Ram truck hard to work on

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enforcer17

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Ram Year
2020, 2019
Engine
6.4L, 5.7L
Still better than my 07 F250 with the Powerjoke that was starting to burp and would likely need head bolts which meant lifting the cab to get to all the head bolts
 

10 Break

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Ram Year
2007
Engine
4.7
or when you had to remove both the exhaust header pipes on a plymouth Roadrunner hemi to get the transmission out for repair..

I had to do that just to drop the transmission pan on my wife's 2011 Wrangler. The exhaust ran right over the front bank of bolts.
 

michaelm_ski

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Ram Year
2003
Engine
5.7 liter
Engineers do not care how hard they make things since they take their vehicles if they drive to the pros plus I think they don't want the average person doing repairs since it will lose money for dealers and repair shops .
 

Mr Rich

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Location
Santa Maria
Ram Year
2018
Engine
Hemi 6.4
This new Ram truck I own is probably the easiest truck I've owned to do oil changes. The filter is easy to get to and the drain plug on the pan angles away so I just have to make sure the catch pan is in the right spot. What annoys me is if I want to upgrade accessories I'd have to go the dealer route to update the BCM. My old GMT400 '89 Chev K1500 had the oil filter right above the front driveshaft knuckle and I had to shield it with plastic cover I made to slip over it. I got used to this procedure over the course of the thirty years I've owned the truck. Now my '98 Firebird was a fun one; absolutely no room to work in the engine compartment. Fortunately the car has been very dependable and didn't require a lot of maintenance beyond the normal procedures. I swapped the engine out as a retirement project so I'm very experienced in that regard.
 

BLUEDERANGO

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Ram Year
2016
Engine
392 Hemi
Sorry, I just had to jump in here. I've been working on cars, trucks, heavy equipment for over 50 years (Certified MBZ Tech.) and things are not that much different today as they were in years past.
I could write a book about some of the most bonehead engineering faults designed to seemingly defeat any attempts at repair or replacement of parts and components.
Yes the electronics are enough to drive even the most gifted guru to self-destruct but the wenchables are not all that much different. Most well trained and experienced techs have the right tools and the experience to make most jobs quite easy. Most maintenance items fall into the category of easy after you have done it many times, again experience is the key. You know what tools to use, what parts you need and how long it's going to take, no mental strain or BUD LiTE needed.
The bottom line, if you are comfortable with your skills and enjoy doing it go for it, if not take it to a pro. I don't know how many times I have run across a vehicle that was "repaired" by someone without the skills and knowledge and it cost twice as much to fix it right after being butchered by good intentions.
 

kxlexus

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Ram Year
2004
Engine
318
I don’t understand why you removed the fender liners to change spark plugs. I didn’t do that on my 2013. Won’t know for several years if my new model 2019 is easy or hard
 

indept

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2017
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Hemi 5.7L
Sorry, I just had to jump in here. I've been working on cars, trucks, heavy equipment for over 50 years (Certified MBZ Tech.) and things are not that much different today as they were in years past.
I could write a book about some of the most bonehead engineering faults designed to seemingly defeat any attempts at repair or replacement of parts and components.
Yes the electronics are enough to drive even the most gifted guru to self-destruct but the wenchables are not all that much different. Most well trained and experienced techs have the right tools and the experience to make most jobs quite easy. Most maintenance items fall into the category of easy after you have done it many times, again experience is the key. You know what tools to use, what parts you need and how long it's going to take, no mental strain or BUD LiTE needed.
The bottom line, if you are comfortable with your skills and enjoy doing it go for it, if not take it to a pro. I don't know how many times I have run across a vehicle that was "repaired" by someone without the skills and knowledge and it cost twice as much to fix it right after being butchered by good intentions.
WRONG
BUD LITE or other beer is ALWAYS needed in the planning stage, during the work and Especially when done. That's not just my opinion , that's just the way it is.....:D
 

jmc921

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Location
Dallastown, PA
Ram Year
2014
Engine
5.7 L Hemi
My previous truck was a 2004 Ford Ranger. Replacing the headlights on that only required lifting a tab right behind the front top brace and the entire unit dropped out with all bulbs accessible. I "tried" to update my 2014 Express headlights (high beams and fogs) to HID which required everything described in the original post. The new headlights were great when they worked but after the second bulb burn out, I got tired of screwing with them, yanked the whole mess out and installed the best halogens I could find (Sylvania Silverstar zXe) and, while not as good as the HID, they are better than stock and totally reliable.

