New Truck Question/Dilemma...

[hemigeno]

I'm at the point now where I may end up having to replace my trusty '01 2500 QuadCab Short Box truck for a couple of reasons.  While mechanically sound, my wife just flat doesn't like the engine noise that the 5.9HO Cummins makes - nevermind the fact that I've put a performance exhaust kit on it.  Additionally, the longer road trips that we want to take once the Daytona's restoration gets finished would be a lot harder on the kids now that they are bigger (that QuadCab bench seat is alright, but anything over a few hours would be asking a lot of the kids to be cooped up back there).

The new 6.7L Cummins looks to be an awesome and very quiet engine, and the 68RFE transmission looks good enough that I might seriously consider buying my first automatic tranny behind a diesel.  I've read enough to know that the jury is still out on both of these, but that they appear to be a great combination and worthy competitors to ANYTHING on the market including the D-max/Allision combination that most have held up as the best slushbox diesel drivetrain up to this point.  What have you guys heard/read about the new Dodge offering?

Another really big question for me is whether to go with a QuadCab, or with the MegaCab.  My '01 has a smaller rear compartment than the new style, but the '07 QCs don't look to be that much bigger to be honest.  The MegaCab is absolutely cavernous inside in comparison to anything I've looked at, but even with a short bed the wheelbase/overall length is almost exactly the same as a QuadCab long box combination.  I've always liked the length of the truck I have now, since it is fairly maneuverable in tight quarters and I can parallel park it pretty easily.  If I tack on 20" of wheelbase, I don't know if I'll run into situations that really make me wish I had not gone that route.   The MC also has a turning diameter a full 8 feet wider than the QuadCab, which can't help things any.

I'm torn between wanting the family to have all the room of the MegaCab (which I heard being referred to as the "ManVan"  ) and the more nimble QuadCab/ShortBox version.

Have any of you guys owned long wheelbase trucks, and how difficult was it to get around with them?  Are there any other downsides that I'm not considering? 

[Charger-Bodie]

i will try to be of some help here but not first hand. my brother in law has a new 6.7 in a dually quad cab he absolutely loves it i went with him to get it at woodhouse dodge in Blair Neb. and it rode nice has tons of tq and is almost too quiet his has a jake brake factory which is also nice when trying ti haul a load safely if theres anything youd want to to ask him directly i could do that for you good luck!

[pettyfan43]

Gene, that Megacab is AWESOME! The rear seat room is fantastic and the seats actually lay back some. I have an 04 QuadCab and it is nice but the seats wouldn't be good for grownups on longer trips. At least it doesn't look like it would but I ain't riding in the back of my own truck!!!!

I looked in a MegaCAb last week and MAN talk about rear room PLUS storage BEHIND the rear seats.

NICE stuff!

Gm made a point to bragg about that Allison Transmission but it has definitely had its issues. That new tranny that started in the Rams in 04 seems to be the last piece of the puzzle as far as the Cummins trucks are concerned.

As far as the wheelbase concerns, that is just one of those things you just have to get used to. Kinda like adding 18.5" to the front of a Charger or RoadRunner! 

[PocketThunder]

My Dad bought a 2006 Mega Cab short box 3500 Diesel Automatic and he has had nothing but good things to say about it.  The Mega Cab is well worth the extra length to deal with, especially with kids in the back.  I would think it makes it easier for them to "get along" on road trips if they have more space back there.

And heck you can tell the Mrs that there is even enough space back there to re-live the good ol days!

[hemigeno]

As far as the wheelbase concerns, that is just one of those things you just have to get used to. Kinda like adding 18.5" to the front of a Charger or RoadRunner! 

Good point - hadn't thought of it that way, but you're right. 



The MegaCab is probably the way to go, but I went down to the local Stealership and I have a QuadCab demo to tool around in for the evening.  That 6.7L is a beast from what I can tell so far - of course I wouldn't stoop so low as to try and brake-torque the truck just to see what would happen...       

We'll see what the fam has to say about the QC, but I don't think I'll be trying to relive the good ol' days as PT suggested...  Where do you come up with this stuff, boy??   

[andy74]

hemigeno, i am a dodge dealer,if you need any help or have any questions pm me,ill be back to work tommorow am

[Daytona R/T SE]

I'm at the point now where I may end up having to replace my trusty '01 2500 QuadCab Short Box truck for a couple of reasons. 

Have any of you guys owned long wheelbase trucks, and how difficult was it to get around with them?  Are there any other downsides that I'm not considering? 

Here's a pic of my '04.  The only problem I've had with it was the fact that it wouldn't fit in my attached garage, after replacing the overhead door with the thinnest one I could find, along with reframing the opening outward about 3 inches I was able to put my front license plate bracket on, pull the truck in the garage-all with about 2 inches to spare 

Parking can be a little tough, but I usually park out and away from the great unwashed masses in parking lots, anyway...Door dings REALLY piss me off

I was actually pleasantly surprised by how well this HUGE monster handles...  I'd say GO FOR IT!!!

