Are Ram Trucks Really That Bad?
 

Reading the other forum about the Ford vs Dodge thingy and am suprized at all the hate towards Ram. I’m actually considering ordering a 3500 Ram 6.7 Cummins with a G56 in the Fall. Accountant says we need some write offs for next year. I’m a GM guy and run Fords for my company vehicles and have had next to nothing for truck issues. Just looking to switch it up a bit. I know the stock clutch is a POS but I can swap that out myself, and I have the Cummins software on my laptop for diagnostics. I’ve been building the trucks online and all 3 brands are fairly close in pricing.

I have lots of friends who are die hard Dodge fans and have been fir years .
The bottom line is , you pick the truck you like and drive it until it breaks- and the are ALL pieces of junk when they break!!:sHa_sarcasticlol:
Cat

The only good thing about Ram trucks is Cummins

I’ve seen employee operators destroy 2500 GM’s with literally less than 30k on them, and other guys can manage to bend the frame on their F-150’s too.

Been driving them (and using for work in some pretty harsh conditions) since I bought my first diesel in '01. There's a reason I have stayed with them.
Have 3 right now. Wouldn't have any other brand

No different than the 30/06 vs. 270 debate. Personal preference

You're buying a new truck as a tax writeoff?

Sure, go 'head. Please report back here next year what you've found. Please list all parts and fluid changes, and all required repairs and probable causes for said repairs.

I think people are generally running vehicles way harder with less maintenance than they were designed and built for. (Not what they SHOULD have been designed/built for).

I have run them all 12 months a year in the worst conditions Alberta has to offer. There is no one best truck. I buy what is the best deal at the time and take my chances. Currently running a 2016 2500 ram. It’s just fine.

Only at 17,000 kms on a 2017 Dodge and so far the only thing I don't care for is the coil springs and the NAV is brutal.

Not for my personal tax, for business write off.

After Ford built the 5.4L with the cam phaser issue I'll probably never own another one. I currently have a few Chevy's, a Ford, and a Dodge and so far the Chevy's have proven to be the most reliable. The only problem with the new Dodges is they are now the #1 truck to steal, taking over the championship belt from the Ford.

Like Cat said, they're all good until they break, then they're junk.

Speaking of junk, does anyone know the best solution for a Ford that needs cam phasers? I've got a 2008 Ford with new tires, that's the only reason I'm considering fixing it!

What Cat said! ^^^

You can buy a phaser lock out kit for around 1k with a programmer. My in laws Expedition needs them done and I believe I priced all the updated parts to replace for around 1200

The way some guy's drive trucks in the field, the manufacturers should built a 1 ton version of the Ford Raptor. No truck can be expected to go 80 or 100 km/hr down a potholed road and last 100,000 kms without repair. Best thing after regular servicing is not punishing the vehicle, if it's rough or loaded, Slow Down!

I’m a chev guy but more so a money in my pocket. Dodge gave me good trade in dollar for my 13 chev 3500 and full load Laramie was cheaper then the full load chev. The only complaint I’ve got with mine is the service at gp Chrysler. After the wife wrote off her new 1500 ram we bought at Inland in Dawson. Same truck was same price and they sure seem to appreciate the business. Unlike Grande Prairie Chrysler.

The trouble is the cam valleys wear, and if you do not address that you still have issues. Apparently the only way to make the 5.4 a long life engine is to ensure the oil is changed religiously at 4000 km with ford oil filters every time, they have an anti-bleed back valve that the cheaper ones do not.

if you want expenses to right off then yup , dodge is the way to go !

i may be a little biased since the tranny in mine piled up this week , $4000 estimate to repair . i have never had transmission problems with my gms , but im sure other people have . at the end of the day , you may as well ask what the best colour is cause thats how many opinions your going to get .

Ain't that the truth ^^^^

Don't get the air ride suspension. The service dept has been very busy dealing with air ride problems.

I’ve had a few Allisons and 5R110’s pile up to the tune of 4500-7000.00
I’m looking to switch things up a bit that’s why I was asking about the Rams. I was reading the Ram forums and saw a lot of posts about leaking sunroofs, driveline vibrations etc. Not sure if these issues were year specific or what?

Apparently some of the ecopoof sunroofs are having leaking problems too, but I have not noticed it in my '16. More disheartening about the Fords is the rear windows blowing out when you turn on electric defrost.

From a GMC/Chev guy, I would rather drive or maintain a Ford than a Dodge any day. For many reasons, I always hated Ram trucks and could never get comfortable with them. (I don't even like their looks). I would agree that the Cummins is the only good thing about them if you are going diesel.

As for Ford, I promised a "Customer Service" jerk in Oshawa that I would never recommend one to family or friends as long as I lived after getting beat up on a warranty frame issue in the '80s (Class 8 cabover -- long story). When I threatened to sue them, he literally said, "Who cares? We have lots of lawyers and you don't."

So I am no longer a Ford guy and love my Silverado.

That's my experience but also my opinion -- and you know what they say about opinions. But you asked!

The whole idea is to monitor amount of use and watch the wear parts, and replace and adjust them before they break; for any mechanical system. Wear parts are designed to wear, and need replacement or adjustment before they fall apart. Hopefully you can find good aftermarket stuff too, which is better than factory stock parts, and has better tolerances and longer life. Keep it healthy and you won't have junk.

