I live and bought my CTD in the North West. She runs sweet and there are lots of places to get nasty. My question is, how much "off-road" abuse is a stock truck made to take? I usually "get-it" on muddy, mountainous, slippery trails. I avoid rocks and stuff but like to dawg it and throw some mud around. Since this is my first 4x4 (oh...the humility! ), can someone tell me how much I can mis-treat her?

 

I live down a 2 mile dirt path and gotta lock it in all the time. I have had my truck for about 5 months and the only problem i have is the standard rattles, just like anything else.

 

These trucks can take some abuse, but the thing that usually goes south first is the trans. Put in a trans temp gauge and maybe an oversize cooler with a fan, because heat is a trans' worst enemy, and off roading doesn't usually involve a lot of high speed. So if you are not moving very fast, there is not much air across the cooler.

 

I took my 89 off road one time and never again. That front end is like an anchor and it always looks for the lowers point and goes there. Ended up shoveling for 4 1/2 hours to get it out. Never again.

 

We have a 99 cab and chassis V-10, and a 2002 cab and chassis diesel, and both these trucks are driven on dirt county roads and pasture roads at least 5 days a week, sometimes pulling 28 foot cattle trailers. The only problem we've had on either of them is that the V-10 cracked a 4-link arm on the front end. I don't know how it happened because I don't drive that truck. If you're doing alot of off-roading, you probably should put on some aftermarket shocks. The stock ones are crap when they are brand new

 

The only thing I've ever seen ware out prematurely is a front half shaft. It was on a 1500 4x4 though. These trucks do pretty good offroad just gotta keep them moving, with my 33x12.50 BFG Mts if you stop in the deep stuff it's going to find the bottom real quick. :-[ The only reason I don't play in the mud any more is I got tired of cleaning up the truck everytime I was done, that mud get's everywhere. [undecided]<br><br>DB

 

yeah you need big tires if you're going mudding ........a truck that weighs 7000 lbs sinks to the bottom where the solid ground is real quick, so if your tires are tall enough you can make it through ............<br><br><br>I find mine awsome in the winter though, takes a lot of snow tp stop it .........<br><br><br>they have some CTD's under ground where my dad works he says they have trouble with the lower spring purches breaking up and then the springs fall out <br><br>but they're real rough on em down there, twice they bottomed them out so hard they drove the diff up into the oil pan ......<br><br>for normal people I don't think there's much to worry about, just remember you got a heavy beast, don't expect it to float

 

Thanx a lot yall! I will look into that tranny cooler and gauge and up the suspension soon! Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

put some lockers in too.