2nd Gen Ram Pickups

[davidwyby]

From what I understand, Non synchro big trucks, no clutch. With synchros one should double clutch…unless they’re bad enough that you don’t care

 

[Ryan Browne]

From what I understand, Non synchro big trucks, no clutch. With synchros one should double clutch…unless they’re bad enough that you don’t care

I think you're right, and the guys who are good downshift using their right foot to run both brake and throttle and clutch with the left (heel-toe shifting) rather than omitting the clutch.

That said, I had a '93 Accord that I owned from about 175k to 245k miles. Guy I bought it from owned it from 100kish. Both of us shifted regularly with no clutch. Thing lasted until 275k when the body and exhaust were shot. Original transmission and clutch were still in working great. Actually sold it and my 92 parts car to a guy doing the 24 hours of Lemons.

 

[FederalQ]

Well, at 397,400+ miles I think the NV4500 is finally giving up. Even with new hydraulics and a fluid change, I’m having troubles shifting gears. Oil had quite a bit of brass in it, so I think it’s safe to say that the synchros are failing.. Been shifting without the clutch better, but getting harder each day.

It could be the fluid. I could only find amsoil or redline that is compatible to Castrol‘s Syntorq 75W-85 GL-4 which is no longer made. GL-5 gear oil is too slippery for the synchros from what I understand and contains a lot of sulfur that‘s hard on brass.

 

[Loony661]

It could be the fluid. I could only find amsoil or redline that is compatible to Castrol‘s Syntorq 75W-85 GL-4 which is no longer made. GL-5 gear oil is too slippery for the synchros from what I understand and contains a lot of sulfur that‘s hard on brass.

This had had Amsoil in it. It’s just time. Before I bought it, it had a hard life pulling horse trailers around the country for an average of 19k miles a year, not including the parked winters. It’s had it easy since I’ve owned it.

 

[Yukon Stihl]

driving without using the clutch is a great skill to have
everything i drive with a standard the clutch gets used for the initial start and that's about it.
Except my rollback truck with a 7 speed spicer, its the worst shifting trans i ever drove
Mack 12 speed i love, 18 speed in my KW is a sweetheart i taught a lady friend to shift it without using the clutch she pulled a hill that is about 12 miles long without missing a shift. My KW fuel truck has a 13 speed that i know like the back of my hand after driving it for the last 14 years.

 

[FederalQ]

It seems driving any manual takes a little time to understand the personality of the vehicle if you will. I know people who can drive 3 on the tree but are totally confused with 4 on the floor! The older fire trucks I remember were double clutch or no clutch all and some with electric shift 2 speed axles in addition. Couple that with arm strong steering and they were a challenge to drive in an emergency situation.

 

[Yukon Stihl]

A couple of my old trucks had 2 transmissions
1966 980 gmc 409 gas pot a 5speed and 4 speed
1970 White 8v71 Jimmy 13 speed and a 4 speed it would do over 100 mph loaded if you had the guts to drive it

 

[maulhead]

This had had Amsoil in it. It’s just time. Before I bought it, it had a hard life pulling horse trailers around the country for an average of 19k miles a year, not including the parked winters. It’s had it easy since I’ve owned it.

Pulling trailers is what those trucks were made for, 19K miles a year is like a leisurely Sunday afternoon walk, for a 5.9 cummins with a horse trailer behind it. They weren't built for getting grocery's and taking kids to little league games.

My 1999 3500 rolled 100k miles, it's first 11 months on planet earth, 95% of those miles were with a loaded 40' gooseneck behind it. It had 8 miles on it, when I cut the muffler off and straight pipped it, then I took a 4" hole saw to the bed floor to put a gooseneck hitch it, so I could go latch on to my new trailer, and go start hauling loads so that truck would pay for itself. It was less then 30 days old and it had 9800 miles on it.

Good times....

