I'm new to the forum and possibly to Dodge trucks. I'm really trying to find some info on the truck I listed. Its been hard to come by.

I'm thinking on trading in my 05 F350 and downsize to a 4 door,1500,Hemi,4x4.

My questions are how reliable and durable are these trucks? Any inherrent problems I need to be aware of?

It will be used off road often, how durable are they?

I will also be towing about 7000lbs. regulary. How do they handle that?

Also, what size gas tank do they come with?

Thanks.

 

Oh yea, what gears are in the diffs?

 

one at a time

welcome to truckville.

our hemi 4x2: 160,000 miles

the 20" chrome wheels you gotta keep your eye on when off road. don't wanna knick up the chrome personal preference though.

not sure on towing. We have to use tow/haul mode just to pull our 17 foot boat because it starts searching around. For a heavy load like that on a toungue hitch, there's no question in my mind that you're potentially going into weight distributing hitch land. for a gooseneck i think should be pretty well.

for what you're wanting, i'd be looking for a ram 2500 hemi with the 17" rims.

gas tank won't be a problem unless you're running bull run. I think it's 22 or 25 gallons.

on gearing, i want to say it's 3.92's for the 20" rims. not sure on the 17's..it may be in the 3.73ish bracket. pretty sure the 3.92 set is the more popular one.

 

im pretty sure if you are towing 7000lbs you need to be looking at the 2500...
the 1500 gears are either 3.55 or 3.92s and the tanks are 25 gallon but you can get a 35gal. one

 

Wow, 22 gallons is a really small tank. Especially if you're towing anything.

I decided to stay away from the 2500 and bigger because I have heard the front ends are very weak. Ball joints, tie rod ends, bearings. All wearing out quickly and often. And thats with no abuse. How are the front ends of these trucks?

Is the the 35 gallon tank an aftermarket option? If not, what model do you have to buy to get it?

 

the 1500 is ifs not as strong as the 2500. they are a strong solid front axel dont know where you are getting you info from

 

Yea, I'm aware of the IFS. Thats just what I've been seeing on different forums. Lost of that actually. There's just not a whole lot of info on the 1500 to be had.

 

Forgot to mention, the reason I'm going half ton is because, one of the many times the 6.0 Ford broke down I towed my travel trailer and everything I use on extended hunting trips with my wife's jeep grand cherokee laredo. I think it has a 4.7 litre V8. I got 9 mpg with it. Although I was only able to travel 55-60.

I figure a 1500 is longer and weighs a little more so it should be able to handle that same load ok.

I've seen many, many threads on F150's pulling this same load at around 65 and getting 11mpg. Its a long story but I'm just not wanting to buy a Ford after my experience with them and the 6.0 diesel. Sad, cause I've always been a Ford guy. Seems this truck out to be able to do about the same.

 

Get an 08 or older 2500, 7000lbs is to much for a 1500. The SFA will do you good offroading it. 09 2500's I have read have a IFS also. As far as the engine goes Cummins Turbo Diesel is a long lasting powerhouse everything I have seen and heard, They are very solid engines. If you got gas the Hemi is also a powerhouse and a very reliable engine. For gears, get 4.10 gears and you should be fine.

I beleive towing that much on a regular basis with a 1500 is asking for problems, Even if you get the tow package, The tranny, brakes, shocks, etc... just aren't designed to consitently tow that weight.

Don't get me wrong, The 1500 can haul that load, Its the regular basis that your asking for problems.

 

You know, I dont think a 7000 lb travel trailer woul dbe too much. If you get a 5.7 liter motor, known as the HEMI, and make sure you shop and get the tow package, which includes 3.92 gear ratio you should be ok. Dodge claims that with a properly equipped 1500, you can tow 9100 lbs. plenty of play. Properly equipped also means load leveling hitch, 3.92 gears, and the HEMI. If it were a 7000 pound 5th wheel, i might think differently. but you wil be ok, I think.

BTW, if you re-gear to 4.56 gears, dodge claims you will raise your towing capability by 1000 lbs. Another thing, if you get a truck with the 20" wheels, your towing capacity "decreases" by 1000 lbs.