New used to me, I acquired a Florida truck with 170 on the clock and an overhauled engine its an 03 3500 5.9 diesel 4x4 auto dually crew cab obviously long bed, (not I but someone towing heavy overheated the engine) it showed up to my mechanic on a flat deck who sold it to me for 12k after he did all the work.  

Question is did I buy the wrong truck?  I  bought the truck to use as a company hauler and I spend a lot of time off of improved road surfaces,(tows a 25k lb construction barge alot) first trip out the front end articulated enough to abraid a transmission cooler line causing a major leak, and time set back due to trucks location at time of failure and availability of parts. That was problem one since then the general bs has kept stacking up from broken sway bar end links cracked U joints from mud rocking and alike including new rebuilt front driveshaft.  Starting to wonder did I buy the wrong truck to haul mini ex's with a skidsteer on a goosekneck tripple axle trailer into these sites along with the barge obviously on separate trailers?  Yes, when loaded I'm near 25kor more, so I know I am asking alot of the truck.

Or is there options for improvement I understand I am hard on equipment at times but my second gen Cummins (being rebuilt atm) took ten times the abuse shrugged it off and kept going. Are 3rd gens just not as tough off pavement as the 2nd gens or am I completely missing something?

Edited December 3, 20195 yr by WiscoRedkneck
Clarification and auto correct repairs

Your definitely putting her to  work. 

My first thought was ya maybe but then I got to thinking gravel rds tear stuff up. Our big truck has broken  ujoints suspension bushings metal fatigues and tears. I've ripped wheels off on the bolt pattern 

Then I got to thinking a ton probably has greaseable light duty u joints.  It does have cheesey sway bar links 

 

The trcks taking a beating for sure. The trailer should also show signs of taking the same abuse, cracked welds bushings beat through or wearing flat if solid or heavy walled 

 

We see this kind of wear running pavement at 32k gross with our pickups and goosekneck 

I don't honestly know that a bigger truck will survive any better it had more weight more tourge to beat itself apart even more.

 

We did a job almost 100 miles deep in the Nevada desert. 4 truck and pups hauling material.  It was a nightmare washboard knocking them out daily. 

Nothing worse than 1 truck making it the first day.

 

Dirt it's a harsh world to travel heavy

On 6/17/2020 at 12:13 AM, Evan said:

Your definitely putting her to  work. 

My first thought was ya maybe but then I got to thinking gravel rds tear stuff up. Our big truck has broken  ujoints suspension bushings metal fatigues and tears. I've ripped wheels off on the bolt pattern 

Then I got to thinking a ton probably has greaseable light duty u joints.  It does have cheesey sway bar links 

 

The trcks taking a beating for sure. The trailer should also show signs of taking the same abuse, cracked welds bushings beat through or wearing flat if solid or heavy walled 

 

We see this kind of wear running pavement at 32k gross with our pickups and goosekneck 

I don't honestly know that a bigger truck will survive any better it had more weight more tourge to beat itself apart even more.

 

We did a job almost 100 miles deep in the Nevada desert. 4 truck and pups hauling material.  It was a nightmare washboard knocking them out daily. 

Nothing worse than 1 truck making it the first day.

 

Dirt it's a harsh world to travel heavy

Thanks, very helpful