Started some training!!!

[Gen1Pat]

The durango/dakota were the best vehicle Chrystler ever made, actually. Just don't let that 4.7 over heat. Once that happens, start playing "taps".

 

[alex456123]

The durango/dakota were the best vehicle Chrystler ever made, actually. Just don't let that 4.7 over heat. Once that happens, start playing "taps".

Jesus it's happened twice on mine... Every time it does it will blow out a head gasket and make a rocker tap... :argh:
But it's at 190k and it needs a new front axle, that's my dads fault, but I replaced the wheel bearings
And injectors and that's it, been the most reliable vehicle we've ever had.

 

[1998yamahawarrior]

Where are you again? I've only ever had a couple that the eccentics where frozen in the bushings. Mostly I see worn out bushings in them. Most of my customers take their trucks off road, and surprisingly none have frozen bolts. I absolutely hate solid axle. I've always compared a Ford to an old worn out quarry truck. Just keep jockying the wheel side to side and she'll go straght, reguardless of how perfect I got the alignment. (I'm anal about alignments, too). Dodge rides better, imo, because of the coil overs, but, they cannot hold a toe adjustment to save their ass. I have no complaints about my trucks IFS. It puts me to sleep it's so smooth, and it handles like a sports car (helps it's a std cab long bed w/8.1L).

Southern Wi, where salt is the ice melt of choice!!! I hate to say it if you need to saw the wheel back and forth somethings very loose! I need to get ball joints and a tie rod end in my truck and Im not even moving my wheel that much if at all. Now since starting at my job, Ive driven 01 to 13 and from the 4.8 to the D-max and to me they ride worse than an old wood truck. Bumps I dont feel in my 2000 F250 Super Duty, just about jar me out of the seat in any of the others. Dodges ride like ****!!!!!!!!!! end of story, they couldnt build a truck that was worth a damn if there very existence depended on it. The only thing Dodge trucks have going for them is the Cummins, the rest of the truck is just a shipping crate for the motor!!! LOL And Im still trying to figure out what Dodge was thinking with their front bearings.... Aluminum knuckle, steel bearing, tight tolerance, recipe for a long day!!!:loco:

I do tend to find it funny when our vehicles of choice get brought up how interesting a thread tends to get!!!! LOL :haha:

 

[alex456123]

Southern Wi, where salt is the ice melt of choice!!! I hate to say it if you need to saw the wheel back and forth somethings very loose! I need to get ball joints and a tie rod end in my truck and Im not even moving my wheel that much if at all. Now since starting at my job, Ive driven 01 to 13 and from the 4.8 to the D-max and to me they ride worse than an old wood truck. Bumps I dont feel in my 2000 F250 Super Duty, just about jar me out of the seat in any of the others. Dodges ride like ****!!!!!!!!!! end of story, they couldnt build a truck that was worth a damn if there very existence depended on it. The only thing Dodge trucks have going for them is the Cummins, the rest of the truck is just a shipping crate for the motor!!! LOL And Im still trying to figure out what Dodge was thinking with their front bearings.... Aluminum knuckle, steel bearing, tight tolerance, recipe for a long day!!!:loco:

I do tend to find it funny when our vehicles of choice get brought up how interesting a thread tends to get!!!! LOL :haha:

Have you ever even driven a first gen Durango or a second gen Dakota?
They are the only dodge truck ill Own!

 

[Gen1Pat]

True that! It really is. I can't stand the way a Ford or Dodge drives. I don't feel any bumps in my truck at all. But, I haven't rocked stock shocks in over a 100k. KYB MonoMax are best, imo. The Fords I'm referring to are older, pre 2000 say; it's a very popular body style. And nothing is ever loose when I do an alignment. If there is a worn componant, I'm NOT doing an alignment until it's replaced, period, end of story. Most of the newer ones don't steer too too bad, like you said.

Dodge just sucks. I really like that "shipping crate" comment before. That was awesome. I do however, feel they have a better frame then Ford, seeing as how it is fully boxed. Idk about the new Fords, but, Ford tends to favor channel frames. And, too few cross members, Imo. My 2001 std cab long bed 2500hd 4x4 has more cross members then a 2010 F550 that I worked on. That includes the tow hitch and gooseneck hitches on both trucks. Not that Dodge has many cross members, either.

 

[alex456123]

Chevy has the WORST tow hooks. I've bent them loading a s-10 on a trailer! And those are the Same ones they put on the full size trucks!

 

[Gen1Pat]

One thing that hurts the GM trucks, is MFG tire size choice. I don't care for the 245/75r16 that came factory on my truck. 265/75r16 is a much better choice.

 

[Gen1Pat]

Chevy has the WORST tow hooks. I've bent them loading a s-10 on a trailer! And those are the Same ones they put on the full size trucks!

Idk, I haven't bent or broken one.

 

[1998yamahawarrior]

Chevy has the WORST tow hooks. I've bent them loading a s-10 on a trailer! And those are the Same ones they put on the full size trucks!

I agree alex, wow cant believe I just siad that!!! LOL Open ended is asking for it to break if you actually use it for something!!

The factory tow hooks on my truck are massive compared to the GM ones, but Im not running them anymore either!!! LOL Rocking big D hooks now!!

