Dodge 3500 trailer puller

super99 · Aug 2, 2018

I need a bigger truck to pull my gooseneck trailer hauling tractors. I've been watching Craigslist and there are 2 Dodge 3500 trucks listed. 1. 1999 with 70,000 miles, flat bed with gooseneck hitch. Engine overhaul, new tires, new fuel pump, rebuilt tranny. $5000
#2. 2001 3500 with flatbed and gooseneck hitch. Not much info on this other than it's supposed to be a good runner with 60,000 miles. Said he bought a newer truck and doesn't need it any more. $5500. Pictures of both trucks are good, no rust. What should I be looking for or checking out on these trucks? Both are gas, auto tranny,regular cab and air conditioning and clean interior. The 99 is a sharp looking truck, white and has a aluminum tool/storage box under the right side of the bed. #2 is green and has tool/storage boxes on both sides in front and behind the wheels. Anything in particular that I should look for ?? Thanks, Chris

newhollandnut · Aug 2, 2018

The front ends on those had some problems but I believe there are some updated parts now to combat the front end issues. I had a 2000 with the 360 for a work truck and it was fine but the diesel I got after I liked a lot better but I was dragging a 30? gooseneck 90% of the time

kyleMI · Aug 2, 2018

First truck for me has red flags 70000 miles and rebuilt motor and trans what has this truck been threw??

docmirror · Aug 2, 2018

The mileage quoted for both of those trucks is unbelievably low. By that I mean it appears fraudulent. Any truck with a gooseneck from that period would much more likely have 300,000 miles or so.

Tread cautiously.

Eldon (WA) · Aug 2, 2018

(quoted from post at 18:30:06 08/02/18) I need a bigger truck to pull my gooseneck trailer hauling tractors. I've been watching Craigslist and there are 2 Dodge 3500 trucks listed. 1. 1999 with 70,000 miles, flat bed with gooseneck hitch. Engine overhaul, new tires, new fuel pump, rebuilt tranny. $5000
#2. 2001 3500 with flatbed and gooseneck hitch. Not much info on this other than it's supposed to be a good runner with 60,000 miles. Said he bought a newer truck and doesn't need it any more. $5500. Pictures of both trucks are good, no rust. What should I be looking for or checking out on these trucks? Both are gas, auto tranny,regular cab and air conditioning and clean interior. The 99 is a sharp looking truck, white and has a aluminum tool/storage box under the right side of the bed. #2 is green and has tool/storage boxes on both sides in front and behind the wheels. Anything in particular that I should look for ?? Thanks, Chris

I assume low mileage because they took a lot of gas when towing LOL! I would go with the '01, it has much better front brakes.

mmfan55 · Aug 2, 2018

Be cautious of dodge automatic transmission. Maybe check with rebuild shops to gauge durability. Dad's dodge went through 3 transmissions in under 90k miles. The dodge I had went through 3 in under 50k. Neither were worked hard. Had a F350 Ford for the hard work. Both of these were 3/4 ton but same drivetrain as 3500. Neither of us would ever consider another dodge.

JD Seller · Aug 2, 2018

I will second looking harder at the 2001. The brakes are much better. As for the miles. I would bet these trucks where hooked to trailers there entire life. So with them being gas engines they only got used when really needed. Not much joyriding to town on them. Also them being gas would eliminate the majority of the full time haulers too.

I looked at the miles I put on my heavy truck. I am not putting 5000 miles year on anymore. So a newer diesel does not pencil out with the added cost of maintenance and fuel right now.

jacks · Aug 2, 2018

The '99 might have come with a "53" engine block which was a poorly made casting from Mexico if I remember. You can find the engine casting number by crawling under the truck and shining a flashlight between the injection pump and engine block. It may have come with that block which would explain the early engine failure. Even with a rebuild, you should stay away from a truck with that engine block.

Eldon (WA) · Aug 2, 2018

(quoted from post at 19:13:16 08/02/18) The '99 might have come with a "53" engine block which was a poorly made casting from Mexico if I remember. You can find the engine casting number by crawling under the truck and shining a flashlight between the injection pump and engine block. It may have come with that block which would explain the early engine failure. Even with a rebuild, you should stay away from a truck with that engine block.

They have gas engines....

jacks · Aug 2, 2018

Oops, I missed where you said that they were both gas. A friend that has rebuilt Dodge truck auto transmissions says that there is a check ball in the oil cooler lines which gums up and stops flow to the cooler, which results in teansmission failure. He removes that part and has had good service from the transmissions from them on.

