How are the 6.7L front suspension components holding up?

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Phylodog

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I've got 37k miles on my 6.7L, this is my first diesel. I was cruising through Youtube today and watched a video of a guy replacing the front axle U joints and front wheel bearings on a 2011 6.7L and he said it only had 44k miles on it. I've heard the diesels go through front end components quicker than gas engines due to the weight but 44k seems premature.

How's yours holding up? If you'd had to replace components which were they and at what mileage?
 
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Replaced basically the entire front end at 110k miles; should’ve done it around 85k miles. It was somewhere between $2500-$2800.... I can’t remember exactly because I had other work done at the same time and the bill was around $4500.


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mtofell

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Great question and topic - My 2014 gasser Hemi has 95K and everything is great - haven't replaced a thing. My last truck - 2006 Chevy Duramax at front end parts like crazy. It seems like every time I went in for an oil change there was 1K in front suspension parts that needed to be replaced. The diesel weighs 800# or so more, all in the front, which I suppose can lead to problems. I'm curious to hear how these trucks are holding up.
 

crazy jerry

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at work we have gas model with 64k. 2017 i think. its offroad on pothole washboard roads 5days week. truck is holding up fine. really doesnt even have any interior rattles either.

2011 models use entirely different front end than 14+ so you couldnt make any apple to apple longevity comparison. i will say everything about 14+ is far better than older models if you ask me
 

tjfdesmo

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My old '05 needed balljoints at under 40K miles. Not enough miles on this truck to judge, but I will say that there seem to be fewer folks mentioning it on TDR, for instance, with the newer trucks. Maybe marginal improvements through time? Maybe it's just become a fact of life?
 

stevenP

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I am interested in this topic, as I have two the Gen4 CTD trucks. I have heard some rumors about the front ends not lasting too long with the weight of the cummins to support. The cummins weighs 1100lbs according to spec sheets.
 

chri5k

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Replaced my hub bearings at 80K miles.
 
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Phylodog

Phylodog

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Sounds like good news and not something I need to be concerned about in the short term. Thanks for the feedback gents.
 

michaelrc51

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I've been told the ball joints are junk, keep them well greased. My buddy greases his every 5k and has 150k with no issues.
 

mtnrider

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2014+ are better the the earlier 4th gens and especially the problematic 3rd gens. I went through ball joints on my 06 Mega cab cummins like they were going out of style. My 2016 is much much better.

With that said, if you drive a lot on dirt or gravel wash board roads you can kiss that front en goodbye in no time.


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mtnrider

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I've been told the ball joints are junk, keep them well greased. My buddy greases his every 5k and has 150k with no issues.

There is no way to grease the ball joints? Or anything in the front end for that matter (with the exception of the front drive shaft) They are all sealed joints

.
 
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crazy jerry

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2014+ are better the the earlier 4th gens and especially the problematic 3rd gens. I went through ball joints on my 06 Mega cab cummins like they were going out of style. My 2016 is much much better.

With that said, if you drive a lot on dirt or gravel wash board roads you can kiss that front en goodbye in no time.


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our 14+ work trucks are offroad more in their first 2yrs than most people do in a lifetime and our trucks holding up great. i dont know where some of you people get your garbage information
 

Travelin Ram

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My reading and personal experience over decades of Dodge ownership indicates this is highly variable between trucks. Most of mine were durable except for the 2011 which got a little loose and developed some death wobble around 40k. That was on 35’s which no doubt contribute to accelerated wear. However I’ve run big tires on others without that result.

I traded shortly thereafter for other reasons, so I can’t say what components wore.
 

mtnrider

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our 14+ work trucks are offroad more in their first 2yrs than most people do in a lifetime and our trucks holding up great. i dont know where some of you people get your garbage information

First hand experience.
 

SouthTexan

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I had to replace my front bearings at 80k. However, I have to travel down bumpy dirt roads getting to the farm every weekend and then off roading at the farm when needed. I also have an 8 mile trek off road (while carrying a half a ton to a ton of corn and gear) to get to the camp house at the deer lease which I travel down most weekends during the winter.

I still believe that the new suspensions they put on the 2014 and up trucks are holding up better than previous year models.
 

crazy jerry

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First hand experience.

your bumpy washboard comment was a disgrace to anybody with a lick of knowledge. for the past 10yrs ive been around fleets of gm, ford, ram. offroad 5dys a week, every week. bumps, ditches, smowbanks washboards, drivers beating the hell out of em. most people wouldnt accrue that off road time in many lifetimes. the 14+ trucks are solid as you can get
 
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your bumpy washboard comment was a disgrace to anybody with a lick of knowledge. for the past 10yrs ive been around fleets of gm, ford, ram. offroad 5dys a week, every week. bumps, ditches, smowbanks washboards, drivers beating the hell out of em. most people wouldnt accrue that off road time in many lifetimes. the 14+ trucks are solid as you can get

I have to say, that’s not been my experience. We’ve been through a couple dozen 2500 & 3500 rams in the last 10 years working in construction and agriculture; our trucks have required considerable maintenance to the suspensions and brakes. I can’t imagine anyone would believe me if I said I ran trucks as hard as you’ve described and claimed they required no maintenance to the suspension, bearings, and braking system.


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crazy jerry

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nothing lasts forever and everything needs maintenance at some point but its flat out ******** when some ******* says you can kiss your front end good by in no time from gravel roads and washboards. the internet has become a complete joke with arm chair qaurterbacks that guess, assume, hypothesis and spew their urban legend crap they read on some other 3rd rate forum.
 
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