'02 Dodge 1500 Quad Cab Questions

Joe Dillard · #1 01-02-2003, 09:27 PM

It looks as if I might buy a truck to replace my old tired Tercel DD. I found a nice 2wd '02 w/5.9L (360cdi), auto trans, 3.90 stock gears & just over 16K miles. I'd like to know if this truck would be good as a tow vehicle for a tandem axle car trailer with a YJ (roughly 6K lbs). There isn't a tow package on it right now, but it has what looks like tranny & PS coolers.

Any advice is appreciated.

mrblaine · #2 01-02-2003, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Dillard
It looks as if I might buy a truck to replace my old tired Tercel DD. I found a nice 2wd '02 w/5.9L (360cdi), auto trans, 3.90 stock gears & just over 16K miles. I'd like to know if this truck would be good as a tow vehicle for a tandem axle car trailer with a YJ (roughly 6K lbs). There isn't a tow package on it right now, but it has what looks like tranny & PS coolers.

Any advice is appreciated.

See if you can pull up the invoice or build sheet on it and see if it has a group called ADJ. I think that is the heavy duty electrical and cooler group for towing.

That vehicle is the bare minimum I would be comfortable towing with and then only on an infrequent basis. The tranny will need to have a big cooler put on it and the mileage will suck badly with a load on it. That truck should get about 12 -16 empty and at the speed limit.

Throw on the trailer and it'll drop to less than 10.

Brakes are a concern also. Make sure the trailer brakes are in tip top shape. You really need to come up and hook my truck up to your trailer some day. You will be surprised at the difference.

Jeff Weston · #3 01-02-2003, 10:31 PM

If you otherwise like the truck, the price is right and towing will be an occasional thing only, I'd go for it. If it's a "tow rig", I'd keep looking.

I was in the same boat a little over a year ago and Blaine suggested a diesel with a V10 gas on a 3/4 ton as a minimum. A few weeks later I found out we were having twins so the truck was out. Instead I got an Expedition with the 5.4L (260hp/350#-ft) engine and the tow package (external oil and tranny cooler). For the three or four times I've towed with it it has been fine. Freeway mileage did drop from about 16 to 12 mpg. The biggest problem is hitting any sort of sustained grade. You'll be in second gear in the right lane chugging along as even some of the big rigs passed you up. I noticed this especially heading up the 15 north into Victorville.

So, for an occasional tower, you'll probably like it. Extended trips will leave you longing for more. FWIW, you may be able to find an '02 Ford with the diesel a bit cheaper since the '03's have a new diesel. With dealer incentives and rebates the way they are, it may be worth looking into.

Good luck!

ChrisO · #4 01-03-2003, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Dillard
It looks as if I might buy a truck to replace my old tired Tercel DD. I found a nice 2wd '02 w/5.9L (360cdi), auto trans, 3.90 stock gears & just over 16K miles. I'd like to know if this truck would be good as a tow vehicle for a tandem axle car trailer with a YJ (roughly 6K lbs). There isn't a tow package on it right now, but it has what looks like tranny & PS coolers.

Any advice is appreciated.

Hi Joe,
I bought my wife a 02 1500 Quad Cab, 4WD ram with the 5.9L V-8. We do not tow with it, however. (I have a CTD for that). The 02 is a fine truck and I really like it. Dodge has done thier homework and put together a nice package. It is a bit underpowered IMO. The brakes are great (empty!).

HTH.

Joe Dillard · #5 01-03-2003, 07:36 AM

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice!

I really need to look around some more & do my homework.

Blaine, thanks for the info on the build sheet, I didn't think about that. Now that I think about it, I suppose one of the coolers could have been an oil cooler vice PS cooler, I failed to look close.

I spent part of yesterday afternoon browsing the National City Mile of Cars (mile of thieves

). I did stop by a couple places & looked at some used F150's & a few Chevy's too. Both with rear room for passengers. Basically 4dr pick-ups. None of them have sparked my interest much. Mostly due to the way they were equipped & condition.

Bruce David · #6 01-03-2003, 08:41 AM

Joe,
I have that same truck in a 2 door short bed, and it dose just fine towing.
Yeah, it burns more fuel, pulls hills slower, and takes more distance to stop,
but your pulling twice as much weight as normal.

You have to decide what are you going to use it for 'most 'of the time.
Commuting to and from work, picking the kids up, getting groceries...................
If you really are pulling your yj out wheeling 'every' weekend, then a diesel
should be at the top of your list.

I look at it like this. The 10 to 15k more for a diesel equals a lot of gas,
and so what if it takes me 10 minutes more to get over the pass...

Tumbleweed · #7 01-03-2003, 05:33 PM

I once owned a '97 Dodge 3/4 ton, 4x4, extended cab. Empty it rode like a brick! Towed a trailer and CJ, okay and stopped okay.
Best ever mileage with the 360 and auto was 14.3-empty on the highway. I drive the speed limits and pretty easy on the gas.

Joe Dillard · #8 01-04-2003, 09:42 AM

Thanks for the additional info guys.

I looked around again yesterday & have my eye on a few others.

Hyperman · #9 01-04-2003, 05:37 PM

Just saw an ad today that Dodge is finally putting the HEMI in the 1500 and they are available now. 345 HP ain't nothing to sneeze at! Would sure take a look.

mrblaine · #10 01-05-2003, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hyperman
Just saw an ad today that Dodge is finally putting the HEMI in the 1500 and they are available now. 345 HP ain't nothing to sneeze at! Would sure take a look.

Are you psychic?

Joe Dillard · #11 01-05-2003, 02:37 PM

Thanks for all the info guys!

I got off my duff late yesterday & got a Dodge 2500 2wd Heavy Duty Quad Cab. It should work OK for tow duties. Here's a few pics.

TJRON · #12 01-05-2003, 02:48 PM

That should do the job Joe.......
It's purty!
I'm glad you found what you wanted, even if it's not a diesel.

TObject · #13 01-05-2003, 04:13 PM

Good looking truck! How much did you pay over invoice? Were there any rebates?

Hyperman · #14 01-05-2003, 06:44 PM

Ahhh.....the sounds of a HEMI. Nice truck.

Jeff Weston · #15 01-06-2003, 12:04 AM

You don't mess around, do you Joe?

Congrats on the new ride.

Joe Dillard · #16 01-07-2003, 08:53 AM

Thanks for the compliments.

Yep, it's got the 5.7L Hemi.

I'm really not sure what the "Dealer Invoice" was. They trimmed a few $K off the MSRP + DC offered a $1K rebate on this Hemi truck. This particular truck doesn't have many options which would normally create a higher profit margine & more bargaining room. So far I'm fairly happy.

I'm looking forward to see how it does while towing up & down grades.

Scott · #17 01-08-2003, 11:27 PM

Nice lookin truck Joe! My rig of choice would be a 1 ton 4x4 dually V10 dodge

.. But thats just me.. who needs the gas mileage

Scott

ChrisO · #18 01-09-2003, 05:43 PM

I sure wish I had waited to get the 03 "HEMI".

It looks like that rear axle is the new unit that Chrysler is building at thier own plant, since Dana lost the contract. Is that the case?

John · #19 01-10-2003, 07:40 AM

They're using these guys in the Dodge trucks now. Look for them to show up in Jeeps eventually I bet.

Joe Dillard · #20 01-11-2003, 09:00 PM

I'm not sure what the axle specifics are except it's pretty beefy. The decal in the glove box says "AXLE REAR 10.50, AXLE RATIO 3.73".

I'm fairly sure it's one of these: http://www.aam.com/technology/tech_p...raxle1050.html

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