redbeast

I don't know what to do with my truck.

I bought it last summer(june). Since then i've just pored money into the thing.
Turned rotars and replaced brake pads
All 4 ball joints
passenger side wheel bearing hub assembly
both differentials

Now the work i need done.

Transfer case is leeking fuild from the linkage on top. (no one knows what seal it is)

VP 44 is gone

I don't know if the lift pump is gone too. So i'll probly have to replace that also.

my stearing is still all out of wack. I feel like i'm stearing an elephant with rubber bands.

I'm scared to drive the edited by admin thing because something else is going to break.

I don't even know whats going to go out next? transmission? AC? Brakes again?



I love dodge diesel's. But i don't know if it is worth it.

It's like i finaly got the truck of my dreams and it is one big nightmare.

I guess my question is should i cut my losses with this truck and find a new one or stick it out and just replace everything untile it is a fully customized truck?

torquefan

I know it gets overwhelming sometimes. My 96 developed a couple of little rust spots over the winter, but I'd still rather have it than a new truck. New trucks cost a big pile of money, they start wearing out as soon as they leave the showroom, the warranty only lasts a little while, and before you know it, you have another list of things to fix.

Now I'm sad.

Silverfox99

Well lately i have had some bad luck with mine i think everything is good now but in all honesty i think you could get screwed either way whose to say your truck wont be good as new after this fix, and whose to say a brand new or newer truck isnt gonna have problems but its all on your opinion of your truck right now i guess you do have to draw a line somewhere but i would guess after the repairs you need if you dont do them yourself you will have a very hard time breaking even on the truck.

Do you have suspension/tire mods because that can be a bear on all of the front end parts pretty much
also my truck has sat for long periods of time twice and both times i developed fluid leaks from gaskets goin bad just a couple of things that maybe caused the bruise in your wallet my .02

redpoint5

Let us know what you decide, because I'm in the same boat. Fortunately I got mine really cheap, but I'm looking at a tranny rebuild and possibly a VP soon. My truck also has a slight wander after replacing the ball joints and track bar and getting an alignment.

I'm very seriously considering selling the truck and getting a Tacoma. The downside is I sometimes have a need for a heavy truck.

74dart

How many miles is on the truck. My brother had to rebuild his whole front end including track bar and was complaining about how much it cost. His truck has 225,000 miles on it.

crobtex

Unfortunatly, buying a used vehicle, especially a truck, is a crap-shoot. Sometimes an owner will take good care of the cosmetics, but let the mechanical maintenance go.

If it was me, I'd take my losses and keep looking. I just couldn't have any vehicle I couldn't depend on.

redbeast

My truck has 190000 miles on it now. the girl i got it from bought it new and drove it back and forth to houston. When i bought it the trailer plug was still in the mopar packaging. So i know all the miles have worn the truck but no real overuse problems.

I under stand that if i buy a new truck i make payments and if i buy a used truck i make maintence payments. It's just almost futile.

NotMatt

I know how ya feel, I'm in almost the same boat with my '02. 76,000 miles and it needs new front ball joints, probably a track bar, and the steering just seems to be getting worse and worse (I like how you describe it, makes perfect sense if you drive a 2nd gen with their wonderful steering). After buying it, I had to fix the typical fuel delivery issues as well because I could pull it down to almost 0 psi of fuel pressure pretty easily. Just seems like it's one thing after another sometimes.

Plus my driver's door creaks now and I've tried everything short of replacing the hinges to make it stop.

zulusafari

Fill out your signature, letting us know what you have. We are eager to help, and many of us have been down the same road with repairs, being able to offer good repairs and upgrades to prevent problems from constantly reappearing. I have 203k miles on mine, and just replaced my VP44, upgraded the lift pump system, and installed a performance module. The Tranny is the next upgrade, as I want to get as much of the new power to the road as possible! I love my truck, and it has done all I ask of it and more. I think the year the truck was made, along with previous owner upkeep. I also believe the day the vehicle was made is key, along with labor conditions at the time of manufacture. My 2001.5 has been really reliable, has driven many miles over substandard roads, gone off road hunting, and has pulled many thousands of miles with car haulers and RV's. I lost a lift pump at about 175k miles, and it damaged my VP44. I drove it with the P0216 code for 19 months before I decided to replace the VP. It never stranded me, but it was getting pretty poor mileage and reduced power. Good luck with repairs, and if you are mechanically inclined and have some tools, you can save bundles of money doing the work yourself. I wonder sometimes if the perpetual problems on some vehicles is actually the local repair shops trying to get some extra business, working off of "known problems" with specific vehicle models. There is a thread in another category of an undercover investigation into repair shop fraud.

Country Limo

Redbeast, the ole girl has 190,000 on the clock? She's do for some repairs. You have to decide when enough is really enough. If you are going to get used trucks you have to do repairs. If your temperment and patience don't run towards laid back ---- then truck payments on a new one with 2-3 years of repair free (except reg. maintance) might be the way to go for YOU. You have to be a nut and you certainly have to be good at turning wrenches to truly enjoy these Dodge Cummin Trucks! Hope this helped you down the path
of the real world.

Country Limo

Redbeast, didn't mean to go on,but sometimes we just need to hear someone else's perpective to really see what we need to do. Good Luck,You'll make the right decision.

redbeast

I don't mean to sound down on my truck guy's. I searched for this truck for three years before I found one that i wanted. I wanted the thing since high school. It does do everything i want it to do. Hell, I was pulling out old 1950's cars that have been sitting in a field for 20 years this last saturday before the vp code. I'm just need to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Once i know that it has an end i can be happy with it. I'm not nieve enough to think that things aren't going to break. I just need reasurence that once i get my truck right after this, it will stay right.

redbeast

I was talking to my brother this afternoon. And i brought up the question if i should sell it and get something else. He asked, "if you did that what truck would you get?" I couldn't answer him.

There is no other truck for me. You can't get a full sized truck that gets 20+ MPG and pull down the gates of HELL!! there is no other truck that can do that. I enjoy wrenching on the beast. And after this i'll still only have 13,500 bucks in the truck. i'm coming out way ahead i feel. It feels awsome when someone calls you because they need your truck to pull their tractor out and you say "what your Z71 can't do it?" you show up, hook it up, throw it in 4 low and pull it out just over idle. that truely is what this truck is all about.

So, my conclusion. I'M KEEPING MY TRUCK! it hurts the pocket book when something like this happens. But, i'll be even more upset if i don't have my truck anymore and driving some glorified car that the powers that be call a truck.

redpoint5

I love that line of reasoning. You may have persuaded me to do the same with my truck. I like driving it more than anything else I could think of besides my motorcycle.

torquefan

Attaboy! That's the spirit.