New to me....2013 Ram 1500 Crew Cab Laramie 4x4...first impressions

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DeckArtist

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Traded in my 2005 GMC Sierra Z-71 4x4 SLT today for the Laramie. Have been admiring Rams for a year or so and with the Sierra oil pressure alarm going off daily [and right after the trans and case had to be rebuilt it gets more frequent] I was late in getting it done, but today it happened.

Bought a 2013 black Laramie with 72k on the clock from a local dealership. They put new tires on it, a new grill [looks like an RBP], fog and light bar in the grill and black wheels. Not exactly murdered but close enough.

So on the first drive it i as smooth as silk. It has the 5.7 of course and the 8 speed trans with a 3.21 rear axle. Not exactly ideal for towing, but what I do tow is generally around 5500-6000 lbs, so it will do. Very impressed with the fit and finish of the interior, especially since the truck is creeping up on 7 years old now.

The U-connect is the 8.4" and the truck has the Alpine speaker system in it. Sunroof and sliding rear window are both a huge plus [never had either one in a truck]. Love the gauges....really glad they are so easy to read.

I have a lot to learn but am extremely happy about the change. Ran into the Hemi tick issue this afternoon, but have already addressed it and so far, it seems to be gone. Will be switching to Redline or the hand mixed synthetic oil soon as well as the fuel additive. I drive about 35k a year so it needs to be running at it's best.

Never seen so much storage in a truck...loving that. This may just turn out to be the first truck that I do not have to do much to. While I was planning to change out the chrome rear bumper, mirrors and door handles for the all black ones, I may have to rethink it. Starting to grow on me as it is.

Tonite is read the manuals night!

Ram5.jpg Ram4.jpg
 

big daddys house

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Traded in my 2005 GMC Sierra Z-71 4x4 SLT today for the Laramie. Have been admiring Rams for a year or so and with the Sierra oil pressure alarm going off daily [and right after the trans and case had to be rebuilt it gets more frequent] I was late in getting it done, but today it happened.

Bought a 2013 black Laramie with 72k on the clock from a local dealership. They put new tires on it, a new grill [looks like an RBP], fog and light bar in the grill and black wheels. Not exactly murdered but close enough.

So on the first drive it i as smooth as silk. It has the 5.7 of course and the 8 speed trans with a 3.21 rear axle. Not exactly ideal for towing, but what I do tow is generally around 5500-6000 lbs, so it will do. Very impressed with the fit and finish of the interior, especially since the truck is creeping up on 7 years old now.

The U-connect is the 8.4" and the truck has the Alpine speaker system in it. Sunroof and sliding rear window are both a huge plus [never had either one in a truck]. Love the gauges....really glad they are so easy to read.

I have a lot to learn but am extremely happy about the change. Ran into the Hemi tick issue this afternoon, but have already addressed it and so far, it seems to be gone. Will be switching to Redline or the hand mixed synthetic oil soon as well as the fuel additive. I drive about 35k a year so it needs to be running at it's best.

Never seen so much storage in a truck...loving that. This may just turn out to be the first truck that I do not have to do much to. While I was planning to change out the chrome rear bumper, mirrors and door handles for the all black ones, I may have to rethink it. Starting to grow on me as it is.

Tonite is read the manuals night!

View attachment 168925 View attachment 168926
RAM is a really nice truck. It took me 10 years to afford mine.. If you're looking to delete your Chrome I have a great video on that if you want to check it out. Only cost $60

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DeckArtist

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Mine has the tow mirrors and the door handle on the driver's side has the lock button, so I would have to switch them out entirely as well as the back bumper. It also has the back up camera system so I'm probably going to leave it all alone. Not a big fan of the chrome, but since it's not all over the truck, I might be able to live with it.
 

tidefan1967

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Welcome to the forum! Trust me even with the 3.21 gears it has way better torque multiplication with that 8spd auto than your 2005 did with its 4spd auto and probably 3.42 gears. You have a 4.71:1 first gear in the 8hp70 compared to 3.06:1 in your old 4L60e. You would have needed 5.14 gears in your old Sierra to match the pulling power of the RAM. I bet that extra 100 HP and 75 lb/ft of torque are nice too.
 
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GsRAM

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Congrats! Nice ride! I see what you mean. The tow mirrors and door handles don't bother me...but having the black front and chrome rear bumper looks odd to me.

