# 2003 Ram Plowing?



## Kingspointe (Dec 30, 2002)

I am pretty new, or you can say virgin to plowing. Well I am looking into buying a 2003 Ram 2500 for work next spring. How does this truck handle plowing and such? Just kinda curious on the subject! thanks guys! :waving:


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## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

Welcome to Plowsite! The 2003 Ram hasnt been out long,so feedback will be limited,but i think plowsite member Ceaman has one with a HEMI and a Boss 9 ft V plow. If they are anything like the Ram 2500's before it,including my 2000 Cummins Diesel,it will be one heck of a plow truck.My 2000 makes a great plow truck,with its strong front end,great visibilty from cab,high ground clearance,and tight turning radius,it looks like the new one is very similar.


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## Kingspointe (Dec 30, 2002)

Thanks! That sounds very good , I was either goin to get it with the Hemi or turbo diesel. Thanks again!


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## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

Your welcome,Im partial to the Cummins,but Id take the Hemi if I wanted a gasser.If your going to run this truck hard.and put on a lot of miles,espeically towing, the Cummins will pay for itself,now you can get the 305Hp/555 ft lb HO Cummins with the redesigned 48RE auto trans as of 12/3/02..Its a strong engine power wise,and the strongest engine ever slid between the frame rails o f a light truck.Theres a bunch of info on the 03's here http://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/


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## BWhite (Sep 30, 2002)

*HO Cummins*

The tree huggers wont let the new HO Cummins be sold in Ma with our strict emmissions laws


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## TLC Lawn & Landscape (Dec 30, 2002)

I was one of the first to order 2003 2500. It's a monster, no problems, especially with the Hemi. I also did some towing. It pulled my 6000 lbs trailer with ease. I recommend getting the camper package which beefs up the rear a bit.


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## pats plowing (Nov 27, 2001)

I just saw in the paper 0% for 72 months on all dodges. It didnt say that it didnt include the rams so i may just be getting a new dodge as well.


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## Kingspointe (Dec 30, 2002)

TLC, how much did you dish out for your truck? I'm lookin to get a 2500 either hemi or turbo diesel, extended cab and long bed 4wd, you suggest going with a dualie? happy new years!:waving:


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## SatZ28 (Nov 2, 2002)

By the way, the new Ford 6.0 Powerstroke diesel is the strongest engine to slide between the rails of....325HP, 560# torque :waving:


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## DYNA PLOW (Oct 14, 2000)

John, i agree 100% on the dodge being a great plow truck,especially with the tight turning radius. i also have the C T D
engine with 6speed.
? for you though,do you have the 2" leveling coil spring spacers on your truck? if you do did you have to get a new adjustable track bar and longer shocks.
just curious as i have given some thought to doing this.
dan

p.s. from reading some of your last post's it sounds as if you are not to pleased with your boss plow or am i reading something that isin't there.


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## AtlasFBG2 (Jul 4, 2001)

> _Originally posted by SatZ28 _
> *By the way, the new Ford 6.0 Powerstroke diesel is the strongest engine to slide between the rails of....325HP, 560# torque :waving: *


those Navistar engines will have crank/bearing problems.


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## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

SatZ28,by strenth i meant the HD construction,and design of the 5.9 Cummins.Hp is so easy to change on any of them it isnt even an issue.The 6.0PSD may have more power stock for all out acceleration,but it cant compare in strenth or durability.Id like to hear some real world fuel economy #s ,numbers from the 6.0 PSD,from magazine articles arent promising,12mpg average,is a bit low.


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## SatZ28 (Nov 2, 2002)

John, 

I'm real curious what articles you've read. The new 6.0 is supposed to I believe, have about 20% better fuel mileage than the 7.3 that it's replacing. I have an 02 F250 4x4 X-cab, and before the cold weather set in I was averaging a little over 16 MPG. I don't thinks that's so bad considering the truck weights close to 6000#. The mileage is supposed to go up as you put more miles on them and level out around 15K miles. 

I believe that the Ford PSD is every bit HD as the Cummins. If this wasn't true, I don't think you would see so many commercial vehicles with this engine. 

AtlasFBG2 "those Navistar engines will have crank/bearing problems." And your source for this statement? Please share this with us so that I can understand this statement better. 

Don't get me wrong, I like the new Ram's and the Hemi alot better than the new Chevy HD's. I wish they would have put a Hemi Cuda in the new Ram commercial, not a Charger.


