I am seriously considering taking the plunge to the dark side and buying a used 6.7 MegaCab. To make a long story short, I can get rid of a few vehicles that don't get a lot of use, reduce insurance and license payments, blah, blah, blah. I'd move my '01 back for work use from the spare duty it's pulling now and use the new one as a backup. Having a hard time finding what I want (Laramie dually with a stick ) but that's another discussion altogether.

What are you guys having for luck in the real world with these things? My cross-shift at work has one-just in the time I've known him, it's been back to Chrysler quite a few times for stuff. But it also gets the oilfield treatment, and he's not mechanically inclined. This one would only get used as a backup truck-time would probably get split between days-off commuter duty and trailer pulling.

I've done a little research on the delete stuff-depending on the truck and the dealer I may not go that route for a day or two (assuming I pull the trigger on a truck) for warranty issues etc. What are you guys seeing for mileage dead-stock, and with the mods?

Part of what's holding me back is that I know I'll never be totally happy with the short box-I have to work into the budget to have the frame stretched and a long box put on sooner rather than later. I looked at one yesterday with a nice dent in the right rear cab post from a 5th wheel trailer-that would be in my future as well if I towed for long with a shortbox....

TIA
Jason

 

From the people that I have talked to they love their 6.7. Fuel mileage is typical of trucks with DPF and is totally dependant (even more so than a non DPF truck) on how you drive. The less you have your truck go into Regen the better mileage you get. My ford goes almost 10k per regen, unless I am driving it hard or towing. Mileage drops considerably when it goes into regen.

As for towing with a short box, I have done it for years. The last long box I have owned was a 1980 Chev. But I would spend the extra cash and buy a pullrite superglide hitch (ask Joe how good these things are) you will never ever hit your cab corners with any 5th wheel.

I also would really evaluate why you want a dually, if it is for towing, please remember that you actually lose towing capacity with a dually over a SRW. But if you are going to be packing a lot of in box weight, then that is where the dually will shine. I have towed alot over the past few years, and I prefer towing with a SRW. (just my 2 cents)

You will love the torque that the 6.7 provides, it is quite a joy to drive, lildog Im sure can attest to that. Smarty makes a nice tuner for it also that will delete the DPF also if you decide to go that route

 

I have the itch to change up what I am doing. hint hint. I happen to have a dually 6.7 MEGA mega but its an auto and I would not get a stick with the 6.7 JMHO.
Plus I have a full 8 ft bed. hint hint. for a grand you can put leather in with heated seats... hint hint

 

The SRW does have a higher GCWR than a DRW but that quickly becomes irrevlevant if you have a heavy 5th wheel as you will exceed the capacity of the rear tires on a SRW. I would think it would be pretty hard to load a SRW to its GCWR without first execeeding its rear tire load. This is assuming you are running the stock "E" tires on a SRW and havn't upgraded.

 

YOUR MILEAGE ON AVERAGE WOULD BE 15 TO 17 MPG. towing would drop to 9 to 13. depending on driving habits if you do the deletes, i personally get up to 23 to 25 mpg. thats keeping my foot out of it, but its easy to get upper teens to low 20's. by the way my truck is NOT stock

 

Kev, both my trailers have a ton of pin weight-maybe more literally . 5th is a basement model with all the storage in the nose-and I have it almost totally filled, plus the built-in generator etc. I know on Dad's 1st gen there was a significant difference in stability converting from SRW to DRW. Can't say that would translate to a newer truck for sure though, but don't see why it wouldn't. I'd just as soon have the long box as a sliding hitch-especially by the time I add a toolbox for work, there'll be nothing left for box space.

Scotty, I'd be interested, but the auto is a buzzkill. I still like shifting for myself. Guess a test drive is in order to see for sure.

Thanks for the answers so far fellas-keep 'em coming!

Jason

 

Mine works nice towing my RV, even stock. Mines just a crew cab, not a mega. Stop by Jason, I can take you out for a burn. Still waiting to get my black maxx programer to dump the dpf/egr stuff. I'm just going to run a 4in exhaust pipe from the downpipe to the stock exhaust, and throw on an exhaust tip from some old project that I did a few years ago. Currently I'm averaging 14-16mpg, but at 1540km on the truck, its still breaking in. Still way better than my 08-1500 hemi ever was. I think I average 14-15mpg out that thing on a good day.

 

I have had hand-shakers on all my diesels 89, 93 and 97. But the auto in the 6.7 is nothing like the old versions. I actually like it alot.

With the deletes, I have loaded the new ME Version 22 and my last trip to High River and back (with construction on the Deerfoot and hwy 2) my average mileage was 11.8 L/100km 20mpgUS. I went down and back for about 480Km and have 2/3 of a tank left.

I like the engine and the auto transmission with the exhaust brake is just too darn handy..Paddle shift the gear you want... blah blah blah...

 

Jason, they make hitches for those hard turns, they swing and pivot. I've never had an issue towing my RV in 8 years using my 02. You could also run you trailer hitch more back in the bed towards the bumper, if your worried.

The 3.73 gears work nice. For a stock auto transmission in tow mode, it shifts nice and the ebrake shifts the transmission to keep the revs up, when your foot on the stop pedal. IMO, I think that the 10 truck has bigger feel to it, kinda like the ford. The turn turns in a shorter diameter than my 02 The seats in the 10, IMO are the best yet. Don't get me wrong the 02 seats are nicely broken in, but they don't have the chill seat. Really nice on behind a hot day My CC has enough room inside to fit 2 adults with lots of extra room in the back, mega wasn't needed, as it doesn't fit in my garage. The bed in the 10, is slightly longer than the 3rd, I can close my tail gate so I can hauling my quad in the bed, unlike the 3rd gen.

