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2003 is going to be a big year for Dodge.
continued... The
auto is available in the standard diesel but not the high output diesel. Both
new diesels are high-pressure common rail injection. Just like before they
detune the one with the auto tranny. So this tranny is the same as before. They
haven’t told us when a new tranny is coming out, just that they are working on
it. The new frame is a boxed hydro-formed 4 piece. Dodge has replaced the Dana
axles they were famous for, with American axles. The receiver hitch is now built
into the rear bumper and bolts to the end of the new frame. I'm sure there is a
piece that bolts to the receiver for the hitch.
I drove a 4x4 Quad Cab 2500 long bed Heavy Duty.
Yes it's the 2001 Dodge 1500 body. It just looks bigger. Underneath the tracking
bar looks different with a bushing on each end like what you would see on the
rear axle of a SUV with coil springs. The bed is also from the 1500 with the
rounding floor edges looking very much like the Ford bed.
(Da Good) This is the best Dodge
bed yet. This truck had the standard 3.73 rear axle, up from the 3.54 of prior
years with the 4.10 still an option. The 3.73 is a ratio that Dodge has needed.
It was just too far between 3.54 and 4.10, so fewer folks will be able to choose
the wrong axle for mountain pulling.
(Da Good) The clutch was very smooth as was the shifting. I
only had to think about shifting from 6th to 5th. Not all diesels are easy to
shift and this is an improvement, I think because of the wider power band of
this models diesel. You have more room in RPM's to hit the next gear
without jerking. This has been my complaint with the in-line 6-cylinder diesel
is it's always had a narrower RPM band than the V-8 diesels. So it always felt
like you needed to shift again. Now the RPM torque power band starts lower than
Ford which has been the low torque leader in diesels. The max. torque is at 1400
RPM's right off idle! The horsepower max. is at 2900 RPM's.
The rubber lip on the front bumper is good for
standing on while inspecting the engine, just don't kick the AC cooler too hard.
The fuel filter looks about the same for changing.
(Da Ugly)
But the oil filter will take a little more cussing. I have the same complaint
with the Quad-Cab as I have with the 2002 Dodge 1500, even though Dodge claims
it added 3 inches more than on the club cab and previous models of the Quad-Cab,
it doesn't feel like it to me. There is a reason they don't call it a Crew Cab.
But the back seat does do folding tricks to impress your friends and haul cargo.
(Da Good) Dodge since last year in the Heavy Duties has the
largest brakes in the class. With more power, pulling bigger trailers, better
brakes makes sense doesn't it? The rear leaf springs are 3 inches longer on this
model. I could tell the difference in the ride. It's the smoothest so far
for a 3/4 ton Dodge. What you will need to watch here is with longer springs
comes longer spring travel. So with the heavy overhead campers you may need to
ad air bags to the rear axle to lessen the Elvis hip action in side winds. This
happed also in the 99 Model Ford Super Duties when they stretched the rear
springs for a better ride.
I will be driving more Dodges and trying out the
new Hemi this fall. Remember my golden rule of truck buying, hold off on the
first year or at least as many months as you can. Let the bugs and recalls be
resolved first unless being a Guinea Pig or hours in the service department
waiting room is your hobby.
All the detailed specs on the new Dodges can be
viewed by joining the "Insider Club."
I don't know why
I listen to manufactures when they announce the intro of a new model. I was told
September, then November, then October and they are here in September. The new
Dodge 2003 diesel and Hemi HD 2500’s are here this week. What is arriving first
are long beds.
(Da Bad) The short beds are going to cause controversy and more problems
for the aftermarket folks who have to install hitches in the right place
after Dodge shortened the short bed 3 inches this year.
I will say Dodge
was smart to introduce the new body style in the 2002 Dodge 1500 first. Now with
the new 2003 Heavy Duties here, I'm use to the new look now and they look sharp.
