Well put Katoom. Now if only I can find a used LSD for my rear...

 

First off, no matter how you look at it, if it has an LSD it should either have both tires spinning or some vehicle motion... no matter what

if it has open diff front and rear with a solid front/rear link... its got worst case 2 drive wheels... which has to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard.

I've always thought positrack was as buzz word? like a posi is a term GM made to market their new fancy LSDs...

So is a positrack diff some form of clutch, viscous or torsen diff or is it something entirely different? I know my eaton unit on my Impala has clutches...

 

fast this makes me laugh when people think the dodge truck is sub standard. the drivetrain under our truck is the toughest out there.

now lets compare a ford to our trucks.

we have a dana 60 upfront they have a dana 50. the auto guys have a dana 70 and the stick guys have a dana 80 which is what the f450 came with until recently. the ford has a slightly stronger t-case than our trucks.

people complain about our tranny's but you have to remember the hp difference. i'm not sure if you have any bombs on your truck or not. but most bombed powerstrokes run in the 300hp range and i would say most bombed dodge are in the 350+hp range, this is why i think that dodge gets a bad rap.

i don't follow the ford group at ll anymore but i can remember a cackle issue that was driving everyone crazy for years. to me when they are running it sounds like a beer can full of rocks when you shake it.

yes there is a lift pump problem that should have never happened, and the kdp is another stupid problem. but if that's the worst things you have to deal with i will take it.


as far as 2wd this is the reaon i have air lockers front and rear. it's nice to have 4x4.

jim

 

I just had to respond to this one (previous lurker). EVERY vehicle has its set of problems. Doesn't matter if its a Honda Civic or a diesel pickup. I've owned a wide variety of vehicles in my life, and done all maintenance and repair on all of them. Still haven't found the perfect, trouble-free unit. It doesn't exist.

I did alot of research on diesel pickups before buying my '02 Cummins. I can objectively say that the other two are just not at the same level as the Dodge. So far, none of the automatics live very long behind a diesel, even the vaunted Allison is showing its share of problems. Don't even mention the Ford auto. The reason has to do with the low rpm range of diesel engines and slower pump speed within the tranny. That and the large amount of torque applied right off idle. The solution? Buy an NV5600 equipped truck!

Yeah, there are some flaws with the Dodge, but that's the point of forums like this. Learn about the problems and make them right before it becomes an issue. If you're here, you already own the best of the diesels...

 

I totally agree about every vehicle having its own problems, I mean look at my Impala... those early LT1 engines go through distributors as fast as they go through oil and my Integra has a nice habit of letting most of the rear suspension bolts rust into place (not a big deal, and deffinately doest effect the driving of the car...

but lets face it... after LP issues, tranny issues on an unbombed truck, KDP and the infamous "death wobble"

its not a flame on dodge, its a flame on every car maker out there... you shouldnt put a 7500lbs truck onto the suspension parts from your 1500 series, its just not going to work.

I will probably buy a ford next time but only because I like the looks of it better, and I much prefer the mirrors, even to my factory fold-outs

I hate having to readjust the passenger mirror ever time someone slams the door and having to deal with it because they didnt come on my truck... the fact that I had to loose power and heat almost got me a ticket last year because I couldnt see behind me to back up in the middle of winter. Angry bus drivers do not like it when you pass them on the right, over a sidewalk while they are trying to back their 40ft bus away from an accident scene

If I can sit there as Joe Schmoe and say now why the heck did they ever do that, the problems with it are so totally obvious... these people are paid serious money to design these things, and they cant see something as obvious as a dowl pin sliding out? or a lift pump failing because the lines are so restrictive that it causes the bypass to work overtime (so I hear)

or the ever popular death wobble

The best ever was when my tranny did fail... I had to tow it with my 2600# honda... I love my truck, dont get me wrong but its been one problem after another for the last six months... I'm sure some of you have been there

I know the dodge drivetrain is top notch, thats why I own a dodge to begin with. Only question is why does everything have to be a compromise?

Dodge: Strong engine (kdp and lp aside), Strong drivetrain(except for the tranny), weak suspension, weak brakes

I dont have a massive income, and I cant afford to have something else break every single time I fix it

way off topic rant but it comes to this: I dont offroad, but if I EVER get stuck with this truck its getting sold the next summer no matter what. I cant afford new diffs to fix what I view as a problem.

And who says there isnt a problem... as GMC says, its not more than you need, its just more than you expect.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by FastSS
[B]

I've been looking into a new F350 since my truck started messing up on me... I dont hear any problems with their track bars, lift pumps... their front brakes dont get 15,000 miles vs the rears getting 150,000 their trannys arent as weak as ours I mean the list just goes on and on)

check the powerstroke diesel forums, they are full of dissatisfied drivers who have had tranny problems. some say the new 6.0 liter won't stay together with mild mods.
brother in law bought a 04 6.0 auto powerstroke, had it 1 wk and it broke the tranny, they did replace it but he lost work time bc a new truck let him down.
he had a chevy HD before that , after 20k miles the rear axle seals started leaking and front ball joints were worn out.
all truck manufacturers have problems big & small,but how many med duty diesel engine manufacturers can tout 500k mile overhauls

 

death wooble is not just a dodge thing i have seen 3 superdutys do it right beside me on the intersate in the last 6 monthhs, 0 dodges in that time. As far as trannies go wont have an automatic in anything if I had a choice they didnt offer a manual in wifes durango so auto it is, but when that baby is paid for 4bta and 5pd here we come.

Jed

 

unless you go out and get a jeep rubicon or wait for the new powerwagon, you aint gonna get factory "true 4wd".......on any of the big 3 trucks........

these trucks were designed to haul, not wheel.......if your that concerned about getting stuck your gonna have to spend some money

 

I checked out Chevy and Ford forums before I went Dodge. Look closely at the Ford buy back rate! The new powerstrokes are not fairing any better than the older ones... There are several companies specializing in swapping Cummins engines into Ford and Chev trucks. Haven't seen anyone trying to swap Isuzu or International (Ford) engines into Dodges.

Actually, the 2500 and 3500 Dodges were not built on 1500 front suspensions. Dodge was the only one that made a half ton with a serious front end (solid axle). Everyone else was trying to build 3/4 tons on independent front end designs. But even then, the diesel trucks are substantially different, with much heavier frames and bigger brakes and axles.

More power to you if you go with another truck. Good luck...