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Thoughts on the new tow rig


oldjeep

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Had the new truck for about a week now, put a couple hundred miles on it and towed with it twice.  Even though it is the same generation as my last Ram, it is quite a different truck - my 09 was the first year of the 4th gen, the 2018 is the last year.   Funny thing is that I paid within a couple grand for both of them, but the 2018 is decked out in a way that would have cost a mint in 2009 and the 2018 would be considered mid trim these days.

What I like -

The 3.92 gears and 8 speed make it take off like a rocket, even with the boat behind it

Big 32 gallon tank

Backup camera is so nice for hitching up the trailer

Power fold up mirrors - push a button and they fold right in

The android auto integration is just crazy - glad I didn't pay for navigation system since it'll show/control the Google maps on the big touch screen right off my phone.

The longer bed is nice, looking forward to ski season and actually having skis fit in the back

What I'm indifferent on

Auto park.  I guess it is a good feature.  If you have your seatbelt off and open the door then the truck goes into park.  Guess that would be good for screwing up at the boat launch, but when I took a peek out the door backing into the dark garage it took me a bit to figure out what in the world was happening.

What I don't like

No towing mirrors - this is just bizarre for a truck with 3.92 gears and a built in brake controller.  I never flipped up the mirrors on the old truck, but miss the big fisheye mirrors.  Ordered up a set after my first towing day (they power fold too)

Height - Not sure why this one is about 4 inches taller than my 09, but for a towing truck higher isn't better.  Stock tires are 33's, 09 had 31's.  Going to put some step bars on so that my wife can actually get in the truck. 

Shifter - I'm sure I'll get used to it, but after 9 years with a column shifter the little twist knob shifter is just weird.

Fake dual exhaust - this has got to be an option designed by someone who never hooked up a trailer.  While my 09 had a single exhaust out the passenger side, my 18 has this silly fake dual exhaust that pumps hot exhaust at you while hooking up the trailer.  Not much I can do about that other than turn the truck off.

 

All in all it seems like Dodge/Ram/Fiat/whoever took a good truck and made it better.  Hopefully this one will last me 9 years like the last one.

 

IMAG0236a.jpg

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But one thing, I don’t get running boards  not being on truck already with or without retraction at that level of trim 

i have simple rigid ones  powder coated connected to I believe the  frame

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1 hour ago, oldjeep said:

Height - Not sure why this one is about 4 inches taller than my 09, but for a towing truck higher isn't better.  Stock tires are 33's, 09 had 31's.  Going to put some step bars on so that my wife can actually get in the truck. 

Ummm... could this be because you purchased an actual truck this time. The suspension and ground clearance will be taller on a 4wd  

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3 minutes ago, Stevo said:

Ummm... could this be because you purchased an actual truck this time. The suspension and ground clearance will be taller on a 4wd  

Not typically.  The 09 2wd and 4wd were the same height, same size tires. At some point they raised the suspension.  There is almost no difference between a modern 2wd and 4wd pickup, just a few missing parts. 

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How is the dual exhaust fake?

In regard to the dial shifter, I do think that would take some time to get used to, but I also like the real estate that it frees up in the center console.  Just this weekend I was thinking I would prefer the dial on my 3500.

I still don't know why none of the manufactures have put in paddle shifters.  I think that would be a nice feature.

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7 minutes ago, RyanB said:

How is the dual exhaust fake?

In regard to the dial shifter, I do think that would take some time to get used to, but I also like the real estate that it frees up in the center console.  Just this weekend I was thinking I would prefer the dial on my 3500.

I still don't know why none of the manufactures have put in paddle shifters.  I think that would be a nice feature.

How is it fake?  The exhaust manifold Y together up in front of the cat, then they get split in a dual outlet muffler.

I can see that a console shifter would take a lot of space.  My 09 had a bench seat, so it was column shift.

As for the paddle shift - there are up/down shift buttons on the steering wheel, last truck had them on the column shift.   Handy for braking without braking

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3 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

How is it fake?  The exhaust manifold Y together up in front of the cat, then they get split in a dual outlet muffler.

I can see that a console shifter would take a lot of space.  My 09 had a bench seat, so it was column shift.

As for the paddle shift - there are up/down shift buttons on the steering wheel, last truck had them on the column shift.   Handy for braking without braking

I've never looked underneath to see the split.  I always assumed they came off separate from the manifold.

