Just can't get a good basic truck, like the old days!

[WinterDeere]

Hellcats don't ride like Caddy's either! It's cool tech, and actually would be very useful in any tall pickup or SUV, for managing side roll. It'd also be a nice feature to soften the suspension when the truck isn't loaded, since any static suspension always has to be built stiff enough for maximum load conditions.

 

[jjeff]

Hellcats don't ride like Caddy's either! It's cool tech, and actually would be very useful in any tall pickup or SUV, for managing side roll. It'd also be a nice feature to soften the suspension when the truck isn't loaded, since any static suspension always has to be built stiff enough for maximum load conditions.

I think independent (meaning not using a combiner coupler) air bags in the rear axle would be helpful to balance out a top heavy class c seems no matter how I load my class c it always seems to want to slightly lean to passenger side. Shocks and sumo springs definitely helped though. Standalone meaning not on board I have to use my air compressor or tire inflator to fill my truck have really worked great several yrs using them never a problem pretty easy to install, when I load the bed up or tow something larger and tongue heavy for rear axle suspension sag. I do have a combiner on my truck meaning each side can't be inflated separately. So both sides are
at same psi.

 

[WinterDeere]

Which air bag system did you go with? I only have a half ton, but I'm regularly pulling a 7k trailer with it, and it's forever tongue heavy.

I want to avoid a WDH, because I off-road the trailer and end up having to jack knife it into some real tight spaces in the woods. WDH's really don't like massive articulation, I'm afraid I might break something.

I'm in the middle of a trailer rebuild right now, relocating the two heavy group 39 batteries from the tongue of the trailer, to aft of the fenders. That should help a little, but I've been thinking that air bags would help even more.

Of course there's still concern with overloading the rear axle, only a WDH will help with that. But I've been pulling this trailer regularly for 10 years on two different half-ton vehicles, and the tongue weight is within their specified limits. I just don't love the way it sits when the trailer is loaded to full capacity with logs.

I do have half a mind to cut the suspension off the trailer and move the axles forward a bit, as I think all of these manufacturers tend to err to far aft with their axle placements to gaurantee tongue will never end up too light. But that would also mean moving fenders, railings, and everything else. Just not worth the massive effort.

 

[jjeff]

Firestone ride rights, no drilling on frame took the place of the rubber bump stops ran lair line out by spare tire lock on back bumper. You do need to keep minimum 5 psi in them all the time I can say I've never once had to add air to them because they deflated. If I was planning on keeping that truck I'd problaby zip tie a rubber sheath over the air lines. Although they have held up well as is.

 

[jjeff]

Cripes did the price of those go up since I got mine. There called Firestone ride rites. They have a schrader valve if running stand alone for adjusting them.

 

[WinterDeere]

Cripes did the price of those go up since I got mine. There called Firestone ride rites. They have a schrader valve if running stand alone for adjusting them.

Price is cheap for 1/2 ton Ram, only $189. I just remembered I had a whole thread on this, awhile back:

truck rear suspension - air bags & Jounce springs

... I was looking at the style with chain link to the arms, rather than resting on tabs, thinking they'd be less likely to "pop off" in a tight turn. Of course, some of those models come with sway control links that would cause the same problem, but some do not. Thinking one like this...

www.tractorbynet.com

I've been using that trailer a whole lot less than previously, the last two years, so this issue hasn't been a big priority. But with most of the EAB-killed ash in my neighborhood now harvested and already in my stacks, it looks like I'm going to be needing that trailer again to haul wood from afar, on a regular basis.

 

[jjeff]

Price is cheap for 1/2 ton Ram, only $189. I just remembered I had a whole thread on this, awhile back:

truck rear suspension - air bags & Jounce springs

... I was looking at the style with chain link to the arms, rather than resting on tabs, thinking they'd be less likely to "pop off" in a tight turn. Of course, some of those models come with sway control links that would cause the same problem, but some do not. Thinking one like this...

www.tractorbynet.com

I've been using that trailer a whole lot less than previously, the last two years, so this issue hasn't been a big priority. But with most of the EAB-killed ash in my neighborhood now harvested and already in my stacks, it looks like I'm going to be needing that trailer again to haul wood from afar, on a regular basis.

