Queenie

We just purchased an '06 GMC extended cab 4x4 with the Duramax in it

Two words...........

Love it.

fountain1fan

ac26 dodge doin't have dana axels any more 2002 was the last year with dana . they suck ! problems with the dana axels jest like you had. now 2003 they went with aam and no front cupeler no more problems . like i said look under your chey at your little axels shafts 1 .250 dia and look at my dodge massive . you upper a arm is a joke . get hit in the front wheel and see what happins i stay with my solid axel

fountain1fan

ac26 the diff housing is ALUM , how strong is it realy. i weld alum every day doin't tell me how strong it is. pos .

fountain1fan

byrd man do look at the nv 5600 then look at your gm my tranny weight is about 800lbs how munch does you ally weigh my housing is cast steel not cast alum .

hammer01

i had 2 dmx crew 4x4's pre-ltz and they still towed my 11k pound boat better than the new 2005 dodge cummins crew 4x4. i chipped the dodge and it was fast but still not as good for towing. the duramax and allison sold me on the mechanics and the interior and comfort of the ride smoke ford and dodge. i am not brand loyal, just never had a gm duramax break down and the towing is second to none on the list being discussed.

haulinvols

I love how nothing starts a debate quite like a good Ford/Dodge/GM debate. All it takes it the first mutterings of "what is better, the (fill in the brand) or the (fill in the brand).

All that matters is that what you buy fits your needs and makes you happy. I have owned or driven (many miles) all three of the diesel offerings from all of the above and they all have their strong suits.

To say one is better than the other is purely the opinion of the one making the statement. Drive before you buy, find a reputable dealer that will let you take a test tow and then decide for yourself which one you like the best.

Dodge gets a bad rep for their automatic transmission and poor build quality. Most of the bad rep is deserved thanks to the late 80's and early to mid 90's transmission designs and poor quality control prior to the Daimler merger. I worked for a Dodge six pack dealer during these years and can tell you first hand that there has been a noticeable change in the dependability and quality of the product now versus then. For anyone to say that the Cummins is a poor engine design or is not up to the task for towing has merely made an uninformed comment. I have personally logged thousands of miles on all three generations of Cummins powered Dodges and have nothing but great things to say about all of them. The truck surrounding them might not have been the best thing since sliced bread, but the drive train was never a concern. For the record, the newest design, the 48RE has been a very solid unit in stock or even mildly built form.

GM has really done their homework and made a triumphant return to the diesel world with the Duramax/Alison combination. Other than their harsh ride and dated interiors, I have rarely heard of any negative remarks by their owners. They finally stepped up to the plate and single hand-idly started the horsepower and torque wars that have brought us to where we are today with diesel trucks. Let's face it, Ford and Dodge were content with their place in the market before Isuzu and GM joined forces.

Ford has probably brought more people into the diesel market with the 7.3 than the other two combined. You would have a hard time debating the fact that the 7.3 is not one of the best diesel engines ever produced for the light truck market. Yes, they have had some ups and downs with early 6.0s but I still think they have one of the best interiors and drivetrains for a HD truck. I love the fact my 2005 has manual hubs and solid axles as well as the luxury of leather and all the gadgets.

The bottom line is this, regardless of how long we debate the subject there will always be opinions. Those opinions are what keep the big three rolling along making products and trying to one up each other. So whether or not you have an aluminum diff, weak transmission, bumpy rough ride, or heaven forbid an outdated interior. Run what you brung and enjoy what ever you find that fits you the best.


Thanks for reading my rant, I now return you to your regularly scheduled broadcast.

awesomecat26

you are missing my point how many front ends on the gm have you ever seend break because the diff was alluminum or the axel shafts are to small ? me none . yes if the front takes a substancial hit the upper a arm will fold . but what happens on a solid axel truck ? the whole diff gets pushed back and something else has to give .like the transmission and transfer case . replaced plenty of those in my shop. I am not trying to say the dodge is a bad product ,been across country plenty of times in one .but i am defending the gm front end design for its intended purpose. I do have a crew cab with 44's under it that i finally gave up on fighting the ball joints and put a dana 60 under it but for the magority of people the front on a gm is NEVER a issue of the strenghth of either the diff housing or the axel shaft size

Byrdman

While I was in Johnson and towers....I asked about this....they said there really is no failure except when guys pump the tune over 75 hp ..and also they said they know nothing of cheapened up transmissions for gm....he said they have the same internal part numbers as the 2000....it is just called the 1000....thats all....maybe the guys there don't know what there talking about.... ....if you see what happens when you change the tune of these things...you will see why the trans fails if not worked

fountain1fan

byrd man i think you need to read the thread d max problems sorry your alley jest f up