guinnessbrewer

Hey guys,Just thought someone might be able to take advatage of this: Amazon.com carries suspension parts in stock with free shipping! For example Moog ball joints for my 2000 2500 4x4: k7397 lower ball joint = $55.47Upper ball joint K7394= $55.47 KYB MONO max shocks front 565019= $60.19 rear 565018=69.54 all with free shipping. They also have good prices on the adjustable ball joints.Chris

Hello all, I just took my truck in to check the alignment and it seems I need new ball joints. The shop wants a pretty penny but I think i am up for the challenge myself. The only thing I am concern about is weather or not it has or needs adjustable/offset balljoints. From my understanding the only way to tell if you have them allready is to look at them, possible after you have already removed them. This is great if the town you live in has offset balljoints in stock! But as it so happens, I don't live in that town! All that is immediately available are standard ball joints. Could I just get the adjustables anyway and be good or vice versa? Any thoughts? Thanks Chris

Weeeeeell, It all started with good intentions....(you know thats a bad way to start a story) I finally flew up to Denver last Saturday to take delivery of my truck, the 2000 2500 4x4 I had been asking many of you about. Dealer picked me up and took me to meet my new ride. Mind you this is probably the 2nd dodge diesel truck I had ever driven and the first was a spin around the block. I take it for a drive and everything seems ok. The dealer has put alot of time and $ getting it ready to sell so I basically assume (yes that is a loaded word) everythings going to be good and ready to make a 12 hour run back home. As I am running it back to the dealer I kinda notice a little gear noise coming from the back, no big deal I have heard that before and the drive line seems tight. I get to the dealer take a peek underneath and notice the reaer diff speed sensor is puking a little oil, so with out any fuss they swap it. Then I notice the serpentine belt is checked and the service writer says thats "normal". I protest and tell them I am not going to take the vehicle unless they swap it after further noticing a chunk missing from the belt which just happend to line up by the alternantor in plain sight. They then change the belt. By this time it is getting time for everyone to get going home and I am in a hurry to get home and feel resonably happy with myself for squeezing another $150 in parts and labor out of them in addition to the full tank of gas I managed to get after I agreed on the price. $9600 changes hands, keys are mine and I am off. I get on I 25 to head north to goto the inlaws and then visit a friend and start loading the bed of this beast with some newly acquired audio gear and toys for the children, all neatly hidden under the tonneau. Again I notice a faint gear noise but it is hard to destinguish from the 4 inch exhaust and all the traffic and plus its new to me so I don't think much of it. Sunday morning I head south to NM, in the early afternoon. By the time I get to south denver (approx 20 miles) the noise is noticably more pronounced. I take it easy and try to engage the cruise for the first time, no dice! The pedal pushes my foot back....Hmmm ( I bet they have it hooked up backwards) so I cancel the cruise and keep going. I get to the next town which is castle rock and pull over to check things out. put my hands on all the driveline components to check for slop and excessive heat... all good keep on heading south. Onto colorado springs. Pull over again same checks, same results, only the noise is much louder and goes away when not under load or I depress the clutch. I call a friend and tell him wahts going on, and I suggest it sounds like the rear end is going out and he seems to think the same thing so by then it is 5:30 in the afternoon and starting to get dark. I deside to scrap the trip home call work for coverage and limp back to the dealer. I pull over twice more on my way back and finally give it up just outside of castle rock and call for a tow. Driver comes and takes me to the inlaws. Unload the truck and he takes it back to the dealer. Monday morning at the dealer, my salesman asks, What Happend? " I am not in New Mexico, and its broke" to which they start checking the truck out after I tell them my tale and let them know that I think it is the rear end. 2 hours later they come back with a rag full of powdered metal... BINGO! another 2 hours passes which I use to locate potential replacement vehicles and find out the consumer advocate peoples names on the local news channels just in case they deside to not play nice. They come back and tell me "the vehicle was sold as is and the repair is going to be at least $2500 what do I you think would be fair way to split up the cost". to which I reply " I am not paying another penny, and you are going to make it right" sooooo Another 2 hours passes while they try to see what they can do. I finally go up to the sales manager, who up to this point has not looked at me and asked him if he realized that I have been in his dealership longer than I have driven this truck. He tells me they are tring to figure out what to do and I let him know that all the issues need to be fixed or I am done with this. I am told to call him later that afternoon, so I leave and and take care of other business for the rest of the afternoon. I then check on another truck for a back up which is really well taken care of and I make a deal if I can't get my truck back in working order the next day that I will buy this one.... Finally I talk to the sales manager at around 6pm and see what the status is . They plan to swap rear ends with another truck to get me on the road. Ok thats fine. I ask about the speedo and cruise and a refund for my towing to all fo which he is non committal. I let him know that I want out unless they make this all right. Tuesday morning, I Cant get a hold of the manager, talk with svc manager, he tells me it will be done in the afternoon. i ask about the cruise and speedo to which he knows nothing about. Finally that evening around 5pm I arrive at the dealer to which I am told everything is ready to go and I will get my towing money back. COOL! I go out to check it out and make sure it is all bolted together and they missed an end link on the rear sway bar....By this time as you can imagine they are getting sick of me and this truck. I take it for a drive and FINALLY IT APPEARS TO BE SOLID! Yeah!!!! I make sure I check everything over really well and amazingly enough everything works. The drive home Holy crap!!! that is a whole other story, lets just say northern new mexico and snow and express busses are a very bad combination. But I MADE IT!!!! AND I got about 21 MPG also. It was a rough introduction, but I really like this truck!! Cheers. PS, when I got home I discovered a local dealer has a 1994 single cab silver 2500 5 speed 4x4 with 52000 miles for $7900 and it is really nice... thats ok I am glad I have mine.

