It's hard for me to believe I've been on this forum on/off for 10 years now. WOW, I've learned a lot and gotten a lot of help.I also wonder how much I got to worry about needlessly?When I came to a decision to buy my 2004 Dodge I remember having a lot of concern if the transmission was up to the task of towing. I am now at 120,000 trouble free miles on my 48RE and I think it is safe to say it is up to the task of towing.I'd guess that about half the miles on it were towing something, the smallest being a 3,000 car on a tow dolly, for a lot of years a 10,000# fifth wheel and even for a while a 14,000# fiver. To help the tranny I did add an oversized pan, and I've changed the fluid (partial no purge) 4 times. I've changed the filter twice. I've never touched the bands, though maybe it's time for that now. I keep an eye on the temps, and though worried I have let it run up to 220 or more for stretches, hitting 260 a few times backing a trailer up a hill. (Since then I use 4WD-lo to avoid a repeat).We are on a road trip now (not towing anything) and the tailpipe just fell off... but the tranny is still running strong!(oh yes, per what I read here I did lose a fuel pump... and I'm in the process of losing a front u-joint too - so not all the worries I read about were vapor in my case... and at this mileage I'm ok with a a few items like this)

Great time to upgrade the exhaust :)

The 48RE is a good strong trans. Just like any other make, they suffer if a lot of power is added .FWIW, you really need to adjust the band. If you don't it will eventually slip and not only wreck the band but also destroy a very expensive drum that is no longer being made.

I've been pulling 18,000 for 3 years now with my stock 48RE and I run my box on extreme (well over 100 hp over stock) 100% of the time. Ive had the box in it for 5 years and before this 5er I had one that weighed 11,000 and my boat weighs 4,500 so that was around 15,500. My truck tows probably 75% of it's miles. I have never done anything to the transmission and it is still running strong.(Knock on wood)

I went with the 48" donaldson to factory tail pipeglad you're not having problems; I have same trans...

transamz9 wrote:I've been pulling 18,000 for 3 years now with my stock 48RE and I run my box on extreme (well over 100 hp over stock) 100% of the time. :E I have thought about it but usually I have a bad dream right after and settle on the middle one :B I think most of the problem child's are from lack of maintenance. Keep the ATF fresh and they will serve you well.

The dreaded 48RE | Good Sam Community

transamz9
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
45Ricochet wrote:
transamz9 wrote:
I've been pulling 18,000 for 3 years now with my stock 48RE and I run my box on extreme (well over 100 hp over stock) 100% of the time.

:E I have thought about it but usually I have a bad dream right after and settle on the middle one :B
I think most of the problem child's are from lack of maintenance. Keep the ATF fresh and they will serve you well.

I think the problem a lot of times is that people don't know how to use the new found power. When towing, I don't use no more power than when it's stock, It just does the job at a much lower rpm. Make sense? I take off no harder and pull the hills no harder or faster than the truck would stock. I do keep the torque converter locked as much as possible. This keeps the transmission temperatures down. Heat is the main killer , not power.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jul 31, 2013
Adjust the bands, inside and out. Don't make me say I told you so later!
transamz9
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
Bedlam wrote:
My buddy eats up a Gen3 transmission every 100K miles on his farm and other items have been a "nickle and dime affair" for him after the warranty expired (ball joints, water pump, fuel pump, exhaust, alternator, fuel injectors). At this point the truck has depreciated too much and new ones are still outside of his budget, so he will try to continue to save and hope this one does not have a major failure forcing him in to a high debt load. This is not Dodge vs. the others slam because he does put the truck through wringer plus averages 35K miles per year. However his enthusiasm for the brand has waned and the only way he will be back in one is if the bottom line on the replacement is a significant savings over the others since he has little faith in the reliability. He doesn't even give me grief about driving a 6.0 PSD...
There is a difference between using and abusing a truck. I take care of 9 HD trucks at work that range from 2005-2007 (one 2002). They all get abused about the same and in the same ways. Two of them are Dodges they other 7 are two other brand HD trucks (I'm sure you can figure this out). There is NOT one truck I have not rebuilt the front ends on. Four of them eat instrument clusters (Not Dodges). Three of them eat front wheel bearings and have had the rear ends rebuilt (not Dodges). Three of them have had body rust repairs (not Dodges). Four of them have had minor transmission problems (yes two are the Dodges and the other two are not).

