'15 Dodge 3500 Tow Rig

[Greg]

Yeah straight-piped exhaust is for 18 year olds. I can’t even imagine it at this point

I straight piped the stock 3" in my '99 5.9 Cummins and it was insanely loud... this 6.7 with 5" wasn't terrible in normal driving situations, it was loud but not obnoxious at all times. Under boost and towing it was quite loud, but you might be surprised how it sounded most of the time.

Watch the video I posted with it straight piped... it wasn't stupid loud.

 

[johngottfredson]

As much as I dislike DD'ing a diesel tow rig, that's what I've been doing. My commute to work is 9 miles one way, I've understood that short drives aren't the best for diesels, but it's what I've got for now. I'd really like to get the '70 C10 up and running again so I can DD it.

I’m curious as to why you don’t just drive the Gladiator? Online diesel forum ppl be freaking out because it’s not getting hot enough to burn something something codes something screw diesel emissions crap something therefore drive a different car for short commutes.

 

[Greg]

I’m curious as to why you don’t just drive the Gladiator? Online diesel forum ppl be freaking out because it’s not getting hot enough to burn something something codes something screw diesel emissions crap something therefore drive a different car for short commutes.

For a couple reasons, mainly because I drive my personal vehicle to work on Monday morning, park it in a lonely dusty railyard for the week, drive my work truck home during the week then drive my personal vehicle home on Friday evening. The rail yard not a very secure location, there are vagrants wandering thru often and a vehicle parked there gets sun baked. The Gladiator is new enough and worth 3x more than the Dodge and I'd prefer to keep miles off the Gladiator. It usually stays in the garage where it's clean, safe & secure. Plus, the cost of wearing out 39's commuting is a hard pill to swallow.

I'm trying to get the '70 C10 back on the road so it can be my DD.... and eventually I'd really like to have the '69 K20 setup with a LS, auto trans, heater & A/C and make it my primary DD year round.

I understand the logic behind not DD'ing a diesel on short commutes... hopefully it's temporary. That said, this truck is deleted... there isn't much diesel emissions crap left.

 

[johngottfredson]

You had me at vagrants.

 

[Hickey]

You probably pull a trailer behind that Cummins often enough to get a good hot burn to clean things out, and that’s just the twice a month you drag a new project home! 😂

 

[Greg]

I really dislike owning an unreliable vehicle and the Dodge isn't off to a good start.

I took the truck to SLC for work and had been running around the area. Yesterday after getting fuel in Grantsville, the truck wasn't showing any power on the dash, after inserting the key and turning the ignition on. The batteries are fine, the key fob battery was good... but no power, no cranking.

I'm pretty sure it's an ignition switch key/communication issue. No warning, no indication of an issue... just, dead. Had the truck towed to the closest dealer after spending a couple hours blocking a diesel fuel pump and searching the internet for similar issues. I did have time to check fuses, disconnected and reconnect batteries, etc with no change. The dealer in Tooele can't get to it for two weeks, so my wife had to come from CO to rescue me.

I like the Dodge, but if it's not reliable for trips out of town I'm not going to keep it around.

 

[SoopaHick]

I really dislike owning an unreliable vehicle and the Dodge isn't off to a good start.

I took the truck to SLC for work and had been running around the area. Yesterday after getting fuel in Grantsville, the truck wasn't showing any power on the dash, after inserting the key and turning the ignition on. The batteries are fine, the key fob battery was good... but no power, no cranking.

I'm pretty sure it's an ignition switch key/communication issue. No warning, no indication of an issue... just, dead. Had the truck towed to the closest dealer after spending a couple hours blocking a diesel fuel pump and searching the internet for similar issues. I did have time to check fuses, disconnected and reconnect batteries, etc with no change. The dealer in Tooele can't get to it for two weeks, so my wife had to come from CO to rescue me.

I like the Dodge, but if it's not reliable for trips out of town I'm not going to keep it around.

I know that generation of Ram had the electronic ignition issues. My old 2012 would do that sometimes but it only required jiggling the key in the ignition several times before it would finally register I wanted it to work.

 

[Greg]

I know that generation of Ram had the electronic ignition issues. My old 2012 would do that sometimes but it only required jiggling the key in the ignition several times before it would finally register I wanted it to work.

Yeah, I did everything I could think of without any luck or change. I was reading about a RF signal from the fob that sometimes gets broken and it won't recognize the key in the ignition. We'll see what the dealer says... it's their problem now.

 

[Greg]

The truck is repaired, the dealership found that the ignition switch and key fob weren't communicating... exactly what I thought.

They replaced the ignition switch and fob together. $800 all said and done, plus a $200 tow and the inconvenience of breaking down out of State, needing my wife to come pick me up and another trip up to pick up the truck. 🙄

I am glad it wasn't something *really* expensive and drivetrain related.

 

[Greg]

I picked up a set of aluminum wheels with new tires (they're factory takeoffs) from @Tacoma when I was up in SLC, finally had time to get them on the truck. Even for factory wheels, they really make the truck look so much better. The open end lugnuts don't look great with the fancy wheels, we'll see if I care enough to replace them.

I don't usually care for tire shine foam either, but these tires were pretty dirty/nasty, so I coated them to clean 'em up.

 

[N-Smooth]

I picked up a set of aluminum wheels with new tires (they're factory takeoffs) from @Tacoma when I was up in SLC, finally had time to get them on the truck. Even for factory wheels, they really make the truck look so much better. The open end Acorn lugnuts don't look great with the fancy wheels, we'll see if I care enough to replace them.

I don't usually care for tire shine foam, but these tires were pretty dirty/nasty, so I coated them to clean 'em up.

I love those wheels. I actually like them more than my ‘20 Laramie wheels. If you wouldn’t have purchased them I was thinking about it. So basically I’m glad you did so I didn’t have to deal with it

 

[Greg]

I love those wheels. I actually like them more than my ‘20 Laramie wheels. If you wouldn’t have purchased them I was thinking about it. So basically I’m glad you did so I didn’t have to deal with it

They're great looking wheels, the new tires sealed the deal. I'm not the biggest fan of Firestone tires, but they're 99% tread and will be nice to have going into Winter.

 

[mbryson]

I really liked those tires on Sweaty Betty. Curious what you think of them.

 

[Greg]

I really liked those tires on Sweaty Betty. Curious what you think of them.

Me too... all I know about Firestone tires is how they used to blow up randomly. Tacoma and I talked about that and his opinion was that they needed drastic changes and improvements to rebuild their reputation (or something like that), so their latest tires should be very well made.

🤷‍♂️

Reading reviews, some guys are getting 80k miles or more out of a set of these.

https://www.firestonecompleteautocare.com/tires/brands/firestone/transforceht/250109#ratings-reviews

 

[Herzog]

I’ve run Firestones on my commuter/tow rigs for the last 3 sets of tires. I like them. They last a long time and I’ve never had an issue with them. I was weary at first because of the old articles of them blowing up but I’ve been way happy with them especially in the snow and bad weather we had in Kamas and now Wyoming.

I can’t remember which ones I have but the tread is super deep when brand new and cuts through water really well.

Edit: I have the transforce A/T tires.

 

[Tacoma]

ooh, those do look good! Noice

 

[Greg]

...The open end lugnuts don't look great with the fancy wheels, we'll see if I care enough to replace them.

I cared...

Also, the drivers seat foam and cover were looking pretty rough, my back hurt driving the truck for over an hour since I was sitting a bit uneven. I ordered new parts on EBay for under $100 together, new foam and new cover that matches the fabric. The work took about an hour and make a drastic improvement in looks & comfort.

 

[STAG]

That seat was so overdue!

 

[Greg]

That seat was so overdue!

It really was, I should have done it as soon as I got it!

 

[Hickey]

I think that was a smart move for getting that truck sold.