37chief · Aug 2, 2018

I have a 96 3500 V10 I pull my mowing tractors with. Not real good millage, but it does the job. Some one mentioned transmission problems. May be correct. Now my transmission has a problem. It doesn't shift up through the gears all the time. Oil is clean, and doesn't slip. May be something minor? Check the trans oil on either truck you are looking at, to make sure it's still fairly clean. Both guys probably have some wiggle room on the price. Stan

Texasmark1 · Aug 3, 2018

Cummins are popular around here. The one with 70k miles to me had too many things replaced for that mileage. Might ask the owner how many times the speedometer has rolled, like 170k or 270k. I'd pass on that one. I have had 4 dodge trucks over the years and 3 Cummins, currently have 2. Not sorry for buying any of them.

the tractor vet · Aug 3, 2018

Well here is my take on this , I played the game with a one ton pulling a trailer . I did this for a good while and i ran a lot of miles , i had to really stay up on the truck with repairs . Today if i was to go back to draqgging my trailer i would be looking for a ton and a half truck . Say like a Ford or a I H that had the under 26000 GVW with a diesel a standard transmission maybe with a two speed rear end , air ride would be nice air ride seat for the old bones , air brakes would be out standing . Tilt hood for easy maintenance . and the good part is they are built a lot heavier to last longer. I would only want one that had and in line 6 either a Cummins or a DT 466 also i would really like a 9 speed road ranger trans and somewhere between 3.90-4.10 rear gears on a 20 inch tire . Flat bed size wise between 10-14 foot . I see them for sale in the same price range .

jddrawbar · Aug 3, 2018

He said they were both GAS.

docmirror · Aug 3, 2018

(quoted from post at 05:04:35 08/03/18) Might ask the owner how many times the speedometer has rolled, like 170k or 270k.

From 1990-1993 many states enacted a 6 digit odometer, or where contemplating requiring a 6 digit. Almost all car mfgs switched over in the early 90s to six digit. By 1994, all US and most all Japanese were six digit.

Impossible to roll over if it's digital(I think Dodge was digital by then). If mechanical, it was possible to remove the dash, and use a set of small pick tools to spread the counter shaft, and roll back the x00,000 digit. Rarely happens. If either of these trucks do have a mechanical odometer, these are the kind of trucks I would strongly suspect of being rolled back.

sotxbill · Aug 3, 2018

(quoted from post at 11:00:15 08/03/18)

(quoted from post at 05:04:35 08/03/18) Might ask the owner how many times the speedometer has rolled, like 170k or 270k.

Click to expand...

From 1990-1993 many states enacted a 6 digit odometer, or where contemplating requiring a 6 digit. Almost all car mfgs switched over in the early 90s to six digit. By 1994, all US and most all Japanese were six digit.

Impossible to roll over if it's digital(I think Dodge was digital by then). If mechanical, it was possible to remove the dash, and use a set of small pick tools to spread the counter shaft, and roll back the x00,000 digit. Rarely happens. If either of these trucks do have a mechanical odometer, these are the kind of trucks I would strongly suspect of being rolled back.

Guess you forgot about the dodge dealers getting caught rolling back the digital dashes on their "program cars". .... At one point it was a simple programing input. I believe that has been fixed now.

docmirror · Aug 3, 2018

Guess you forgot about the dodge dealers getting caught rolling back the digital dashes on their "program cars". .... At one point it was a simple programing input. I believe that has been fixed now.

You would guess wrong. Unless these trucks are program trucks, and they are being sold by a dealer, and on a craigslist ad, and are almost 20 years old. I figured the likelyhood of all those things aligning was less than your IQ, so didn't bother with that. My use of the word 'impossible' was an error, for which I have now been called out appropriately. Anything and everything is 'possible'.

Texasmark1 · Aug 3, 2018

Well I still said what I said, his being gas or not.

D beatty · Aug 3, 2018

Trucks that old and not used a lot and set can have more problems than a truck that is used a lot. If those trucks had automatic transmission and not used right or pulling loads to heavy will shorten life of trans.I have bought 2 new pickup trucks in my life and kept both to over 20 years old and they were under 70,000 miles when I got rid of them.

RedGreenGuy · Aug 3, 2018

Dodge death wobble is common. Cost me $1500 to fix on 03. Suggest you test drive on bumpy road. mine started at 45mph. Can be very scary. I had to nearly stop before it stopped. Have a 96 3500 with 186,000 miles. Has been a good trk for me. Owned it 20yrs. I added MAG HyTech deep tranny pan (4 more qts oil)as kept it cool and is still factory untouched. Also added, same company, larger cover to rear end. Don't know if I need additional rearend oil for cooling but still have factory rearend in it. 96 is cummins 03 had hemi. Hemi very hungry. 11-12 running empty and 6-7 pulling (4.10 rearend in both). 03 through 08 known for lots of electrical issues. Got rid of 03 over that problem.

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