I think they almost doubled in price for my truck definitely one of the best aftermarket upgrades I've bought for that pretty base truck especially when I owned and hauled around my steel track over tires JD 326 ss. For my pretty base 4500 cutaway I either couldn't find them at the time or it required drilling in frame rails. My apprehension of screwing around with the frame stems from owning perforated rusted out Tacoma frames. Anyways don't know if I saw your original thread on airbags/ air helpers. But I'd praise them for what they did for my truck anyway.

 

[RB5]

When I need to get in the bed of the F350, especially if the tailgate is down, I step on top of the tire and swing over like getting on a horse. Sounds weird but it's easier than crawling up on the tail gate.

I do the same thing in my 2013 F150. When I first bought I parked next to my 97 Ram and took pics. The 2013 looks like a monster truck compared to the 97. The bed floor is way higher off the ground. Now my 2013 doesn't look as big compared to some of the other newer trucks.

 

[Jstpssng]

Anyways I've never intentionally disabled "stabilitrak" never saw a need to do it

You must not need 4wd much either. There's nothing more frustrating than getting a run for a snow covered hill, only to get halfway up when the TC kicks in.
It feels like somebody suddenly retarded the spark.
Or going down a gravel road during spring breakup when the bottom drops out of it.
So you step on the gas and the truck goes "bleah". Then there you sit.

 

[jjeff]

You must not need 4wd much either. There's nothing more frustrating than getting a run for a snow covered hill, only to get halfway up when the TC kicks in.
It feels like somebody suddenly retarded the spark.
Or going down a gravel road during spring breakup when the bottom drops out of it.
So you step on the gas and the truck goes "bleah". Then there you sit.

Don't seem to have that problem much with my Duramax turning now discontinued cooper at 3's (which btw was the best tire I've ever owned , used, bought). problaby cuz all the low end torque it produces I've only really gotten it stuck once where I needed assistance I'm sure the Mopar guys will like this, a jeep pulled my GMC out .

 

[Jstpssng]

a jeep pulled my GMC out

Was it a Yellow Cherokee with "Matt's Offroad" on the side?

 

[jjeff]

Was it a Yellow Cherokee with "Matt's Offroad" on the side?

Lol no I wasn't
In utah nor do I off road that truck like I did my Tacomas when I was young and dumber. Problaby could have used him 20+ or so yrs ago though.

 

[Tomtint]

I just got back from a week in South Florida. Rented a Dodge 2500 4x4 from Hertz. ..Pretty cheap rental @350.00 ish for that time. ..Anyway..it was a fairly basic Big Horn package.
PW, PL, tilt cruse, Bluetooth radio ..Thats about it.
..After a couple days in that truck..I about had enough of it. Not sure if it was the poor comfort of the seats, or the way the interior just felt cheap.. but it made me appreciate my trucks at home more than ever.

 

[RB5]

I just got back from a week in South Florida. Rented a Dodge 2500 4x4 from Hertz. ..Pretty cheap rental @350.00 ish for that time. ..Anyway..it was a fairly basic Big Horn package.
PW, PL, tilt cruse, Bluetooth radio ..Thats about it.
..After a couple days in that truck..I about had enough of it. Not sure if it was the poor comfort of the seats, or the way the interior just felt cheap.. but it made me appreciate my trucks at home more than ever.

My 2013 F150 interior is not falling apart at 280k miles. My 97 Ram had cracks in the dash and pieces of the drivers seat cushion coming out at 150k or less. That and the crappy transmission I had replaced twice is why I got away from Ram. Not sure about the newer ones, but I'd be too skeptical to take a chance.

 

[paulsharvey]

I just got back from a week in South Florida. Rented a Dodge 2500 4x4 from Hertz. ..Pretty cheap rental @350.00 ish for that time. ..Anyway..it was a fairly basic Big Horn package.
PW, PL, tilt cruse, Bluetooth radio ..Thats about it.
..After a couple days in that truck..I about had enough of it. Not sure if it was the poor comfort of the seats, or the way the interior just felt cheap.. but it made me appreciate my trucks at home more than ever.

To me, the Big Horn hits a pretty nice balance of features that I want, without much that I dont.

 

[WinterDeere]

My 2013 F150 interior is not falling apart at 280k miles. My 97 Ram had cracks in the dash and pieces of the drivers seat cushion coming out at 150k or less. That and the crappy transmission I had replaced twice is why I got away from Ram. Not sure about the newer ones, but I'd be too skeptical to take a chance.

