While the truck was in for its oil change,I asked them to give it a good look over since I was thinking of selling it.
I was informed I needed a Drag link/Tie rod assembly,Pittman arm and steering gears are bad. I've had the death wobble every now and again,so this might be why. But with 99K miles and my front end is junk! Another design defect by Dodge and should be recalled,I've heard of trucks with 25K miles and needing the same parts replaced,so I guess I'm lucky to have gone 99K. I heard Dodge has a redesigned steering/front end kit that is supposed to be the fix and is pretty HD compared side by side with the bad. Do I trust OEM parts? Who do I get replacement parts from that are affordable and I don't have to go from one company to another to piece together a front end?

Do I cut and run and hope somebody will buy my truck and buy something else and hope its been upgraded with everything I need to do? Nobody is buying diesel's,much less DRW in my area of Alaska. Or do I spend the 4-$5K bucks for a trans and another $1200-$3500 to redo the front end? If I rebuild the front end,I might as well install the free wheeling hubs to help with the lack of MPG.+ $1300
The only reason I haven't bought a smarty or a power adder is because of fear of toasting the trans.
If I spend all this cash on my 6 yr old truck,I should be good for another 100K+ miles,right? Right?

Its the angel and devil on each shoulder talking trash. Since living in Alaska for 30 yrs,I've watched the price of shipping sky rocket,now that fuel is as high as it is, it gives businesses free reign to rape its customers on shipping. So I have to be very choosy who I do bidness with. And the dumb ass's that continue to pay full retail,plus the full outrageous shipping will allow some businesses to continue raping the non-lower 48 residents.

How bout throwing some advice my way? -

retirednak's Sig:

'03 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW Laramie Sport
5" BD Exhaust
Volant cold air intake w/ram air
Edge Power Mileage Max

If it were me, I'd keep it and put some money into it .... especially if these repairs are the only ones you've had to do so far. Now if it's been a lemon its whole life then I'd drop it on a dealer's lot for a trade in.


Kris -

MarineOne's Sig:

2008 Dodge Ram 3500 QCLB SRW 6.7L with Titan Fuel Tank and Firestone Air Springs

2006 Dodge Ram 2500 QCSB 5.9L
No mods yet - wife's truck

The question to ask is whats next, are the injectors worn out how long will they last? -

thebreeze04's Sig:

2004.5 Cummins 600, Edge Juice, Straight Pipe, HTS Transmission, 2" leveling kit,whats a silencer ring? AIRAID JR, swiss air box 315/70R17Dune Grapplers

keep it its a cummins -

hotcummins's Sig:

12v 5x18s injectors 191 delivery valves 3k springs aroura5000 single i built the all billet tranny and ats 5 disc converter #100 fuel plate fire ringed arp head studs timing 22.0 degrees tabbed kdp quick spool cam and exhaust manifold 5 inch turbo back exhaust w/ 6 inch tip afe intake k&n cold air water meth injection airdog2 165








http://www.dieseldawgs.com/

if its paid, fix it, the amount you will spend in fixing it up, you can spend twice that on another one, then turn around and spend even more settin it up how you want. i wish my truck was paid, i could think of a few other ways to spend that money every year. -

cumminsdad08's Sig:

04.5 2500 quad cab Cummins Turbo Diesel HO 6spd-4in fabtec, 35-12.5x17 on american racing, cold air, high ram, edge juice with a faulty attitude

Its paid for.
How does one tell if its time for injectors? It starts fine,doesn't smoke and gets crappy fuel mileage. -

its always time for injectors -

CR injector are good for about 125,000 to 150,000 miles depending on many factors, like fuel quality and filtration, and if you are running a pressure box and/or programmer. But I have seen injectors fail in a stock truck with a little as 120,000 on the clock idle time is also a killer. -

I agree keep the truck and just fix the front end. You will spend substansially less money in the long run compared to a brand new truck. Do a little math to see for yourself. Now what kind of milage are you talking here? 10-12mpg or like 15-16mpg? Is it worse than that? -

tdiezel's Sig:

2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins with NV5600 6spd. 150gal FASS fuel pump, Volant Cold Air Intake, 5" Pro Comp Coil-over Suspension, 17" Eagle alloys, 35" Cooper S/T Tires, Industrial Injection CP3 85% over stock, 5" TB Straight Pipe Exhaust, Line-X Bed Liner. (Gauges next )

Diesel Dawgs Performance

www.DieselDawgs.com

Keep it man, Its just broke in. Keep your chin up. -

Where in AK are you? I'll help you fix it if you want to do the work yourself. That way, I can see how it's done before I end up changing mine! -

North Pole Hooker's Sig:

'06 3500 MegaCab SRW Laramie 6-Speed w/ AirAid CAI and Modular Intake Tube, Banks High-Ram, Hypertech Max Energy and all of the neccesary Alaska mods for Arctic Weather. MBRP 5" Turbo-Back and Gauges are next!
My other ride is a U.S. Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter w/ 11,554 HP.
Jesus loves you, but allah thinks you're DYNOMITE!!!

I have never seen 17 mpg,even on a 55 -65 mph easy trip to Fairbanks and back.(I think it was like 16.4 mpg) My last tank of fuel before we switched to winter blend,I got 13.6. That's without any red light to red light type traffic. Most trips are 8 miles one way at 55 mph with a stop or two and back home with the 8 miles. I could understand this poor mileage if I had 4 10 rear,but 373's? I have synthetic oil all around and don't drive the truck hard. My over head suggests I get from 18 mpg to as high as 26 mpg, but I use it as just a suggestion. Heck my buddies '03 4x4 V 10 dually gets better mileage! With our crappy winter blend I'll be lucky to see 13 mpg. I may start adding the walmart outboard oil to the power service I use with each tank of fuel and see if I have any improvement. Its hard to get good mileage here in AK with our bone chilling cold or the next day heavy snow. I traded a 3/4 Chevy 6.0 liter for this truck thinking I would get better mileage when pulling a trailer. Thinking got me into trouble again. I love my truck,just wish I could afford to drive it. At $3.55 a gallon and 13-14 mpg,the truck stays parked most of the time. I put less then 3000 miles on the truck last year. If anyone has any suggestions for improving my mileage,I'm all ears.

I forgot, I also installed a Fitch Fuel Catalyst and didn't see any better mileage,I might get 1/2 mpg with the Edge Mileage Max. I do have an EZ Edge I might try for improvement.

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

I'm just up the road from Wasilla,just past Settlers Bay on Knik Goose Bay RD
Your up in North Pole? -