For a real good deals, wait till the can dollar is close to the USD, and go internet shopping down south. Lots of good deals in the states. My brother just bought an 08 corvette convertable, with 8000 miles on it (basically brandnew) for $45k. Up here they wanted over $55k for vehicles in worse shape/more miles. The border is pretty decent these days at helping you get it home, with your ride.

 

I just hate the concept of something shifting for me other than me. If the Dakota would have lived a little longer, it was getting a 5 speed transplant. I am very stubborn-don't like the idea of something or someone figuring it knows what's best for me.

I am stopping in Ponoka on Thursday to look at an '09 MC dually-6.7 G56 full load with 66K-to see how I like it. Way newer and way more money than I want to spend right now-but I'll keep an open mind to get a feel for the truck.

Mike, I may end up in your part of the world later in the week-I have to try to hook up with Tate before he ends up in Saskatchewan. Not sure if you're home or still in Ram River-if you're around I may take you up on your offer of a test ride.

Jason

 

My old 5th wheel was 15500 dry and 2500 on the pin. I used my 2500 chevy to pull that all over creation. It was never ever an issue. I used the cheapest tires I could buy at CT and got over 60k out of them, and I towed alot. Personally I dont think that we can now shift a vehicle as good as the new automatics can, they just do such an awesome job, maybe I am just getting old, but I couldnt be talked into owning a standard ever again. Having to always be shifting gears, holding in the clutch at lights, all that stuff, no thanks. Heck if I was buying a new big rig I am pretty confident it would have one of the new automatics in it... alot of the trucking companies up here are now running them in everything

 

My deck trailer's GVW is 10000kg-way overlimit for even a 3500. But on the off-chance I get close to that weight, I'd feel a lot better with dual wheels. My SRW handles both trailers fine now, but if I end up staying with it for trailer duty, it's getting a DRW conversion-actually have the box sitting in the back now.

The only place I've ever gotten tired of running a stick is bumper-to-bumper city traffic-it does get old then. Realistically, I won't see that very often anymore. Automatics do not care much for the operating grind (although neither do duallys) - my cross-shift has an '07 MC 6.7/68RFE and has had trouble numerous times in the winter and once this summer with ice and/or mud locking the shift mechanism in park. Start the truck, set the E-brake, get under it and pry it into gear, climb back in, and go. Not much fun. He hasn't had an issue with wires getting beat off, but I've known lots of guys with 48REs that either got a tow or limped back to the dealer after they pulled something off and got stuck in limp mode.

Personally, I think the reason a lot of trucking companies are going to autoshifts is that they can't find qualified guys that can shift gears . I played that game for 6 years before I started operating-the learning curve is steep at the start for a RoadRanger-but once you learn it, you never forget. Minor adjustments for different trannys etc, but I'm still confident I could climb back behind the wheel and be reasonably competent at it in a couple hours again. When you're used to running 15, 6 is a walk in the park. Honestly, I can be away from my '01 for literally months, climb in, and it's automatic (pardon the pun) to run the gears. Different strokes for different folks-if we were all the same, the world would be a boring place. Who wants to be normal anyways?

Offtopic, did you have any luck getting your truck to run Kev? Too bad we aren't a little closer to each other-the DRB should be able to get to the root of the problem pretty quick. I actually just pulled the pin on a StarScan too as I found a deal I couldn't pass up on eBay-I'll get some use of it here right away I think on my cousin's '06.

Jason

 

Jason, I'm back home here till thursday. Ram is a distant memory right now. I have a family feud/reunion to goto this weekend

I'll be around next week for a few days, then off to the good old USA (NoDak) for a week or so. Then to Estevan. So much for a taking the summer off. We got most of the cage done, just have to tie it to the frame. I have a bunch of fiberglass/plastic waiting at the border. I have a 12v motor in pieces throughout my garage, still waiting on parts.

My 10 has 1500km or so on it, the oil is blacker than my 02 oil with 10000km on it. I should have my H&S tuner in next week and should get the deletes done. Going to put on an air horn and home made exhaust manifold. I think that will look better than the delete plates. I originally wanted the smarty jr and edge CTS, but will have to settle for the H&S tune. I'm not looking for power, just a way to dump the emission stuff. I have a chunk of 4in exhaust laying in my garage just waiting to be installed, to remove the dpf and cat. The 10 has a pretty nice cab set-up and is alot more quiet than the 02. No more shutting off the truck at drivethru.

 

To be honest I havent even looked at the truck. I am taking a break from it right now. So many things to get done around the house. That and it was a severe disappointment when it did this I kinda lost my enthusiasim. I am working on getting that back though....

 

Kev, I know what you mean, I just went thru three of my own cracked cylinder heads to only have to buy a good 12v head from Peak, so we can chop/cut/build. To do a engine rebuild isn't that big a deal. Probably get away with a quick bore/hone and new stock piston, if the piggy bank is broke. These CTD engines are of pretty simple design, even the stock stuff is quite durable. If you need a piston fly cut, let us know. We have a jig set-up for fly cuts. I think that we just took 0.125 cut off my piston for a valve relief. I can't wait to see your ride smash down into deep 9's and adjust the super-street record for second time with the old girl