Oh Lord Stuck in Old Lodi....

ScottG wrote:

4X4Dodger wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:
I'm glad this turned into "lemon-aid" for you! It sure could have been worse. Hope your truck gets repaired in a timely manner so you can get on with your trip too. Enjoy the "down time" and take the opportunity to just relax a little.

About your choice of trucks. I "could" say something but I'm not going to. I have made comments about different trucks on these forums and been beat up pretty bad from time to time. I've learned that everyone is going to get the truck or tow vehicle they want and all the persuasion in the world won't change anyone opinion. If you are still happy with your truck, your purchase deal, your warranties, your service plan, .... that's really all that matters!

I am a firm believer though ... if you begin to have problems with your current tow vehicle and trailer combination, causing issues for the tow vehicle, then it's time to consider something else ... bigger or a different brand. But each person has to make their own choice what and when those choices are. Advise is OK, even criticism is OK, but in the end, it's your choice.

I really hope they fix your truck up and you'll have many more happy miles on the road! Good luck!

Well as for the breakage it was in the rear axle which is manufactured by Rockwell, Spicer or possibly Dana or Eaton. All US pickups use axles from these manufacturers and this didnt have anything to do with towing. As the dealer said this is clearly a manufacturing defect. Secondly my trailer is thousands of pounds under the capacity of the 2500 4x4 Dodge, even loaded. So I think the Tow vehicle trailer combination is sound.

But I can say this for sure right now I wouldnt trade this Chrysler Corp warranty for a GM or Ford one at this point.

I am happy with my truck and my long years of engineering background tells me that this is one of those occurrences that happens in every ten thousand or so vehicles that has nothing to do with who makes it. I had a Ford 7.3 Diesel many years ago (early "90's) that experienced a similar problem and had to have a completely new Axle assy put in it. This particular kind of breakage can happen in any axle.

And it would be really hard to beat the service I have gotten so far.

Time will tell.

The Rams diff, like the GM's, is made by AAM (American Axle Manufacturing) and not by any of the companies you listed. This is a joint operation by those two companies.

I'm glad your OK with everything. Just for a bit of back-ground ... several years ago I had a Chevy 3500 (gas) dually towing our Dutchmen Sport (5000 pounds). We were in Wisconsin and the front differential did about the same thing as your rear did. I now forget exactly what the problem was. We were just exiting a state park, just made it to edge of the road when ... bam!

The state park let us park the camper right at the entrance overflow parking. Tow truck took us to the closes GM dealer, we waited at the dealership while they fixed the truck. As I recall, we spent the night in a motel room nearby, and next day the truck was fixed.

It goes without saying, it was shortly after that we decided to trade for our first diesel dually. We began to experience other minor problems we didn't want to deal with, but I also never trusted the truck again and kept expecting another power train failure. Never happened, but the "fear" was always there ... Well, I stayed with GM. So Yes ... I perfectly understand!