engunir
Junior Member
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2024
- Posts
- 4
- Reaction score
- 7
- Location
- Southern California
- Ram Year
- 1998.5
- Engine
- Cummins Diesel 24-valve
Hi folks,
Thanks for being here, I have already learned a lot, just by reading pre-existing posts here on the Forum.
As of today, I'm currently on my 3rd Dodge Truck; and have loved each in their own way.
- My first was a (used) 1977 W2500 (2-door) Club-cab Power-Wagon; a real brute, but its 440-cid drivetrain lost its attraction when Dodge started offering Cummins engines.
- After waiting a safe period, I purchased a (new) 1996 W3500 Ram, (2-door) Club-cab, long-bed, with the 12-valve Cummins. It was a great first-diesel, and it did well hauling us around the country with our (1993) Lance Squire (and/or an occasional trailer). Sadly, it was totaled (by the Ins. Co.) after driving us out of an unexpected flash-flood (Camper included). [Note: Thankfully, we salvaged the camper, (after a lot of cleanup) and are still using it.]
- We purchased our third Dodge truck to get us home after the unexpected flash-flood. It was a (new) 1998.5 W3500 Ram, 4-door Club-cab, long-bed, with the 24-valve Cummins. Almost immediately, we learned how much better it was than its (1996) predecessor; and have loved using it to continue our trek around the countryside. The ONLY thing that I wish it had (from the factory) was the engine-brake, which I had gotten used-to after driving commercial (semi) trucks for a few years. Other than reasonable maintenance, it has done well for us; but it's getting harder to find people to work on it, at least here in CA.
- We've been watching for something to continue the lineage, but have been disappointed that Dodge hasn't (yet) offered a competitive diesel-hybrid W3500 (hint-hint).
Being an Engineer by trade, I have embellished our Dodge trucks with an assortment of after-market customizations, most notably auxiliary diving lights, running boards, (dually) mud-flaps, brush-guard (w/a WARN winch), (left, right, and rear-facing IR-cameras), GPS, TPMS, and of course Amateur Radio communications.
With a little help from places like this Forum, we hope to continue our (on and off-road) adventures for many more years, hopefully in our current (and its successor) Dodge trucks.
Thanks for listening, and thanks for sharing your wisdom and experiences on this and other Forums.
"engunir"
Thanks for being here, I have already learned a lot, just by reading pre-existing posts here on the Forum.
As of today, I'm currently on my 3rd Dodge Truck; and have loved each in their own way.
- My first was a (used) 1977 W2500 (2-door) Club-cab Power-Wagon; a real brute, but its 440-cid drivetrain lost its attraction when Dodge started offering Cummins engines.
- After waiting a safe period, I purchased a (new) 1996 W3500 Ram, (2-door) Club-cab, long-bed, with the 12-valve Cummins. It was a great first-diesel, and it did well hauling us around the country with our (1993) Lance Squire (and/or an occasional trailer). Sadly, it was totaled (by the Ins. Co.) after driving us out of an unexpected flash-flood (Camper included). [Note: Thankfully, we salvaged the camper, (after a lot of cleanup) and are still using it.]
- We purchased our third Dodge truck to get us home after the unexpected flash-flood. It was a (new) 1998.5 W3500 Ram, 4-door Club-cab, long-bed, with the 24-valve Cummins. Almost immediately, we learned how much better it was than its (1996) predecessor; and have loved using it to continue our trek around the countryside. The ONLY thing that I wish it had (from the factory) was the engine-brake, which I had gotten used-to after driving commercial (semi) trucks for a few years. Other than reasonable maintenance, it has done well for us; but it's getting harder to find people to work on it, at least here in CA.
- We've been watching for something to continue the lineage, but have been disappointed that Dodge hasn't (yet) offered a competitive diesel-hybrid W3500 (hint-hint).
Being an Engineer by trade, I have embellished our Dodge trucks with an assortment of after-market customizations, most notably auxiliary diving lights, running boards, (dually) mud-flaps, brush-guard (w/a WARN winch), (left, right, and rear-facing IR-cameras), GPS, TPMS, and of course Amateur Radio communications.
With a little help from places like this Forum, we hope to continue our (on and off-road) adventures for many more years, hopefully in our current (and its successor) Dodge trucks.
Thanks for listening, and thanks for sharing your wisdom and experiences on this and other Forums.
"engunir"
