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06-30-2009, 05:20 PM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: St.Maries
Posts: 1,010
M.O.C. #7329
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Good bye to an old friend
Yesterday I said goodbye to my friend of 9 years. I left my ole red Dodge sitting in a used car lot in Kellogg Idaho. I drove off in our new to us 2007 Dodge 3500. I didn't even look back.
So far, nice ride, great power even without any fueling enhancements, very quiet, and the fuel mileage sucks big time.
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06-30-2009, 05:29 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Murrieta
Posts: 5,816
M.O.C. #9257
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YAY, when someone else spends money it's a happy time. Congratulations on the new ride!
Seems to me that your new TV is far stronger and has a lower diff ratio so that it can pull heavier. I'll bet your weight rating numbers are better, eh?
As my dealer told me, if you want strong, buy American, if you want MPGs, buy Japanese (and you won't be towing or carrying as much).
Already, you are shopping fuel improvements. Any ideas you can share?
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06-30-2009, 07:23 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leona
Posts: 6,382
M.O.C. #2059
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Hope it serves you well for many years.
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07-01-2009, 02:07 AM
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#4
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Albany
Posts: 287
M.O.C. #9222
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Did you buy it from Dave Smith in Kellogg?
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07-01-2009, 03:07 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Casa Grande
Posts: 5,369
M.O.C. #6333
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Clutch, I know the feeling. When we bought our 5er we had a '91 Dodge Dakota with less than 90k on the odometer. It was always garaged and pampered, in fact, when I sold it in May of 07 I got $4k for it, not bad for a 16 year old truck. Great little truck and hated to see it go, it served me well......As the saying goes "Parting is such sweet sorrow"!!!!
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07-01-2009, 06:59 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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Clutch, keep an eye on that mileage. All the 6.7's I've heard about, including ours, gets excellent solo mileage and "ok," but not great, towing mileage. I get about 11 overall towing. Is yours worse than that? As you said, plenty of power and a nice driving truck. Congratulations on the new ride.
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07-01-2009, 07:15 AM
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#7
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Essex
Posts: 99
M.O.C. #9104
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Congratulations on a nice truck! (I'm a little biased)
Mads Electronics has the Smarty out for the 6.7L now, and I've heard rave reviews.
Good luck with it, and happy trails!
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07-01-2009, 07:27 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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Gosh.. I will try to become more attached to this truck. We are always glad to get rid of the old one and get a shinny new one. We have observed that all of the big three trucks are very close in towing MPG when pulling similar weights. We do 10.5/ 11 at the end of the day but the new Dodge does way better solo. 15/16 is about average for the Ford at interstate speeds. Strange but the Ford gets the best solo MPG at 35/40 mph????
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07-01-2009, 08:38 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lobelville
Posts: 2,128
M.O.C. #6650
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clutch, Congratz on the new Truck. Dodge does have a awesome Diesel engine in the Cummins. When we dropped the Chevy 3500 off last week and came home in the Freightliner. This is the first time since 1971 there hasn't been a GM Truck in my drive way. But with what GM has done in the last year, I have owned my last new GM Truck, I just don't have any confidence in GM. GM was ran into the ground and management lost control of a Great company. We are in the process of getting a Vehicle that can be towed behind the 5th wheel and so for they aren't one of the big three. But I must remember that we live in a Global world???? Good Luck with the Dodge, and you don't have to worry about the pin weight! GBY...
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07-01-2009, 03:03 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Weeki Wachee
Posts: 814
M.O.C. #7219
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My last two trucks were very well taken care of. When I traded them in they were sold before I left the lot with my new one. Diesel mechanic at the dealer bought my last diesel and came into the saleman's office while I was signing the check thanking me for trading it in.
Hugh
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07-01-2009, 03:51 PM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Murrieta
Posts: 5,816
M.O.C. #9257
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Hey Rich, do you have any ideas why the Ford would get better mpgs at 35-40 mph. Somehow that doesn't make sense. At 35-40 mph my RPMS are pretty much the same as 60-65, but I will be farther in miles at the higher speed using almost the same amount of fuel if the truck is also experiencing some momentum. But you have a heavier truck, a dually and a higher differential rating than mine.
I get about 22 mpg solo, under 70 mph. Above 75, I get about 19mpg and when towing my particular Monty I get about 12 (driving under 65mph). I am not complaining because I think a diesel will be better than gasoline. I also have a 3.73 diff. A 4.10 or higher diff will get less mpgs, but they can tow heavier.