Of course the big dually's always look the coolest! Those of you who plan on
buying one of the early 2500's may want to check with the folks you use to
install the bed hitch, (ball or fifth-wheel). The frames on the new Dodges are
hydro-formed like GM did earlier and Ford plans to do. These special frames are
not to be drilled or welded on. Some installers are drilling holes in the side
of the truck frames on GM’s to mount the hide-a-ball and other aftermarket
installers are using large u-bolt brackets.
What’s
unique about the Dodge frame that I looked at today on a long bed 2003 diesel
Quad-Cab 2500 is the last two sections of frame are welded together above the
rear axle. Making this an even more sensitive area to be drilling holes into for
a hitch. So check with your aftermarket dealers to see if anyone has a plan yet.
When you buy a new truck you’ll want to be able to pull with it. Sometimes with
a new model it takes the aftermarket manufactures some time to catch up with
products.
(All Done) I was surprised
though, I like the new Dodge better than I thought I would. If there are
no large lists of recalls the first year, we will have a true horse race! The
decade of Ford diesels out selling GM and Dodge diesels combined could be
nearing an end. Next month I will have my first test drive of the new 2nd
Generation Power Stroke Ford with the Torque-Shift 5-speed auto tranny pulling a
trailer. Also more Dodge test drives, GM C-4500 and Quadrasteer test drives.
It's going to be a busy fall.
It's Dodge's turn to increase the power and quiet
the engine. A lot of the changes remind me of the Duramax, like high pressure
common rail, dual stage injection and finally a 3.73 rear axle. The race is
getting closer. Makes you want to get rid of the car and have all trucks! You
can never have enough trucks. The dual stage pilot injection will quite down the
Cummins dramatically. The frame will follow the 2002 Dodge 1500 being hydro
formed. The body will be identical to the 1500 also. The 2500 will offer the new
Hemi 350 cu. gas engine and the new Cummins diesel will have 305 horsepower and
555 #'s of torque. And straight from the factory a standard 4" exhaust!
Dodge is also increasing the R.P.M. band. This as been a sore spot with me in
the past. In-line six cylinders have naturally great torque but not enough top
end without more gears to shift to. So now Dodge is giving you more R.P.M range
to help that problem. I'll know more when I can test drive one of these bad
boys, but I'm hearing that the 2003 Dodge 2500 Quad cab with a short bed is only
6'3", three inches shorter than the 2002 short bed. I thought 6'6" was to short
for a fifth wheel trailer. So now there will be a bigger market for the sliding
hitches. For more on the new Dodge become a member of
"MrTruck's Insider Club."
Dodge 1500, new for 2002
All new 2002 Ram 1500, 4 doors, 2 new engines, the best
brakes in the industry, 17 inch tires and a new improved bed.
Finally I was able to
spend some “quality time” with the new Dodge. Once again Dodge has created a
look you either love or hate. To add the larger grill, Dodge lowered the bumper.
This makes the truck look lower to the ground even though it’s still the same
“tall” truck that was introduced in “94”.
The truck I drove was a
SLT Quad Cab 4x4, long bed with the time proven 5.9L (360 cu) V-8 auto. It had a
3.92 rear axle ratio with the anti-spin option.
I like having a choice of
a long bed. I still think of these as trucks and like to stick a sheet of
plywood in a truck and close the tailgate. The short bed is 6’3” instead of the
6’6” of previous years. Dodge took 3 inches off the short bed and added 3 inches
to the Quad Cab similar to the Ford F150 SuperCrew 4 door, where Ford took 12
inches from the bed and added a foot to the cab. This left the Ford with only a
5’ 6” bed and no long bed option. On the Ram 1500 I would spend the extra $100
to get the 17” painted aluminum wheels over the 17” chrome plated steel. And of
course liking trailers I would spend the $80-$100 depending on the package
combination on the fold out trailer mirrors and $465 to get the trailer tow
group to get the bigger battery, transmission cooler, HD engine cooling, class 4
hitch and 7 pin wiring harness.
Dodge 1500 has two new
engines this year keeping the old dependable 5.9L (360) V-8 and adding the 3.7L
V-6 for the 4x2 versions and the 4.7L V-8 from the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Since
the 4.7L V-8 came from the Jeep, it’s not its first year and it’s spunky. But
you know my rules for the first year 3.7L V-6. This year there is an optional
shift on the fly rotary dial on the dash instead of the lever on the floor.