I don't think the up/down shift buttons works the same as a paddle shifter.  Doesn't that just limit the top available gear?  That is how it works on the HDs.  I would like a true paddle shift option, like you have in a sports car.

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Might as well add the "stuff" list too.

The old Andersen rapid hitch that has been on my last couple trucks

Mopar rubber bed/tailgate mat

Weathertech floor liners front/rear

Weathertech mud flaps

On the way

Trail ridge Tow mirrors with mopar tow mirror support brackets

Diamondback SE tonneau

Westin HDX wheel to wheel cab steps

 

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2 minutes ago, RyanB said:

I've never looked underneath to see the split.  I always assumed they came off separate from the manifold.

I don't think the up/down shift buttons works the same as a paddle shifter.  Doesn't that just limit the top available gear?  That is how it works on the HDs.  I would like a true paddle shift option, like you have in a sports car.

I think that is true - you can't force it to be in a higher gear than it wants to be in, but you can downshift and limit the upshift (at least to an extent).   I didn't mess with it much on the old truck and can't see using it all that much on this one.  With 8 gears it seems like it is shifting constantly when you pull away from a stop

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@oldjeep

2wd is absolutely shorter than 4wd. How much depends on cab configuration and trim level. See Google search below. Note the 4” spread I’m listed height.  They are NOT all the same.

Also, it’s not “fake” dual exhaust. The convergence you describe is either an X pipe or an H pipe. Either way it’s legit. If it still bothers you that much any muffler shop will remove it for sixty bucks so you can feel good about your “real” dual exhaust. 

I gotta say, the only thing that surprises me more than all the things you don’t like about your new truck is the fact that you didn’t wait for the “real” new truck, which is already in showrooms. How impulsive was this purchase?

E1E7D295-8101-4419-A0C1-7D895562BF96.png

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3 hours ago, oldjeep said:

Going to put some step bars on so that my wife can actually get in the truck. 

 

Does this mean you are also gonna buy rear steps for the trailer so she can climb onto the swim deck?

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6 hours ago, IXFE said:

@oldjeep

2wd is absolutely shorter than 4wd. How much depends on cab configuration and trim level. See Google search below. Note the 4” spread I’m listed height.  They are NOT all the same.

Also, it’s not “fake” dual exhaust. The convergence you describe is either an X pipe or an H pipe. Either way it’s legit. If it still bothers you that much any muffler shop will remove it for sixty bucks so you can feel good about your “real” dual exhaust. 

I gotta say, the only thing that surprises me more than all the things you don’t like about your new truck is the fact that you didn’t wait for the “real” new truck, which is already in showrooms. How impulsive was this purchase?

 

I went looking at the 2019.  It was a nice truck, but not worth the extra 10-15k it would have cost me.  Don't get me wrong, I really like this truck - but there are a few things to change and a couple I'll just get used to,

As for the exhaust, it is not an x or h pipe, it is a catalytic convertor to single pipe to muffler that splits.  It isn't the fake part that bugs me so much, it is that it fires directly at you when you are hooking up the trailer.

FWIW The difference between a 2wd/4wd is .6" in a crew cab configuration

 

Ram specs.jpg

Edited by oldjeep
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Android auto?  OJ have you finally been assimilated and abandoned the windows phone?  I have always felt comfort knowing that there was one guy out there who thought msft got it right.

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10 minutes ago, shawndoggy said:

Android auto?  OJ have you finally been assimilated and abandoned the windows phone?  I have always felt comfort knowing that there was one guy out there who thought msft got it right.

Unfortunately MS gave up and the windows phone is dead, the surface phone will apparently never see the light of day.  My wife is still holding onto hers until it dies, but I switched about 6 months ago when mine died.  Luckily MS has invested a bunch of money in android integration and provided a lot of the features that the windows phone crowd liked, so I run the MS launcher and still have all my office applications on the new android phone.  The new live(ish) tiles feature that got added in the last upgrade really fixes the last thing I was missing from my windows phone.

Edited by oldjeep
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2 hours ago, oldjeep said:

.

