Hey all...I'm the proud owner of 2 hemi rams, sort of. The one I own is a nice 03 hemi quad cab fully loaded california special---only 42k miles...The other is a company issued truck...it's an 06 hemi quad cab 2500 4x4 ram, also 42k miles

Both trucks have the same hemi engine. the 2500 is a 4x4, the 1500 a 2wd.

My 1500 2wd has the 3.92 trak lok rear end. I'm not sure of the rear on the 2500.

What is interesting, is the 2500 4x4 has mountains of ***** down low and pulls like a freight train.

The 1500 2wd feels much, much softer off the line, and doesn't pull nearly as hard off the line.

However, the 1500 ram opens a can of whoopass up top, where the 2500 doesn't wind as far and doesn't have nearly as much top end.

So what gives?? I'm sure the engines are identical, no?? Only thing I can think of is the transmissions...do the 4x4's have different trannies than the 2wd units, perhaps they're geared differently??

I can't see the 06's having a different tune than the 03's...so I'm thinking it MUST be gearing in the trans.

I'm sure someone here knows for sure.

 

well if the 2500 has 4.10's that might help but as far as gearing in the trans they stayed the same from 1500 to 2500 applications. Who knows man maybe that 06 being a bit fresher helps it out some.

 

My guess is the 4:10 gearing makes the difference.

 

My guess is the bottom end of the 2500 is stronger because of the 4.10 gears. The 1500 is stronger on top because it weighs a far amount less than the 2500.

Also the 1500 probably has MDS and the 2500 does not.

 

thanks guys...the 03 doesn't have mds.

both have 42k miles and are in great shape, mechanically.

I'll have to take the vin to the dodge dealer for my 4x4 to pull the diff codes.

I did take my personal truck to the track once, completely 100% bone stock I got a 10.1 in the eight mile, which is about a 15.7 1/4 mile...so I know my engine is healthy...as that seems to be average for a stock hemi. No doubt I could have shaved a few tenths off with some practice too.

Maybe time to gear up in the 1500 to 4.30's

 

that sounds right on to me

 

4.10's and smaller tires/wheels vs. 20's and 3.92's?

 

3/4 tons rock. I want one

 

Gotta be the gears and smaller tires. 03s don't have mds. You can't get 4.30. It's 4.10 or 4.56.

 

Sorry about the MDS comment, I misread the original post.

The gears make a big difference, and factory 20s weight a lot, especially the flower pedals if that is what the 03 has.