 

[Loony661]

Pulling trailers is what those trucks were made for, 19K miles a year is like a leisurely Sunday afternoon walk, for a 5.9 cummins with a horse trailer behind it. They weren't built for getting grocery's and taking kids to little league games.

My 1999 3500 rolled 100k miles, it's first 11 months on planet earth, 95% of those miles were with a loaded 40' gooseneck behind it. It had 8 miles on it, when I cut the muffler off and straight pipped it, then I took a 4" hole saw to the bed floor to put a gooseneck hitch it, so I could go latch on to my new trailer, and go start hauling loads so that truck would pay for itself. It was less then 30 days old and it had 9800 miles on it.

Good times....

I guess I shouldn’t have said hard life. It was just doing its job.

 

[maulhead]

I guess I shouldn’t have said hard life. It was just doing its job.

It's all good. I was just saying those truck were built to work.

I used to know haulers that would have over 300k on a new truck in 2 years. Then retire it, and buy a new one.

 

[davidwyby]

I heard tell of RV mover guys hitting a million

 

[Hoser]

Rust kills trucks here long before the mechanical goes or electrical from salt/moisture and freezing. Family friend was telling me of a buddy in Texas with over a well over a million miles on his 12 valve. Bet bolts don’t even see the torch on it

 

[maulhead]

I heard tell of RV mover guys hitting a million

I used to know a retired couple from KY, they hauled RV's as a way to stay busy after retirement & travel around the USA.

They had two with over a million on them, and working on a 3rd one, last I talked with them. They wanted every last mile out of them.

Where other haulers run them to 300-350k sell them while they still have some value, then buy a new one, for more of a write off.

 

[Loony661]

Crank position sensor is on its way out on my truck again. Replaced it 4 years ago. Taking the kids to school this morning and the tach dropped to 0 and the CEL came on. Hit a bump in the road and everything came back. Local parts house is delivering a Crank sensor as well as a Cam sensor. Last time I replaced them as a pair, and I’ll probably do the same this time, unless I change my mind after the crank sensor is in.

 

[nbbt]

Where are folks finding quality (but reasonably priced) replacement sheet metal pieces.
I'm needing the full set of 6 cab corners, inner and outer rocker panels, and lower door panel/skins for a '99 Quad cab.
Most local places that I've checked (near Minneapolis) have very little available without long lead times.

 

[Loony661]

Where are folks finding quality (but reasonably priced) replacement sheet metal pieces.
I'm needing the full set of 6 cab corners, inner and outer rocker panels, and lower door panel/skins for a '99 Quad cab.
Most local places that I've checked (near Minneapolis) have very little available without long lead times.

Try LMCtruck they have everything.

Home Page

Shop from thousands of parts and accessories to help you restore, maintain, and customize your Chevrolet, GMC, Dodge or Ford truck or SUV. Keep 'em on the road with the right part, right price, right now.

www.lmctruck.com

 

[davidwyby]

Crank position sensor is on its way out on my truck again. Replaced it 4 years ago. Taking the kids to school this morning and the tach dropped to 0 and the CEL came on. Hit a bump in the road and everything came back. Local parts house is delivering a Crank sensor as well as a Cam sensor. Last time I replaced them as a pair, and I’ll probably do the same this time, unless I change my mind after the crank sensor is in.

Mine has been doing that for years. I can’t remember the details but sometimes it’s not going out, it’s just something dirty or loose.

 

[davidwyby]

Where are folks finding quality (but reasonably priced) replacement sheet metal pieces.
I'm needing the full set of 6 cab corners, inner and outer rocker panels, and lower door panel/skins for a '99 Quad cab.
Most local places that I've checked (near Minneapolis) have very little available without long lead times.

Buy a cab from down here ;-)

 

[nbbt]

Buy a cab from down here ;-)

Hi David: Have you seem the shipping costs lately?

 

[Loony661]

Hi David: Have you seem the shipping costs lately?

Take a trailer and make a road trip out of it! And plan it right and you can attend David’s G2G while you’re there!