You can't tell me it ain't so! 2007, 3500 Ram purchased in May. This last week she's been acting quite strange relating to the electronics. Long story short took her back this morning for the third time and the machine told them I needed to replace both batteries. These are only good for 36 months. Well, five month out of date for the OEM batteries. Mopar replacements 650 amp., $380 plus tax installed. No thank you please. I have had good experience with a company called Batteries Plus. I purchased one of their six cell premium batteries for a 1998 Ram with good results. I've also had them rebuild two of my Dewalt Drill batteries for less than the price of one new battery from the Blue Box Store. So for $186.80 I get two 850 Cold Cranking Amp batteries. They have all kinds of other batteries for cell phones, watches, lawn tractors and I don't know what all. We have three here in Memphis. If your in need of a battery remember this thread.
my experience on those warranty dates is that they usually dont make it but at the discount store i buy some of them from they pro rate the warranty and the last year is worth less than the exchange rate! i swapped 3 in the last year out of farm equipment that were replaced free of charge. pc
My camper battery was a bit less than 3 years old. I'm getting everything ready for a Colorado trip in two weeks so I took it out today for servicing. Only 10.7 volts. I put the charger on it, and then changed my mind. Heck, I'll take it to AutoZone and see what they say.
The little guy put his tester on it and then got my customer information. He then handed me a new battery and said "no charge". It was one of those blue Duralast deep cycle batteries. Made me happy. :) :D
The batteries in my Dodge Ram 3500 are original from May of 2004. :)
Knock on wood. :D
They've outlasted the A/C, U-Joints and 2 sets of tires.
oh you dun it now,you are going to require a jump start in the near future for that remark. pc
You don't own batteries, your only renting them for the number of months your willing to pay for up front. :D
I have found they do last longer if used or charged constantly. The vehicle that sits a lot will have a dead battery long before the car that gets driven every day. I put trickle chargers on all my motorcycles, quads, lawnmowers, they all seem to last a lot longer.
Quote from: Mooseherder on October 08, 2010, 09:08:04 PM
The batteries in my Dodge Ram 3500 are original from May of 2004. :)
Knock on wood. :D
They've outlasted the A/C, U-Joints and 2 sets of tires.
I am positive that this will cost me money, but my 1999 chevy with 334,000 plus miles on it has the same battery in it that it had the day I bought it used from my boss in 2000 with 13,000 miles on it.
Knocking on my wooden desk...
Jeff, you might as well go get a new battery this afternoon. :(
Started counting batteries this summer and came up with over 80 and its no wonder I never get done replacing batteries, we buy the longer warrenty batteries say at least five years that way we don't have to replace them as often, my folks had a car, chevy impalla they bought new in 78 and when my sister traded it off in the mid 90's it still had the original battery in it, so we bought a lot more just like it and they never lasted more than four years in anything we put them in, so go figure. So if your luck holds out Jeff you won't have to worry about another battery for your pickup unitl the truck reaches over 600,000 miles on it if you put in a new one today?
Check the output of your charging system. If you are putting out to much voltage you are cooking the battery and it will not last as long as it should.
You are not going to believe this. I just went out to start the truck as I am going to get a couple tires put on the back of it. Its stone dead. :-\
I told you so.
Quote from: Jeff on October 11, 2010, 10:59:55 AMI am positive that this will cost me money
Actually, he told himself so. ;) :)
I usually got about 8 years out of an original battery in a car or truck. I had a Dodge Ram that was worn out at 168,000 km not miles. A/C, transmission, front universals (one died at 20,000 km ::) ), two wiring harnesses replaced (one at around 50,000 km), shifting lever about broke off (taped up), heated mirrors dead by 50,000 km. Fog lights replaced twice. Original tires trashed within 6 months, one cracked rim.
