DEF.   What is your typical DEF usage?  There’s not really any statements about it in the owners manual and I see a lot of conflicting statements online.

My gauge is down about a eighth after around 1500 miles, but I’ve no clue about the tank capacity. 
should i keep it filled, or is it ok to run it down to a quarter full before filling it?

are there different grades or is it universal stuff?

[deadshank 24651]

15 minutes ago, davidg said:

So , I’ve had my Ram for a month now and have put almost 2k miles on it.  It’s my first vehicle that uses DEF.   What is your typical DEF usage?  There’s not really any statements about it in the owners manual and I see a lot of conflicting statements online.

It runs out when it runs out.  Seems like it uses more when towing.   

DEF does have a shelf life; even in your DEF tank.   DEF has no preservatives in it so it can sour. Try to avoid topping off the DEF tank when you fill up with diesel.  Run the DEF down and then refill it  

 

Edited July 4, 2020 by deadshank

[Pato del Muerto 52342]

Funny (maybe kinda sorta) anecdote. One of the families we went camping with the guy just bought a new f350. 
he has a nice sway control hitch for the camper that has a 2” bar. His old truck had a 2.5” receiver so he had a reduced sleeve for that to fit. The new truck has a 3” receiver, so he had to buy a second reducer  sleeve for that. So he’s running 3” reduced to 2.5” reduced to 2” like a set of russian nesting dolls. At least he has it all covered, I guess. He’s a contractor so you never know what he’ll be pulling. 

[davidg 4028]

So DEF is about 33% urea and the rested-ionized water.   Some bottles have an expiration date and some have convoluted born on date from which you can determine expiration.  In general, it’s one year from date of manufacture.  This could shorten if exposed to high room temps.

My tank is listed as 5 gal and the gauge showed half full when I got it.  I ran it down to 1/4 on the gauge and a 2.5gal jug ran the gauge up to full.  From what I’ve read on the internet, it should burn DEF at 2-4% of fuel mileage depending on how hard the engine is working.  It seems like I’m a little higher than that but I don’t have much data yet.

[Pato del Muerto 52342]

16 minutes ago, davidg said:

So DEF is about 33% urea and the rested-ionized water.   Some bottles have an expiration date and some have convoluted born on date from which you can determine expiration.  In general, it’s one year from date of manufacture.  This could shorten if exposed to high room temps.

My tank is listed as 5 gal and the gauge showed half full when I got it.  I ran it down to 1/4 on the gauge and a 2.5gal jug ran the gauge up to full.  From what I’ve read on the internet, it should burn DEF at 2-4% of fuel mileage depending on how hard the engine is working.  It seems like I’m a little higher than that but I don’t have much data yet.

So I could just pee in it?

[davidg 4028]

Piss is only 1-2% urea. 

[deadshank 24651]

8 minutes ago, davidg said:

Piss is only 1-2% urea. 

So have 15 to 33 people piss in it. 

[Mother mopar 3302]

So have 15 to 33 people piss on it. 

Only if it's a Chevy

 

[Fuck Tim Beck 3806]

1 hour ago, deadshank said:

So have 15 to 33 people piss in it. 

Or just ask South Austin's mom for a sample from her butthole. 

[Dbeasy 14966]

I may do a 180 in less than 24 hours on the Tundra. Ford has a new hybrid coming out that has more features, bigger towing capacity, and better gas mileage. Even if the reliability is worse it’s probably worth it.

[Pato del Muerto 52342]

1 hour ago, davidg said:

Piss is only 1-2% urea. 

I’ll stop drinking water

[Pato del Muerto 52342]

3 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

I may do a 180 in less than 24 hours on the Tundra. Ford has a new hybrid coming out that has more features, bigger towing capacity, and better gas mileage. Even if the reliability is worse it’s probably worth it.

Ford and chevy also have small diesel options in their half ton. I think the hybrid utilizes their diesel but not for sure. 
And ford spends the majority of their money on their truck line. They will die before giving up their best selling vehicle in America for xx years straight tag. They build em well. 

Edited July 4, 2020 by Pato del Muerto

[Anton Chigurh 3318]

Ford and chevy also have small diesel options in their half ton. I think the hybrid utilizes their diesel but not for sure. 
And ford spends the majority of their money on their truck line. They will die before giving up their best selling vehicle in America for xx years straight tag. They build em well. 

Hybrid will be 3.5EB only, IIRC.

[Hawndoh 2382]

I have an Expedition with that 3.5

It's either Eco or Boost, not both simultaneously. Mileage varies greatly with driving style.

[tx 3 putt 76366]

3 hours ago, Mother mopar said:

Only if it's a Chevy

 

then they'd be pissing on it, not into it 

[PorscheGuy 127]

Done. In the market for a Tundra now.

Loved my tundra. Easily my favorite truck I ever owned. Thought the interior was superior to ford and Gm (in 2016 at least). The bed is a little shorter in a crew max, but I loved the added interior space.

Only problem is the gas mileage is garbage. I averaged 12.5 mpg. Maybe 14 highway. At 24k miles a year, it added up. I will admit I have a heavy foot, but never had a vehicle that just sucked gas like the tundra did.

If I ever went back to a truck, tundra would no doubt be the choice.