The
Good-
The bed has improved. The inside walls are curved where they meet the floor.
This makes the seam on the floor instead of the corner. So now if you put in a
slide in bedliner, the water will run to the front or the rear instead of
staying in the corner seam. It looks very much like a Ford bed now instead of a
GM. Two sizes of beds, a 6’3” and a 8’, it’s nice to have choices. Since the
grill is a now larger, Dodge added larger rods to attach it to the hood, they
look strong. Which brings me to the next thing under the hood, the radiator is
off to one side giving the other radiators, (ac condenser, transmission cooler,
power steering cooler,) more air space, I like this arrangement, it looks weird
but functional. And when you open the hood you will immediately have access to
the radiators for cleaning. The Infinity stereo is nice. I like the air bladder
lumbar support better than old plastic bar in the back. The gauges are well
placed. I like gauges, you can figure out who invented idiot lights.
There are plenty of
handles on the inside, the older and rounder I get the more I notice handles and
running boards. Dodge has kept a lot the look of the original “94” beyond the
front. The outside of the bed still has the macho fender bulges that brand it a
Ram. Now the best improvement is in the brakes! Besides four-wheel disc brakes,
they are also all four vented. I’ll have to check but I don’t think Ford or GM
have rear vented discs, just discs. So in one fell swoop Dodge went from the
worst truck brakes to the best truck brakes. 17” wheels are standard; you can
get 20” wheels on the Sport package. The independent suspension is new this year
along with the rack and pinion steering. And now all the ½ ton truck brands out
there have CV joints in the front axle of the 4x4’s. I thought those were for
cars! It handled well, even though I like the solid axles they had before, all
the other manufactures have gone to an independent front suspension and CV
joints so what do you do. Underneath, things like transfer cases and front
differentials are tucked away well, it looks protected and ready for some
off-road use.
The
Bad- Four doors
where is the space? I can’t tell the back seat from the old Club Cabs, which is
why Dodge doesn’t call it a crew cab, but a Quad Cab. The back seat does do some
neat folding jobs. It has a tray that folds out for cargo with the seat folded
up but I think the tray will cut into the carpet or pinch your finger if you
fold it up without watching closely. Even with a split bench seat with seat
belts for three, you won’t be able to put more than a very young child in the
middle up front. And if you do put someone in the middle forget about using the
fold out cup holder.
The Ugly-
Why are the outside door handles sticking out into traffic? They remind me of
the PT Cruiser’s handles. I guess they can double as a rub rail if you get too
close to something.
I do like the new Dodge
Ram 1500 over the old 1500. If they would have just made the back seat area
larger I could get more excited about it.
 MrTruck
in a 2002 SLT Dodge 1500.
A special thanks to Kathy and Linda at Johnson
Auto Plaza for the use of the Dodge 1500 Quad Cab. For a fleet deal on a new
Dodge truck drop-shipped to your area, give them a call. 1-800-880-1940
A Special report on buying a Dodge
equipped right.
The weak link on Dodge trucks has been the automatic transmission
behind the Cummins diesel. Dodge actually turns down the pump with the auto
transmission to have less torque and horsepower than with the 6-speed
manual transmission. This tells you which combination you will need to pull a
trailer. When I was an AAA Auto Club broker, I sold Dodge trucks. If the client
was using the truck for a car, I recommend the 3.55 rear axle ratio to give them
more speed on the top end do to the narrow R.P.M. band of the in-line 6 cylinder
Cummins diesel. If my customer was planning to pull trailers in the mountains, I
recommended the 4.10 ratio. The lower axle ration, 4.10 also helped the truck
run cooler under a load. I have had several customers come to me after
they spent the $40,000 to buy the wrong truck and now they can't pull their new
$70,000 R.V. trailer in the mountains without overheating. This is were the
financial term Up-Side-Down came from. It's a retirement nightmare.
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