2500 Snow plow prep group

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mohemipar

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Anyone know definitively if the snow plow prep group contains any upgrades to the suspension, particularly for the '16+ trucks? Ive looked around and found no real proof. I did find that the snow chief group does. Just trying to determine why one would order the prep group when you can get skid plates and hooks in other packages that also include more valuable options.
 

Sandbox

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My window Sticker list the following for the Snow Chief Group:
  • Transfer Case Skid Plate
  • 220-Amp Alternator
  • Anti-Spin Diff rear Axle
  • Instrument Panel Mounted Auxiliary Switches
  • Clearance Lamps
  • LT275/70R18E On/Off Road Tires
 

theviking

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I can't tell if you feel strongly about this not being a good plow truck:p

No doubt the tires are horrible, but that's easily corrected. Also no doubt the gearing leaves something to be desired, a 4.44 or 4.56 option would have been awesome. Did you ever consider running a HF tune were he adjusts the shift points? Understand warranty an cost are concerns but it definitely makes a big difference overall.
 

Danno

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Just use 4low, problem solved. Or buy a ford.
 
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mohemipar

mohemipar

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I would not be plowing commercially. Possibly maybe private driveways down the road. But buying an HD for me would be firstly for the payload, off road use and occasional heavy towing. Again, im just curious what the real point of the prep group actually is other than an alternator upgrade which you can do anyway separately for a few bucks more. 4.10 gears has always been a must on my option list. Im getting a little tired of the limited payload of the 1500.
 

theviking

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So you didn't want to spend $1500, tell us what how your choice panned out and how the ram is working out......:roflsquared:

Slow day in the parts department?
 

Mr2500HDMan

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Anyone know definitively if the snow plow prep group contains any upgrades to the suspension, particularly for the '16+ trucks? Ive looked around and found no real proof. I did find that the snow chief group does. Just trying to determine why one would order the prep group when you can get skid plates and hooks in other packages that also include more valuable options.

The plow prep is basically just the alternator. It's not like it used to be with heavier springs and what not. These trucks with the lowest rate springs they offer from the factory will handle any plow you throw at them. I got the snow chief group and honestly couldn't be happier with the way the truck handles the plow and performs. Every plow company has guidelines for what plow you can run on what front end rating and the new rams handle more than the others.
 

68PowerWagon

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Anyone know definitively if the snow plow prep group contains any upgrades to the suspension, particularly for the '16+ trucks? Ive looked around and found no real proof. I did find that the snow chief group does. Just trying to determine why one would order the prep group when you can get skid plates and hooks in other packages that also include more valuable options.

I don't believe there is any difference in the suspension on the 25 or 3500 plow packages. I also don't recommend going with any of those plow packages. I personally think you can get more of what you want/need by getting other packages or ala carte. Some options & packages are different since I did my order a year ago, but I just went to the "build a price" online & kept playing around with it until I got what I wanted for the best price.
By the way, don't get sucked into some of the high school BS that goes on here & sorry you had to wade through it to get your answer. There is always at least one on every forum!:shakehead:
 

nukegm

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just read this thread.

i think i need a beer.

i have plowed in 4low for 14 years in my neighborhood with either an old dodge 2500 or a k5 blazer.

must be something in the water in chicago.

cheers comrades!
 

Danno

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just read this thread.

i think i need a beer.

i have plowed in 4low for 14 years in my neighborhood with either an old dodge 2500 or a k5 blazer.

must be something in the water in chicago.

cheers comrades!

Yes! If you use 4hi you can toast the transmission and if you get a temp warning for the tranny but the fluid is reported by evic as being 170 degrees it's the torque converter temp.
 
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mohemipar

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Thanks for the info guys.

I knew the guy who used to plow my old neighborhood and the main road outside of the developments with a Ram 2500. Told me he always plowed in 4 low. This was in Mass where its nothing but steep hills and wet heavy snow.
 

GsRAM

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And GM and Ford also have the overall sales market over Ram. So the fck what. What works for someone else might not work for the other person. Obviously some guys plow with Rams and have no complaints. The guy I knew never have any. And his truck was out there every winter for 5 years before I moved. He also had a Super Duty he used for roadwork in the summer but he plowed with the Ram in the winter. Go figure. I guess no one should buy a Ram and plow with it because you said it’s a POS? Give me a break. That’s your experience. One out of many. Personally I could care less if you think Rams blow at moving snow, but its just ridiculous to hear someone basically say that all Rams are useless as plows. Wtf. You said yourself you had **** experiences with Chevy and Ford also. Ford not with the truck itself, but the dealer. I believe that though. In my entire life Ive never been to a Ford dealer and not left pissed off.

This! I think ford believes they have everybody so brainwashed that their stuff is superior to gm/ram they can charge whatever they want and people will just bend over and pay it. Apparantly a lot do because that's been my experience at ford dealers over the past several years.

