older dodge ram 3500

[riciren]

Anyone on the forum pulling their Redwood with the older DRW 3500 Ram with the 5.9 engine with automatic transmission? I have found good deals on this type of truck and would appreciate any feedback anyone may have. At this time the newer DRW 6.7 3500's are out of my price range right now. FYI at this time I only tow about 550 miles one way from home.

[Rick and Mindy]

Originally Posted by riciren

Anyone on the forum pulling their Redwood with the older DRW 3500 Ram with the 5.9 engine with automatic transmission? I have found good deals on this type of truck and would appreciate any feedback anyone may have. At this time the newer DRW 6.7 3500's are out of my price range right now. FYI at this time I only tow about 550 miles one way from home.

. When I first bought my Redwood 31sl, I pulled it home with a 2004 Dodge 2500 with the 5.9 diesel. Pulled great but when I weighed the pin on the fifth wheel it surpassed my rear axle weight rating. I switched to a 2011 Ford SRW F350 with the new 6.7 diesel. My 31sl at that time weighed in at 12,500 from the factory.

[ET156]

I had the 5,9 in my 2000 dodge dually. It pull my 39mb fine when it was empty but when loaded it did not do very well. I don't think there built to be pulling the heavy weight. I say this due to having over a million miles behind the wheel of a semi. I have seen more accident on the hwy. than I care to remember. Its not only the breaking power its the weight ratio between the truck and trailer. A lot of people are just using too lite of a truck when they pull the heavy loads. just my 2 cents.

[PsychoBob65]

We pull our 2015 39MB with an 2003 Ram 3500 DW 5.9 Cummins w/48RE auto trans 4x4 w/3.73 gears. We make it down the road just fine. Not trying to brake any land speed records. When we hit the steep grades OD goes off and sometimes get to 3rd and 40 mph but oh well we make it everywhere safe and sound. I bought ours used, keep up on maintenance and travel on.

[riciren]

Thank you to all who responded to my request for information, it has been very helpful. Just got to make up my mind on which one out there is the right truck for us.

[GA1817]

I know your pain. Everyone thinks since it is a diesel it will pull. These new trucks are so much more powerful and the frames and transmissions so much stronger. If you go that route you will surely be overloaded on about everything. My 2004 Ford 3500 SRW rating was about 13K. My Ram is nearly 25K. Probably should have kept the Ford and just got a travel trailer lol!

But they do hold their value better than the RW! I have only loss 25% of my original purchase price on the value for a four year old truck. The RW on the other hand falls like a large boulder off a cliff lol!

[RCAircraft]

Originally Posted by riciren

Thank you to all who responded to my request for information, it has been very helpful. Just got to make up my mind on which one out there is the right truck for us.

I had my previous tow vehicle, a 2012 Ford 350 crew cab 4WD 6.7 L diesel SWD and 2013RL RW weighed while loaded for a road trip. The Gross Combined Weight Rating exceded the truck's GCWR by 2,000 pounds plus. I really messed up and assumed that the RW's posted weight was correct. I moved onto to my current 2016 Silverado 3500 High Country DWD 4WD crew cab with the long bed and 6.6 L diesel. After having the units weighed again the GCWR is now well below the truck's rating with much improved handling. An expensive lesson to learn. Having the RV weighed prior to purchasing a vehicle could be helpful just in case the posted weight is an issue.

[Tomkidder]

I use a 2005 Dodge with a manual transmission. If looking at the new Dodge you will notice everything is about the same. The new trucks have a better automatic transmission and an engine brake that are integrated. This is the real difference between the new and the old. I love the 5.9L. I don't have all the smog equipment the new units have. If someone comes and steals your exhaust systems insurances just total the truck due to replacement costs. Ask Steve.

[proteus]

the 08 6.7 cummins doesnt like the DPF much

regens trash out the crankcase oil, and egr cooler with carbon and maf sensors choke out too, there is a small stainless tube from exhaust manifold that supplys exhaust gas air to a sensor on the top front of motor, exhaust gas pressure sensor and a stainless tube was plugged up with soot used a piece of weed eater string brake cleaner and compressed air to push crap from tube and cleaned sensor too, now you can feel
exh gas pushing thru tube to sensor fitting,
the straight pipe helps motor to breath better they dont inspect for that here in texas, toned out nice too

50 hp reprogram works well so far and mpg much better

My Dpf Plugged up out of town limp mode check engine codes

removed dpf,installed straight pipe and mild ecm 50 hp reprogram now 19.5 mpg empty @82 sometimes it says a high of 22mpg @ 80mph unloaded

they said it can be put back at trade in time?

does any one refurb dpf?

seeing aftermarket DPF now out there too 900 bucks?