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[Brew 3045]

5 hours ago, Hawndoh said:

I have an Expedition with that 3.5

It's either Eco or Boost, not both simultaneously. Mileage varies greatly with driving style.

This is a true statement. I see guys claiming 20+, but they have to be babying the hell out of it or driving City only. My two trip meters are at 4K and 2k miles and one shows 14.1 and one shows 14.7. If you run above 70 on the interstate it drops like a rock. I’ve got a 1000 mile drive tomorrow, I’m going to see what it gets on that one interstate drive.

[Pato del Muerto 52342]

You can’t drive a thousand miles in one day.  Bootleggin some coors, brew?

[Gil Bang 25897]

10 hours ago, deadshank said:

It runs out when it runs out.  Seems like it uses more when towing.   

DEF does have a shelf life; even in your DEF tank.   DEF has no preservatives in it so it can sour. Try to avoid topping off the DEF tank when you fill up with diesel.  Run the DEF down and then refill it  

 

Seems like instead of "refill it" the better option would be add a little bit every time you fuel up.  

maybe a gallon, or even a half-gallon now and then.  Seems like if the shit goes bad, keeping the tank at half-full makes more sense than filling it completely.

[deadshank 24651]

24 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

Seems like instead of "refill it" the better option would be add a little bit every time you fuel up.  

maybe a gallon, or even a half-gallon now and then.  Seems like if the shit goes bad, keeping the tank at half-full makes more sense than filling it completely.

FIFO is better than LIFO.  Sour DEF can spoil good DEF.  

[Gil Bang 25897]

you're never actually emptying the tank either way. 

[Brew 3045]

1 hour ago, Pato del Muerto said:

You can’t drive a thousand miles in one day.  Bootleggin some coors, brew?

Leaving from South FL to hear back home to TN to finish up some extended tax season work, then heading back down after the 15th. Leave at 6 am, get back home around 8 pm. I probably do it 8-12 times a year at this point. It’s part of the reason I run up miles quickly along with having offices in 4 states that I have to visit regularly. Another reason I need to buy a car.

[deadshank 24651]

10 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

you're never actually emptying the tank either way. 

Not completely.  But running it down and burning off as much of the old stuff as possible before it sours is best practice. 

Edited July 5, 2020 by deadshank

[clapclapclap 9000]

On 7/4/2020 at 10:38 AM, davidg said:

So DEF is about 33% urea and the rested-ionized water.   Some bottles have an expiration date and some have convoluted born on date from which you can determine expiration.  In general, it’s one year from date of manufacture.  This could shorten if exposed to high room temps.

Well crap, all that DEF I've been storing is probably out of date, now I'm left with a urea heap.

[deadshank 24651]

1 hour ago, clapclapclap said:

Well crap, all that DEF I've been storing is probably out of date, now I'm left with a urea heap.

Just Look at Yourself for the cause of that problem 

[davidg 4028]

17 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

Seems like instead of "refill it" the better option would be add a little bit every time you fuel up.  

maybe a gallon, or even a half-gallon now and then.  Seems like if the shit goes bad, keeping the tank at half-full makes more sense than filling it completely.

My tank is listed as 5.5 gal.  It was about 1/2 full when I bought it and when It got down to showing 1/4 tank, I put a 2.5 gal jug of blue def in it and it ran the gauge up to almost full.  When it gets back down to the 1/4 mark I’ll add another jug.  

I think it’s best to use down and re-fill than to just top off.  Use up that old DEF in your tank as much as possible, then refill.   Just don’t run your tank down enough that the controller starts bitching at you to add DEF.

 

 

[Brew 3045]

15.3 MPG out of the 3.5 running 75-80 most of the way. It did show 22 for the 40 minute drive to the interstate at 40 or so which was a surprise. I have to make the same trip in a couple of weeks with a trailer. I may see how crappy that is.

[Handcruser 2805]

Just did a 400 mile round trip with my Hemi 4x4 and I averaged about 19 running 65-75. I had some good stretches of 22 mph in there.


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[Hawndoh 2382]

When I drive my 3.5 I can get nearly 18 city and 20-21 highway. When my wife drives it she gets more like 15.

Towing our RV it's usually between 9-10 depending on wind direction.

[HOOKEM4 5017]

I wonder if the 3.5 has gotten better mpg since I had one. I got 12-14 regularly but I had max tow gears and 6.5' bed. It was a beast of a truck and fun as hell to drive hard.

[TexasEd 8064]

On 7/4/2020 at 7:13 PM, Brew said:

This is a true statement. I see guys claiming 20+, but they have to be babying the hell out of it or driving City only. My two trip meters are at 4K and 2k miles and one shows 14.1 and one shows 14.7. If you run above 70 on the interstate it drops like a rock. I’ve got a 1000 mile drive tomorrow, I’m going to see what it gets on that one interstate drive.

Eco or Boost is right.  Mine stays in boost over 65 MPH so for best mileage keep it slower than that. 

[Hawndoh 2382]

6 hours ago, HOOKEM4 said:

I wonder if the 3.5 has gotten better mpg since I had one. I got 12-14 regularly but I had max tow gears and 6.5' bed. It was a beast of a truck and fun as hell to drive hard.

Mine is paired with the 6 speed. The newer 10 speed might help mileage just due to more gears. It also does the auto stop/start thing now.