New to me 06 3500 Cummins…driving across country

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Nburd

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2013
Posts
39
Reaction score
8
Location
Coast of Maine
Ram Year
2013
Engine
Hemi 5.7
BTW my last diesel was a 1981 Cadillac Seville so I am not diesel savvy.

Hello folks, my uncle in California passed away a few weeks back and I bought his 06 3500 Big Horn Quad Cummins 4x4 dually with a dump bed and 222K from his wife. I fly into CA next week and am driving it back to Maine. I already have ordered 6 new all terrain LT tires to replace the older mismatched ones before I leave.

I plan on a full oil change and possibly a tranny service. It runs and drove great for the short time I drove it. When I heard they had a lowball offer and we’re going to sell it, I said I will take it for a more realistic price.

Anything else I should be concerned with before embarking on 3500 miles of Cummins bliss?

I know the cooling system is sound as it saw daily firewood delivery service in the hot central valley over the last 7 years With 95-105 degree weather. The tranny shifts perfectly. It starts quick, has two brand new Mopar batteries and the tranny fluid looked very fresh and full with no odors. Zero leaks as well.

What should I stock up on, just in case, as well to have on hand Other than a tool kit?

About all I know for sure is the tranny was either rebuilt or replaced at 160k and it has a lifetime alternator from NAPA. It also was just smogged 2 weeks before my uncle passed at a Ram dealer and the multiport inspection shows everything was ok.

Any insight is welcomed. What should I expect for highway economy with 3.73’s?

Thanks in advance
 

Attachments

  • 3A90B67D-5B47-46FC-829D-C193E4DC0C9F.jpeg
    3A90B67D-5B47-46FC-829D-C193E4DC0C9F.jpeg
    185.3 KB · Views: 12
Last edited:

MikeT

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2017
Posts
233
Reaction score
108
Location
Chino Valley, AZ
Ram Year
2006
Engine
CTD
Hi good luck with your new truck. My 06 2500 4wd gets in the low 20's on the highway. If you stay at or a little below the limit you may be able to pull a bit more, that big box is going to give you some significant wind resistance so you may not do as well as me. It sounds like a real solid unit you should have no trouble.

Mike
 

MoparProud

Banned
Joined
May 7, 2021
Posts
107
Reaction score
64
Location
Colorado
Ram Year
2007
Engine
6.7
Zero chance that truck gets 20+. It’s a dually and an ‘06, and has a big bed on it. Won’t happen.

Anyways, nothing. Get in and drive it. As long as everything is tight and in good working order, don’t worry about it.

Enjoy your drive.
 

Smokeybear01

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Jan 25, 2020
Posts
448
Reaction score
213
Location
US-NW Coast
Ram Year
2005
Engine
Cummins 5.9
I might carry a spare fuel filter but other than thought, nothing. Good luck
 
OP
OP
N

Nburd

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2013
Posts
39
Reaction score
8
Location
Coast of Maine
Ram Year
2013
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Thank you all. We are 1/2 way home driving to St Louis tonight.

My son and I rebuilt the front end before we left, upper and lower ball joints, front u joints, (thank goodness for 3 nearby Oreillys and Autozones, free tool rental and if you ever need front left and right axle U Joints they are 464’s, their catalogs are wrong and you can change them with a ball joint press), 6 new Yokohama all terrains. Front rotors and pads on Saturday and Sunday. No time for an alignment so she’s ok but not tracking great. It’s nice to have no rust.

Also did an oil, air and fuel filter change and had a full tranny service Friday. It turns out 60k ago it had a full professional tranny rebuild for $3900. The shop gave me the receipt.

Anyway here is a snapshot of our fuel economy at 65 MPH wow. The best was 14.8 coming down out of NM to Texas for 500 miles. The rest has been per the photo. 3500 miles. Ouch….no Christmas for the kids this year. Thank god the cruise works.

Anyway when we get home the beds going to get a trimming . It will be a flat bed with removable stake sides or aluminum tool boxes and the front trimmed to match the truck cab shape. That will help. I figured the bed adds at least 1500# or more to a standard 8’ bed weight due to the dump mechanism. It’s also getting helper springs. It needs another 1.5-2” in the rear.

