Looking at trading my 96 f150 for a 94 dodge ram 1500 slt laramine edition. What excatly is the Laramine package? Does it include beefied suspension or anything of that. The dodge is in a good shape body wise with 164000 miles on it. Is there anything I should know about this truck? Anything to expect problems with? It runs great now but I am worried about down the road. It has a grill guard hood scoops and 285s which make it very sharp. Also won't those tires make the speedo off anyone know by how much. The tires are negiator ats anyone ever hurd of these?

 

If it has a Magnum engine, the heads are VERY prone to cracking. It will also have the dreaded intake plenum leak if it hasn't been repaired already. Before you make any trades, check for the plenum leak and run a full compression test. If you find one or more cylinders 30 to 40 psi lower than the rest, walk away. If I had done this test prior to buying my Ram, I wouldn't be spending an extra $2,000 rebuilding the entire top end of my engine right now. Just word to the wise...

 

Whats the mileage on the Dodge?You want to go from a 96 to a 94 so I would really go over it well to make sure you are not trading into a headache.

Just my opinion.

 

Here is a link to see more links regarding rams.
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/showpos...26&postcount=9
do a forum search for "I hate Dodge", and look for other posts like yours.
These trucks are prone to the same issues. Starting with the transmissions, they tend to go around 80-100K.
front bearings, u-joints, axle seals, catalytic converter, o2, plenum gaskets, transmission coolers (tow package), door rot, dodge rot, death wobble, steering wander (trac-bar), cracked dash, evap core (AC is weak or leaks), pre 2000 have horrible brakes, steering gearbox, tail gate straps snap, electric seat controls need to be cleaned, LSD rear ends, dull headlight lense, and... ICA and TPS.

Some will argue that its all common for a truck with 80-100K, but I never had a list like that with any of my cars or trucks that had over 100K.

I'd really think hard about this trade. Whats wrong with your 96 that you want to trade?

Does this RAM have the 5.2 or the 5.9?

The only one with the beefier suspension is the Off Road edition, but I just think its higher, not able to carry more, but I am not sure. the Off Road edition also has 4.10 gears and comes with 17" rims.

how many miles on this RAM? check to see the if the tranny was recently rebuilt and have the plenum checked. so far my ram doesn't need one... YET.

 

The Dodge has 164k. The body is dang near perfect same for the interior. I took it for several test drives and she runs good. It seems to have more power than my Ford. My ford is pretty rusty but it runs good. I just love the look of this Dodge. It has a pretty nice brush guard on it guards on the rear lights and two hood scoops. The tires as I said are 285s that are atleast 3/4 tread all the way around. How would I check to see if some of the others things you guys stated are wrong with this truck. I know the a/c blew cold and it drove pretty straight. This ram has a 5.2 The main reasson I want to trade is the looks. I also have not had the ford for very long. It may be developing a tranny problem the ford that is.

 

164K, I'd have to assume all the wear and tear parts have been replaced...
but I 'd check to see if the tranny was rebuilt.
To check the plenum, take the air box off, open the butterflies and shine a light down in to the intake, the oil will "POOL" to the back of the intake (near the distributor cap). If it just looks like fly paper or grimey then its a good plenum for now.
a replacement one piece intake is like $270 and a weekend to put it in.

I'd have a shop look it over, check the front bearings for play, the plenum and the transmission. those are the big $$ issues.
if you are handy with a wrench, the rest is all easy...sorta.

 

Honestly, at 164k and 14 yo, I would try to trade up to something newer. If the thing craps out on you with a $2k problem, all the brush guards, hood scoops, etc. won't mean diddly.

 

How about the 4x4 in these trucks is the transfer case and such pretty reliable? This one is manual shift t-case. Also just curious all the stuff I have seen about the plenum are with 5.9s is it also the same with the 5.2?

 

You have to keep in kind that 98DodgeRam1500 is our resident Dodge hater. He ran into a lot of problems with his truck, sees a few others on here with similar issues, and has labeled the entire Dodge/Chrysler brand as bad.

NOT true. Some will go at 60k, some will go at 80k, some will go at 120k, some will never go. My 1995 Dakota has a 46RH (same tranny as Ram 1500s) and other than a sticky valve once (easy fix), it never "went out" on me. Several guys here used to pipe up about their original tranny and plenum gaskets, and they have well over 100-150k. They are a bit weak (in stock form) but usually only go out if treated poorly or not maintenanced enough, or if a previous owner treated it poorly/not maintenanced enough.

All COMMON wear parts. Any 4x4 will have these go out at some point in its life, even when babied.

Uh, yeah, catalytic coverters and oxygen sensors only go out on Chryslers. Now you're just trying to throw crap into the list to make it bigger. Any high mileage vehicle, regardless of make, will probably have cat issues, especially ones with larger engines.

This is one of two points I will concede to you. They made a good financial and not a good customer relations decision when it came to the "death flash" and the plenum gasket.

OK, now again you're throwing crap into the list. Sure, they are a little weak, but many cars have weak stock items. Thats why companies offer "upgrades". If you are going to be towing more than what the engineers recommend, you will obviously need more cooling than they included.

Never heard of the "Dodge rot" myself, but have heard of the door rot. I've seen a lot of Fords and Chevrolets as old as ours with more rot than ours, I have no idea why you pick on door rot. If its taken care of when it should be, and properly, it won't become a problem.

Again, you inflate the list. These two could be the same thing. A trac-bar will go out on a 4x4, all it takes is time. Again, a wear part. It can cause the death wobble. Bad ball joints or whatever can cause it as well, again, a wear part.

This is a hottly debated issue. Some never have it crack with proper care, others never give it proper care and it never cracks, some give it proper care and it cracks, others never care for it and it cracks. I honestly believe that if the previous owners took care of it, and you do too, it will never crack. Two words: Armor All.

I haven't seen this issue enough to call it a "common problem". Does it happen sometimes yes, does it happen to anywhere near everyone, no.

True, they are worse than 2000 and 2001 model years, but "horrible"? I think, yet again, you are inflating the issue.

No where near common enough to be called a "common problem". I haven't seen many instances of this at all.

This happens to only a few people on the entire forum, and you have to throw it in the list don't you? Give me a break.

Controls down by my feet need to be cleaned? What? I NEVER bring snow, mud, or dirt into my truck on my shoes...

The second point I will concede to you. The LSD in my 1995 Dakota never failed me, but there have been enough on the forum here to convince me it probably is a common issue.

Dull headlights on a 10 year old truck thats seen 100,000+ miles of highway and street use? NEVER...

The IAC (I believe you meant instead of ICA) and TPS are exposed electronic parts (sensors) in a dirty, hot enviroment, especially with a bad plenum. Of course they will go bad eventually.

A few of those are common, and a few are common only to our 2nd Gen Dodge Rams, but most of that "list" you made is just your own personal bias against your own truck. Some people have bad luck, some trucks are abused by previous owners, and some parts just wear out.

Its a Ford. What other reason do you need to trade it? Seriously though, the only Ford I ever liked that had very few problems were the older ones, pre-1996.

 

I certainly wouldn't say 'Very' prone to cracking, it is a problem that has come up a few times,
but there are also many people with over 200K on their original heads.

I will admit that the plenum is a common problem due to bad design.

The Auto trans is also a common issue, but I avoided that one with the 5 speed.

As for the dash, I have not read any complaints about the earlier 2nd gen (pre pass-airbag) dash cracking, and mine is still perfect.

Gord.