5.5 foot bed can be tough with a lawn tractor. Some will fit, others don't... (At least if you want the tailgate up). Ask me how I know...
Today im no closer in making a decision. Both are awsome when you drive them.
I don’t recall there being torque converter shudder issues on the ZF based 845RE (not to be confused with whatever GM called their 8 speed), but it could be more of a Ram thing than a Durango/Charger/Challenger thing. I beat the snot out of my 300 with that transmission and it never once shuddered, but it wasn’t high miles and now I have a German made ZF 8HP70 in my Ram.UPDATE:
Ended up settling on the Dodge Ram 1500 with the high miles.
Im a ford guy at heart, but I shockingly do enjoy the ram as much. It rides like a dream and is cleaner than any truck I have ever owned. The true deciding factor was the frame still shines like factory and it has never been repainted, it already has cruise, and the 4 full doors work well for me and my trips to camp. Oh well.....I tad less fire wood with the 5.7' bed over the 6'.
I changed the fluid and pan on the 845RE, and will do it again very soon. The very common torque converter shudder that occurs on all of these has been reduced in half. And it now only does it when cold. Hopefully another fluid drain and fill will solve this completely. I was hesitant to do a full fluid exchange with a machine as I do not know the full history.
Good to know. I have felt it in a lot of different 8 speeds GM included. Some ford E4OD, 4R100, and 4R70w do it as well. Normally on fords a requires fresh fluid and an adaptive learning reset.I don’t recall there being torque converter shudder issues on the ZF based 845RE (not to be confused with whatever GM called their 8 speed), but it could be more of a Ram thing than a Durango/Charger/Challenger thing. I beat the snot out of my 300 with that transmission and it never once shuddered, but it wasn’t high miles and now I have a German made ZF 8HP70 in my Ram.
UPDATE:
Ended up settling on the Dodge Ram 1500 with the high miles.
I can get a kit that includes the stub shaft and aftermarket cv shaft. I will detach the upper ball joint on the driver side and yank the CV off and pack it full of marine spline grease to keep that one from failing.Nice!
Sounds like you are addressing any of the 4th gen Ram 1500 concerns. I think the problem with the front right stub shaft deal is Ram will want to sell you a whole new front carrier assembly. I'm not sure OEM or aftermarket individual parts exist for this issue.
You really don't hear of TIPM problems with the 2013+ or green, crusty connectors or grounds for that matter. I have heard of water/corrosion in the motor part of the E-steering.
It was very wise to change the pan/filter. Ram will say it's lifetime. If you ask ZF, they recommend 60K mile fluid changes. I don't think replacement 845REs are all that expensive. Not a huge demand for them because they seem to last.
The only other common Ram 1500 problem is the parking brake. Does it work? The cam levers that poke through the rear dust shields (where the cables attach) let moisture wick in and the actuators rust solid. You can get lucky and free them up by working them forward and back while spraying them with lube. If they're more stubborn, pull the rear rotors for better access to them to see if you can free them up. If they do work, slather them with an anti-seize of your choice. This issue was a problem for both my 2017 and 2019 Ram 1500 classics. One or two salt belt winters is all it takes.