frobozz

After 16 years and 227K miles of Chicago area salt my '97 F250HD 4x4 crewcab diesel truck is really starting to rust out from around me, so I'm researching equivalent replacements. I really like the 2500 with the Cummins and the manual 6-speed (yay!) but the dealers in the area have almost no trucks to look at, and after lots of online searching there are a few things I just can't answer to my satisfaction. I'm willing to order a 2013 without seeing one, but there are some things I would like to know...

-- I want the bench front seat, but from what I can tell there's this plastic console/cupholder thingy on the floor. Where does the center passenger put their feet?! Can that be removed without leaving an ugly hole in the tunnel? At least the 2013 has cupholders in the center seat back, so removing the floor piece would not remove all the cupholders.

-- Is there a shoulder belt on the center front seat?

-- If I get the vinyl flooring option, does it still have soundproofing under it, or is it old-school just vinyl glued straight to the metal?

I'm sure I'll think of other things, but that's what I've thought of so far.

Duncan

Rollin'_Coal

Welcome to the forum.

My truck is a 12 with the bench seat/ flip down console. The cup holder console thing on the floor is nearly a part of the dash, it does come out but along with it goes the shifter boot, and it's not finished underneath. The carpet isn't right up to the shifter, it's not really pretty and the center passenger feet cram to the right. As for the vinyl floor, I have no idea but assume from looking at other trucks, there is still matting below the plastic as it has a little give when you step on it. The 2012 and my old 07 both have no center shoulder belt, just a lap belt. Also keep in mind the 13 will have the DEF system as well which the 2012 doesn't have. That will be one more headache as most new features are for the first couple years in production. Hope that helps at least a little.

frobozz

Thanks! That helps a lot.

I've not driven a stick truck made recently. Is 1st gear still something you only use when hauling loads, so it's a 5-speed as a daily driver? I sure would like to test drive one, but nobody and I mean nobody in my area stocks them, period. I look at dealers in other states and they have them on the lot, but not the ones around me.

How well does the electronic-shift 4x4 work? I know the Superduties had a few years of teething pains with that. I like the manual lever in my '97, but I need a few more creature comforts than the ST trim level provides, so no transfer case lever for me on the new truck, I guess.

Duncan

06RAM2500

Last I recall, 1st gear is pretty tall. As far as the manual shift transfer case, I'm not sure if they went standard on the SLT's after 2009.

Rollin'_Coal

1st gear is great for getting a lot of weight rolling. As a daily driver though, it will nearly get you past the cross walk. It is very low. I haven't had a single problem with the shift on the fly transfer case. My 07 had 300,000 hard work miles off road in the bush and the new 2012 has spent most of its first 23,000 working in the bush as well. I did lose a front drive shaft in my 07 that ended up tearing the t-case nearly in half but I can hardly blame that on the truck, that mostly happened due to the 597 HP dyno slip and a heavy foot. I would whole heartedly back this truck and recommend to anyone buying.

SOhappy

My 2011 has room for feet in the front-middle, the cup holder drops down out of the bottom of the dash. Not sure if they changed that for 2013??? I also have the electronic 4wd selector so that gives me even more room down there.

Nope, never seen one.

Not sure why you'd want it, the new deep-style floormats these trucks come with are great at catching mud and melted snow.

frobozz

Oh! I have not been able to touch these parts myself in an actual truck, just looking at pictures and peering through the window of locked trucks. That would make a lot more sense if it's something that is not on the floor unless you want it to be, and gets out of the way when you need someone to sit there. Do you have the manual 6-speed or the auto? It sure looks like a fixed in place part on the manual I peered in at, but I'd be happy to hear they were cleverer than that.

Duncan

frobozz

OK I found a picture online that clearly shows what I'm referring to (and as far as I know, the 2013's are the same way). You say this somehow goes up into the dash and leaves the floor clear for the middle passenger's feet? It sure looks bolted in place to me.



Duncan

Busboy

The electric xfr case has a cup holder that folds up into the dash, if you look at your photo you can see the indentation about 1 1/2 inches either side and below the silver part. I looked at a Laramie that had a bench seat but was an auto and had the electric xfr case, didn't like it, guess that's why there are choices,

SOhappy

Sorry for the misunderstanding, have the auto. All you see in mine over the tranny tunnel is carpet. My cupholders are hidden below the "RAM" emblem, and fold out. It's possible all manuals are like the ones you've seen, because they figure no one in their right mind would sit there in a manual anyway.

frobozz

I'll grant you, it would be annoying to sit there with the shifter... but even more so if there is nowhere to put your feet! Kind of makes you wonder why they offer the bench seat and manual together, if they are just going to ruin it like that. Weird.

Duncan

Big Ed

The bottom line is the center seat is useless with a manual transmission. Unless you have them shift and you don't mind their feet on your cupholders

Lap belt only for center seat.

Vinyl floor will still have padding under it.

frobozz

OK, more...

If I read between the lines of the 2013 press release, that talks about the front axle disconnecting while in 2WD to improve gas mileage, then I think pre-2013 trucks must have had fixed hubs and a front drivetrain that spun around all the time, just like trucks from 20 or 40 years ago. Is that correct? So did everyone put on Warn locking hubs or something to fix that problem themselves? When the auto-locking hubs on my '97 F250HD failed at about 80K miles I put on a set of Warns and never looked back.

Anyone have any idea of how the new axle works? Is it some sort of auto hub technology? The press release wording didn't really give any clues. I know the newer Ford vacuum-operated hubs had a lot of teething pains for years, though seem to have gotten better (though they still have a manual override, just in case!) So I'm a little leery of getting the first year of some new design...

Duncan

SOhappy

Yes, since 2003 (or earlier? I forget) that has been the case with Dodge 4x4s.


Not everyone, but a few (Dynatrac). Mainly to improve fuel mileage by 1-2 mpg. Really not necessary for maintenance reasons, as it's arguably better to keep the front diff and propshaft turning all the time, than to use it once or twice a year.

Not sure how the new system works.

frobozz

OK, that all makes sense then. On my F250HD, I just throw it in 4WD now and again for a few miles which because of the unlocked hubs doesn't really put it in 4WD (or bind up the driveline!) but does accomplish the task of spinning all the stuff around to keep it exercised. Then on bad weather days in the winter, I just leave the hubs locked in and suffer the mileage penalty.

I hope whatever they've done on the 2013s, they've learned from everyone else's mistakes!

Duncan