Quote:
Originally Posted by slowmover
Mine has the penultimate drivetrain: the New Venture 5600 six speed behind the triple nickle motor 5.9L 305HP/555TQ. It is thoroughly overpowered for my little 9000-lb travel trailer.
The later motors go to a third injection event per cycle, thus with different injector nozzle spray pattern and piston design. Not as good. Then, emissions creeps in. The latest DEF-tune motors with the 6.7L have more power and eco my as good as mine (extra torque means a higher rear gear set and double overdrive automatic trans) but the two separate cooling systems and emissions complexity make longest life at lowest cost an iffy proposition.
An early Third Gen is an excellent. Four wheel disc brakes and HPCR reliability make it a winner.
I purposely avoided 4WD as it takes away more than it adds. IFS plus rack & pinion steering makes for excellent feedback plus control.
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So you can get a 6 speed manual in 04 w/o getting a HO Cummins? If an HO was all I could find does that hurt mileage much? I've considered looking for 2wd but I would have to travel. I actually custom ordered a 2003 2wd Ram when the Hemi first came out, it was impossible to sell in Montana and while at first I thought I was saving $3500 turned out I lost at least that much in resale and ended up selling it to a guy in Tennessee who spent $1300 to ship it down there. If I can find a 2wd up here now I can similarly steal it but then again, I better like it because if not I will be stuck with it.
There is a manual 4x4 2003 6 speed, HO, CCSB 4x4 Laramie with 200k for A $15k I am considering, it still looks all stock. $15k is about the most I would be willing to spend.