calfrope

Dec 2007 build, 2008 3500, Quad Cab Short Box, 4x4, SWD, 3.73, Auto. Frountier 6 step nerf bars, B & W Turnover Ball gooseneck hitch, rhino liner.

BREAK-IN Drove it unloaded and real easy for first 100 miles. Drove it real hard unloaded for next 100 miles. Drove it easy towing 2 horse bumper pull for 150 miles delivering 2 horses then drove the **** out of it back to the house with empty trailer. Drove it easy for first 20 miles pulling 4 horse gooseneck with 3 horses then started working the dog sheet out of it every chance I got climbing, slowing to 50mph then accelerating hard to 80mph, let off throttle completely, exhaust brake on and letting it build lots of pressure on decel back down to 50 mph, repeat, repeat, repeat.

I have about 4000 miles on it now and have these findings.

Previous owned Chevy LLY and Ford 6.0 both 4 door short box 4x4 SWD. Both completely stock except shock upgrades. No engine or exhaust mods.

OFFROAD The Dodge is the best handling truck of the lot. I use the truck every day off road on my ranch and the Dodge is much better than the Ford and slightly better than the Chevy’s previous generation for off road handling in stock configuration.

NO LOAD ROAD DRIVING Again the Dodge handles best, has better manners on twisting bumpy roads, better throttle response, and a lot more FUN to romp on than the Ford and a little better than Chevy LLY.

TOWING The 6.7 seems a little anemic uphill into stiff wind pulling loaded 4 H GN. The 6.0 would have muscled on through it better. The transmission on the 6.7 lurches and jerks much more than the Ford or Chevy when towing. In fact the Ford and Chevy both had near seamless shifts both up and down. The Dodge tranny is a big negative towing horses. Keeping performance horses fresh is critical to me. I really don’t like the Dodge transmission when towing.

ECONOMY On the overhead display, I was getting mid 14s until went to dealer to get high idle activated and they did latest flash AP I think. I quickly started getting mid 16s. Towing 4 horse steel gooseneck with 3 horses I get 13 every time on 400 mile round trips. I am real happy with that.

I like the exhaust brake. I like the fact that the Dodge is about 20 inches shorter than the Ford. Much less rear legroom but OK for me because the back seat is just used for tools and tack anyway. Like the looks of the Dodge best. The Ford AC much stronger, the Chevy was better than the Dodge. It hasn’t gotten over 85 yet and I can tell the Dodge AC isn’t going to be a strong point.

I will be adding a fuel pre-filter with pressure gauge soon. Anyone have suggestion as to who makes a pre-filter with gauge?

Any suggestions on transmission lurch?

calfrope

Forgot to add that I have not seen any evidence that there has been any regen process going on in 4000 miles. Maybe it did and I didnt notice.

Dodgezilla

I noticed that the A/C isn't ice Cold too....

13mpg towing is great. That's all I get around town empty. I sure hope it gets better.....

bnold

Good review... I'm surprised you felt the dodge had better on road unloaded characteristics than the chev!

Dodgezilla

And usually the Dodge seems the stiffest and roughest riding once you go off road. Mine never leaves the pavement so I could not comment on that.....

calfrope

I believe strongly that putting the engine under a heavy load and letting off the throttle several times when the engine is new goes a long way in determining how an engine will perform. Wait too long and there is no turning back. I started this many years ago when I was involved in motorcycle racing, Ducati 4 stroke twins specifically. We saw dyno results that were pretty conclusive. Customers who bought new Ducatis and babied them for 500 miles per the owner's manual never produced the numbers those who put them under hard load and shut off the throttle and coast back to idle and repeat several times. We started taking new engines and after 2 heat cycles, we put them on a dyno and broke em in that way. If we saw 5 hp difference on a 100 HP engines, one might extrapolate that out to maybe 15 HP difference on these Cummins. I dont know just guessing here but if two identical engines and one has 15 more HP it stands to reason there is better compression resulting in more bang for the buck.

Dodgezilla

And of course with the cost of fuel these days I have been driving with an egg under the pedal. I just need to quit looking at the overhead and drive the way I want to.......

DBLR

IMHO there has never been a need to drive a modern diesel engine from 50 to 80 MPH to seat the rings or to help break it in. The only time I ever heard about doing such was back in the 1960's and early 1970's and that was only for gas engines. Working a diesel engine hard is what helps to make one diesel engine better then the one made before or after it if they too are not worked hard during the first 5-6K.

CATCRACKER2

breaking them in like you suggested resluted alot better mpg and dyno hp than other trucks made the same year and dynoed on the same day.

setting the rings the right way makes a d/f.

this is one reason cummins tells you not to put synthetic in the motor until 20K...."lets the rings seat properly"

rings are the life of the motor

calfrope

What?

I read this and think you disagree then read it again and think you agree, then I give up and decide I just dont have a clue what you said.

calfrope

Sorry I'm new here.............what is d/f ?

Gbuilders

Thats the first post I've heard were they do not like the new 6 speed auto. It doesn't shift as smoothly as the Allison but I don't think that is a bad thing at all. The EB with the 6 speed works much better with grade breaking then the Allison. I am very happy with the towing performance of my 11K 5th wheel with the Dodge.

Apache1

My ranch is in very unforgiving country. I pull heavy load horses and livestock, mostly off road up some "mean as a sackfull of bobcat" steep rock crawling mountain grades.

I would never go back to a manual box after using the "smart" 68 RE with the auto transfer case. I like the towing mode's deliberate shifts without slippage. On the Interstate, I find the motor and tranny shifts to be smooth, strong and progressive.

Certainly, would recommend Sandy Bob buy one.

RiddlerLS1

Im very surprised to hear you say you thought the ford pulled better loaded.

My father in-law has an 07 F350 with 6.0 and 4.30s (tow boss package) and a 05 F350 with 6.0 and 3.73s. I have driven all three pulling the same trailer loaded identically and can say that the 6.7 will hands down outpull the 6.0. There are many on ramps that the 6.0 has trouble getting to 60-65mph before the end of the on ramp, where the 6.7 will easily be at 75mph by the same point. This is pulling our 3horse gooseneck with full living quarters.

I can see though where the 6.0 would have a slight advantage. Since the 6.0 can rev so high, it can downshift at least 1 gear lower then the 6.7 can. But even so, I have yet to find a situation where any of the 6.0s could outpull the 6.7

Dodge man

Good review. About the transmission I would have a dealer look at it otherwise when towing use tow/haul mode and or try using the +/- when towing. That is the first time I heard of a possible problem like that.

I to am surprised that you think the Ford towed better (makes me think all the more you may have a problem) as I have owned one also and it was gutless. The Dodge would run around it with no problems that and all the "tests" they did Dodge beat the Ford towing uphill for power and speed (test done at Edmunds.com and Pickuptruck.com)