9MM

Alrighty guys which do you guys think is a better overall truck I have a first gen dad has had one but likes his second gen better.

what do you guys think is the real truck of the two I know second gens have a bad wheel hub assembly design no locking hubs so they go through u-joints faster up front,ball joints over king pins, etc etc etc.

I know working on my truck to dads I would take mine every day of the week.

Sure the second gen is a more comfortable truck but what cost does that comfort come at?

ARbowhunter7

I have owned several 2nd gens. Motor is bombproof, manual trans is great. Auto is great when built. Other than that, it is my personal opinion that the 2nd gen truck is the main reason why people think Dodge trucks are crap.

Crossy's son

Totally agree....The gas trucks particularly the 5.9 trucks are what caused the "Dodge has junk tranmissions" thing that's been going around for years.

And yea 2nd gens do kinda fall apart.....

92smokin blacky

2nd gens are a little nicer for comfort but ya just can't beat the never ending 1st gen. I'm still amazed at how mine and many other 1st gens have held up to all sorts of abuse and keep goin. One of the stoutest trucks out there in my opinion even though they have a few flaws, but can almost always be easily fixed since everything is mechanical.

9MM

Yeah I've lit up the tires in 3rd gear no problem a few times dad had his spinning all four a number of times in the bush hauled 3.5 quards of firewood at once.

One thing that I don't like though is the tailgate hinge pins

Douglas2

hey-Hey!!!,
Let's see...gen2, how's access to #6's valve adjustment? does the P7100 have the nice, driveable advance curve of the VE? Looks like SS v. tube...on paper the 'modern' transistor amps wipe the floor with an old tube amp, yet when you've got to listen to what comes out ov them the old valve gear comes into its own. I'm sticking with glass and Gen 1's.
cheers,
Douglas

wannadiesel

1st gens are much nicer to work on. Except for the stupid inboard brake drums...

Jim5870

I think the 2nd gen trucks rusted out faster also.

Douglas2

yeah...when I discovered we fixed that with the Sterling axles I wondered what Dana was smoking to justify not having that feature from the start.
cheers,
Douglas

1STGENFARMBOY

I have had 3 second gens and 1 first gen, never had any problems with any.

2nd gen.......
the dash on 2 were broke.
the ride is so much better.
MPG is not as good over all.
not as classy.
kinda cheap feeling inside.

1st gen......
BULLIT PROOF.
rough ride.
easy to work on.
gaining value.
old school charm and class.
everybody likes a 1st gen better.
the grandfather of the diesel movement.
some of the parts are getting hard to find.
powerstroke and duramax guys hate us.


Darwin

patdaly

Gee, asking on the first gen forum...........

1st gen farmboy pretty well says it though.

I will stick with my 2nd gen, I have enough fillings that rattle loose even with the 2nd gen.

I also happen to like the 2nd gen. interior/seats better. We won't even go there with the rust issues.......I can show you plenty of rotted 1st gens.

Not to mention we got real back seats.

KD93

Tube amps ARE so much nicer. All my guitar amps were tube, and if/when I do a home theatre system it will definitely be tube powered. 6L6's, to be precise.

As for the trucks, thankfully I haven't had to work too much on the 98.5. but the few things I have done on it haven't been a problem. I personally like the 2nd gen seats better, and yes, there's a real bench in the back. But the interior overall is cheaper, IMO, than the 1st gen.
I don't find the ride any different in either truck, (both D350/3500 duallies) but I do know the 1st gen walks all over the 2nd when it comes to moving off the line all the way to 55 mph or so, loaded or unloaded. Once lockup occurs the 1st gen gets left behind.

RonA

First gen truck with p-pump on 12V, 24V, or 6.7 engine. Why settle for 1/2 of a truck.

GIT-R-DONE

I like the 1st gen better simply because of the motor/VE combination. I wish it rode smoother on these back roads, but I have absolutley no complaints with the 23-24 MPG on the highway out of a full size 4x4 truck.

Jklawinsky

Both engines are great, but you can't beat dependability of a 1st gen. Plus, it doesn't take much to get power out of a pee pump but when you got a VE powered gen one screaming down the road... Your buddy is ready to trade in his stroke the next day . True story! Haha