The only trouble we have had out of the two Dodges are both had shift control modules replaced. One has had a blower motor and resistor replaced and the other has had an A/C compressor replaced.

Engine troubles? Dodges none.

Two of another brand, none except exhaust manifold bolts the broke off causing exhaust leaks.

The other five? Almost daily problems.

Bottom line is that the Dodges have held up quite well for us in the construction field compared to the others we own. Mileage ranging from 125,000- 260,000 miles. One of the Dodges has 225,000 and the other has 125,000. My personal company truck has left me stranded 4 times in 155,000 miles (Not a Dodge)
transamz9
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
#40Fan wrote:
davelinde wrote:
ib516 wrote:
Great time to upgrade the exhaust :)

what are the popular exhaust upgrades? It is a good time to consider it.

Exhaust.

Get one with a muffler.

I don't have that brand (mine is MBRP) but I do have a muffler and the blind people still hate me.......LOL! Still pretty loud outside the truck.
_40Fan
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
davelinde wrote:
ib516 wrote:
Great time to upgrade the exhaust :)

what are the popular exhaust upgrades? It is a good time to consider it.

Exhaust.

Get one with a muffler.
Rbertalotto
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
My 06, 4WD, Diesel has 180K on it. I replaced the whole front end with a locking hubs aftermarket kit:

http://rvbprecision.com/diesel-stuff/dodge-cummins-diesel/ems-off-road-free-wheeling-kit-install.html

And while I was at it I replaced the ball joints........other than that, the fan clutch went at 160K. No other issues.

I've done Nothing to the transmission. Changed fluid and flushed at 60K

When I bought the truck I put $4800 in a stock fund to buy an aftermarket transmission as I was sure this one wouldn't last. (I tow a 10,000# motorcycle racing trailer all over the place) Transmission is still working fine and my money has nearly doubled in 8 years!
davelinde
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
ib516 wrote:
Great time to upgrade the exhaust :)

what are the popular exhaust upgrades? It is a good time to consider it.
phenrichs
Explorer
Jul 30, 2013
Had one injector fail on my 06 a week after I bought it last summer. It has 193K on it. Changed the trans oil, no purge just drain, and found a piece of a snap ring in the pan. Bands have no adjustment left in them so I know a rebuild is in my future. I tow 9K with our TT so when I do rebuild I will go with a few slightly upgraded parts for the sake of longevity as I have no added power in the engine and don't plan to add any. Still pulls great so I will drive it till the trans gives out then rebuild. I don't regret it a bit. I have quite a few friends that use them on the farm with 300K miles and they love em and have no intention of trading them off.
john_bet
Explorer II
Jul 30, 2013
Glad you took the concern for me as I never once thought about or worried about the tranny or any other part on a Dodge. Ordered what I wanted and went on. It is now 9 1/2 years old with 153k and counting. Put a water pump on it 3 years ago. That's all. Just normal service.
Bedlam
Moderator
Jul 30, 2013
My buddy eats up a Gen3 transmission every 100K miles on his farm and other items have been a "nickle and dime affair" for him after the warranty expired (ball joints, water pump, fuel pump, exhaust, alternator, fuel injectors). At this point the truck has depreciated too much and new ones are still outside of his budget, so he will try to continue to save and hope this one does not have a major failure forcing him in to a high debt load. This is not Dodge vs. the others slam because he does put the truck through wringer plus averages 35K miles per year. However his enthusiasm for the brand has waned and the only way he will be back in one is if the bottom line on the replacement is a significant savings over the others since he has little faith in the reliability. He doesn't even give me grief about driving a 6.0 PSD...

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