If you're gonna go mudding, get the tow hooks. Even if you don't like the factory ones, a hook bolted to the chasis is better, plus a couple of 20 ft ****** straps-NO METEAL HOOKS- If one breaks or slips off, it becomes a projectile, through your front or rear window, the back of your head, any other body panel it chooses to glance off. You may want to figure a different route or intake setup for your off roading stuff just to prevent any damage to your engine. particularly dust. check out the different off road sites

Ted

 

Man, who ever has been telling you this stuff is crazy.

First of all, my truck is a "stock" 4x4. I admit that it wasn't the best in the mud when I got it, but I added mud tires and a locker in the rear end and now it will go wherever I point it. You can take your 4x4 in the mud anytime you want. The skid plates just help you if you drive over stumps, rocks, etc. If you are just in a muddy field or trail with no obstacles then skid plates won't do anything for you. You WANT tow hooks. If you hook to the bumpers on these trucks and pull on them you'll bend them like pretzels. They are flimsy and weak. The tow hooks mount to the frame and are rated at over 2.5 tons working load. You will NOT bend them. Something else will break first.

Mud the *ell out of your truck. Just remember that if you drive into deep water you will warp your brake rotors. And make sure you wash the undercarriage of your truck when you are done to make sure you get the sand/mud/grit out of all your suspension joints and seals and brake parts.

The stock tires suck for mud...Goodyear rates them OK in mud but they aren't. They suck. I upgraded to some good quality tires and the difference was like night and day in the mud.

 

275/70r 17 with 8" Aluminum wheels are included with the 4x4 package. Also it comes with the limited slip 3.92 dif. And don't forget the decal - what would I do without that decal? - Oh that's right - i removed it.

 

If it's 4X4 then it's an offroad truck. If you know what you're doing a 2 wheel drive is an offroad truck. Like others have said before, GET TOW POINTS AND YOUR OWN STRAPS. Everytime it rains I go to this muddy area with my Jeep and I am tired of people asking to get pulled out and they have no hooks and no straps. I've quit being a nice guy and pass people by. I would never pass a person by that was way out in the boonies though.

 

Warped rotors? Bent tow hooks? Water over rockers a promlem?

Total nonsense.

I have had water half way up the doors(no leaks either). And i have pulled a jeep and full size chevy with my tow hooks without a problem. My rotors are as true as ever. Rotors warp when they are to thin after having been turned. I don't turn my rotos after each set of pads. I would rather buy new pads a bit sooner than new rotors when the turned ones warp.

Check this link to see a 2003 1500 hemi in every sort of mess we could find to put it in.

http://community.webshots.com/user/ce2flaco


I will confess though. I recently snaped a front CV joint during some serious off camber hill climbing. Had to finish the trail in 3 wheel drive. These trucks are not not quite as bullet proof as the older trucks but they do just fine if you don't get retarded with them.

Also, from my experience the trick to keeping water out of your engine is to keep the factory air box. Don't get one of those goofy cone filter/cold air intakes if your gonna go off road. They are dust magnets and will be hard pressed to keep much water out. The factory box does a very good job with a replacement K&N filter installed. The water tends to collect in the bottom of the box and not get past the oiled filter. You never want to plow through water at speed. Slow and steady. Know how high your air box is and NEVER go deeper.





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Couple more.


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Nice pics...but that's the stuff right there that warps brake rotors like crazy. You use your brakes, they heat up to extreme temperatures. You dunk them in water going across a creek and instantly they cool. That warps them. There are other things that warp them too, like not using a torque wrench to tighten lug nuts, but driving across water will do it quick. That's pretty much common knowledge.

 

You call it common knowledge, i call it a common misconception.
As i stated in my post. "Thin" rotors warp. The rotors on my ram are not thin and have never been turned(machined). If you click the link i posted, you will see quite a few pics of my wheels mostly submerged and my brakes are still in excellent shape. Absolutely no warping at all. I've not heard any complaints from any of the other guys i run trails with either.
I agree that thin rotors will warp from rapid cooling and/or uneven torque on the lugs but you have nothing to worry about on these trucks.
If you want to baby your rig and have a "street rod/pavement princess" then by all means, have at it but i bought mine for wheeling and thats what she's been doing. And very well i might add.[sm=trust_me.gif]

 

just curious if theres any difference in transfer case integrity. i had heard on some newer chevy's the strength of the transfer case depended on whether it had the off road package or not. just wondering if dodge might of done the same or not.

 

I didn't say you couldn't go through water over the rocker panel. I said use caution. And you said go slow. I think that's the same thing. I've seen 4 people hydrolock their motors at water crossing. One recently in a 3 gen ram. He was going slow and suspected water got pushed up the inside of the wheelwell lining into the intake. He had the stock airbox. It obvious by looking at the design, Chrystler didn't give as much consideration to watercrossings on the Ram as they did on my Jeep.