[Lowprofile]

Although I don't have a large pick-up [I have a ramcharger], I can relate to two of your concerns..........Wheelbase & Auto Transmissions on Diesels.

If you are going to use your new rig for a lot of towing & long distance driving, wheelbase is your friend! You will get a much better and much more noticeable "smoother ride" & much better handling at highway speeds. Yea, it might be a "bear" to whip it around the mall parking lot or get a front row parking spot at Applebee's, but in the end , You will be much happier with the Mega-Cab.

Bus & Trucking companies have been using auto-shift trannys for years. As  a matter of fact, the company I work for has just purchased 10 Volvo model "780" Tractors w/ 500+ HP Detroit Diesels [16.1 litre] engines backed by Allison auto shift trannys. With todays technology, A/T equipped trucks of all sizes usually get better mileage, less wear on the engine & other driveline parts, and your left leg won't be sore as hell after being in 20 miles of bumper to bumper traffic!

Good Luck bro!

[hemigeno]

Thanks for the replies, that's some good info to have...

Andy, I sent you a PM 

Chris, that's exactly what I was hoping to hear.  A guy that works for me owns an '01 QuadCab Long Bed truck, and he had made the statement that he would never own another extended cab long bed truck.  I was worried that he had major trouble wheeling his long wheelbase truck around, so I finally asked him about it.  Turns out, he had the same problem that you did - the truck wouldn't fit in his garage.  He's fine with it otherwise, but he wants to get a short box version (he might actually end up buying my truck) so he can park the truck inside.  I'm pretty comfortable parking on the fringes too, since we have our share of knuckle-dragging, inconsiderate idiots around these parts too.

Chuck, I hear ya on the wheelbase issue, and it will definitely help out.  I'm a glutton for punishment, but the wife is definitely not a Road Warrior type.  It'll be a challenge just getting as much road put behind me as I'd like to, I can already tell.  If the truck rides better, that'll make it a little easier on everyone.

Those new transmissions are sweet too, as they shifted about like I would shift my manual (if you're just putting along, it short-shifts and keeps the RPM's down pretty low, but if you nail it, the tranny lets the RPM's get up there a little more before shifting).  It did a little bit of gear searching in some unusual situations, but overall it was really smooth.  Probably the coolest thing about the drivetrain is the engine (Jake) brake.  That thing rocks!  When it engaged and the truck downshifted two gears in Tow/Haul mode, the only thing that kept me from eating the steering wheel was the seatbelt...  Not exactly practical when the truck is not loaded, but it'd be GREAT with a load.  Sounds about like the real thing too.  Between the electronic gear selection on the trans and that Jake brake, it'll make towing a little easier/safer.  I just hope the transmission lives up to my expectations - literally.  Dodge has had problems with the torque of the Cummins making mincemeat of the autos after a while, but supposedly this one is built to match the truck's output.

I have heard rumors that Dodge (and maybe all the manufacturers, for that matter) might actually phase out manual transmissions, since they cannot control the diesel's emissions systems as well with the stick shifts.  In certain situations, the engine management system on these newer diesel/auto combos will de-fuel/de-torque the engine to cut down on the particulate emissions & smoke, plus the newer auto transmissions can be told by the computer to downshift rather than allow the engine to lug down (which is when my current truck REALLY puts out the smoke).  From what I read in some of the owners manual stuff from this demo, the computer will automatically limit the throttle movement if the catalytic converters get plugged up with soot as a result of your "driving habits".  If you constantly nail it from stoplights and the converters get all fouled up, it'll go into something like a "limp mode" where it keeps you from continuing to foul the exhaust components.  To me, that's just one more electronic component that can go wrong.

Thanks again for the feedback!

Geno

[Orange_Crush]

Geno

I have an '05 QC long bed dually...so in addition to the long wheelbase, I have 8 additional inches on each side to contend with

Parking is not a major problem unless I'm in a parking deck, then it becomes an issue...bit I would say that parking does require some forethought...garage space is reserved for the Charger so the truck sleeps outside anyway.

As far as the 68RFE is concerned, if its anywhere near as good as the '04 and up 48RFE (and I hear its better) you should have nothing to worry about...simply put, they don't break.

Naturally, if you BOMB it to the point where your tranny is seeing 1000ftlbs of torque, you may have issues, but the new tranny is PLENTY strong.

[Afflyer]

Geno and Andy-

I'll be looking to replace my '96 Ram 1500 Quad-Cab with a new (if not "newer") Ram.  She's got 150K on her and we're ready for a replacement later this year.

I'm wanting to upgrade to the 2500 series with the Hemi engine and the Mega-Cab option if I can afford it.

I've got my younger brother working at the KTP plant in Kokomo, Indiana- so I'm good for the "green slip" if I'm able to swing a brand new truck.

The jury is still out as to if I can get it new or used, as we are having our second child and about to move out west to New Mexico, with only one breadwinner.

I just need to get a truck payment that is around $400, so a brand new 2500 Hemi Mega Cab might be a bit of a reach.

Andy, do you have any suggestions?

Geno, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.  Be sure to let us know what you finally pull into your garage with- AND SHOW US PICS!!!