All in all, a big heap of junk. :D
Jeff,you knocked on the wrong wood. SD is your frame rusted out as bad as my 94 ram.I welded some angle on both sides of right front frame rail to rehook the stablizer bar,and two bumps later it ripped out and spread angles.I'm thinking 1 ton for a pickup but they probbly don't have heavy frames either.
Wally world batts,and take back every yr for replacement :o .
Quote from: Ed_K on October 16, 2010, 06:53:52 PM
Jeff,you knocked on the wrong wood.
You don't know the half of it. Now I don't have a functioning truck at all. :'(
Started out with a dead battery. Dont know why, I jumped it and it took right off and the battery charged. I mean it was dead dead. Not a drip of juice in it. So, got it going and went to the tire store to get a set of used good rear tires for winter. Left from there and came home. Fueled the truck up to go to houghton lake. Got to houghton lake and pulled in a gas station to get a pop. Pulled back into the main drag and I see a vehicle switch in to my lane behind me but looking like it was going to run over me. So I hit the gas to speed up and hear
WHAM! Tammy and I both said what the heck was that!!?? I looked down and my speedometer was floating funny. Crap, I thought I broke a speedometer cable. Then it started working right. Drove up the road a bit and turned into the craft store we were going to stop at. Went in, then came out to get in the truck to leave. No reverse. No second gear. I guess the tranny blew. No oil leaking or anything. We got it turned around and I drive it home. First gear would run the tach up to about 3 grand then it would shift right to third and skip second. No funny noises, just wont shift right and no reverse at all.
I'm either jinxed or cursed. I don't know what I'm going to do. Can't afford another truck and I think this one may be way too much money to fix
I'm sorry to hear that, Jeff. Start checking junkyards for used transmissions? You and a buddy can swap out that transmission pretty easily.
At one time I could. I could not even throw a 1/2 ounce bottle of Rust Reaper 20 feet at the pig roast this year. I think changing a transmission has left my realm of current abilities
Most likely the reverse cone broke, a common weak point in those GM trannys, surprised it lasted this long.
Find a tranny shop you can trust. While you are at it look for a new rear end. :-X
Edit: watch out for junk yard trannys for that truck, you could get one worse than you have. ;)
That really sucks , sorry to hear this. Wish I was closer to go give you a hand in remove and replace the trany, did that a few times .. last time it was 20 below :-\
Feel for you bro :'(
When it rains it pours eh eh That's a lot of miles on any auto tranny. I'd be pricing rebuilt ones from Carquest etc.
Ed, I ditched it for $3500 and sold the cap for $300. Book value was $7500, but with all the work, that made up the difference. When I have to start putting big money on a vehicle I visit a few car dealers for a new one. :D :D
Don't feel bad Jeff, the tail pipe just let lose on mine today. :D
Trade ya.
Maybe in a few years.
After towing my new sawmill back from KC strange sounds started to emit from my transmission area. Two opinions...one said a bad tranny, while the second said possible bad clutch/throw out bearing. I pulled the inspection plate on the bell housing and springs/parts started falling out.
So...my mechanic said this might be an expensive repair and wanted to know if I wanted to put big dollars into a 97 F350 PSD. Told him heck yes, cause I don't have an extra $50,000 bill laying around...I spent all my money on a sawmill. :D Shoot my truck is increasing in value these days. Don't pay that expensive insurance, taxes, and it gets good mileage. Few years, I can get one of those cheap antique license plates. Drives just like a new one...with a missing clutch. :(
Who knows, I might even have to spring for a new battery one of these days. :o
Suppose I would have went to the new truck store iffen I was still working but those days are long gone.
I've never yet seen one of them trucks gain value, just cost of maintenance. Try and get it back. :D What expensive insurance? It's all expensive. Cost as much to insure a $2000 truck as a $50,000 around here. Unless your talking about all the add-ons for financing, which isn't that much difference in price maybe $100. We get lots of people driving without insurance in those old beaters, high insurance for a low value auto. My house insurance about doubled last year, no explanation. Depressed economy and all don't apply to their formula, nothing drives the cost to build a house down. Yet house prices have dropped. It's all BS. House has been standing here for over a century, so I guess I don't need insurance that bad after all. :D Lumber from the mill yard costs me more than you buying it from another country from same mill. Something has to change, don't you think? ::)
I'm saving up to fix mine. I like my truck.
