Bimo

My wife has decided she wants a newer Dodge CTD. While I drive a 99, she has a 96. Knowing what I do about all the problems with Trans, lift pumps, front end etc on the 99, and how much it cost me to get it set up right not to ever to worry about thse things, has Dodge addresed all those issues in there 3rd gen trucks.Which years are the most reliable in respect to trans etc.
I realy don't want to buy a newer Dodge and start upgrading to get it road depenable this time around.
We use my 99 for pulling the 5th wheel,so hers would be for lighter duty occasionaly pulling a hvy loads.
She hasn't yet decided if she wants 4x or 2x, but if it's a 4x, how is the newer front axel compared to the older. ( I spent a good chunk of change there also before getting it right)
We are not considering Ford or Chevy.We love the Dodge CTD, and after driving them for years, knowing it has no equal, will own nothing else.

njmaier

If you're talking manual trannys then it's all good...they're darn near bulletproof. Both the NV5600 and G56 are holding up to the punishment. If you're talking auto trannys...it seems that the 48RE is holding up far better than the 47RE ever did. If you're going to keep the truck stock then I think the 48RE will hold up just fine. If you start BOMBing it's going to need some love to beef it up. Keep an eye out when looking at used 3rd Gens...I believe that some 03 SO trucks came with the 47RE instead of the 48RE. I may be wrong...someone will correct me if so. I personally wouldn't get a stock 47RE...I've seen too many of them blow up.

Other than that I would just get a fuel pressure gauge and watch the lift pump...they seem to go out occasionally...I think they are better than they used to be though. I have almost 50,000 miles on my stock LP, and it's still alive. I can pull it down to 0 psi at WOT but it was never designed to keep up with the mods I have.

The AA axles seem to be holding up too. I personally would prefer to have Danas all around, but I haven't heard of many problems with the AAs except for the anit-spin diff in the rear just sucks for real off-roading. It's not a bad product...some people just don't like it's performance in off-road situations.

kully560

I own a 2003 s/o with a 47re trans .70000 miles so far and great truck.no problems except for the front ujoints had replaced under warrantyat 57000 miles.did do a fass pump at 67000 miles just for peace of mind. the truck is stock and and the 47re trannys are just fine if you do not bomb over 350hp.48res are good to 400hp I was told this info from a performance shop .