Dodge with Cummins

[newroswell]

Carl, the OP is probably long gone because this thread is so far off his original question. You will probably get more insight on the Excursion GVWR conundrum from a thread not titled Dodge with Cummins.

[r carl]

Originally Posted by carl2591

may be watching soccer or looking at a new/used truck. I know at times the OP can get distracted by another thread and forget about this one.

Maybe running and looking over his shoulder laughing.

[carl2591]

i hope not. transmissions in trucks are just as important as motors. you can have a good motor and sucky trans and have a sucky truck and viaveria

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

Imo, along the lines of. Pappy's thoughts, a gas engine makes more economic sense for towing an Airstream.

My 5.3 pulls my 6,500 lb trailer very well, and i doubt a new cummins equipped dodge could be bought for twice (or thrice almost) what i paid for my. 08 Chevy 4x4.

Try going from Uray Colorado to Silverton, then over to Durango pulling your trailer.....:

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by Bob4x4

Ford never owned a controlling interest in Cummins

Must not be any hills,my dodge with 6speed auto, which is double over with 3.73 runs about 65 at 1550, just like my kenworth with 4.10 and double over 18 speed 65@ 1550.during the late 1960s a lot of oilfield pipe haulers were using Chevy 427s, running with 335 cummins in Pete's and kenworth but that is flat land....

[J. Morgan]

I have traveled quite a bit in Colorado in a truck including from Durrango to Montrose, Delta, and from Colo spgs to Cripple Creek, and more .

While it is true that there are lots of places where my Truck wont pull my Airstream up many hills on these routes at 70 mph , neither would my Kenworth.

I can easily ride bumper and pass 90% of the big trucks on the road. That will work for me.

A point worth considering is that my KW tractor weighs over 20K pounds with no trailer, and about 40K with an empty trailer my pickup and my Airstream weigh about 13,000 or 13,500 lbs.

The thing is , Airstreams really ain't that heavy , particularly the older ones like mine.

If i had a 14,000 pound SOB, I might NEED a $60,000 diesel pickup, now I don't.

[J. Morgan]

Does it make me a bad person because I take a certain amount of pride in having a truck and trailer combo that cost me less than 2/3 of what many paid for their tow vehicle alone?

[r carl]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

Does it make me a bad person because I take a certain amount of pride in having a truck and trailer combo that cost me less than 2/3 of what many paid for their tow vehicle alone?

You can get a damn good TV for 20k.

[J. Morgan]

In 2008 my truck was 21K new. I am just about to turn 100k on the odometer.

It works for me.

All I have done with it is to replace a fuel pump, tires, and a battery, i haven't even changed brakes yet.

The fuel pump needed to be replaced because the electric plug in the tank corroded. I blame the E 85 I was running for a time.

My experience with the LS series of engines says I will need an alternator at about 140k, and a water pump at about 160k to 180K, each is about $120. Brakes will be needed soon I am sure, they are overdue.

[NevadaGeo]

Originally Posted by tjdonahoe

Must not be any hills,my dodge with 6speed auto, which is double over with 3.73 runs about 65 at 1550, just like my kenworth with 4.10 and double over 18 speed 65@ 1550.during the late 1960s a lot of oilfield pipe haulers were using Chevy 427s, running with 335 cummins in Pete's and kenworth but that is flat land....

Does anybody have a clue what that said?

[J. Morgan]

I do, perfectly.

Some of this is is verbage that people who have been around trucks for a long time understand.

It never occurred to me til now that many would have a difficult time understanding.

[J. Morgan]

Double over is two overdrive gears over 1 to 1 ratio.

[J. Morgan]

Back in the 60s and 70s there were a lot more gas powered trucks in commercial service than there are now. Truck stops used to even have gas in the truck fuel lanes.

Times have changed.

[carl2591]

while the cummins engine is a great one for pulling i think the short comings are the dodge trucks interior.. cracked dash, electrical problem, fron tend issues especially on 4x4 and get some oversize tires and lift the truck wow the front end will almost shake off..

too bad you can not get a cummins in a ford super duty lariat package.. that would be the $hit for shure.

have to say while spending some time on the powerstroke forums, you can get 300k on one just like a cummins.. it all boils down to care and feeding, period..

looking at a 2002 PSD Ford 7.3L XLT Supercab 2wd local unit with 152K. It has bars for a 5th wheel and air bags. they are wanting 13,995 for.. I see this as a 12,500 truck. it stock for the most part and runs good.. no blow by or smoke at start. rides like a tank as the air bags might be a bit to pumped for no load. but smooth and strong.

[tjdonahoe]

Carl why would you want to buy old technology? Less horsepower with lots of miles, get a newer one, I had a 7.3 for 185000 miles and it was going down hill fast,leaky right side head gasket,fuel pump leaking, after getting this dodge, I would never go back.....

[carl2591]

Originally Posted by tjdonahoe

Carl why would you want to buy old technology? Less horsepower with lots of miles, get a newer one, I had a 7.3 for 185000 miles and it was going down hill fast,leaky right side head gasket,fuel pump leaking, after getting this dodge, I would never go back.....

i hear what you are saying and agree, if money where no issue i would be getting a 2012 6.7L SD, 4dr, 4x4, with 6 ft cab.. but money is an issue at least for me and the 7.3 is the current way to go..

not sure why your 7.3 at 185K was giving so much trouble.. i read post on powerstroke nation forum of guy with '95 truck and over 250K miles with no issues all all..

did you buy your truck new or used??

i would love to get a dodge/cummins if they could figure out a way to make the interior worth a crap.

[xrvr]

Some of us prefer a functional interior over an auto motive interior. After all, it is a truck to some of us, not a car with a bed. Jim

[RickDavis]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

Some of us prefer a functional interior over an auto motive interior. After all, it is a truck to some of us, not a car with a bed. Jim

What Jim said. I bought the low end 2013 and am still stuck with computer keys, power windows, power door locks and many other items I would not have paid for had I had a choice.
Actually Ram has many high end interior and other option choices if you want to spend another $10 to $20 K for them.
That being said, it is still a fine truck but very little user service can be done any more.
My 99, which is approaching 600,000 miles has never had to be dealer serviced.
I don't expect to be that lucky with the complexity of the new one

[Larry C]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

Some of us prefer a functional interior over an auto motive interior. After all, it is a truck to some of us, not a car with a bed. Jim

Right on! Some of us buy a truck because we like trucks....they should look like a truck, sound like a truck, and be able to carry a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood without hanging it over the tail gate....these are men's trucks, not boys trucks!

Larry

[BAB]

I have a 2014 Ram 2500 Laramie CC 4x4 with the Cumminus that I bought specifically for towing. It exceeds in every respect, my expectations. I've put just about 8,000 miles on it, virtually all towing -- and it has been fantastic. Up hills no issue -- 840 pounds of torque means NO sweat, down hills -- the exhaust braking really supplants the use of TV/trailer brakes much of the time. Oh, and unless I'm doing mountains, I've averaged 14.1 MPG. I would do a commercial for Ram on this truck.