'Nother truck question. Narrowing down my choices:

[BIGdaddy]

I mean that when I compare my F150 crewcab side by side with a Dodge "quad cab" the difference in space is night and day.

I put the driver seat in both vehicles where I need it then get into the back seat and see how much room is left. I have inches to spare with the ford from the back of the seat to my knee caps, in the dodge I am lacking inches. That is why they had to come up with the megacab ...due to the normal Dodge quadcabs not being a realistic size to fit 5 adults in comfort. The Rear doors of the F150 also make getting in and out easier. When the inlaws and us are going out we leave their dodge at home and take the f150 cause everyone fits comfortably with room to spare. Maybe not an issue with 3 little ones for now in forward facing car seats.

FWIW...Expedition will tow more than a Ram 1500...LOL. I get a good chuckle with the faithful dodge people out there about that...what do you mean your SUV has a stock class 5 receiver and gcvwr higher than my dodge 1/2 ton hemi.

Isn't the NV3500 the same transmission they use in jeeps? Doesn't sound like a good idea for a 1/2 ton truck.

Yup, We had a 03 expedition for 4 years. Great trucks.

And I see what you're saying about the "crew cab" moniker. It is somewhat problematic. It was my understanding that the crew cab is meant to replace the clamshell doored 2nd gen Ram's, and the Mega-cab is meant to create a full sized "crew cab" model which never really existed in the Dodge line-up until recently (the 2000's). I know it's fun bagging on Dodge's, clearly being a "Ford" guy (and I don't want to deprive you of your fun..haha...bag away), but I think I remember that they clearly stated that was the plan when announcing the 4 "real doored" extended cab/crew cab and the new to the line-up, megacab, which was created to compete with the likes of the crew cab'd, sierra, silverado, and f150.

Yes, the NV3500 has been used in Jeeps. Not exactly positive yet if that's whats in these, but if it is, behind the modest HP and torque of the 4.0 and 4.7L V8, it seems to do fine. Though, a lot of folks like the Getrag 6-speed, too and swap that in as well.

 

[BIGdaddy]

Take my input with a grain of salt as I'm a recent F150 owner but having sat in the backseat of all of the big trucks (Toyota, Dodge, GM, Ford) I found the F150's to be the most spacious and useful. The Tundra is advertised to have a larger rear seating arrangement but the seats do not fold up out of the way allowing for a flat load floor which became a priority when acquiring a TV that I didn't want in the bed.

Ultimately you should get what makes you and your family happy though and if it's the Dodge then go for it.

I like the tundra's and f150's, but in our price range, the Dodge's seem like a good value, too. I actually really like the pre-2007 tundra's, even with their propensity to leave their front wheels on the freeway. (I've seen more than a few pics of tundra's with busted ball joints...eek:Wow1

f150's aren't bad at all, either. Our other car is a Ford edge, actually. Fit and finish had been stellar.

 

[ExpoMike]

if that's the case, we'll probably stick to RTT's, a trailer, or maybe plain 'ol ground tents.


AT flippac's are also an option. Those are pretty lightweight, right Mike?

Yep, a flipac would be a much lighter option. They are less then a couple hundred pounds more than a standard truck shell. Definitely if you every think you might go with a slide in camper, you will want a 3/4 ton or 1 ton.

 

[poriggity]

I'm with Mike on this.. A flippac is a great alternative on a half ton.


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Scrib]

Brian - I was perusing Allpar today (we just bought another Durango) and according to them the NV3500 was only used in the RAM 1500 through 2001 (bottom of page).

 

[BIGdaddy]

Brian - I was perusing Allpar today (we just bought another Durango) and according to them the NV3500 was only used in the RAM 1500 through 2001 (bottom of page).

Great info! Thanks.

I think my sources were somewhat shaky too, so i wouldn't ve surprised if its something similar but NOT the nv3500. It was a 5speed with a nice granny first...i know its not the getrag 6 speed. So thats two tranny's that we've ruled out...LoL

 

[Hawkz]

2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Info:

http://dodgeram.info/2004/load-tow/1500.html

Not sure what wheel size or axle ratio it has, but the truck is rate to tow up to 6000#-7000#.

The payload rating is 1200#-1300#. (Including the family and gear.)

 

[BIGdaddy]

2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Info:

http://dodgeram.info/2004/load-tow/1500.html

Not sure what wheel size or axle ratio it has, but the truck is rate to tow up to 6000#-7000#.

The payload rating is 1200#-1300#. (Including the family and gear.)

Cool, thanks!

So the truck we're looking at, as configured, is rated as such:

2004 || short bed || crew-cab || 5-speed || 275R17 tires:

Payload:1363 lbs
GCWR: 10500 lbs
Gear ratio: 3.92
curb wt: 5287 lbs
Tow rating: 5,050 lbs

If I subtract "us" from the payload, it allows for 733lbs of "other" weight, which likely includes fuel, water, gear, and tent/camper, etc.

