3pedals’ 2008 4.7 6spd high mile ranch/wannabe drift truck

[3pedals]

Purchased new in April ‘08, currently has 410xxx miles.

2008 Ram 1500 4x4 4.7 6spd Bighorn
-unmodified engine & trans
-Core/Hurst short shifter
-Aspen steering wheel
-heated/cooled driver seat from ‘03 Infiniti m45 (soon to be replaced with a Recaro)
-srt10 brake & clutch pedals
-Mopar diamond plate wheel2wheel steps
-Mopar rear wheel well liners
-Airaid MIT
-Detroit truetrac out back
-Hellwig rear sway bar
-Bilstein HD yellow front struts
-Fox 2.0 IFP rear shocks
-McGaughys rear drop shackles
-SSBC 4 piston front brakes with 2pc rotors
-forged wheels (centerline up front, Mopar/Alcoa out back)

That’s all I can remember…probably forgot a few things. Goal is to keep driving it with contempt, and would like to make it more driftable without compromising its ability to function as a work truck. Planned future mods include:

-new rear leaf springs with traction bars/caltracks (custom?)
-hydraulic rear ebrake (gotta figure out how)
-a little bit of negative camber up front (offset ball joints or aftermarket adjustable control arms?)
-new/upgraded steering shaft (is there an upgrade available? If not then new oem)
-Recaro driver seat to replace worn out Infiniti seat

 

[3pedals]

 

[3pedals]

Well, I was hoping to get to half a million on the original transmission but doesn’t look like that’s gonna happen. Currently sitting at dealer for original Getrag 238 to be inspected (and hopefully replaced/rebuilt under LPT warranty) with a little over 418k miles. Though transmission seems to function fine, it has been getting louder over the last 50-60k…currently reasonably quiet in 1st and 5th gears, loud in 2nd/3rd/4th, and absolutely screaming in 6th gear. Pretty sure the thing is ready to explode so just dropped it off. Fingers crossed as the trans shows as NLA new from Chrysler so we’ll see what happens.

 

[3pedals]

got truck back 4 months later after Chrysler had my original trans rebuilt by a local shop as new & reman Getrag 238’s are NLA.

 

[Always Dirty]

Was Midwest transmission any help at all? They’re the go to getrag people as far as I knew. There was a NIB g238 on eBay awhile ago (quite awhile ago…), still kicking myself for not snatching it.

 

[Always Dirty]

wait I remember that truck. You don’t see an Infiniti seat swap everyday. Are you opposite locker?

 

[3pedals]

Haha, yeah that was me on the other forum. Took a break and seems like everyone left when I went back. The Infiniti seat upholstery is pretty much trashed now, but the heat/cool still work.

I put my SA in contact with Midwest trans, but I was told that Chrysler would not approve purchasing an “aftermarket” transmission. I honestly don’t know if they had one available. Strangely enough, resolution was to have my trans rebuilt locally (making it an aftermarket rebuild), but only under condition that I give up LPT warranty on the transmission itself. Shop that rebuilt trans is pretty reputable and gave me a 2yr warranty on the rebuild.

I would definitely pick up a G238 if one comes available. Seems like all the Jeep hemi conversion guys bought up all the stock over the years

 

[Always Dirty]

I think the g238 pools done evaporated by this point. Criminally underrated transmission. Yeah I took a forum hiatus for a couple years too. Just got back on the other forum maybe a year ago. I’ve basically got your truck @ 195k, but hasn’t been a DD for awhile now. You still have the 1 ton? I got into an 07 3/4 cclb 4x4 with the g56 a few years back, figured it’d be my forever truck… dude what a POS, I hated that thing. Shifted like box truck and got like 12 mpg. It wound up with HEAVY blow by a few months after I bought it. I didn’t like it enough to repair so she got dumped. SOOOOO glad I never sold the 08.

 

[3pedals]

Criminally underrated transmission

Agree 100%. My Getrag was still running/shifting perfectly with over 400k miles of abuse..it just got noisy at the end. For all I know it could have lasted a lot longer, but the gear noise in 6th was starting to give me a headache. With the Core short shifter it’s actually quite fun to drive and the notchiness got better after the first few thousand miles. I’ve now got over 200k on the core shifter with no trouble or repairs needed.

Still got the ‘16 2500 cclb g56 and it’s been a great truck with 145k miles so far. Much nicer truck (it’s a laramie - special ordered with rear air suspension) but the old half ton is still my favorite and a helluva lot more fun to drive with anger. It’s the last gas v8 stick shift half ton truck ever sold in this country…wish I had bought two of them.

Too bad on the ‘07…have heard those pre-def 6.7’s had their fair share of issues.

 

[Always Dirty]

The real kick in the nuts was that it had the “legendary” 5.9. Found out the hard way about in cylinder egr and fuel system maintenance ( prior to me, it probably didn’t have any). I lost my ass on that one but you live, you learn. You still on original fuel pump on the 08?

 

[3pedals]

What kind of fuel & egr maintenance did it need? At 145k my ‘16 hasn’t needed any maintenance for either, except for fuel filters every 15k. I thought those late 5.9’s were supposed to be the holy grail.

On my 3rd fuel pump, but both times I replaced was unnecessary. First time around 250-300k had an issue of cutting out over bumps and couldn’t find issue so replaced fuel pump. Didn’t fix problem, which ended up being a broken wire in the middle of the main engine harness. Second time around 400k truck would randomly not restart when engine warm, but would never shut off when running. Replaced with new Continental fuel pump, which again didn’t solve problem. Ended up being a loose/stretched wire to fuel pump under driver side firewall.

 

[Always Dirty]

Yeah I thought they were supposed to be beasts too. The later model 5.9 (2004.5 +). had a 3 phase injection cycle. I don’t recall the nerdy specifics on it, but it kept the combustion chambers hot. LIKE REALLY HOT. Cracked rings were pretty common. Combine that with not the best injectors and a drop in that wasn’t big enough (to low micron rating from factory). That’s how I remember it anyways, from like 7 years ago. I did my research when it was too far gone. Was a NV purchase, but for Cali… yeah smogging that ******* was an adventure…The 6.7 was a ginormous upgrade/////. I only ask about the fuel pump cause it’s gotta be what’s next in line for mine. Hasn’t happened in awhile but a few times its cranked like normal and started, but acted like it starving for fuel. I just cycled the key on/ off and it took care of it. I blamed battery.

 

[3pedals]

Yeah no fuel pump issues here in over 400k. Every instance of poor running has always been caused by something electrical, whether broken wires or loose connections.