Hey guys, first off I own an 02 QCSB 4.7 4x4, I love everything about the truck besides the little bit of rust and the fact that I just want something more powerful. I found a guy on craigslist with an 05 Ram RCSB hemi 4x4 who wants to trade, he needs a four door and I dont. My main reason for wanting to trade is mainly because I want a truck with more power. My 4.7 has always got the job done but its always nice to have a little extra power on hand when needed. Plus I think having something shorter will be a little better for parking and whatnot.

Both trucks had the same work done except mine had the rear axle rebuilt with a true-trac and his is stock. I know all about the limited slip problems but I can live with that again. Both trucks have good tires, shocks, ball joints, hub bearings, cv shafts, tie rods, radiator, PS pump. You get the point. My truck has 113k miles and his has 150k miles. Mine has the wheel well rust and his doesnt. It seems like a pretty fair trade to me but I would like a few extra opinions, I don't want to get myself into another project and I know my truck is solid.

Ok time for the questions

1. does the hemi REALLY benefit from 89 octane? I've read a million threads about it but I'm not convinced it needs 89 octane gas

2. Does the superchips tuner make a big difference with this motor, and can I tune it to run better on 87 octane?

3. Will I notice an increase or decrease in highway gas mileage? I get 17 mpg on a good long trip unloaded. My truck has been updated to the 5 speed trans and I have 3.92's, I'm not sure what gears are in his truck.

4. If the hemi has 3.55's will it still be a good bit faster than my 4.7 with 3.92's?

5. I heard something about the 05 being a good year for the hemi, is there anything to look out for on this motor?

6. Will the lighter shorter wheel base truck feel any less stable on snow or offroad?

Lets hear your input guys, I know a lot about my 02 but I want to make sure theres nothing different I need to look out for on the 05.

 

1. Yes. Too many horror stories of these engines being run on 87 (unless you intend to use a tuner on that setting, and even then).
2. Yes, and with an 05 you will be able to use the trans tuning. The SC has an 87 octane setting.
3. Little bit lighter, so if you can keep your foot out of it, you should see a bit more (probably not too much though).
4. YES
5. It's good because with the SC you can trans tune it and it is arguably the best year for custom tuning.
6. Stable I'm not sure about, ride quality might be a little different with less wheelbase.

 

the first question I would ask would be: why does anybody want to trade a 05 hemi to a 02 4.7 - even if it is a single cab to a quad cab?
I wouldn't.
don't you think something migth be fishy about it? except you know the guy and the vehicle very well- if you see him every week it is not likely that he trades you a piece of crap.
if it is a craigslist trade...well...
I choose the 4.7L because as long as you take care of it, change the oil, sparkplugs and keep it clean, it will last forever. the most engines breaking down because of overheating.
if always power is needed due to heavy load, this can be prevented with an additional electric heater. insert a 100*C tem switch instead of the bleeding screw on top of the engine, where the hose from the radiator goes into the engine and route it to a relay. from the relay route the wires from the battery to the e-fan installed in front of the radiator and your truck will never overheat no more, as long as you have no cooling leak.
a hemi of course is a nice thing, but more expensive gas plus less gas mileage just for having little power more-even unneeded- is not worth it, as long as it is not a hemi from 2010 up, better 2012 up, where RAM really did something about the gas mileage. The 05 still has no selective cylinder cut off. and it's physics- 5.7L is more volume than 4.7L, means more gas.
beside- everything is more expensive on a hemi- starting with spark plugs.
my next truck will be a hemi, but only because they don't build the 4.7l anymore.
I don't say this, because I don't want you to trade- I ran into something similar and I would never do it again- rather selling mine and buying another one- but not trade. If somebody trades a similar vehicle short bed hemi to a 3 year older model with smaller engine- it has to have a reason.
It is just to think about it and don't believe everything you hear. when you've done it, you got it.

good luck

Chris

 

Thanks lonestar that's what I was looking for. Being an 05 with more tuning options would it be easier to tune for an aftermarket cam?

Valid points chris but I really dont think there will be a noticeable drop in gas mileage being a lighter cab despite having a bigger engine. I will be sure to check the truck over really good regardless, my first rule of craigslist is trust nobody. But this guy has a valid reason to trade. He has a 3rd gen ram and likes it but he needs a 4 door. I have a 3rd gen ram that I like but I dont need 4 doors and I would like a bigger motor. Both trucks are worth about the same and in similar condition so why not?

 

dirtydodge- that's good, that you don't trust nobody.
last thing- that's why I have a quad cab- I have long legs and by driving the single cab, i found out, a ape on a rock sits more comfortable than I in a single cab

good luck

 

Funny you mention that about the single cab feeling small. I test drove an 03 ram rcsb 4x4 a couple weeks before I got my truck. I was very surprised at how much room it had inside, much more room than any other single cab I've been around.

 

well- I admit- as I looked for a truck, it was the first in my life. and I'm almost 50

I'm originally from overseas and should be used to "small" cars- even though I always had the european opinion of "big" cars
my wants was good looks, liability, what you get for the money, enough room to sit comfortable and last, but not least- NOT RED.
I did not need a quad cab either, the single cab was a lil cheaper. I drove them all- Ford F150- rides like a piece of wood, Chevy- nice-but they are very proud of their vehicles and think they can sell them like water in the desert with extra mark up and the dodge- I refuse since I was able to drive, to buy a japanese car.
I agree- the dodge had the most room inside, but my problem is, when I'm back that I have a comfortable leg room, the seat was at the end of the rail and I could'nt get the back rest back because of the wall right behind it.
The F150 with 1 1/2 cab or how ever they call it was good, but how I said- very rough. I know that you might be a tough, rough cowboy to have a ford- I'm neither one.
I loved the RAM how it drives and how smothe it rolls compare to the ford- the Chevy was eliminated due to the price and i had the feeling, ok- its subjective, that the engine has to do a hard time work to get the thing going...
So I drove the quad cab and from the first sit-in till the end of the test drive i was amazed.
the only thing I would like to have is a little longer bed- and- with the next truck, which will be a topic in 2-3 years, against my "european-fuelsaving-mindset" a 4x4. and it will be a RAM.

 

Yup, plus some big valve heads, bigger injectors and throttle body, etc.