FWIW The difference between a 2wd/4wd is .6" in a crew cab configuration

 

Ram specs.jpg

Well it looks like dodge was reading the suggestion box, after all the shame and embarrassment their 2wd truck owners have been subject too over the years , they’ve decided to mask the difference between the 2

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5 hours ago, Pnwrider said:

Who did you buy the mirrors from?

These guys.  If they are not the OEM mfg for Ram then they make a really good copy down to the wiring harness

https://www.1aauto.com/2013-16-ram-mirror-pair-trail-ridge-tr00042/i/trmrp00042#

You just need to make sure that the exact list of options that your current mirrors matches the ones you order.

Also a set of the stock tow mirror reinforcement brackets

https://www.ebay.com/itm/11-17-Dodge-Ram-1500-5500-Trailer-Tow-Mirror-Bracket-and-Hardware-Kit-Mopar-OEM/282590056812

Edited by oldjeep
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7 hours ago, IXFE said:

@oldjeep what’s your plan for running boards?  Any chance you’d spring for the Amp power running boards?  They’re $1500 but oh so nice. 

This website has a zillion options of both fixed and power...

https://runningboardwarehouse.com/shop-by-vehicle/ram/ram-1500/2015-2017/crew-cab.html?p=2

I've got these on order - westin hdx wheel to wheel drop steps

https://www.carid.com/westin-automotive/hdx-black-drop-steps.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyODu9tyv2wIViobACh2qmwEsEAQYASABEgKi5_D_BwE

The Amp stuff would be great, but they don't survive long in the land of ice and snow.

7 hours ago, IXFE said:

Also bed cover and bed liner?  Whatcha thinking?

Already have a rubber Mopar bed/tailgate mat, which is my preferred type of bed protection

Diamondback SE tonneau is on order.  After breaking a couple BakFlips on the last truck I wanted something a little more durable this time.

https://diamondbackcovers.com/products/diamondbackse?variant=28905652553

 

Edited by oldjeep
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Got a call from the freight company today wanting to schedule delivery for Monday, luckily they said I could just come pick the box up at their terminal if I wanted it today.  The box was incredibly mangled, but the stuff inside was fine.  The funny thing is that the company I bought them from is in Texas, and that is where they were shipped from.  Westin factory is in MN about 40 miles from the freight terminal I picked them up at.  So I guess they are well travelled

About 2.5 hours to install these.

Few thoughts on them. 

They are advertised as no drill - If I had bought the cab length steps that would have been true, the wheel to wheel ones require you to drill 4 1/2" holes in a bed crossmember.  Not a huge deal, but some folks would be pretty concerned about having to drill holes in their truck

Would have been a lot easier to install if the truck had been on a lift or if I could have gotten it into the garage onto some jackstands

The instructions suck, little pictures of the chubby Ikea guys would have been more useful ;)

They fit really nice, and make it easy to get into the truck and the front of the bed

 

IMAG0252[1].jpg

Edited by oldjeep
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On 6/1/2018 at 9:35 PM, oldjeep said:

Got a call from the freight company today wanting to schedule delivery for Monday, luckily they said I could just come pick the box up at their terminal if I wanted it today.  The box was incredibly mangled, but the stuff inside was fine.  The funny thing is that the company I bought them from is in Texas, and that is where they were shipped from.  Westin factory is in MN about 40 miles from the freight terminal I picked them up at.  So I guess they are well travelled

About 2.5 hours to install these.

Few thoughts on them. 

They are advertised as no drill - If I had bought the cab length steps that would have been true, the wheel to wheel ones require you to drill 4 1/2" holes in a bed crossmember.  Not a huge deal, but some folks would be pretty concerned about having to drill holes in their truck

Would have been a lot easier to install if the truck had been on a lift or if I could have gotten it into the garage onto some jackstands

The instructions suck, little pictures of the chubby Ikea guys would have been more useful ;)

They fit really nice, and make it easy to get into the truck and the front of the bed

 

IMAG0252[1].jpg

I like the bed length and that third step. Having mine now for 6mo or so, I wish I had better access into my tool box.

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2 hours ago, Falko said:

I like the bed length and that third step. Having mine now for 6mo or so, I wish I had better access into my tool box.

I think that they will come in handy for getting into the front of the tonneau that I have ordered.  It opens half from back and half from front.

 

diamondback-hd-tonneau-cover-dia-dr09-s-02_159.jpg

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