My oil undercoatings already at the house.

Wow the sound of this Cummins is incredible. It just growls all day long. So smooth and 1600-2000 rpm on the highway. Powerful too. It will pass anything but a “diesel station”. We are averaging 1000 miles per day. I have to say I had no idea a 1 ton would ride so smooth. It compares to my old 1500 Suburban.

Thanks for the encouragement. My bank account wishes 19-20 mPG was closer to actual.

Be back in Maine on late Thursday night and directly to the alignment shop.
 

Attachments

  • 3B05B921-4AF3-4202-9978-6C77E2008B9D.jpeg
    3B05B921-4AF3-4202-9978-6C77E2008B9D.jpeg
    174 KB · Views: 11
  • F801682D-6818-4DD5-AEB7-D8F119B195EB.jpeg
    F801682D-6818-4DD5-AEB7-D8F119B195EB.jpeg
    52.9 KB · Views: 8
  • 94AD1FFE-CF65-4B76-8B35-5D794F0EC4AD.jpeg
    94AD1FFE-CF65-4B76-8B35-5D794F0EC4AD.jpeg
    155.9 KB · Views: 6
  • 57169110-9CA5-441C-BE0E-7EB36E60ED74.jpeg
    57169110-9CA5-441C-BE0E-7EB36E60ED74.jpeg
    132.4 KB · Views: 6
Last edited:

CharlesinGA

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Posts
17
Reaction score
6
Location
50 miles south of Atlanta, GA
Ram Year
2003
Engine
5.9L Cummins 305 hp HO
That rather tall bed is what is killing the mileage. Those tires do not look too aggressive, hopefully they are not too noisy on the road. My '03 with a 6 speed, 3.73 rear axle and a 305 hp Cummins (which the 325 replaced, basically the same) will get 20-21 in normal driving, and 15 or so pulling my 23 ft/6000 lb travel trailer. Are you sure it has 3.73 gears? I would think with the hauling it does it would have had 4.10 gears. Look in the glove box for the sticker with gear ratio, paint codes, etc.

Have you considered just installing a regular PU bed? I agree, if you don't need the dump, get a flat bed, aluminum would be good. You won't need the helper springs then.

Good luck on the remainder of your trip.

Charles
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
N

Nburd

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2013
Posts
39
Reaction score
8
Location
Coast of Maine
Ram Year
2013
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Thanks. The tires are very quiet all terrains. I was impressed at 70-75 smooth and quiet. We averaged 65 mph or so on the drive. They are OEM 80 series. I agree the bed is the issue. We are going to remove the welded stakes and have the front cut and rewelded to a shape equal to the back of the cab. It will then be a flatbed at that point and we can add removable stakes if hauling debris. When done with our building project, I see it getting an OEM dually 8’ bed. The existing is bed is 10’ long and I now think it weighs over 2000-2500 pounds. I was impressed with the ride and quietness of the truck. I was surprised to see It has double thickness window glass. The build sheet says 3.73’s. On the final back road 100 miles to home we kept it at the speed limit, 45 and 55 and got 13.5 mpg.
 

Smokeybear01

Senior Member
Military
Joined
Jan 25, 2020
Posts
448
Reaction score
213
Location
US-NW Coast
Ram Year
2005
Engine
Cummins 5.9
Glad you had a safe trip. You know that bed has added to the smoothness of your ride due to its weight haha. It'll still be a great work truck when you finish with it.
 

MoparProud

Banned
Joined
May 7, 2021
Posts
107
Reaction score
64
Location
Colorado
Ram Year
2007
Engine
6.7
There’s a good bit of differences between the ‘03-‘04 Cali/SO/HO 230-305hp engines, and the ‘04.5-‘07 325hp.

The ‘03-‘04 will ALWAYS get better mileage than the 325. I have one of each and the difference driving is insane. Love them both but the early CR is the fuel economy king of the CR world.
 
Top