New Truck

cdwilliams63 · Jun 14, 2016

Hi guys, new to the forum here! It's been great already for looking up information given that I’m in the UK and there aren’t many of these about here! So far it’s the best vehicle I’ve owned… I love how simple it is to work on compared to European cars, the amazing V8 soundtrack from the back and the fact I can haul anything I want in the 8ft bed! Its 1999 Larime SLT 5.2 automatic 118000 miles on the clock. Things which have surprised me are

1. The fuel economy.. When I first bought it, it scared me haha.. through the country lanes I could watch the gauge go down but on the highways here it seems pretty decent for a 3 tonne truck

2. In every car I’ve had before there’s an option to turn the air con off while the heater is still on.. unless I’ve missed it, there doesn’t seem to be a button for this on the dash?!

3. The sloppy(ish) steering was a worry at first compared to other cars, but I’ve got used to it now.. never really notice it now..

Overall I try and drive it as much as I can, it gets loads of looks and is an amazing cruiser. Long journeys ill always pick it! Cheapest to insure also at only £300 a year ($423US) amazing considering my age and the price of car insurance in this country! Anyway thanks for reading!

Hemipower95 · Jun 14, 2016

Thst's one good lucking truck,in that color.

cdwilliams63 · Jun 14, 2016

Thanks man! When the suns out it really catches your eye :happy107:

dudeman2009 · Jun 14, 2016

There isn't much that can be done for the fuel usage.

In the Gen 2's, air conditioner operation is largely automatic as it doesn't affect gas mileage very much at all. On the vent selection the AC will engage on any setting with a while line under it, or any defrost setting, I think there is only two setting where the AC will not run.

The steering is a common thing on Gen 2 rams, it can be fixed by getting a new steering gearbox and or installing a beefed up steering box mount. If you search around here for loose or sloppy steering you will find plenty of solutions.

Congrats on your Ram, looks nice and clean with no rust.

If you ever hear a pinging sound coming from the dash, its time to do your plenum, there is a stickied section under engine and performance for the plenum gasket. Until then, don't worry about it.

If the transmission is in good shape, just change the oil and filter every 60-90K miles to keep it running nice, or if it starts to brown too much. Don't bother flushing it, that does nothing.

Joe w. · Jun 14, 2016

Nice looking truck

auskip07 · Jun 14, 2016

dudeman2009 said:
There isn't much that can be done for the fuel usage.

In the Gen 2's, air conditioner operation is largely automatic as it doesn't affect gas mileage very much at all. On the vent selection the AC will engage on any setting with a while line under it, or any defrost setting, I think there is only two setting where the AC will not run.

The steering is a common thing on Gen 2 rams, it can be fixed by getting a new steering gearbox and or installing a beefed up steering box mount. If you search around here for loose or sloppy steering you will find plenty of solutions.

Congrats on your Ram, looks nice and clean with no rust.

If you ever hear a pinging sound coming from the dash, its time to do your plenum, there is a stickied section under engine and performance for the plenum gasket. Until then, don't worry about it.

If the transmission is in good shape, just change the oil and filter every 60-90K miles to keep it running nice, or if it starts to brown too much. Don't bother flushing it, that does nothing.

No band adjustment and fluid every 30k?

dudeman2009 · Jun 14, 2016

auskip07 said:
No band adjustment and fluid every 30k?

I forgot to add band adjustment when you do the fluid and filter. But every 30K is excessive to me. I've been doing 60K ever since I stopped working on heavy trucks, we did them every 60K too. Mine has gone bad I suspect because of the ball check valve on the cooler line heading towards the radiator. Changing the fluid and filter every 10K miles wouldn't have saved my transmission as it went black in less than 8K.

Sure you can change it every 30K, no harm in that, but I wouldn't mess with the bands any more than you have to. 60K is almost perfect interval for a change, you can go 90K but that's about as far as i'd ever suggest to let it go.

To anyone who thinks they have a transmission problem, just letting it go is never the right answer, flushing it is also never the right answer. Never flush your transmission, period. Fluid and filter change with a band adjustment is the best thing you can do, it wont damage a thing if you do it right.

cdwilliams63 · Jun 15, 2016

Thanks guys for the info! the fuel doesn't bother me really, its for fun not a daily so that's o.k, i just found it strange there was no button to deactivate the AC haha No pinging sound coming from the dash as of yet! something to keep an eye on i guess so thanks for that (y) And as for rust i couldn't believe how clean it was underneath when I put it on my brothers ramp! Considering where I live is really wet, for a 1999 car its amazing! I posted a pic!

I changed the gearbox fluid and filter the start of this summer and found it pretty easy, I didn't mess with the belts though because I wasn't sure what to do.. I had a quick look on YouTube for some videos but couldn't find any.. sometimes when its in neutral it makes a strange vibration you can feel slightly through the pedals.. it comes and goes.. maybe like a bearing?? its fine in park/drive etc. its definitely the gearbox as i put my hand on the sump while it was in neutral.. :word:

Yeret · Jun 18, 2016

Nice truck, very clean. I didn't even know Rams existed in the UK, LOL.

The Magnum engines are far from gas misers. Just let it run as it wants to. I've found it really doesn't matter if you're doing 55 or 85, you're gonna go through the same amount of gas anyway, LOL.

If you can get your hands on a steering stabilizer, it will improve steering response a bit. It's easy to install although I'd recommend a second hand. Trying to hold the stabilizer and sway bar in place with your knees while screwing in the bolts is...tricky. Ask me how I know, LOL.

cdwilliams63 · Jun 18, 2016

Thanks man, there's a few marks but it's clean for the year.. And they don't exist in the UK haha she came from Florida back in 2005 (y) so it's LHD which was weird at first lol

The steerings not too bad at the moment but if it gets any worse I'll have to look into it.. This sites been great for info so far, loads of useful threads

Yeh the gas mileage doesn't bother me, I've noticed too, with the bed full it seems just as quick as with an empty bed! Strong engine haha

dudeman2009 · Jun 19, 2016

cdwilliams63 said:
Yeh the gas mileage doesn't bother me, I've noticed too, with the bed full it seems just as quick as with an empty bed! Strong engine haha

Thats what I love about my truck. I do get slightly better gas mileage at 60 than 80, but I can load this bad boy down will a fully loaded trailer pullin about 7Klbs and I still get about 280 miles a tank. (That doesn't include the 6.5Klbs the truck weighs to begin with)

Just make sure to get some nice brake pads if you are going to pull above 4Klbs. Cheap ones have a tendency to lose all their braking power pretty quick. One trip with the trailer and I was changing the pads in the parking lot of the AutoZone halfway through.

dapepper9 · Jun 19, 2016

30k mile trans fluid and filter changes no exceptions. Anything more and you WANT to throw a new trans in.

Being as you're in UK and only us Americans go by the imperial system, approx 50,000 kilometers is a close enough estimate. However if you wanna do the perfect math (48,387km) 1 km = 0.62 miles.
Miles ÷ 0.62 = kilos
Kilos x 0.62 =miles

^^this formula should help you figure out your intervals over there. I don't happen to have the fluid measurement conversions memorized though so you'll have to Google those

Bear79 · Jul 7, 2016

For the loose steering check the control arm bushings, ball joints and steering linkage. Check out this website: http://http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/
The steering gear box are a problem with Dodge pickups.

dapepper9 · Jul 7, 2016

Moog sucks

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