Cam phasors adjust the timing of valves based on solenoid-actuated hydraulic control. So all the hydraulic components (i.e. motor oil) of that system have to be pristine. VCT solenoids need to be replaced once in a while. Phasers themselves not so much; although you can always push anything until it breaks. Left and right-bank camshaft position sensors have to be in good shape too. The sensor plugs stick way out of the front of the engine and little wires going to them can easily be torn & broken. Best to clean everything up first and run it for a few weeks to see how much the engine smooths out.

If you have a 5.4 which really has been run hard and put away wet, then you can get replacement kits from Rock Auto or Ford which can replace the wear parts behind the front engine plate and in the heads. That includes cam followers, lash adjusters, and phasors; and timing chains, chain tensioners, upgraded oil pump, and other related bits. If you're pulling the front plate and the head covers, that should all be done as one job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQVKnd2r-ww

As has been said, they all break. Dodges break more often but it is usually smaller things that if you are mechanically inclined you could easily fix yourself or at least drive to a mechanic. Fords... when they go they really go. In my experience it comes down to do you want to spend a few hundred occasionally or spend several thousand all at once?

My biggest beef with Dodge is they suck for the passengers. Seriously, if I have a jobsite hours away I am driving! No way am I stuck shotgun. It is also while I bought a GMC.

The ram comes out with a redesigned look for 2019 with an aluminum hood and tailgate. Looks much better than the current model.Attachment 144008

Really? The backseat of my 1500 Sport crew cab is massive. Gotta like the little hidden compartments under the floor boards. Beer and ice? Not that I'd ever do that of course.

Beats the pig snout on some of them today but the blacked out Sport grill? Yessss. Give me a truck with zero chrome any day please.

Awesome...... I think?

I'm just a dumb construction guy, if I can't fix it with a hammer, a welder, or a pair of pliers, I gotta let someone else deal with it. Small thing like oil changes or ball joints, no problem, but if it requires anything where I have to start taking pictures so I can put it back together, at that point it becomes non-cost effective. :(

I owned a 2003 Dodge Reg cab 4x4 diesel.
- It had wheel bearings replaced twice under 40,000km (manufacture problems not Dodges fault).
- Had Ball joints done twice first at 30,000km and then again at 55,000km Bith due to manufactures faults.

- Had injector problems all along with that truck, we finally found the problem was with bad corroded connectors from bad workmanship and poor practices.
- Replaced Injection pump as a percautionary due to injector problems.
- Replaced the tranny at 70,000 because the mechanic did not tighten fluid cooler lines up.

2005 Ram 3500 Truck had 240,000km I had a problem with front wheel bearings. replaced them at the above km, to have them fail within 300km and then again. No warrenty on the bearings. But found out later that the manufacturer did not install enough grease in them so the prematurely wore out.
Other then that no problems.

2012 Ram 3500.
- Had emissions problems from day one. Deleted truck at 70,000 km or so and no engine problems since. now have 180,000km
- replaced brakes all around with rotors at 60,000km due to wear from not using them enough. (using the turbo brake all the time with very little brake use causes the sliders to rust and jam up)
- replaced front axle u jonts and bearings at 170,000km.
- replaced all axle u joints at 175,000 had rear diff input seal replaced. as it was wet.

All of my trucks are driven hard. lots of off road, stuck in the mud, towing yanking, pulling. I dont expect wear items on a truck to last for ever. especially if you subject them to extreme driving. Such as mud water emmersion along with matting the throttle every where you go.

The last time I seen my 2003 Dodge was in Cold Lake it had 480,000km or so on the clock. The guy had tranny work done when he first got it from auction. The tranny was built to handle power. It hit a bit hard going into gear. The local dealership said it was bad. so he had the tranny rebuilt. Other wise all he did was regular oil changes.


Buy a Dodge and be happy. I have driven for work all the big 3 and they all have the same reliability. They all break down, and they all have similar issues.

I choose to stay with Dodge as my personal vehicle because I know how to work on them and their small issues already. They have a Manual transmission.

I wouldn't advise just running right out and adding significant expenses like a fleet vehicle, vehicle related expenses so you can spend the $ 100,000 to claim back and POCKET the $20,000 in "write offs?" You still spent $80,000 of your potential net profit and you just signed yourself up for a long term finacial expense like lease/finacing payments, insurance, vehicle related expenses ect - and your bank guy will expect his payment on time, every month, and doesn't care if you are profitable and times are good or if you are struggling as a business.

My accountant would tell me not to take on any expenses that you don't need to take on, under any circumstances, unless you need that item/truck/equipment.

He would say Just don't spend the $ 100,000 on the vehicle and maybe PAY ALL THE TAXES and enjoy the $70,000 in profits your left with.

Keep in mind write offs only reduce the net income used to calculate your income/business tax - it's not free money. It's like spending 10 bucks to get back 2 dollars.

If you need the truck(s) to do the work then get them if they will make you some money - but be very clear about what a "write off" is or does for you.

My advice anyways ...

I push the deletes at work. Had great luck,probably done 20 or more already. But like you mentioned there can be issues on certain engines. I cover my butt by always doing a mechanical oil pressure test. Hot. Gives a guy a good idea if spending money on the truck makes sense.