2011 Ram HD 3500 DRW Cummins 68RFE 523k miles!

valhalla360 wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:
Speaking of rust belt and snow. I remember reading something a ways back ago stating the Rams were the longest lasting pickips in Canada. Something like 80% of the trucks sold between 1988 and 2012 were still registered. Apparently they now how to keep these trucks from being "ghetto cruisers" better than we do.

Rust buckets often keep chugging along, so percentage on the road doesn't mean they aren't rust buckets.

Average age of a vehicle when it goes to the big junkyard in the sky is around 21yrs, so give the date range you listed, 80% is about right (not every truck goes at exactly 21yrs).

I guess I better tell my 2001 Yukon she only has a couple of years left.....I am quite confident it has many miles and time left in it.

There are still many Ram/Cummins trucks in my area including the first gens. And they don't have any more rust on them than Fords and GM's of the same era.

Our purchase 1350 miles away in 2015 was a great adventure for a couple 70+ers at the time. We had air miles for a first class flight to Denver, had fun in a sports bar near the hotel Sunday night, internet sales lady picked us up at the hotel at the Denver Airport the next morning. We had fun. 1350 miles in 48 hours with two motel receipts on the trip back NW Washington high five'n each other all the way home. Made a deal to sell the 2001.5 RAM to another TDR member while driving the new truck home.

valhalla360 wrote:

colliehauler wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:
Speaking of rust belt and snow. I remember reading something a ways back ago stating the Rams were the longest lasting pickips in Canada. Something like 80% of the trucks sold between 1988 and 2012 were still registered. Apparently they now how to keep these trucks from being "ghetto cruisers" better than we do.

Rust buckets often keep chugging along, so percentage on the road doesn't mean they aren't rust buckets.

Average age of a vehicle when it goes to the big junkyard in the sky is around 21yrs, so give the date range you listed, 80% is about right (not every truck goes at exactly 21yrs).

Then you get trucks from the Southern states that have virtually no rust after 20 years unless on the coast. I still have a 99 Ford single cab 7.3 Diesel with 6 speed manual (Texas truck) that runs great with no rust 255k miles. It doesn't get used much anymore since it's a single cab.

In contrast where I go in N. MN vehicles are totally rusted out that are unsafe to drive.

It's a hassle to shop 10-20hr drive from home. Great if you are already traveling there an have an extra person to drive back but when you factor in the cost, usually not worth it.

Also, rarely is the rust a safety issue until it gets extreme.

Spoken like someone who doesn’t work on their own vehicles, isn’t concerned with the cost of repairs or just doesn’t have the means or the motivation to have anything other than a $500 rust bucket.
Prior to the internet, I’d agree with you about the hassle. And I’m glad that there aren’t more people smart enough to realize the value in this, or it would drive up the cost of our nice rust free used vehicles around here, but it doesn’t preclude anyone from doing it.

valhalla360 wrote:

colliehauler wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:
Speaking of rust belt and snow. I remember reading something a ways back ago stating the Rams were the longest lasting pickips in Canada. Something like 80% of the trucks sold between 1988 and 2012 were still registered. Apparently they now how to keep these trucks from being "ghetto cruisers" better than we do.

Rust buckets often keep chugging along, so percentage on the road doesn't mean they aren't rust buckets.

Average age of a vehicle when it goes to the big junkyard in the sky is around 21yrs, so give the date range you listed, 80% is about right (not every truck goes at exactly 21yrs).

Then you get trucks from the Southern states that have virtually no rust after 20 years unless on the coast. I still have a 99 Ford single cab 7.3 Diesel with 6 speed manual (Texas truck) that runs great with no rust 255k miles. It doesn't get used much anymore since it's a single cab.

In contrast where I go in N. MN vehicles are totally rusted out that are unsafe to drive.

It's a hassle to shop 10-20hr drive from home. Great if you are already traveling there an have an extra person to drive back but when you factor in the cost, usually not worth it.

Also, rarely is the rust a safety issue until it gets extreme.