One thing that hurts the GM trucks, is MFG tire size choice. I don't care for the 245/75r16 that came factory on my truck. 265/75r16 is a much better choice.

I agree there!! Though I still prefer the 285/65/16 Im running. They fill out the wheel wheel better and dont rub on anything. Though Im thinking about finding a set of 16.5 rims in a Super Duty bolt pattern to run Humvee tires. Yes I do have a habit of finding myself where I shouldnt have been!!! LOL

 

[1998yamahawarrior]

Idk, I haven't bent or broken one.

I know of one buddy of mine that snapped one clean off at the base of the hook part!!!

 

[Gen1Pat]

See I don't use my truck for offroad use. That's what a quad is for, I think jacked up trucks are a total waste. I'm all about towing and throwing that big block sideways down the road Although, I do agree that open hooks are just a dump idea. But, really, how much stock equiptment actually holds up to heavy offroad use? No matter the MFG.

 

[alex456123]

Jeep wranglers, older Toyota land cruisers, first gen Cherokees

 

[1998yamahawarrior]

See I don't use my truck for offroad use. That's what a quad is for, I think jacked up trucks are a total waste. I'm all about towing and throwing that big block sideways down the road Although, I do agree that open hooks are just a dump idea. But, really, how much stock equiptment actually holds up to heavy offroad use? No matter the MFG.

I dont much either, on occasion Ill have a little off road fun. But much of the should be where I was, ends up being the winters around here!!! Of coarse my truck weighing it at just below 8000lbs does tend to make me sink and stay on road surface pretty good. Along with me not being a total idiot out in the stuff. Oh I agree having fun showing off a powerful motor is a blast!!! Especially since I finally chipped my dinosaur of a motor!!! REALLY woke the old girl up!!

 

[Gen1Pat]

I just have true duals with turn downs, and a Superchips programmer. I do want to do a k&n intake withe outerwears now that I have the true duals. If I can ever track down a spare engine to rebuild, I want to do some head work and cam it, with some headers. 425 horse is easy to hit with this monster.

 

[Gus]

Well about 2 weeks ago I started my GM training...

Figured my fellow techs would be interested in this and if any of you need something specific that you can only get from the GM Tech website let me know and Ill get it for you...

Congrats man, I start my first year of school at the end of October, and my second year in Jan.

Nice to have access to stuff like that, I work at a Ford dealer, so I have access to OASIS, which can be really handy.

Not all... The 4.6, a variant of the 5.4, is actually a damn tough engine. We've only ever replaced 2 in 12 years. The 5.4 however, is a turd for power, and a real pile of ****.

I had a '97 F150 with a 4.6L that wouldn't die, it had nearly 450'000km (280'000mi) on it before i sold it.

 

[Gen1Pat]

That 4.6 has proven to be a super tough engine. Big ****** thing though!

 

[WV98YFM350]

The 4L60e is the major weak spot on second gen S10 blazers I am on tranny number 4 in a 98 and almost all of them I see are being sold with tranny issues. Just my 2 cents. Oh and I also own a 98 Crown Vic with 235,XXX on a bone stock 4.6l thats ran 80 miles a day 5 days a week and still runs like a champ with 23 mpg!

 

[Gen1Pat]

The 4l60e isn't a bad trans. Most problems associated with them are because people don't take care of them. If you are on trans number 4, then you have other issues to worry about. Either you're getting bad units if they are new, or, who ever is rebuilding them needs to go back to school. Only other thing that would cause it to go out is if the trans cooler was not flushed out, or, if the cooler was flushed but is no longer able to adequatly cool the trans. Only two options; one- install a stand alone cooler and not use the stock unit; two; replace the radiator since it houses the trans cooler.

I will say that I have done several in s10 platforms. Idk why since it's the same trans in the 1500 trucks...

 

[drknight77]

Dodge just sucks. I really like that "shipping crate" comment before. That was awesome. I do however, feel they have a better frame then Ford, seeing as how it is fully boxed. Idk about the new Fords, but, Ford tends to favor channel frames. And, too few cross members, Imo. My 2001 std cab long bed 2500hd 4x4 has more cross members then a 2010 F550 that I worked on. That includes the tow hitch and gooseneck hitches on both trucks. Not that Dodge has many cross members, either.

All post 1997 frames are boxed to the mid of the frame on the super duty, and entirely boxed post 2003 on the f-150. One of our nice frame machines is struggling to pull the diamond out of a 2006 f-250 4x4 frame as we speak, it may total because of it.

I like the shipping container reference also, very adequate for the dodge ram platform. IMO

My kudos go to the ecoboost, it's an absolute beast and since it came out in 2011 my dealership hasn't had one single engine or turbo issue. But we will see how the years turn out on it, not miles.

EDIT: Maintenance is key on 90% of engines, the other 10% are just junk *cough cough* 5.4 3v

 

[Gus]

My kudos go to the ecoboost, it's an absolute beast and since it came out in 2011 my dealership hasn't had one single engine or turbo issue. But we will see how the years turn out on it, not miles.

We haven't had any problems with Ecoboosts either as far as i can recall, other than people whining that it doesn't get the advertised fuel mileage, tho they have a lift, 35's on heavy 20's and drive it like it's stolen.

Have you had much problems with the 6.7 powerstroke?