i agree that the chevy's tranny and rear end are geared better for acceleration than the dodge auto which may be why the auto's feel slow. The 5-speed makes up for this difference snd i think evens it out. and yes, the 5.2 and 5.9 do take quite a hell of a beating. i don't know if u guys have noticed this but i have detected the pattern that the majority of dodge owners beat the **** out of their trucks and never do routine maintenance. this includes OIL CHANGES and tranny service. at least that's the way it was with my trucks and many others i've seen. there was a quarter inch of sludge buildup in my 5.2. but it doesnt matter because they still seem to run forever.

 

Hell, I have a 5.9L and the auto and mine feels like a dang slug. I'm planning a NV3500 swap in on my truck and I'm personally going to shoot the 46RE that I pull out with 12 guage slugs and set it on fire.

You're absolutely right. My friend has a 5.2L 5-speed and his truck is faster than mine! We both have the same mods too.

 

What?!?!? I have the 5.2/5spd combo and it wouldn't beat Rosie O'Donnell on a bicycle!! I don't get it! I'm always the last one off at a light, the motor just revs and makes a lot of noise. The gears are so far apart that it takes literally seconds to build back to a decent rpm. I can't chirp tires, much less spin them unless I'm on snow or ice. And no, there's nothing 'wrong' with the truck. It's been this way since I bought it in 01. I have worn out 265s and 3.55 gears. My parents own a 05 Tahoe 5.3 and that thing has MAJOR ***** and gets much better mileage. It completely toasts my little motor. BUT....
I wouldn't trade rigs. I love my little gutless wonder because it's so dependable. I've taken it across country about ten times and it just goes and goes. Never left me stranded either. I just don't get how some of you have a fast 5.2 and I have a slow one. Now a ctd is fast, I don't care who you are.

 

I am a dodge guy all the way buy my mom has a 04 chevy avalance with the 5.3 and that thing runs like a rap date. That truck would eat my 5.2 in a heart beat. I race the buddy 98 chevy 1500 with the 350 and his got lot work done to the motor and i could ran his a$$ over with my mom truck. The 5.3 put out over little 300hp out the box the 5.2 are rate for what 230 if that so either the driver of that truck is just dum or that was a hurt chevy

 

OMG! I almost spit potatoe chips all over myself! ROFL!!!

Dunno why your's is so weak. My friend's 5.2L lights 'em up solid, both tires (32" BF AT's) and keeps 'em lit with little effort. Little pop of the clutch and they're smoking on the pavement. My 5.9 couldn't spin the tires on ice.

 

To be honest, it's slow, and it sucks. I want to get 4.56's, but it just isn't in the budget right now. I went from crappy 245's to these Cooper Discoverer 285's, and I knew how it was going to be. The truck certainly does ride much nicer with the bigger tires; I'm not sure if it's just the extra rubber, or the better quality tires. I personally think the 265's you have are a good compromise between size and not robbing all your power. I think if I can't upgrade the gears, I am going to go with 265's the next time I get tires.

 

That's one reason why I put up with my truck's lack of power. I wouldn't hesitate to take this truck anywhere. It is very reliable.

 

+1 ,except for the ACCEL coil prob I had recently , I've never been stranded, you'd be hard pressed to find a more reliable truck.

 

You sure he knew you were racin him? lol Seriously congrats, driver skill overcame a faster truck.

 

mods on the 5.3 chevy hurts the performance.. race a stock 5.3 and that chevy will be beating you by 3.. seen where a mod chevy race a stock chevy and the stock chevy won.. cant believe that a dodge with 3.55 gears / 5.2 motor would beat a 3.73 gears /5.3 motor chevy , another thing , look at the hp /TQ between both motors...maybe a driver error ???
chevy is not lighter , not the 4x4 , thats why mine is rated at a 3/4 ton..