Dodge Ram 5.7 Hemi tow vehicle

[oldjeep]

​I do the minor stuff myself -- brakes, shocks, alternator, water pump (much easier than on my 470),... But I worry about catastrophic motor and tranny issues. I bought a powertrain warranty for $1000 when I bought my wife a used Mercedes a few years back and I slept better knowing I had it.

Yeah, only you can make that risk decision. I rebuild my own transmissions, so aside from the pain it is typically under $500 for a kit and convertor. I'd imagine that is a several thousand dollar problem if you had to take it to a shop. In 09 they had a free lifetime powertrain warranty when you bought new that I haven't had to use yet.

 

[SDSeville]

Yeah, only you can make that risk decision. I rebuild my own transmissions, so aside from the pain it is typically under $500 for a kit and convertor. I'd imagine that is a several thousand dollar problem if you had to take it to a shop. In 09 they had a free lifetime powertrain warranty when you bought new that I haven't had to use yet.

I guess it is worth it to me if the price isn't too steep . I can't do any of the difficult stuff myself.

 

[keith2k455]

Ram is just like any other trans. .. following the service interval is key. I never hear much about ford transmissions, but lots about their engines. I've always been told of you stay on top of ram maintenance they are good, but their intervals are pretty short. I still say find one with service history or plan on trans work. If you do some trans work, you have peace of mind once it is complete.

 

[WIMUSKY]

So Musky, what is Dodge offering you to buy back your truck?
http://blog.caranddriver.com/fca-will-buy-back-578000-ram-trucks-after-failed-recalls/

Mine doesn't fall under the buy back option. I had already talked to Dodge about that.......

OP - 100k? I wouldn't buy a warranty if it were me. With those amount of miles, major stuff that may go wrong would have already failed.....

 

[boatman37]

i have a 2013 Ram 1500 express hemi 3.55's and 6 speed. pulls my 1986 Sea Ray Sundancer 250 with a tri-axle trailer no problem. in fact, i just got back from bringing it home from storage. i get about 10mpg pulling it. according to the PO it weighs about 8000lbs with trailer.

i had a 2007 with a 4.7 before this and it would barely pull my 4000lb enclosed trailer so stay away from the 4.7.

i used to be a GM guy but we have had all Dodge/Jeep the last 10 years or so and have no complaints at all. i will never buy another Ford with all the problems i had with aevery one of them i owned, but thats another story

as for the Express...they are basically stripped down. they have the color matched bumpers and chrome clad wheels (steel wheels with a chrome plastic cover glued to it). mine has no power seat and no rear slider but does have a backup camera. i also have the base stereo with no CD player. i do have the tow package. it works for me, especially since i don't like chrome. i can live without the power seat and rear

EDIT: if you can get the 8 speed i would recommend it. i have the 6 speed and am happy with it but i had my truck in the shop for repairs and rented a 2014 hemi with 3.92s and 8 speed. other than that the trucks were the same. i got about 2 MPG better with the rental (18 vs 20 highway)

 

[oldjeep]

Power seat isn't even standard in the slt, however the power rear slider window is. My seats are manual, no backup camera either and the standard radio has no screen that would allow you to easily add one. (does have cd/satellite)

 

[boatman37]

my backup camera is in the left corner of my rearview mirror. it was funny when i bought it cause i knew it had the camera but i couldn't figure out where to view it. then happened to look up and see it...lol

 

[82rude]

Brother has a 08 or 10 ram 1500 .It has been a fairly good truck though at just over 100 k coming home one day on the highway she all of a sudden stopped cold.Long story short blown engine .Took it to a mech friend of his and no problem he said I can put in a used engine easily as ive done 5 in the last year with the exact same issue.Oil pump all of a sudden stops working . Looked it up but it doesn't seem to be a wide spread problem maybe just a small small batch ?Still sucks to have it happen especially if its used and out of warranty.Front end has been totally replaced but I suspect that's from hard use on roads that 99 percent of users will never see let alone drive on.Tow his large glass boat like its not even there.Its 4x4 as up here 4x4 out sells 2 wheel drive by out of 500 trucks sold 499 will be 4x4.

 

[oldjeep]

Be interesting to know if it is an 08 or 10 1500. 08 is a 3rd gen, 09 is 4th gen - completely different trucks in almost every respect.

 

[WIMUSKY]

'08 front end issues seemed to be common, as I stated with mine and my brothers. Lack of zerks are killing a lot of front ends.

Having a blown motor at 100k is nutz. I remember buying a new '93 chevy 1500. All you did for the first 100k miles is change the oil and GREASE the front end. Didn't even have to touch the plugs.

It seems like the quality/reliability of a lot of vehicles has gone backwards. It was nothing to be able to put 200k on a vehicle with minimal issues, like that chevy.

Ps. It's freaking snowing hard. My brown grass is white again. Spring? Pffft, not here...... But I digress....

 

[NYBo]

I believe that most OE front end parts these days aren't greasable. Even a lot of aftermarket ones aren't. I guess the theory is that they are sealed to prevent incompatible grease from being used and causing premature failure. All well and good until a boot gets torn, I suppose.

 

[boatman37]

yeah. my 2007 Ram needed new outer tie rods at 12,000 miles (under warranty). this truck was babied and never off-roaded. it had about 45,000 on it when i traded it. my 2013 just turned 50,000 and i haven't had to replace anything

 

[oldjeep]

I believe that most OE front end parts these days aren't greasable. Even a lot of aftermarket ones aren't. I guess the theory is that they are sealed to prevent incompatible grease from being used and causing premature failure. All well and good until a boot gets torn, I suppose.

The factory rod ends and ball joints on my 09 are not greasable, although the one outer that I replaced myself is a Moog and is. 132K and so far the balljoints and rest of the rod ends are OK, I take it in to the dealer for oil changes because they inspect a pretty good list of things and give me a list of anything that might need attention (which I then DIY for the most part). Figure one of these days I might have to do some of the front end parts, no idea how long they might last in the 4th gen trucks. Heard lots of stories about front end stuff wearing out quick in the 08 and older, not really any in the 09 + yet.

 

[82rude]

Be interesting to know if it is an 08 or 10 1500. 08 is a 3rd gen, 09 is 4th gen - completely different trucks in almost every respect.

Its an 08.

 

[redneck joe]

4100 lbs can be handled i think by any of the big three plus the toyota. Find the best deal and go boating

 

[SDSeville]

Seeing some good deals on newer Chevy 1500s with the 5.3. Is the 5.3 much stronger than the 4.8?

 

[oldjeep]

Seeing some good deals on newer Chevy 1500s with the 5.3. Is the 5.3 much stronger than the 4.8?

Compared to the 5.7L Hemi the 5.3 chev is pretty lacking in HP and TQ until you get to around 2014? It'll get the job done but you'll notice the difference if you tow with both.

 

[SDSeville]

Compared to the 5.7L Hemi the 5.3 chev is pretty lacking in HP and TQ until you get to around 2014? It'll get the job done but you'll notice the difference if you tow with both.

How about the Chevy 6.0?

 

[oldjeep]

6.0 has plenty of power

 

[Newbie@boats]

With that weight a 1500 would be fine....although, I had a 2014 Silverado 1500 with the 5.3 and towing I was NOT impressed, I had an 05 2500HD with the 6.6 Duramax and it absolutely towed like a dream, boats-my kubota, etc I have a 2001 Dodge ram 2500 5.9L Diesel now and I am not impressed at all towing my Kubota was a JOKE, for the boat it does just fine...You could find a real nice diesel pick up for 15-25K not to sure what the prices are you're looking at on the 1500s now....