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.