Hi, I'm new to the diesel scene & live in Burbank Ca.

I'm about to put my Chevy Dually 454 gas crewcab up for sale so I can buy a diesel.

What I dont like about the truck is 1st that its gas & the smog checks that come with it.
Its also a crewcab & way too long.
Its also lowered on air bags.

I bought it at a very good price & use it o haul my off road toys & camp in the back of it.

Now being lowered its fine for towing but I tow my stuff into the dirt & when I camp its also in the dirt & being lowered dont make it ideal for that sorta terrain.



Anyways I wanna find an extracab long bed 4x4 instead after I sell it.

I've always heard good stuff about cummins but now I keep hearing crap about how the rest of the truck falls apart around the drive train. :confused013:

So people are trying to talk me into a Ford..

Either way what I buy will be no later than a '97 because starting next year Ca. will start smog testing diesels back to 1998.

So being a Mopar site I figured you guys can tell me all the good stuff about the Dodge Duallys instead of all the negative talk I've heard elsewhere.


FYI , whatever I get I do plan to hot rod the drive train some, if its not done already.

Some tell me its easier to do the Ford with a chip than the cummins? :confused013:

 

Welcome to the DTR!

Friends don't let friends drive Fords.

 

welcome. i have a 99 with 152000 on the clock and it is not even close to falling apart. infact its still like new and if you like the cummins diesel engine i would get one because they really are one heck of a good truck.

 

ive got a 97 and will put it up against any new truck. never left me stranded (to be expected with a 12valve p-pump). the only thing that wears out is steering components but thats a given over time and usage but replace it when it gets worn out and you are good for another 150k miles. transmissions are another thing to consider. if you are planning to modify the cummins (very cheap on a p-pump) a manual will need a clutch upgrade where the auto will need a valve body and converter upgrade which is a little more expensive but it is your preference. youre in luck with the buying pre 1998 cummins because 94-98 is the p-pump 12 valve years. good luck my friend.

 

Welcome to the website!

--------
John_P

 

Blanco, check this out:

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=205371

Theres more pics of this floating around - probably in his profile.

 

Blanco, don't let the naysayers run you off. I was a GM man exclusively since 1984, and if I had listened to those who said the front ends are junk, the trannys are terrible, etc, I would have missed out on two GREAT trucks.

Are they perfect trucks? Nope, Dodge does some strange stuff, like pulling things to ground to operate, etc......... But I have had nothing really out of the ordinary go in over 2 years, save for a bad TC, and that was from a remanner.

Yes, the stock Automatics are slushboxes, and need a good TC and VB to survive abuse, but ever see what happens to a Furd or GM Auto when you abuse them stock?

If it were me, I would concentrate on finding a 1997, because that was the first year of the Hydraboost brakes and the last year before you have to start testing.

BTW, the Clubcab/longbed is just a smidge shorter than your current truck, so no real savings there, but they do have a good turning radius.....

Oh yea, one other thing, since you live in Ca, make sure you are aware of the laws regarding Ca. and EGR trucks, I don't know if they will let you register a 49 state truck even if it is prior to their smog testing.

 

Oh yea, one other thing, you could mess with the state if you really wanted to, trucks built prior to 1/1/98 were 12 valve and would be exempt from testing, though technically a 98.

Who knows, you might run into a grail truck, 98 5 speed Quad cab/Shortbed 12V!

 

If you're set on '97 or earlier and want a diesel, the Cummins is your only real choice. 6.5TD Chevys and 7.3 FOrds are not even in the same league as the 12V Cummins.

 

Yeah only other one I might consider is the Powerstroke. I think they made them 94 and up.



I'd seriously get a 12V cummins 1994-98 though because they are so easy to make huge power from. I read an article in a diesel power mag about like a 96ish Ford Powerstroke and they were really digging into the fuel system to get any power out of it (even then it didn't make much). I like the ford body style and all but I'd rather have the 12V cummins and NV4500 5 speed.

 

ran nothing but 454's, got ctd and have never regretted it. no matter how many i have gone thru in the last 10 yrs