Several of my buddies had those gen.2 (pre-Daimler) Rams, and so many of them had rear diff or transmission problems. Of course, my Chevy of the same vintage had even more breakdowns, albeit cheaper ones.

I was ready for a new truck in 2005, and after finding Chevy and Ford had both discontinued making manual transmission 1/2 ton v8 trucks, I was basically forced to look at the gen.3 Dodges. I went into it thinking, "well they're crap, but I want a manual transmission, so I'll deal with it."

And everything on the Dodge was indeed lighter and cheaper than my old Chevy. Thinner steel in the body, less beefy cast aluminum front control arms instead of the heavy stamped steel from Chevy. 5-lug wheels versus 6-lug on the Chevy.

But what surprised me was that, after 12 years of daily driving, it was the most reliable vehicle I'd ever owned. Not a single repair in 12 years. It was a good lesson that "heavier" doesn't necessarily translate to "more reliable".

I'm not sure if we can thank Daimler for fixing Ram's former problems, I do remember the transmission was a Getrag and many other components had been switched over to German suppliers, but I do have to admit I was surprised. Now I'm on my second Ram, a 2015 I bought used in 2017, and it's also been great. Not as flawless as the first, I did have to replace a folding mirror motor and two windshield washer nozzles, but nothing major yet.

 

[WinterDeere]

To me, the Big Horn hits a pretty nice balance of features that I want, without much that I dont.

I didn't like the auto AWD that was in the 2015 Big Horn, and I absolutely loathed the short (3.21:1) gears they used in the rear diffs. I went with the Outdoorsman, which has only manual traditional 4wd, and allowed me to choose a much steeper (3.92:1) rear gear. There were some other options that pushed me toward the outdoorsman, but I can't remember them all, now.

The only thing I didn't like was the side exhaust they use when you choose towing package and trailer brakes. But Flowmaster fixed that, and gave me something that actually sounds more like a truck, to boot!

No pretty chrome exhaust tips under a scalloped bumper here, just two stainless pipes right out the back under the straight rear bumper. Despite the loafers and the chinos, I guess I still have a little redneck in me.

 

[paulsharvey]

So, on the Ram 4wd; I dont ever use 4w auto, and maybe I just dont understand it? I use 2wd or I engage 4wd hi or 4wd lo. I tried 4 auto once, and it certainly isn't the same as 4 hi. Im guess 4 auto means 2wd, and then it auto senses slippage and engages? I dont have any use for that. I can see Im in loose sand or mud, and engage 4 hi. Maybe its an ice/snow thing?

My 2022 F150 has something similar with "modes" but it also has a 4 hi and 4 lo button, which is how I use it.

I just dont see why you would want to drive around in 4 auto on the road?

 

[paulsharvey]

I guess in my mind, you know your going into a sketchy terrian, put it in 4 hi before you break traction. Once you start slipping, you have already dug a hole into the sugar sand, and now, you are fighting both the bottomless sugar sand, as well as the hole you dug.

 

[WinterDeere]

So, on the Ram 4wd; I dont ever use 4w auto, and maybe I just dont understand it? I use 2wd or I engage 4wd hi or 4wd lo. I tried 4 auto once, and it certainly isn't the same as 4 hi. Im guess 4 auto means 2wd, and then it auto senses slippage and engages? I dont have any use for that. I can see Im in loose sand or mud, and engage 4 hi. Maybe its an ice/snow thing?

My 2022 F150 has something similar with "modes" but it also has a 4 hi and 4 lo button, which is how I use it.

I just dont see why you would want to drive around in 4 auto on the road?

I haven't used the 4-auto on the Ram, IIRC the year I was shopping required me to give up true 4wd if 4-auto was selected, which I didn't like. But my wife's Durango has 4-auto, and it actually works great for driving on our rutted and drifted roads, where you're constantly transitioning from dry pavement to drifted-over roads, to rutted sections with dry pavement interrupted by snow. It's actually much better than 4wd for most of the on-road winter driving we get around here.

I love features like that for things like SUV's and sports wagons, but in a pickup I'm taking off-road into the woods, I want the confidence and simplicity of true locked-in 4wd.