I just bought a 2000 witha brand new lift pump I will be removing in favor of an airdog150. I would be willing to sell it if you are interested. The lift pump has less than 1000 miles on it installed by a dodge dealer, not sure what brand it is but I could find out pretty quick if you are interested. Chris

I am getting ready to do this install also, will I need any extra fittings for an airdog to goto the oem filter/ heater housing? My truck has the original lift pump mounted to the block. Thanks Mike! Chris

What tires do you run? This has some brand new GEOTRAC Chinese tires 10ply ( they look like michelin LTX knock offs) I am not too sure I want the tires that are on it, so I am thinking of removing them and put on some Name brand tires ( Yoko or Michelin)

I am considering getting some YOKOHAMA GEOLANDAR ATS TIRES for my 2000 2500 4x4, anyone out there have experience with these? Thanks, Chris

WOW, Thanks guys! that is definitely a good find, I will certainly look out for that! Chris

Guys, I just dug out my old scantool that comes loaded with domestic vehicles to 1999, just a year shy of my new to me 2000 2500 4x4 diesel. I am sure if I goto OTC they will say I need to buy the update software, but I think it ought to work don't you? Either that or does anyone out there have an update they want to sell for cheap?

Back to the future, of course!

Don't worry. As long as you hit that wire with the connecting hook at precisely 88mph the instant the lightning strikes the tower... everything will be fine.

who me, burn out....surely you jest!

?bhaf? Help

NICE! I see these all over the place at the powerplant I work at. Mostly for grounds and bonding straps, first time I've seen them in an automotive application.

Hey ISX,Thanks for your help... I am looking forward to getting some decent mileage but really... WHO ON THIS FORUM ACTUALLY DRIVES 55.....PLEASE! Any opinion on tires to run? I am thinking of getting some Michelin LTX AT2 load range E tires or something with a good on/off road tread. The tires that the dealer put on the truck are some chinese GEO-TRAC highway tread 10ply. ( I know, I know every thing we have these days is chinese, but tires? COME ON!!!???) THANKS!!!!!

Thanks for the input ISX!

I am pretty close to buying my first dodge diesel pickup, and I found a 2000 2500 club cab 6 speed camper special sport 4x4 for 9600. It is a 1 owner truck very well maintained with 166,000. The owner used it to pull a 5th wheel occasionally and here is the kicker....it has a 53 block. As of this moment there are no cracks or coolant leaks. What do you think? It is a really nice truck, but this and the typical vp44 issues give me pause before I pull the trigger. The other truck I am looking at is a 98 12v with 142000 for $9500. only problem with that is it has an auto transmission, which I feel would probably be more trouble than a manual. I like the idea of a 12v mostly because they seem to be a bit more reliable than the 24v trucks (fuel and ecm issues)Whichever truck I get, i don't plan to hot rod it, the most I think I would do is a k&n and maybe exhaust with an edge juice/ attitude. This truck will be used as a daily driver, occasionally used to get firewood, and haul a small camper. Thanks!

thank you, I will look into that.

Is there any way to know if it has a 53 block by the vin or build sheet? I have yet to see the truck in person and plan to go pick it up late this month... Here's hoping it is not a 53 block!!

Yes, it was...

Thanks for the tip!

thanks...It will take a little time to get used to this new beast...but I think I am gonna LIKE IT!

That seems to be what he was alluding to.... well that is good to hear. Did that engine also have the problem with the dowel pin migrating into the timing gears?

I heard from a guy I work with that the 6 speed trans has had a problem with 6th gear not working? ( a recall issue perhaps?)

Hello All,I currently own a really nice 2004 F150 which I plan to sell to my brother and purchase a 2000 Dodge 2500 4x4 camper special Club Cab LB 6speed sport with 166000 miles 1 owner truck. It just had a new lift pump installed due to a recall that had not been done as well as several other items ...Brakes, vacuum harness for transfer case, tires batteries I forget the rest..Could you all give me a few ideas what I need to look out for as I am taking this out for a test drive and beyond? I am pretty sure I am going to purchase it if it everything the seller claims. Thanks for your input,Chris