An easy way to see whats squeaking is to remove your belt and turn your pullies by hand and see which makes noise/grinds. Strongest possibilities are your alternator pulley, your tensioner pulley and your idler pulley.

 

yeah, i dont know, the issues with your truck just seem to be never ending, I dont know what to say man, as much of a dodge fan as I am, some vehicles in all companies just come out wrong and some just get lucky and turn out to be everlasting... I love your truck and the look of it but if you just have to keep pumping money in it just to keep it running is it really worth it?? I mean my only real problems have been my rwal speed sensor, my water pump, and my power steering pump went out once. other than that I just cant seem to keep the money from falling out of my pocket into new toys for my truck haha. Oh, and I finally am having to go down and get my clutch replaced after 200k miles. Its been a pretty durable truck, I dont know what dodge did with my clutch when they put it in but they need to keep doing that haha!!

 

Mine has been the same way his has. One problem after another. Seems like many Dodge owners experience this. Although I think his had a rough life so that explains why it might be like that.

 

Yeah, alot of times it does seem to be whatever the first owner put the truck through determines how the trucks turn out. But a lot of times they do just have trucks that last longer out of the factory and some that just seem to have ended up getting parts that dont want to last as long... dont ask me why, just got bad steel in some parts and unlucky with others...??? But since my truck was owned by my mom before I bought it from her and she was the original owner I know the truck was used fairly lightly and taken care of well which is nice. I still would think twice about keeping the truck if it keeps having the issues. I gotta say, if mine starts turning out issues which I hope it doesnt because I love my truck, I would have to bite the bullet and get rid of it. Go out and buy a new chevy probably as sad as I am to say that I would be steering away from dodge, I think chevy made the jump in the last 2 years and has some real nice trucks out. although their tailgates are still as weak as ever!! I cant believe they still havent fixed that.

 

Speaking from family experience and having some friends who have owned the newer Chevrolets, they do not last. Things start falling apart around 50,000 miles.

Some of the older Chevrolets weren't bad, as far as reliability goes, but the newer ones just seem to plain suck after the "break-in" period.

 

Yup I think the like you some just have a lot of issues. Mine has had a few tough years with some burnouts and what not but honestly it's had a pretty good life and to me nothing that should have ever worn out as much stuff as this truck has worn out. I would say some are bad but honestly it seems like most guys I talk to with Dodges have all these problems and the guys like you that seem to have really nice reliable ones seem to be the exception not the other way around like with most brands.

I agree with you my next truck may be a Chevy if things are still the way they are now when I get one. I honestly don't even like Chevy and am more a Ford fan than anything now. I used to like Dodges a lot but this one has sort of turned me away from them. Ford nor Dodge just don't have anything to really offer to compare to Chevy imo. Right now I think Chevy would be the best choice but I'm hoping that will change soon.

 

Yeah, I think the chevy's just kind of have the true luxury thing going on, the interior is the nicest and you can get it with a real center console!!!! I really am starting to get over the whole center console seat thing other than the fact that it was a great place to hide my subwoofer... The chevys also just get the best gas mileage, by far... with the electronic fuel management or whatever its called. The one my friend just got, the '08 brand new off the lot ltx model rode so smooth, and has some power too, and also if i go out and buy a new truck this time, I will probably trade it in at 50k anyways and start myself in on a cycle of buying every 3 years or 50k miles. It seems to be a good cycle and keeps people away from the shops you know??

 

Chevy's do seem to have a lot of problems at least everyone I know with them does. I have to agree with jason.w there. However, Dodges have a ton of problems. Probably even more than Chevy so you can't really dis Chevy if you like Dodge. At least not for the problems. Ford's seem to have used to have been the best and been pretty reliable but I'm not soo sure now. It seems like the newer ones especially diesels have nothing but problems.

So basically all three of the American companies have a ton of problems so I figured you minus well go with the Chevy since they seem to be the fastest and get the best gas mileage. While probably having less problems than Dodge.


I might would even consider a Toyota or something next I just wish they made more of a heavy duty truck.

I'm going to be honest all the of the "American" companies seem to be junk. Most of them you aren't even supporting American jobs as most are made in Mexico now. At least Toyota and Honda make quite a few vehicles in America so supply some Americans with jobs.

Dodge to me just can't seem to make anything even half way reliable. It sucks too because I've been a big Dodge fan. Always liked them even since I was a little kid. It all started with the General Lee and been a big fan since then. It's bad when someone that likes them as much as me will come out and just admit they seem to be crap nowadays.

 

I have had similar experiences with my truck as hometheaterman as well as many other Dodge Ram owners. I have debated this case with a few people here about common issues, but these trucks have tons of issues, not unlike other makers, but..... they tend to have more big dollar stuff. And yes, HTM, its always one thing after another.
If I had the choice to get another truck, I have been looking at the 3rd gens, they have very few issues. Chevy, Ford, Toyota, and Nissan all make nice trucks too, with issues also I am sure, but I like the new Hemi's, like the Titan, and the F-150's, personally, I don't like the looks of the Chevy, but like the MPGs they claim to get. The Totota to me, just seems like a light duty truck that my wife would drive.
I have always thought Dodges sucked, and my truck isn't the exception, but once I put a ton of $$ in to get the worn parts replaced, it runs great. but it certainly was a tough journey. I still have issues, like the leaky axle seal, which is definately getting worse...

I am going to start a thread so we can stop hijacking this one...

Jason.W, sorry I was supposed to check with you before I complained... hehe.

 

With all due respect... I don't think dodges are as bad as they are made out to be. At least not with my experience. Sure the transmissions arn't as strong as they should be (80,000 and never towed a thing - no hitch) And the stock heads are prone to cracking, plenum leak, some water pumps etc... but I really can not think of many things that do go wrong outside of the engine and transmission. I as many others have already replaced the transmission.... So whats left? that 408 stroker and your good to go. Things do simply wear out. I have a leaking pinion seal, but I also had that in my mustang, u-joints are routine maintanance just as shocks, and just about everything else should be expected. The truck isn't brand new anymore. Mine is an 01 and working on 8 years old. Maybe im wrong but I do expect things to start falling apart. But I also keep building it back up in the process just as most others do. I could be wrong, but thats how I see it.