I have never tried to measure long distance driving at 35-40mph on purpose, so Rich could have something there.
My apologies for digressing to Ford comments on a Dodge topic.
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07-01-2009, 04:43 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Santa Fe Springs
Posts: 4,189
M.O.C. #639
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Happy for you and your new Dodge 3500 truck, dont worry about the milage, It's a work truck if you want power you have to give it fuel. Steve gets the same milage as I do, it's far more power than my other TV, but the same in milage towing, so just fill er up and enjoy the ride.
__________________
Pulling a 2004, 2980 RL an oldie but goodie.
Tow vehicle is a 2009 RED RAM 3500 DRW.
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07-01-2009, 05:20 PM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bonita Springs
Posts: 1,943
M.O.C. #6977
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Rich if you get 35 to 40 solo running at 65 mph , are you being towed or is someone pushing you , or was that on her honda you were talking about , not a real truck ,i get 10.6 to 11.0 towing and at times down to 9.00 in traffic but the best solo was 20.0 ;;sailer
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07-02-2009, 10:34 AM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: South Shore
Posts: 6,009
M.O.C. #7110
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Congratulations on you’re new TV. I always did like the Dodge. Sounds like it’ll be a good one.
__________________
2011 GMC 4X4 dually CC, 6.6 Duramax with Allison Transmission. Formally 2001 Montana,2007 3400RL Montana, presently 2018 3401RS Alpine.
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07-02-2009, 11:32 AM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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No,No John I said "Strange but the Ford gets the best solo MPG at 35/40 mph????" Not that it gets 35/40MPG..don't i wish. My guess is that at 35/40MPh on a fairly level road my boost is about 7. Coasting down hill my boost is like zero and the MPG is incredible. RPM's at 35/40 are way less that at 60/65 unless we are on a 8 % grade and 35 is a fast as we can go and the boost is 38. Art you get some great MPG on that 6.0... way better than me with the 6.4...don't let that truck go. Oh yea....that 6.7 dodge will get better than the Ford///
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07-02-2009, 11:53 AM
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#16
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Thorntown
Posts: 213
M.O.C. #8805
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My 97 Dodge 3500 gets 22mpg solo and 14 pulling the Montana. The engine is basically stock other than the fuel plate slid forward and a K&N filter in the stock air box. I have the 3:54 gears so acceleration does suffer. That (acceleration) will improve once I buy a good aftermarket torque converter.
My Cummins engine is the old 12 valve. They always got the best fuel mileage. But a nice shiny 4 door Dodge 3500 diesel sure would be nice!
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07-02-2009, 02:48 PM
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#17
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Murrieta
Posts: 5,816
M.O.C. #9257
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Whoa Sailer you read it wrong... it's 34-45 MILES PER HOUR he gets his best MILES PER GALLON. I read it that way the first time, but it sounded so outta this world I read it again and then calmed down.
LOL - it happens to us all.
yup, Rich, I do. The 6.0L does get good mileage on my particular truck but with a 3.73 diff I can't tow as much either - you may have seen some of my posts where I whine about it. Right now, I would rather tow heavier cuz DW loves the Monty and will never go back to the TT.
And the more capable trucks have a higher diff, too. Power goes up, but mileage goes down.
BTW - I believe the differential is shown as 3.73, 4.10, 4.88, etc. not 3:73, 4:10, 4:88. The : represents "ratio" so the ratio form of the differential is 3.73:1, 4.10:1, 4.88:1, etc. which translates to the number of turns on a differential compared to the wheel. The higher the number the stronger the power and hence the lower MPGs because there are more RPMs to go the same wheel distance. Am I saying this right?
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07-02-2009, 05:30 PM
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#18
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Thorntown
Posts: 213
M.O.C. #8805
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Yes, you are saying it correctly. 4.10:1 is 4.10 revolutions of the drive shaft to one revolution of the wheel.
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07-09-2009, 11:48 AM
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#19
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: St.Maries
Posts: 1,010
M.O.C. #7329
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I haven't had a chance to tow with it yet but the overhead computer says 16.4 and that is mixed in town and some hiway driving. Some of ther guys in the NWBOMBERS are getting better but they have taken off some things and added a Smarty. I am just going to keep the warranty good and leave it alone for a while. It has way more power and torque than my old truck so for now I am very happy.
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