Is this truck worth buying?
Thread Starter
|
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
That looks like a mighty fine truck in my opinion. Looks very clean! I couldn't check your tranny clip (couldn't see a link) but I do agree that a tranny near dead would kill the deal. The vacume leak is probably the one under the battery (common) and is really not a big deal at all. The rear is the chrysler 9.25 like others have said. You said that the owner may have swapped the front axle out which is not the case. I don't even need to see the front to verify it is a stock dana 44 under there. Another deal killer would be to find out he is using stock 3.55 gears that came with the truck. I really don't see how that is possible since most complain about 33's with 3.55's. Also, don't fault the guy about the cracked dash. That isn't his fault as more than a majority of dodge trucks have cracked dashes (I have one). I thought about buying a plastic dash cover to glue to the top of the old dash to "cover it up". But I tell myself its a pickup and now a show truck. No sense in dropping $200 on a dash cover in my book. Anyway the things you listed dont sound too bad. Double check the tranny and that check engine light to decide if it is worth it. There is always room for negotiation so work your magic if you do decide to go for it.
Well is there a way to determine if there the stock gears are in play...EX:how much a 3.55 gears tach in 1st gear vs 4.50 gears...
Here is the test drive video that i was worried about:
-Transmission was acting funny at first (in my opionion)... I was not really gunning it and the truck slowly raises rpm in 1st gear to around 3200 and seemed like it should have shifted around 2500rpm into second gear considering i was light on the gas...But we went really slow and really fast and it performed just fine throughout the rest of the ride. We ended up test driving the truck twice. The you can also hear the rpms slowly raise in the video (23 seconds untill 33 its still in 1st), it would be greatly appreciated if you just listened to the gears in the video and shout your opionion. Its not the most entertaining listen to us blabber so just focus on the shifting and sounds haha.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...60654058&hl=en
Captain
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 540
Likes: 0
From: Fargo, ND
-Transmission was acting funny at first (in my opionion)... I was not really gunning it and the truck slowly raises rpm in 1st gear to around 3200 and seemed like it should have shifted around 2500rpm into second gear considering i was light on the gas...But we went really slow and really fast and it performed just fine throughout the rest of the ride. We ended up test driving the truck twice. The you can also hear the rpms slowly raise in the video (23 seconds untill 33 its still in 1st), it would be greatly appreciated if you just listened to the gears in the video and shout your opionion. Its not the most entertaining listen to us blabber so just focus on the shifting and sounds haha.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...60654058&hl=en
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...60654058&hl=en
It's possible that the former owner just adjusted the transmission shift control cable on the throttle body so it shifts later at higher RPM's to try to make up for the gearing and additional drag from the tires. In this case it might be OK, but I've heard (so take with a shaker of salt) that overdoing it can cause damage by raising pressure too high.
Professional
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
From: Denver Colorado
After watching that video and knowing the area that your in I could almost guaranty that it still has 3.55 in it. Here in Colorado your going to want at least the 4.56 gears for it. With that said we know the transmission has not had an easy life ether. As said before it's a ticking time bomb. There's a lot of other trucks out there in better shape.