What is up with this ??? I (finally) crawled under Smoke today just to say hello. I was greated by a bright orange driveshaft and trans case &gt; I really don't remember any other vehicle having that much rust on the driveshaft. I realize the trans case is case iron but so is the engine block and its not rusty. What gives? Is this a Florida only problem or what?<br><br>The Boss Hog<br>rusting away in Florida

 

Florida my foot. &gt; Imagine what is happening up north with the salt all over the roads. <br><br>I was a little surprised when I crawled under mine. You would think they could shoot those parts with a good self-healing type coating to protect them. I don't want those gators getting a bad opinion of the White Ghost when they wander under my baby. JMHO, whatever that is worth. ???<br><br>ConcernedBob<br><br>

 

It's all in your perspective, my friends. ;D<br><br>What you consider to be rust, Dodge considers to be a patina - a lovely natural coating appearing as the metal matures.<br><br>Dodge, and many other vehicle makers, claim the rust is merely a cosmetic issue and will not weaken the thick parts in question.<br><br>This free therapy and information is provided as a public service by Utah Bill. Any similarity between thoughts expressed and reality are most likely due to coincidence.<br><br>Best to y'all<br>Bill

 

Bill:

 

Utah,<br> Let me guess, in 1965 you owned a lovely 1957 VW bus painted a light green with big red and yellow flowers painted on it by someone named &quot;April Rain&quot;. ;D Am I close? Do you still have it? Mine has patina'ed so much that it is now just a orange spot in the back yard <br><br>Peace and Love . . . :-* :-*<br><br>The Gentle Hog<br>(lost in the 60's)

 

Well Well. Looks like another thing that I have to look for prior to turning over my money.

The list keeps growing.

Let's see now
Front driver seat
Cost of exhaust brake increase
Hitch availability
Lube levels
Frame durability
Box not on straight
Rear of my RV pin hitting the tailgate when slider engaged
Paint too thin
Mystery dash warning lights that have no rhyme or reason for lighting up for 1/2 of a second then going out.
The overhead computer shows -- from time to time.
Rust

What have I forgotten?

 

Kenr,<br> You forgot to add mystery dash warning lights that have no rhyme or reason for lighting up for 1/2 of a second then going out.

 

So added. Look again.<br><br>The list gets longer.

 

KenR.......please explain the frame durability issue. Mine's started to squeak a little. ???

 

[quote author=PADZZ link=board=20;threadid=9756;start=0#93473 date=1042906258]<br>KenR.......please explain the frame durability issue. Mine's started to squeak a little. ???<br>[/quote]<br><br>Squeak. I didn't know about that one. I won't add that to the list until I find out more about it. Tell us about it.<br><br>The frame durability issue is an unknown factor to me. None of us know what is down the road concerning this new frame. Dodge says it is stronger. I say it is cheaper to build that is the reason for them selecting it. How do you straighten it in an accident? There is just a lot we don't know.

 

hey kenr, for what it is worth, mine is running like a champ no skwaks at all and according to friends and family i am a very, very picky person. could not be happier. ;D

 

[quote author=tcb link=board=20;threadid=9756;start=0#93488 date=1042909813]
hey kenr, for what it is worth, mine is running like a champ no skwaks at all and according to friends and family i am a very, very picky person. could not be happier. ;D
[/quote]

That's super and I am happy for you. I also know without a doubt you are not the only one that is happy. Also keep in mind that I am also just having some fun at the same time chasing this thing. If you don't investigate, you might be sorry.

I am not trying to down the Dodge because I am a loyal owner but I read so much negative stuff from these forums you can start getting gun shy.

I have owned the 1989 (Diesel); the 1994 Dodge V10 (was a Lemon and re-purchased by Dodge), the 1996 Diesel that I currently have and have been satisfied other than the V10 problem. I am not buying the Dodge, I am buying the Cummins.

I am having a lot of problems over coming the short bed limitation/hitch install problems that was caused by DC, first by creating the short-short bed, secondly, not issuing guidelines for installing hitches. Also the exhaust brake price increase that came out of nowhere, plus no one at DC will tell you if the 48Re will take the exhaust brake. They just don't talk to their customers.

Lastly, I am just collecting a list of thing that I need to be looking for for my PDI and again, having fun doing it.

 

I am happy with mine. My truck pulls my trailer with ease, it is a trailer pulling machine no doubt about that at all.
I think humorous gripes about the nit picks on a truck are a fine way to deal with them. If every new truck buyer came in to the dealership with a list of concerns based on current owners comments that would be a good thing for all of us.
I would have hated to be the guy that figured out about the short bed and a sliding hitch. That would have been awful to find out after setting everything up.
Randy

 

See what I mean, a lot of individuals are happy with the truck. No doubt about it.<br><br>Still you have to approach anything you purchase with &quot;Buyer, Beware&quot;. Each person's approach and way to deal with it is different.<br><br>I have ordered the Short Bed and am finding out with my investigation and my situation (my rig setup) I will probably hit the tailgate when the slider is activated by one inch. There are ways to solve the problem but as least I know going in what I am faced with. This does not mean that everyone will be faced with the problem. It depends on your RV's extended pin. When I ordered it I was not aware of that.

 

KenR, you mentioned Daimler-Chrysler unwillingness to &quot;talk to their customers&quot;. How true. I have asked several questions of Dodge Canada and rarely do I get an answer; they hide behind their dealers &gt;. I get told over and over to contact &quot;one of the members of our highly skilled and knowledgable dealership network&quot; . Sorry DC, I cannot begin to compare the amount of knowledge on this forum to that of any &quot;5 star&quot; dealer to which I have spoken. By the way, do any non-5-star dealerships exist?