For me travel wasn't a issue fly down drive back. I used free airline miles and had friends in the area.

valhalla360 wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:
Speaking of rust belt and snow. I remember reading something a ways back ago stating the Rams were the longest lasting pickips in Canada. Something like 80% of the trucks sold between 1988 and 2012 were still registered. Apparently they now how to keep these trucks from being "ghetto cruisers" better than we do.

Rust buckets often keep chugging along, so percentage on the road doesn't mean they aren't rust buckets.

Average age of a vehicle when it goes to the big junkyard in the sky is around 21yrs, so give the date range you listed, 80% is about right (not every truck goes at exactly 21yrs).

That was for all Ram trucks, The numbers were actually higher, 87%, if the engine was a Cummins in the truck.

Changed trans fluid at about 15k on my 11 HO DRW 68RFE with 3.42's. I towed a combined load of 28-29k with well over 1/2 the miles West Coast. Pic is at 65k when removing the MagHytec pan to trade the truck for current 15.

50k on the fluid and 65k on trans may not be a lot but look at the fines at the bottom of the pan there are hardly any, this tells a lot.

colliehauler wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:
Speaking of rust belt and snow. I remember reading something a ways back ago stating the Rams were the longest lasting pickips in Canada. Something like 80% of the trucks sold between 1988 and 2012 were still registered. Apparently they now how to keep these trucks from being "ghetto cruisers" better than we do.

Rust buckets often keep chugging along, so percentage on the road doesn't mean they aren't rust buckets.

Average age of a vehicle when it goes to the big junkyard in the sky is around 21yrs, so give the date range you listed, 80% is about right (not every truck goes at exactly 21yrs).

Then you get trucks from the Southern states that have virtually no rust after 20 years unless on the coast. I still have a 99 Ford single cab 7.3 Diesel with 6 speed manual (Texas truck) that runs great with no rust 255k miles. It doesn't get used much anymore since it's a single cab.

In contrast where I go in N. MN vehicles are totally rusted out that are unsafe to drive.

It's a hassle to shop 10-20hr drive from home. Great if you are already traveling there an have an extra person to drive back but when you factor in the cost, usually not worth it.

Also, rarely is the rust a safety issue until it gets extreme.

valhalla360 wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:
Speaking of rust belt and snow. I remember reading something a ways back ago stating the Rams were the longest lasting pickips in Canada. Something like 80% of the trucks sold between 1988 and 2012 were still registered. Apparently they now how to keep these trucks from being "ghetto cruisers" better than we do.

Rust buckets often keep chugging along, so percentage on the road doesn't mean they aren't rust buckets.

Average age of a vehicle when it goes to the big junkyard in the sky is around 21yrs, so give the date range you listed, 80% is about right (not every truck goes at exactly 21yrs).

Then you get trucks from the Southern states that have virtually no rust after 20 years unless on the coast. I still have a 99 Ford single cab 7.3 Diesel with 6 speed manual (Texas truck) that runs great with no rust 255k miles. It doesn't get used much anymore since it's a single cab.

In contrast where I go in N. MN vehicles are totally rusted out that are unsafe to drive.

ShinerBock wrote:
Speaking of rust belt and snow. I remember reading something a ways back ago stating the Rams were the longest lasting pickips in Canada. Something like 80% of the trucks sold between 1988 and 2012 were still registered. Apparently they now how to keep these trucks from being "ghetto cruisers" better than we do.

Rust buckets often keep chugging along, so percentage on the road doesn't mean they aren't rust buckets.

Average age of a vehicle when it goes to the big junkyard in the sky is around 21yrs, so give the date range you listed, 80% is about right (not every truck goes at exactly 21yrs).

FishOnOne wrote:

blofgren wrote:
I remembered a member saying this just a few days ago.....


"The 68 needs to go the way of the Dodo bird. Lot's of problems with them."

Guess this good one slipped out of the factory! ;) :B

Even a blind squirrel can find a nut from time to time.

OK, that was pretty good! :B