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## Mike 97 SS (Aug 11, 2002)

Does anyone here have a picture of one of these new Dodge Rams with a plow on it yet? Im yet to see any in person or in a picture with a plow on yet. Would be cool to see. They are good looking trucks I think, but I wonder if some of that lower trim under the front bumper would have to come off to make room for a snowplow mount? Mike


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## AtlasFBG2 (Jul 4, 2001)

Navistar has some engineering problems with those engines.Out of a sample of 100 test enignes Navistar had like 23 engines tie up.These had very low hours one them.The crank bearings looked like someone welded on them.Navistar blamed the suplier saying there was micro scopic burrs on the cranks.There were also clearance problems betweeen the connecting rods and crank counterweights.I have seen cranks that the counterweights were recut on and connecting rods that were cut on.By the time the problems were discovered roughly 27,000 engines were built.They were tore down and reworked.I would bet there will be some failures out in the field.I wouldnt buy one for a few years.Thats my .02 cents.


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## SatZ28 (Nov 2, 2002)

> _Originally posted by AtlasFBG2 _
> *Navistar has some engineering problems with those engines.Out of a sample of 100 test enignes Navistar had like 23 engines tie up.These had very low hours one them.The crank bearings looked like someone welded on them.Navistar blamed the suplier saying there was micro scopic burrs on the cranks.There were also clearance problems betweeen the connecting rods and crank counterweights.I have seen cranks that the counterweights were recut on and connecting rods that were cut on.By the time the problems were discovered roughly 27,000 engines were built.They were tore down and reworked.I would bet there will be some failures out in the field.I wouldnt buy one for a few years.Thats my .02 cents. *


AtlasFBG2-What report or article do you have to back-up this claim?

Rob


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## AtlasFBG2 (Jul 4, 2001)

First hand manufacturing experiance.


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## Oilburner (Jan 6, 2003)

I want you to be aware that your comments about supposed crankshaft problems with the Power Stroke 6.0 are the ONLY ones I've seen posted by anyone on ANY diesel forum. Not one single Navistar or Ford employee has mentioned these supposed crankshaft problems, not one web site, not Blue Oval News, only you.

You're also claiming that these supposed failures occurred after very short operating hours on test engines. Yet NOT ONE person on any of the Ford diesel forums has reported a crankshaft problem. Pretty odd for your reported 23% failure rate, isn't it?

They started manufacturing the new 6.0 engines in mid-November. You're saying they manufactured, tore down and COMPLETELY rebuilt 27,000 PSD engines in the last six weeks, and NO ONE that works for Ford or Navistar has ever mentioned it? That would be the ENTIRE run of PSD engines, of which they sell about 200,000 per year.

The ONLY reported manufacturing problem was an issue with fuel injectors that delayed Ford PSD truck deliveries about two weeks while a bad batch of injectors was replaced. At least this problem was well documented all over the internet, but YOUR reported major issue? Not a peep from anyone.

Tell me why it's been such a big secret that only YOU know about it and mentioned it.

I note you live in Ohio, so you can't possibly be a manufacturing employee of Navistar. HOW have you seen any of the 27,000 -supposedly- defective crankshafts and rods as you claim?

Since you're the ONLY person that's reported such problems with the PSD, a web search turned up nothing on ANY other web site or chat room, you're going to have to explain a little more where you got your information and how it can be verified.

Frankly, I don't believe a word of what your're saying.



> _Originally posted by AtlasFBG2 _
> *Navistar has some engineering problems with those engines.Out of a sample of 100 test enignes Navistar had like 23 engines tie up.These had very low hours one them.The crank bearings looked like someone welded on them.Navistar blamed the suplier saying there was micro scopic burrs on the cranks.There were also clearance problems betweeen the connecting rods and crank counterweights.I have seen cranks that the counterweights were recut on and connecting rods that were cut on.By the time the problems were discovered roughly 27,000 engines were built.They were tore down and reworked.I would bet there will be some failures out in the field.I wouldnt buy one for a few years.Thats my .02 cents. *


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## 1943gpw (Jan 6, 2003)

Reply to the average 12 mpg claim for the International 6.0 L. I have one and have burned two tanks of gas, the first got 17 1/2 and the second got 16 1/2 and the second was all driving conditions, idiling, city driving, hard accelerations. I could not drive it hard enough to get it below 16.6! This is a great motor. There are other good ones, but can's throw stones at this thing, it's great! I pull a 6K+ trailer and will get it out this spring, I can't wait. As hard as I pushed this last tank, I bet it don't drop hardly at all. It climbes the steapest hills in my area with no drop in mileage on the computer. Above mileages are both computer and actual fill up calculations for confirmation.

