Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives New To Me Dodge Cummin's

The dodge trucks aren't bad, the only issue you can expect is somewhere around 100k on the odo you'll need to replace the ball ends on the front end, and perhaps the front hubs (one way bearings) if it's 4X4.

Probably dependent on the roads travelled. My 2003 went 245k on the balljoints and had the original wheel hubs when I sold it at 297k miles. I also had stock wheels and tires on it and kept them balanced.

I think 458 was thinking tie rod ends, not ball joints. I would really like to get 245K out of my ball joints, mainly because I don't like f-ing with ball joints.

Dennis81082;
Good evening to you sir, hopefully this finds you well and congratulations on your low mileage '03

We looked for a bit before we found an 5 year old '03 with low mileage and in good shape and have been pleased with it although we don't put a lot of miles on it either.

So the cumminsforum already mentioned is a great resource and I've been a member there since picking up our truck 7 years ago.

The '03 year was a new body style, with a better auto transmission in it. I wanted to find an '03,04 or 04� because after that they had to comply with more emissions control stuff and while the power was increased, it seems they didn't get quite as good fuel economy.

If yours hasn't been done already, the lift pump on those years was on the side of the engine block and did give trouble. If you still have the Carter pump on the side of the block and it fails a Dodge dealer will only replace it with an in-tank conversion unit.

After market shops will put them elsewhere so there's a heads up on that issue.

I've got 70000 miles on mine - it's a Pennsylvania truck originally so it's miles and not Canuck kilometers - and so far we've replaced 4 shocks with Monroe gas shocks, the steering stabilizer shock and both front u-joints.

My mechanic said when he had the front end apart to do the u-joints that the metallic brake pads are starting to disintegrate - more from time than anything else - so we'll get them done this spring.

There was a bit of an issue with some of them breaking one of the fuel lines - can't recall which one right now, sorry - and if memory serves it was a vibration issue???

We replaced the intake hose between the air cleaner box and the turbo with a cool hose from Diesel Power Products in Spokane and picked up almost 1 MPG - Imperial gallons though....

http://www.dieselpowerproducts.com/c-140-2003-04-59l-dodge-cummins-dpp-cool-hoses-hose-kits.aspx

I think I can hear the turbo spool up a wee bit quicker with it too and there's no lack of power for sure.

We've been running 285 17 tires on ours and haven't needed to reprogram the computer. If one goes much higher than that I understand that you should reprogram for correct shift points, etc.

Anyway here's ours camping somewhere near Florence on the Oregon coast.


Hopefully that was useful information for you or someone out there tonight sir. If I can be of any help I'll do my best to so please feel free to ask.

Good luck with your new pickup and all the best to you in 2015.

Dwayne

All replies noted and thanks for the info.

Dwayne, the items you mentioned are pretty much the same as my truck.

I'll look into the intake hose, I hadn't heard of that particular change. Mine is stock with a K&N filter.

Mechanic friend told me about the lift pump, will ask about the fuel line.

Same tires & a timed mile looks accurate. The front end has been upgraded. I wonder if a change to a manual hub would be helpful.

I have an exhaust system replacement to install.

Might think about a programmer later for fuel economy. I'm not looking for performance, it's got plenty.

Thanks again to all.

Dennis81082;
Thanks for the reply and further information.

I should have noted that if the lift pump is still in the original placement on the side of the block - driver's side near the firewall - then for instance up here a Napa replacement that bolts right in was quoted for less than $400. The in-tank conversion from Dodge was just shy of $2000.

While some folks really like the K&N filters - I ran them on a '90 Jetta turbo diesel and a 99 F150 and didn't see any difference in performance really. I wasn't enthusiastic enough about them to put one on any more vehicles in our family fleet of 5 if that says anything.

I looked briefly at one manual hub kit, but at over $2500 for the parts alone - and that was when our dollar was at par too - anyway it just didn't pencil out for me as ever paying for itself.

The broken fuel lines apparently just let go typically, but it isn't in all of them by any means so if yours isn't weeping badly anywhere then if it was mine I'd just ignore it.

As to which programmer is a good one - I'd look into it at the cumminsforum and see if there's any consensus. I will say that last time I looked into it there I wouldn't describe what I found as "consensus".

It wasn't quite as bad as a Leupold thread in the Optics section here - but consensus it was not..... I'd maybe see if your mechanic has a preference as that's sometimes the easy path - sorta like having your gunsmith install barrels he likes as opposed to ones you like and he's had difficulty with.

Overall though I like ours quite well and I hope your's gives as good a service to you.

Dwayne

I would pass on the k&n if you do much dirt driving. I was a gen 2 dodge guy, but 2790 air filters were all i would run on it.

Is it an auto or stick? I could not drive a dodge without a programmer or chip. Smarty's worked really well on those years of truck and made them fun to drive and helped the mileage.....if you could stay out of the boost.

I've decided to replace the K&N (I have a farm & lots of dirt roads), What is a 2790? I couldn't find that number.

It's a 28RE, plan to buy a Smarty Jr asap..

I have an '06 Dodge/Cummins I bought new and have 109k on it. It's been a good truck - very reliable with just a few small repairs along the way. The only repair I've needed that didn't sit right with me was the front diff. pinion bearings started making noise before 100k - no explanation why other than it shouldn't be needed anywhere near that soon. I just had that fixed along with the ball joints last week.

Every time I start getting the bug to get another truck, I talk myself out of it because I just can't find a thing wrong with this one, other than the back seat is too small for my grandsons (I really want a full crew cab ).

The bearings on my 06 front diff are also making noise and I will be replacing them soon.

I'm giving serious consideration to getting a commuter car, that way my 06 should be the last truck I need to buy. Well, so long as I don't let my kids drive it

Whatever you do, do NOT buy a second Dodge Cummins, because... you'll never wear two of them out. I've got two 96 Dodge Cummins, 1 with the automatic and the second with the 5 speed manual. The automatic I've had since new with 205K miles on it. In 2003 I found my second Cummins which was also a 96 with very low miles, now showing 105K on the odometer. At my age (62) I'll never wear them out now. Both are 4wd.

I agree, you should sell the one with 105k on the odometer to me. No sense in insuring two trucks