I'd have it painted at least.....but your call. I don't know why someone would go through all that and then only change out the front....but who knows...

Good luck with the new ride
 

Ohio5pt7

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Nice truck congrats!

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JB1

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Welcome that’s a nice truck, wish I had the bigger bed on my crew
 
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DeckArtist

DeckArtist

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Congrats! Nice ride! I see what you mean. The tow mirrors and door handles don't bother me...but having the black front and chrome rear bumper looks odd to me.

I'd have it painted at least.....but your call. I don't know why someone would go through all that and then only change out the front....but who knows...

Good luck with the new ride

Yeah that thought has crossed my mind....I have a set of automotive paint guns, a good compressor, and I’ve painted a few vintage campers in the past.

My other thought was to see if I could locate black bumper assembly with the cameras in it and just swap them out. It would definitely look better with the black bumper.


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DeckArtist

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I did think it was odd that the back would be chrome and the front black. There was no accident report on the Carfax but the dealership has done several custom trucks.


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Ohio5pt7

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Yeah that thought has crossed my mind....I have a set of automotive paint guns, a good compressor, and I’ve painted a few vintage campers in the past.

My other thought was to see if I could locate black bumper assembly with the cameras in it and just swap them out. It would definitely look better with the black bumper.


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Are you sure the camera is in the bumper? Mine is in the tailgate. But mine is a 18 didnt think there would be a deference

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DeckArtist

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Didn't know that....excellent information! I did put it in low during the test drive and it seemed a lot better than the GMC. I did have the 3.42s. Yes, the extra HP and torque are both very nice. The ride is much nicer with the front and rear sway bars too. I have always preferred coil springs in the rear, glad to have them back.


Welcome to the forum! Trust me even with the 3.21 gears it has way better torque multiplication with that 8spd auto than your 2005 did with its 4spd auto and probably 3.42 gears. You have a 4.71:1 first gear in the 8hp70 compared to 3.06:1 in your old 4L60e. You would have needed 5.14 gears in your old Sierra to match the pulling power of the RAM. I bet that extra 100 HP and 75 lb/ft of torque are nice too.
 
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DeckArtist

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Are you sure the camera is in the bumper? Mine is in the tailgate. But mine is a 18 didnt think there would be a deference

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Not sure now that you mention it. There are four black round gizmos on the bumper, thought they were part of the camera system...what are they?
 

Ohio5pt7

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I added chrome to the grill and handles but removed chrome bars emblems and since this pic added black quad headlights. 20190428_184913.jpeg

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DeckArtist

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Ok...I guess the search is on for a black bumper similarly equipped! The more I think about it that's one mod I should definitely get done.
 

Ohio5pt7

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Definitely agree ^^^

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RLJ10X

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Deck, if it were mine, I'd have ditched the mini truck world bill board on the bumper before I left the dealership. I'd put Bilsteins up front to bring it to almost level.

When I see a Ram 1500 with no Hemi badge on the side. It make me wonder if it has a Pentastar, or worse yet, a 4.7 in it. I'd leave the side badges.

I really like the grill. I'm not a chrome fan at all. But a little chrome on that truck looks fine. Your call there.
That thing just doesn't need much. It looks great as is.

Nice ride!
 
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There's a Hemi badge on the other side and I made sure it was one before I ever left the dealer. When the 7-day period is up the front plate will come off. Not going to level it, I hate that look. Anytime anything goes into the bed, the truck's front is in the air.

Love the grill, all the badges are ordered in black/red and will go on next week more than likely. Truck has new shocks all around and is as tight as a drum, rides like a dream...like a new truck would.

Probably going to swap out the rear bumper for a black one and maybe the tow mirrors as well. Door handles will stay since the pushbutton lock option isn't available in black from what I can tell.
 
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Signed on to the Mopar website with my VIN and found out I have the 6-speed auto instead of the 8 speed. Tow rating is higher than stated in the specs at 10,000 lbs. It also listed the four safety recalls and all four were completed.

Also found the copy of the original dealer sticker and the rear axle was listed on the sale sheet at the place where I bought it at 3.21....but I have the 3.92 instead. Ironically that's the one I wanted to begin with. So his sheet was all wrong when it came to trans and rear axle. Engine was correct thought...Hemi 5.7.

Anyone know the ratios of the 6 speed offhand? It shifts very smoothly.
 
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