Mark


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## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

Mark,thank you for the real world economy #'s. 4wheeler magazines test truck got 12 mpg,while the gm gassers got better.I know they do a lot of low range off roading,and hard driving,but 12 mpg seemed low,I havent ever gotten below 13.5 even plowing.Im glad your happy with yours,all tests so far show this engine to be the new Hp king,far and away.Did you get the 5 speed auto,if so how do you like it?


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## SatZ28 (Nov 2, 2002)

John

Thanks for the info on the truck test. I'll have to try and find the article.

Rob


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## 1943gpw (Jan 6, 2003)

*2003 F250 6.0L*

John, I have the automatic and so far it is great! I have never had a transmission that shifts so smoothly and quietly. I live in a hilly area of Northern Wisconsin (no mountains, but some big hills) and it almost never down shifts, where my expadition with the 5.4 did that all the time. I don't know how they got it down to 12 mpg, but I do have to admit, when I picked my truck up, the computer was showing 6mpg! I have left it sit around ideling and drove it in stop and go traffic and some hard accelerations and am still showing over 16. But I could immagine with this motor someone could get carried away and rip up the pavement, and consequently that could cause a significant drop. And I have not towed! So the transmission and motor have not been really tested that way. Am keeping my fingers corssed.


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## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

Mark,sounds like your truck is an animal right off the showroom floor.I had spend a bit of $$ to get mine to run that good.The 5 spd auto must be awesome,everyone including you seem to love it.I gotta get a ride in one now.


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## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

I also have the 2003 4 wheel and off road 4x4 of the year in front of me right now,the F250SD excab short box 4x4,with 6.0 PSD got 9.49 MPG on there test run,to comaper it there GMC Yukon 1500 4x4,with a 5300 Vortec got 9.86 MPG.If both these tests are at all indicative of the real world,then the 6.0PSD's mileage is no better than a gassers,but with much more power.The 6.0PSD was a full second quicker in the 1/4 mi than the Yukon which is no slouch itself.


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## KenP (Oct 4, 2002)

I got my 2002 2500 QC 6.5' Cummins Diesel in April, Put a Western V plow on it in Sept Plowed 4times this year. If I have any say in it "I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO A GASSER" I love my truck. In this photo it got about 1,700lbs of salt in the bed and a full tailgate SnowEx spreader


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## wyldman (Jan 18, 2001)

Nice truck.We have lots of the Cummins Turbo diesels,wouldn't trade em for the world.

Have you heard of the TDR,great source for info on your rig.One warning though,it's VERY expensive.Try www.turbodieselregister.com

I'm there AKA Bigramguy,and I think a few other from here as well.


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## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

Im on the TDR under the name (Snow man). Nice truck Ken,I took pics of my ram today with the new trynex spreader,ill have them tomorrow hopefully,and post them.


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## korelandscaping (Mar 1, 2001)

*Cummins Running Hot*

The last two times I went out plowing my check engine light went on. I noticed that the temp was almost in the red. I called the dealer and they said that was unheard of on a diesel. They also said that a plow wasn't supposed to be on a diesel dodge??? (one ton w/ plow prep pack.) 
I'm going to change the thermostat this week and hopefully that will solve the problem. If not, the truck is going to the dealer minus the wiring and push plates for the plow!


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## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

Koerlandscaping, what yr is your dodge? Some of the 98.5-2000's had bad thermostats from the factory,they wouldnt open fully,and the truck was fine unless you did severe towing,or travelling with a plow like you did.When myCummins hits about 200 degrees,the clutch fan will kick in ,and it is noisey,but the temp drops in like 15 seconds right back to 185 ish,and the fan kicks right off.If your tstat is bad the radiator will not be hot enough to engage the clutch fan.I worked on a lot of Dodges'never seen one get over 210 degrees or so,even pulling way over GCWR in summer heat.


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## Mike 97 SS (Aug 11, 2002)

No one here has any pics of a 2003 Dodge Ram with a plow on it? The new style Dodge Im only talking about. Never seen one with a plow yet. Maybe my local Dodge dealer has some with plows on I could see, just curious. If anyone has one, please post it. Mike


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