Ford vs Dodge vs Chevy one ton diesels

[CodyRules]

Dodge is great but no matter the year the front ends are poop! Just my 2 cents

[emerson]

People keep hacking on Chev IFS durability and then the next post slams Dodge front ends. My Chev is 13 yr old, 340000k. 2 sets front wheel bearing, 2-3 sets tie rods, ball joints, 2 idler/pitman sets. Drove hard, heavy diesel front end. My only complaint is the low stock ride height. Fixed that. I like the Dodge still not using DEF though.

[ACE]

Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge diesel trucks have heavy front ends ....
Combined with larger than OEM tires mounted on aftermarket rims that have larger off-sets, and lifts that change steering/suspension geometry = front ends that wear out faster.
The manufactures spend a lot of time doing R/D to find out what suspension/steering/wheel-tire combinations will give reasonably suspension component life.
But, we backyard mechanics .... we know more than the truck designers.
We add the mega tire/rim combinations, change this, change that, then bitch because we don't get the super performance that the 'mega-lift' sales brochure said we will get .......

[Surrey Boy]

Ace, your point is valid, but the frequency of "Lemon" cars, especially by GM (once the gold standard of industry worldwide), makes consumers rightfully bitter and wary.

There are established weak components in various production runs which are privately acknowledged by automakers. See Lee Iaccoca and his handling of the Ford Pinto, which changed liability and class-action litigation forevermore. It's like an insurance actuary in reverse.

[Gun Dog]

I like the Dodge still not using DEF though.

Those days are gone. In 2007 Dodge (now RAM) used both -- DEF for the cab & chassis and a cat for the pickups. With the 4th generation (2010) it was DEF all the way. Using a cat and injecting fuel into the exhaust to burn it clean really hurt the fuel economy for daily drivers. Using DEF brings the fuel economy back to the good old days plus you get 400hp and 800ft-lbs of torque.

[kootenaycarver]

I'm very pleased with my 2015 Chev Silverado 3500HD, Duramax/Allison. Tows my 30 foot Travel Trailer like a dream. Had a 2005 GMC Duramax before that, 10 years and 240 K with no issues.

[emerson]

Ace, your point is valid, but the frequency of "Lemon" cars, especially by GM (once the gold standard of industry worldwide), makes consumers rightfully bitter and wary.

There are established weak components in various production runs which are privately acknowledged by automakers. See Lee Iaccoca and his handling of the Ford Pinto, which changed liability and class-action litigation forevermore. It's like an insurance actuary in reverse.

Chev idler and pitman arms really profit from the Cognito braces in my experience.

[emerson]

Those days are gone. In 2007 Dodge (now RAM) used both -- DEF for the cab & chassis and a cat for the pickups. With the 4th generation (2010) it was DEF all the way. Using a cat and injecting fuel into the exhaust to burn it clean really hurt the fuel economy for daily drivers. Using DEF brings the fuel economy back to the good old days plus you get 400hp and 800ft-lbs of torque.

I learn something new every day.

[Frango]

Those days are gone. In 2007 Dodge (now RAM) used both -- DEF for the cab & chassis and a cat for the pickups. With the 4th generation (2010) it was DEF all the way. Using a cat and injecting fuel into the exhaust to burn it clean really hurt the fuel economy for daily drivers. Using DEF brings the fuel economy back to the good old days plus you get 400hp and 800ft-lbs of torque.

I have no idea what this statement is trying to tell me. What does DEF have to do with a cab or chassis. I think the cat part is catalytic but from there I am lost.. Input would help me.

[Squamch]

The problem is that Cummins is married to Dodge.

Are you kidding?!
as far as shipping crates go, the dodge crates they use to ship cummins (bro) motors in are great! Duramax and Powerstroke come in WOOD crates. Dodge ships their motors in a steel and plastic crate that sometimes holds up for upwards of 4 years (terms and conditions of warranty may vary).