Dodges front end designs...

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Dodges front end designs...

Postby Flanra » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:24 pm

Ok, I have always wanted to ask everyone their thoughts about this because its something that has been bugging me for awhile, Are the 94+ dodge front ends really as junk as I have been hearing? I am eventually planning on getting a new truck but am wondering if I am better off sticking with my 1st gen due to the simple fact that it is built like a tank. I don't want to go out and spend 30k on a new truck and have to be replaceing the front end every few years... I have not heard much about the 2003+ trucks having many problems, but it seems like every time I turn around I am hearing another horror story about a 2nd gen front end... Can someone please educate me a little about this topic? :(
1990 1st gen, 727 auto, starwheel bottomed, fuel delivery rate adj. fuel screw turned, 4" exhaust/stacked, pyro/boost 35# @ 1250*... 3" lift 36" tires...

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Postby MUDDY » Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:33 am

on 2nd gen 4WD's the track bar joint is a problem. replace with a lukes link does the trick. also non geaseable frnt wheel bearings on the 4WD. there is an expense when it gets close to 200,000 and some need rrplacing sooner.

i prefer the dana 60 w/ freewhelling hubs and leaf springs that the 1gen has,,,,,,,,,but the 2nd gen front end design isnt bad,,,,,,,if ya replace w/ lukes link



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Postby Cschafer » Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:53 am

Right and wrong I guess. Dads 94 got ball joints, trackbar and brakes on warenty :roll: . Then that stuff went out agian in another 30,000 miles. After that it got aftermarket stuff, moog with lifetime stuff and it's been alot better. Probobly 2 more trackbars and a couple balljoints since and it has 360,000 on it now and has a 8' commercial plow on it every winter since 95, so I guess it could be better but it's not too bad. The brakes just plain suck however. Now my 96 has most original stuff as best I can tell with 141,000 on it. Most of the guys I talk to with later second gens don't complain at all. Everything that has a problem has a fix if you read in the forums at all. The axle it self is great, I personally don't know anyone that has broke an axle or ring and pinion in them and lord knows I've tried. I've had more problems with kingpins and rotors on my first gen then I've had problems with my 96 so I guess everybody has a differnt experience. As far as the rest of the truck goes I love my first gen but I hate driving it anywhere after getting my 96 :roll:
90 W250,bank$ intercooled,I.I. Silver Bulit, 38mm ex. gate, a-1000 supply, 6x.018's, MIA AFC lever, 366 spring, 2 stages of laughing gas, 486/1005 on the gas. sold
91 w250 wrecker
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Postby holeshotracing » Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:52 pm

I just got a '98 with a 12-valve (so you can see, I haven't strayed TOO far from the fold, and still have my First Gen anyway) and the thing wanders all over the place. I expected it to, and it's fulfilled my expectations. You take your eyes off the road for a second, and you're almost in the ditch. Anyway, I've heard you can get brackets and run a 3rd Gen track bar, which is what I'm planning on doing.
Black 1993 regular cab W250, G-trag, NP205, 262K, muffler gone, Isspro tach & boost
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Postby dpuckett » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:58 pm

Girlfriend's shop has done almost as many 3rdGen front ball joints as 2ndGen. Ball joints, and everything else, looks lighter duty than 1stGen. Ball joints in a 4x4 3G are MUCH smaller than on my 1stGen 2wd, which I thought was marginal at best. I dont like the bearing/ hub assemblies. Buddy's 97 1/2T has gone through its share already, at <150K. Sealed for life means shorter life.

Daniel
His- 93 W250 club cab LE, auto to Getrag conversion, piston lift pump, 3.54 LSD. 400k+
Hers- 04 QC 4x4. Built auto, Triple Dog, Air Dog. Funny Round truck that aint so quiet.
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Postby PToombs » Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:17 pm

I just replaced both front wheel bearings on my 95 gasser past weekend. The drivers side bound up, and then the rollers fell out! :shock: Good thing I was 1/2 mile from home. 104k miles.
pete

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Postby Cschafer » Wed Mar 21, 2007 7:58 pm

dad's 94 went 280K on the passinger side and 305K on the drivers side wheel bareing before they went out. Now with the aftermarket ones he cant get 10K :evil:
90 W250,bank$ intercooled,I.I. Silver Bulit, 38mm ex. gate, a-1000 supply, 6x.018's, MIA AFC lever, 366 spring, 2 stages of laughing gas, 486/1005 on the gas. sold
91 w250 wrecker
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Re: Dodges front end designs...

Postby greasemonkey » Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:15 pm

Flanra wrote:Ok, I have always wanted to ask everyone their thoughts about this because its something that has been bugging me for awhile, Are the 94+ dodge front ends really as junk as I have been hearing?


digging an old thread up here...Flanra, you still thinking about a 2nd gen or not? after owning a 96 and 93, I'd like to own another 2nd gen again, ideally a 24v p-pumped. I drove the hell outa my 2nd gen offroad, learned to 'rally race' in it and drove it like a race car on the pavement. most were very surprised at how well it handled; some got mad because my 7k lb 4x4 handled better than their coupe.

best thing I did was put a Thuren track bar and Bilstein 5100 shocks on it. I did the balljoints once in the 100k that I owned it; never had to do the hubs but have heard the cheap ones are short-lived. didn't like the sealed hubs or the vacuum axle disconnect but never had problems with either. one thing I didn't get done before I sold the truck is the DSS steering stabilzer, ties to both frame rails and stabilizes the steering gearbox. drove a friends truck that had it, makes a world of difference with larger tires.

it's somewhat common for guys to swap in a superduty Dana front since they're a high pinion, serviceable wheel bearing, manual hub, strong axle differential and have a fair amount of options for lockers/limited slip. or there are kits from Dynatrac that convert the dodge Dana to a serviceable bearing, manual hub. if I ever get my P-pumped 24v 2nd gen I'll want to swap the axle. but that's for pretty severe abuse.
'93 250 4x4 NV4500, flatbed, club cab, ex brake, pump tweaked, too many new ideas thanks to you guys.
dubbed the "Mexican Mtn Goat"

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