Bradley 

[hemigeno]

Bradley,

One of the dealers I was at yesterday (the only local one with ANY MegaCabs on their lot) had a used black MegaCab w/ the 5.7, and the salesman's comment was that they were figuring they would have that truck on their lot for a very long time since it had the Hemi and not a diesel.

My wife and I are pretty settled on the MegaCab after she was able to sit in both a QuadCab and MegaCab sitting side-by-side on a lot.  For short trips, the QC would be fine for even most adults to be in the rear of the cab, but the MC is the tool for longer trips - no doubt about it.

Oh, and I won't be able to pull it in the garage until I get a room built up at my shop for the R/T (and sooner or later the Daytona) to get parked.  I used to have a two car garage at my house, and the truck was parked outside with my wife's car and the Charger inside.  So, I built a house with three garage bays - problem is, my lawn is big enough (I mow between 6 and 7 acres) that I need a pretty good sized tractor, so the truck STILL gets parked outside.  Until I find another spot for the R/T, it'll unfortunately have to stay outside.  At least I have a plan...

O/C, I considered the dually, but only for a bit.  I don't know how you guys wheel those behemoths around on a daily basis.  I have a 1-ton dually utility bed truck through my business that cured me from wanting to drive that style daily.  For a  while it would be alright, but I'd go nuts worrying about knocking one of those bed extensions off.  Also, rumor has it that the engineers tested the 68RFE at 1000 ft/lbs of torque and it held up (don't know for how long though), so even the 650 ft/lbs of the 6.7 should be fine.  I don't know if I'll turn this engine up or not.  Sooner or later I'll get the itch, I know - but with all the electronics and emissions controls they have saddled these things with, I'm a little worried about compatibility.   With 350hp/650tq, I'm sure that this new one is putting out more than my '01 even with it's 5-stage power box.

[Brock Samson]

As far as the wheelbase concerns, that is just one of those things you just have to get used to. Kinda like adding 18.5" to the front of a Charger or RoadRunner! 

Good point - hadn't thought of it that way, but you're right.

As far as the wheelbase concerns, that is just one of those things you just have to get used to. Kinda like adding 18.5" to the front of a Charger or RoadRunner! 

   hey, Ain't a '69 Daytona 18 inches longer in front?..

[jackel440]

Geno,
    Get what you want.I have a 96' 3500 extended cab and i have no problem getting into parking with it.I can understand an exhaust issue as mine has dual 5" stacks behind the cab.been on there since 97' before all this stack craze hit in the last 5 yrs.oh well.If your worried about fitting it in the garage,it just may mean you will have to build a bigger garage

Geno and Andy-


Afflyer
I've got my younger brother working at the KTP plant in Kokomo, Indiana- so I'm good for the "green slip" if I'm able to swing a brand new truck.

whos your younger brother?I too work at KTP.I'm in skilled trades so i might know him

[Afflyer]

Jackel-

I've got three family members there at the Kokomo plant;

My brother, Doug Wall, works in the newer "white" plant (near the R/R tracks crossing 31), building Magnum trannies.
My uncle, Mike LaMott, works in the older plant in the tool and die area- making TONS of cash in that department.
My cousin, Jason LaMott, works in skilled trades too, I think.  He also builds specific parts for the Magnum trannies.

Do you know of any of 'em?  They're all awesome characters- but hey..I am kinda biased!

We are all a MoPar family and have been forever, as the patriarc of the LaMott clan- my late grandfather, retired from KTP after over 30 years. 

All I can ever remember is MoPars in my grandparents driveways.  Man, I miss those cars!  Especially Uncle Mike's first car- a bright yellow '69 Coronet with white shag carpet on the rear panel!  AWESOME!

My other uncle, Tony, retired from KTP a number of years ago.  He took early retirement when it was offered to him.

All told- five of my family members have worked, or currently do work at KTP.

Bradley

[hemigeno]

Be sure to let us know what you finally pull into your garage with- AND SHOW US PICS!!!

OK Bradley 

I picked up my new truck last night so I'm following instructions and posting some pics I took.  I ended up ordering a 3500 MegaCab single rear wheel (didn't have the nerve to go dually like some of you guys) 4x4 with the Cummins/68RFE.  Pretty nice ride, although with only a few miles on it I can't say how well it tows, etc.  Now all I gotta do is work up the nerve to cut a hole in that brand new bed for the gooseneck hitch...

The last picture I took without the flash because the color of the interior looks grey when it's actually tan. 

[hemigeno]

More pictures...  That rear axle is massive!

[hemigeno]

And a few more, including a gratuitous shot with 2 of the 3 rugrats that will be fighting in the back seat.

[PocketThunder]

WHITEY!!!!!

[pettyfan43]

Geno. COOL truck! I went by the dealer where I got my 04 1500 last week to pick up an oil filter and schedule a service and the salesman that sold me my truck tried to convince me I needed an 06 2500 Megacab diesel 4X4!

Not really, I just don't need THAT MUCH truck! Besides my truck only has 40k and is paid for! Not gonna trade for a LONG time!