Bottom line of all of this is that I ended up changing out headlights several times and (unfortunately) got really good at it. I could undo the bolts, pull the grill and pop the headlight units out in 5 to 10 minutes. It just means that, like most repairs, if you do it more than a few times, it is easy and quick. If you're like most DIY guys, you only do a job once and, since every time is the "first time", it seems like a PITA. Had the same experience with a radio upgrade that had problems (turned out to be a bad Sirius antenna). I can pop the radio out in 2 minutes since I did it about 7 or 8 times.

Just my 2 cents as well.
 

jmc921

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2014
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5.7 L Hemi
Correction - the HID swap out was for LOW beam and fogs, not high beams. I know somebody would probably point that out later.
 

Octane

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Removing fender wells for the spark plugs? I just did mine and was done in a hour without removing liner. I dont think it's just ram trucks I think all vehicles in general are going that route. So much tech and extra goodies all shoved under 1 hood
I can change plugs and oil in 1.5 hours in my '13 hemi.The oil will make a mess from filter unless you put rags or tin foil underneath the filter area tho.
 

kurek

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2015
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Hemi 5.7
If there's one thing that NEVER changes no matter how many decades pass, it's "THESE DURN NEWFANGLED CARS YA CAN'T WORK ON 'EM!!" ... heard it from every old timer I knew when I was a kid, talking about "newfangled" 1970s cars with their power steering and danged front wheel drive..

I figure after the apocalypse hits and we're all just rolling rocks down hill you'll have all the former gearheads complaining "THESE DURN NEWFANGLED ROCKS YA CAN'T WORK ON 'EM!"

Topside creeper. Makes everything SO much easier. Worth every penny.
41kT2xFBeuL.jpg

That's amazing how did I never know about these?! They're not even terribly expensive. I know what I'm getting me for Christmas :)
 

Dinky

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Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.7
I can change plugs and oil in 1.5 hours in my '13 hemi.The oil will make a mess from filter unless you put rags or tin foil underneath the filter area tho.

I take a trash bag or a gallon ziploc bag and just slip it over the filter and unscrew.
 

Lucy Girl

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Location
Mt. Vernon, Texas. 75457
Ram Year
2019
Engine
3.6 V6
Engineers do make mistakes but don't forget the bean counters push them hard to save a nickel where they can. I have seen vehicles where the engine had to be raised or lowered to remove an oil filter...from the 60's. Packaging issues are nothing new but I agree on things being overly difficult like having to remove the entire grill to change headlight bulbs. Bad enough having to remove the housings.
Try changing plugs on a 1965 Corvette with AC if you’re looking for fun.
 

Steve Cloud

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Location
Louisiana
Ram Year
2016
Engine
5.7 Hemi
Like my 2014 Ram 1500 but its very hard to work on and replace parts . I changed the rear shocks out and had to remove the rear wheels and remove the fender liner to get at the shocks then have to remove front wheels and fender liner to replace spark plugs since the engine is almost in the cab. Had a heck of a time replacing oil filter its in a very confined space . Replaced head light bulbs with LED bulbs and had to remove grille and then remove headlight assembly in order to replace old Bulbs. Most difficult vehicle to work on .

Well, not as bad as trying to work on a newer Ford Super Duty. Have to lift the cab off of the chassis to do work on the back of the engine.
 

BarbersBlue

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Ram Year
2013
Engine
3.6
Nothing new.......And that's why the real mechanics get paid the big bucks:dancingpoop:, was no different back in the 60's and 70's when you had to remove the power brake booster to change the left rear spark plug on a Plymouth Hemi or when you had to remove the left motor mount and jack up the left side of the motor to change the plugs on a Chev Monza V8:roflbow:, or when you had to remove both the exhaust header pipes on a plymouth Roadrunner hemi to get the transmission out for repair.. :grd:etc...........
. I learned a LOT about car repair from my 1980 Chevy Monza. The starter on my 98 Frontier was a nightmare to replace, but since it lasted 17 years, I guess I can't complain too much.
 

Michael

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Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 5.7
My 1963 Willys CJ-5 was easy to work on. The flat head 4 cylinder 134 ci engine was easy to work on. The one barrel carb and oil bath air filter. I could adjust the timing by listening to the engine, no timing light was necessary. It required a bit of maintenance, but was still more reliable than my ram. Less expensive to work on too.


I know the voices in my head aren’t real, but man, do they ever come up with some great ideas
 

Tl806

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Location
Dallas
Ram Year
2012
Engine
5.7 hemi
Oil filter always makes a mess even when putting a bag around it. Skid plate makes it really hard to access!
 

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