Well, I may be getting my truck fixed this week already. If I get some checks promised to us this week, it might happen.
Turns out Tammy's boss at the bus garage, who is also the mechanic is schooled in automatic transmissions and also works part time for Cadillac transmission. He told her he was pretty positive what was wrong with it after hearing the symptoms, and that if we could get the truck to his house, he would only charge us $200 for labor plus parts to take it out, rebuild it and put it back in. I know the guy and trust him as he has done some little stuff for us before. The parts will be between $800 and $1000 so it wont be cheap, but at least I have a chance to get it fixed. Just gotta pay for the parts first to get it started.
We get blem batteries off of a battery truck. Some our equipment sits around a bit, so there isn't a reason to get expensive batteries. We do pony up and buy the more expensive batteries off the truck for something we use all the time. Still the price is far cheaper than going to a store. And, he happens to like woodworking. More than one time, he left a few batteries and walked out with a few boards. But don't tell the government that.
Glad to hear that Jeff, nice that you can get help when down 8) 8) :)
I'm beginning to not feel so bad about my $184.86 for my batteries now. Sorry Jeff.
Quote from: Jeff on October 18, 2010, 01:49:35 PM
The parts will be between $800 and $1000
How much for a rebuilt from an auto supply or a factory rebuilt?
$1395 to $1995 with exchange not counting installation from what I found over the weekend and this morning.
Does he pressure bench test when done with the rebuild?
Flush the oil lines and cooler?
New torque converter included?
Trannys are a fickle thing to get right.
He's an automatic transmission technician, I'm guessing he knows what he is doing. He's the school transportation superintendent in charge of keeping all the buses running. He's the chief certified mechanic for all the school system's vehicles. Plus he does part time work for a transmission shop in Cadillac during the summer. Plus he's a friend.
How could I not trust those credentials anymore then someone out of the phone book?
The price sounds right in line with what my new clutch cost. Estimate for labor to remove and replace the transmission was $400 but they had to do it twice to find all the bad parts. :o :o Guess that equates to $200/repair. :D :D
Jeff I can understand about your transmission problem. 2 years ago I was in Indiana to see some friend when I pull up to a stop sign just from driving 700 miles and my van wouldn't move. I was lucky I wasn't but a mile from where I was going. Short story of this is the dealer said that the transmission look like it had blow apart and all it took was $3,330.40 fix the problem in a couple of days but it clean out my bank account. In that case I didn't have any choice. I had to have something to get back home in.
Quote from: Jeff on October 18, 2010, 07:18:07 PM
How could I not trust those credentials anymore then someone out of the phone book?
As long as he stands behind his work. :)
Some guys just have to do the best they can with the resources at hand.
Reaction Sun Shell Jeff.
Captain
??? reaction sun shell ??? :P
Yea, got me too! Reaction Sun Shell?
Glad to not be alone , he is way to young for it to be medication issues ;D
I googled it. Gotcha Captain. :) :)
I just said it out loud to Tammy and she said YES! That's what Brad said broke. (Brad's the mechanic)
Quote from: Reddog on October 16, 2010, 07:34:32 PM
Most likely the reverse cone broke
Never new what the technical name was. :)
I am trying hard to figure out how they came up with that name, it worries me :-\
"Reaction Sun Shell"
The Service Manager named it after saying to his associate, "watch this Son's reaction when I tell him how much he'll have to shell out for this piece." ;D
I was to the transmission shop twice with the Dodge and they never could figure it out. The only transmission shop within 100 miles. It had a mind of it's own and from what I could tell, lots of shotty engineering. Warn out on low mileage, what else could I conclude?