 

[RU55ELL]

Heck, I say get it, put a rack on the bed and a RTT. I think you will be more than happy with it. I've driven Dodges since I was 16 ('90, '95, '01, '04, '11, currently '12) and never had a problem out of any of them that wasn't caused my me being young and dumb.

I've been looking around as well and you'd be surprised how cheaply you can get one with the Hemi. I'm not sure if you are specifically looking for the manual tranny though.

 

[BIGdaddy]

Heck, I say get it, put a rack on the bed and a RTT. I think you will be more than happy with it. I've driven Dodges since I was 16 ('90, '95, '01, '04, '11, currently '12) and never had a problem out of any of them that wasn't caused my me being young and dumb.

I've been looking around as well and you'd be surprised how cheaply you can get one with the Hemi. I'm not sure if you are specifically looking for the manual tranny though.

Thanks for the input. Sent you a PM.

I appreciate the perspective of someone who's got as many ankle-biters as I do. BTW, (mine are 7,6, and 3 - all girls!)

Oh, and yeah, I like the idea of a NV3500, even though its not the "toughest" tranny in the world. I like the granny first gear, especially.

I LOVE the auto in my XJ and my wife's Edge, so I'm not a hater It's just that having driven the 5speed manual, it seemed like great idea for a rig I'm likely going to load up and take my ladies out to BFE in.

 

[RU55ELL]

Thanks for the PM, I sent a reply. I forgot to mention, I had the NV3500 in my '01 and the only problem I had with it was the shifter bushing wore out prematurely and let some fluid leak out.

 

[BIGdaddy]

These blokes seem to think that the NV3500 was in the ram 1500 until 2004. In 2005 it went to a 6speed getrag 238

http://www.ramforumz.com/archive/index.php/t-108067.html

Getrag 238:

FIRST 4.23
SECOND 2.53
THIRD 1.67
FOURTH 1.23
FIFTH 1.00
SIXTH 0.79
REVERSE 3.84

NV3500(In the rams):

FIRST 4.02
SECOND 2.32
THIRD 1.40
FOURTH 1.00
FIFTH 0.73
REVERSE 3.55


Looks like the NV3500 could very well cover 5speeds until the switch to 6 speeds in 2005

 

[BIGdaddy]

Brian - I was perusing Allpar today (we just bought another Durango) and according to them the NV3500 was only used in the RAM 1500 through 2001 (bottom of page).

I looked again at that tech article in your link, and found this tidbit in the body of the text. Makes me think the dodge forum info is correct.


"For the 2005 model year, Chrysler stopped using the New Venture Gear 3500, moving to the Getrag 238 six-speed gearbox (3.7/4.7 engines). Whether this was due to Daimler desires or functional considerations is unknown."

It's not specific, and actually has a reference to a Dakota above it...so I could be wrong. [shrug] Makes sense, though, as the truck I drove had a 5speed with a pronounced granny first, and I don't find any other transmission being referenced by companies like superchip, Gear vendors, etc.

 

[Scrib]

Could be an NV4500 - one quick way to tell is if the case is aluminum it's an NV3500 and if it's iron it's an NV4500.

 

[BIGdaddy]

Could be an NV4500 - one quick way to tell is if the case is aluminum it's an NV3500 and if it's iron it's an NV4500.

I'll have to go over and take a peek to be sure, I guess.


I actually looked into the nv4500, and I found this info. No mention of it being used on the 1500 with a 4.7L that I can see:



Dodge Ram

Chrysler Corporation Dodge Truck division used the NV4500 as NVG4500 in "Standard" and "Heavy Duty" applications.[5]

Shared Standard Duty & Heavy Duty Features:

Dodge NV4500 Transmission to bellhousing bolt pattern (shared with the 1995–2005 GM light trucks)
Dodge specific input shaft 7.5" long with .725" diameter pilot shaft diameter & spline count varies
Concentric internal hydraulic clutch slave cylinder with integrated throwout bearing
1992.5-1997 2wd Gear drive speedometer in tailhousing Some 1998 may have gear drive
1998–UP 2wd no speedometer gear (VSS in axle)


Standard Duty 1992.5–2005 order code DDP:

All Years have Dodge small block bellhousing to engine bolt pattern
1992.5–2002 Used with 5.9 V8(5.2L v8 used NV3500)
2003–2005 5.7 hemi offered with 2500/3500 only
1992.5 only 1" diameter 19 Spline input shaft
1993–UP 1.125" diameter 10 Spline input shaft
1992.5–UP 2wd 30 spline output
1992.5-2000 4wd 23 spline output
2001–UP 4wd 29 spline output
Heavy Duty 1994–2005 order code DDX:

All Years used with 5.9 Cummins Turbo Diesel and 8.0 V-10
All Years 5.9 Cummins Turbo Diesel & 8.0 V10 bellhousing to engine bolt pattern
All Years 1.25" diameter 10 Spline input shaft
All Years 2wd 31 spline output
All Years 4wd 29 spline output
Dodge Gear ratios: