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My new Tow Rig

4K views 27 replies 16 participants last post by  gotsand? 
#1 ·
Well I found and purchased my tow rig....04 Dodge Ram with a Cummins

books at 27,200 and I picked it up for 19,800 :nana:

109,xxx on the ticker
Already has an Edge EZ programmer
Already has a sprayed in bedliner
Needed tires so I just picked up a set of Yokohama Geolander A/T-S wow, these are great tires...

Was previously owned by a local small business, used by their salesman, interior is mint, and they were kinda anal on the maint. Service at the dealership showed me the records on this truck and it has had all the fluids drained, flushed and filled a few times (including diffs). So the higher miles werent a huge issue.

Only thing I didn't like about the truck was it did not come with a block heater cord. :miff: Block heater was there, just no cord. Picked one up from a Cummins dealer yesterday for 12 bucks :woot: and now she likes starting in this sub-zero crap :sonicjay:

Out on the highway I reset the mileage puter and was sticking right around 26 MPG :woot: I realize that these read about 2-4 MPG high, but that would still put me at 22 MPG hwy!

Already ordered some westin Stainless nerf bars for it, and soon to come is a Magnaflow 4 inch stainless turbo back exhaust, and an A-Pillar triple gauge pod with Boost, EGT and Trans temp gauges (will post pic of that as well)




gauge pod and gauges I am getting

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=260209921952&rd=1
 
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#5 ·
Hand calculate your mileage, it will give you the real numbers. I ran my truck on the highway under 2,000 RPM using little or no boost and I got 17.3mpg. I am getting about 13.5mpg city driving.

Have fun with it! I have added alot of stuff to my truck already :tonka:
 
#6 ·
i am going to westlake ohio on monday, about 350 miles all highway....I plan on filling up right before I get on the highway, and right after I get off. That will be straight highway drivetime (cruise at 70 which is about 18-1900 RPM), no idleing (except for a few toll booths and weather providing) and I will hand calculate it.

I know that around town city driving is not going to be the greatest, but oh well....win some lose some still better that my 90 TBI 350 chevy which barely makes 10 on its best day:sonicjay:.

I will post monday night what my mileage is for that trip, and I WILL be honest :thumb:
 
#9 ·
109,000 isn't high miles for that truck. With proper maintenance you should easily get 300k+ conservatively. Be careful with the Edge EZ. I was a beta tester and used one for a couple years. I had trouble with the truck throwing codes and doing funky things like not wanting to decelerate after driving on the highway for a while. I had to shut off the engine and pull the EZ a few times. I had it replaced under warranty and still had trouble with it. Just beware of that. I loved having it though and miss having the extra ponies under my foot. Is is a 2004 or 2004.5?
 
#11 ·
sticker says june of 2004...so I would guess 2004.5 :confused: what is the difference? which one is better?

Let me know if you want some pricing on Diesel performance parts. Like the MagnaFlow Exhuast.
Nice purchase by the way!


Pat
www.Ironmanoffroad.com
funny you should mention it. I am looking at getting the 4" magnaflow exhaust $420.13 w/ $25.00 shipping on Ebay. Looking at getting it real soon. What is your price?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=290203338280&rd=1
 
#18 ·
Your choice, strait pipe is almost free and muffler is quieter. I run strait right now but would prefer a muffler sometimes (long drives and being able to hear someone outside of the truck (trailer loading)).

You need to join dieseltruckresource, you will learn all you need to learn about your new truck.

:woot:
 
#19 ·
I am still running the stock exhaust with the cat in place. I'm worried about messing with it and getting a loud drone while towing.

The 2004 does not have a cat. The 2004.5 does. The 2004.5 added a 3rd injection pulse to try to help with emissions or something. I'm perfectly happy with mine. At 105,000 miles I am still running the original front brakes. I had to replace the rears when a caliper stuck or those would be original as well. I'm getting ready to put new wheel bearings and u-joints in the front and upgrade to better shocks now too.
 
#20 ·
ok...so I straight piped it last night, and in the cab it is not loud at all. I really like the way it sounds, and it will really bark at ya when you get on it.

I will have to see what it sounds like when towing, if it is to loud then I will have to order a straight through muffler.

I kinda wish I had waited till after my trip next week, so that I could see what the MPG difference is. Oh well...
 
#28 ·
stock size LT265-70-17 I didnt wanna throw off the speedo or anything, so I just went with the stock replacements

The 03-04 get a few mpgs better than the 04.5 and up. I think the 03-04 have a frame or engine mounted lift pump that tends to be problematic, or so it seems from all the posts on the diesel sites.

Do some research on one of the several diesel truck sites out there: TDR, Dieselresource, Cumminsforum, etc. Just beware, after visiting them you'll wonder how the truck even runs without extra filters, aftermarket lift pumps, fuel additives, etc. :chiefwoohaw: :chiefwoohaw::chiefwoohaw: :sonicjay:

My 05 CTD is the identical twin to yours and it been the best truck I've owned so far (9 not counting heeps) though I was hoping for better mpgs. Hope yours serves you well. :thumb:
yep....been doing a lot of reading on cumminsforum, and join there as well. only post so far was the intro, but there is a wealth of info on that site :thumb:

straight pipe sounds good on your truck justin :thumb:
thanks chad....and it was good meeting you today :nana:

I HATE YOU JUSTIN!!!!




LOL Nice truck
:stan::stan::stan::stan:
 
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