Swamp, that truck musta been made on a friday afternoon just before quitting time. :D
Sounds like you'll be OK with Brad in charge.
Jeff- My time on the FF is shorter than most on this thread sending their sympathies. There's nothing worse than transportation problems. We take our ability to come and go for granted until something goes awry. Bob Dylan (yes, for some of you, Bob Dylan) has a great but lesser known song entitled "Everything Is Broken". It might help your current predicament.
"Everytime you turn around, somethin else has hit the ground....."
Finally, as moderator of the General Board threads, you must never, ever allow such a topic to appear again, and if you do, you must never, ever be a participant in the discussion. Period. Doctorb
Yea, but I enjoy staring adversity in the face and then having it kick my ass. :D
:D :D :D :D
:D :D :D
But Jeff, the real question is was it with a frozen mukluk or a steal-toed boot that kicked your ass? :D :D
Got my truck back already this morning. Bill came to $900 that includes taking it back in 1000 miles after break in to have the tranny oil dumped and replaced along with a new filter. I can't complain at all about it as I know how much work it takes just to get that transmission out let along fix it.
Here is the main culprit. You can see where the splines sheared off. Not much that holds it together. Brad did not put OEM parts back in, but aftermarket parts including the new beefed up Reaction Sun Shell called "The Beast"
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/2400/DSC02437.JPG)
thats great jeff, nothing like having your own wheels back and it sounds like he did you right and at a reasonable price. if you add up the miles and divide them by purchase price and expenses i bet you have gotten your moneys worth out of that pickup and it still has some life in it or you wouldnt want to fix it right. it must be a goodun. pc
Good news! "On the road again." :)
Its been a great Truck. The original Forestry Forum truck. Thats one of the reasons I can't let it go. Snapped a photo this afternoon before it took me to get a hair cut. It still loos pretty good. :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/2400/DSC02438.JPG)
Yeah the body is still decent on it to. It would be rusted out up here for that many miles and winters. ;D
I remember that truck, I spent one of my most enjoyable days in it. Went over suicide hill, went under Ozark Co's trafic light, visited Arky , and rode a ferry aver the lake :D I'll bet I'm not the only member that has fond memories iinvolving that truck :)
And you also set off the alarm! :D Remember that? :D
Well, I think I must rember it better than you do >:( I was going to mention that , but decided not to embarres you :D :D :D
that is one nice looking logo on that nice looking ,now driving under its owners power again, pickup. glad you are back on the road jeff.
pc
Guess I know what I'm talking about after all. ;D
Had no doubt. ;)
Yeah Noble, us execs have to ride with class. :D ;)
Jeff, they do salt the roads up your way, dont they? How have you kept your truck from rotting away? Here in VT they salt the roads pretty heavily and alot of vehicles end up scrapped with rust issues before they have a chance to reach that high of mileage.
Chris, maybe it's a 2007 thing. Last week, our Chevy Silverado's battery died and it was just one month over warranty. When I saw your post, I began to think conspiracy. As for how often it's driven...every single day since we've had it.
Jeff, I'm really glad you got that good looking truck back on the road again!
I took a picture of the good side. :D The other side dont look real bad, but it does have some rust under the door and the cab corner and above the back wheel.
I have a 2000 ford F150 with the original battery, exhaust and clutch and I am in Ohio. The truck is starting to rust bad and I have replaced just about everything else on it at least once and some things three times. Had a lot of problems with this truck and can't believe the two things you used to commonly replace years ago are still original.
Oh man, you just did what I did! :-\ ;)
Guess what I'll be replacing when I get home tonight. ::)
oh just dont go anywhere too far and you will be just fine nc guy444. it only will quit you when you are far enough away from home to be a real pita. pc
My wife picked up the batteries at the auto parts store and the kid working offered to put them in. 8)
He put one in and gave up on the other. She drove it home for me to do. What a pita.
The post was broke off the one I had to do. I hope these last 6 years. :D