And STK - sorry man, you get no sympathy from me. You can complain about the ram all you want, but by your own posts you had issues with all 3 of the big 3. None are perfect. I didn't care for the 15, 1500 Silverado i had before this RAM (too much to post here, but lots of irritating issues, i have no desire for another gm product. I thought they got their act together after the bailout, but alas, it's the same old GM, same issued they have always had) and i can tell you from crawling around under all 3, that the ford and ram are built much heavier than the 2500hd Silverado. No comparison. 2500hd Silverado has a steering rack and a CV joint front end. Car stuff.

Bottom line is your the one who knowingly bought a 3.73 geared truck to plow snow, knowing full well from all your stated years of plowing experience. Why would you do that with all the knowledge and experience You supposedly Have? So that's on you, not the truck you chose. You need the right tool for the job. You don't use a hammer to drive railroad spikes. I bought a 3.73 geared truck too, but at most I'll be towing a 7500lb TT. I'm happy with it's performance.
 

Danno

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Anyone praising GM 2500 and 3500 plow capabilities either haven't plowed or didn't do very much as the frame cracks at the A arms. Google it...

Maybe it's not the granny but lack of 4:10 ratio, they put a paper on the vehicles showing what they have so buyers will know they are called Monroney stickers.

The Monroney sticker or window sticker is a label required in the United States to be displayed in all new automobiles and includes the listing of certain official information about the car.
 

jaflowers

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Should it be on me that the tranny 1-2 shift ratio is the worst in the industry. Where do you think the transmission lives most of it's life when used for plowing...Right there in the 1-2-R ratios...

I understand all that perfectly well which is why there are plenty of people out there changing out the gears in their rear ends to compensate for the transmission gearing. For the work you're doing, and it sounds like you'll spend the money to get a truck exactly the way you want it, I'm a bit surprised you are unhappy knowing that the setup you bought WOULDN'T be ideal. Sounds like if you spend the money on new rear gears the truck will perform to your liking but that'll be another $2500-$3500. Best of luck with it.
 

MN-Ram

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I believe you get a "snow chief" sticker if you get that package. It doesn't come with the snow plow prep group.

All the more reason to get the snow chief package.

I haven't plowed with my current Ram, but I did plow with my '98 Ram 2500 with a V-10. It pushed plenty of snow with an 8' unimount just fine. I believe it had 2-something gears.
 

Danno

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Still waiting for "Danno's" educated response regarding my post #28 in this thread...The info I provided came right from HIS 2016 OWNERS MANUAL...

Sorry, Whats the question? My life got in the way.

Ok, hows following that owners manual working for you... that's my answer but we already know your end result, POS ram correct???
 

pcschwenke

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I stopped paying attention when he said Houghton Michigan doesn't get snow. Really, have you ever lived there? They start getting heavy, wet snow in October and it doesn't stop until May.
 
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mohemipar

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Yikes lol. Glancing through the pages, I agree whole heartedly with the point about 4.10 should be the standard gearing on the 6.4 trucks. I also wish Ram offered a 4.56 on the 6.4 like they used to do on the PW. That gearing is what that motor really needs especially with that transmission.

But like I said, I really don’t care if the guy hates his Ram and thinks it sucks. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and these trucks arent perfect. Im sure 3.73s and factory tires are not ideal for plowing. And it is known that the transmissions on these have semi half assed gearing for the 6.4. But my point is – he comes off acting like the Ram is a completely useless plow truck and I just don’t buy that. Especially if you get a few options right and put decent tires on it. I agree Ram should just package 4.10’s with the snow chief group,(or standard like I said) but they don’t. So that’s up to you to do your HW if youre interested in the truck. Is it perfect? No. But what really is? The Fords and GMs don’t come with ideal tires for plowing either. I cant think of hardly any vehicles that come with really good tires from the factory other than I guess a Power Wagon. GMs have plenty of mechanical issues and some of the Chevy's have poor FGAWR. Lets just say hypothetically that the new Ford Super Duties were PERFECT trucks in every imaginable way for plowing, youre still going to get bent over every single time at a Ford dealer. Generally, Ram discounts their trucks ridiculously more so than Ford and dealers will usually work with you. At any given time you can get almost $5k off a Laramie 2500 just from Ram without even having to negotiate. Right now in my area Ford is offering…. A whole $1500 off an XL or XLT. Whoopie. And if I walked into a Ford dealership they would tell me how they cant give me **** off because the trucks are so amazing and sell themselves. Yadda yadda. And BTW, even after a redesign, the GMs and Fords can’t touch the interior of the Laramie trucks on materials, visual appeal etc. Ford’s Sync is a pile of **** compared to UConnect. Getting off topic now.

Just fyi,
The guy I knew had a 2010 Big Horn with only a 5.7. I don’t know what gears it had, never asked him.
 
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