Rig selection

[12express]

This thread solely applies to overlanders driving Toyota Tundras, 4runners, or Tacoma’s. Specifically, I want to hear from those of you who had kicked around the idea of a Tundra, 4Runner or Tacoma and what your deciding factors were when you made your final choice.. I.E.. towing, family, room for gear, engine, off-road options etc.

I’m familiar with all 3 of these rigs that are currently on the market and their available trim options as well as their aftermarket support for the overlanding community.

I don’t want this thread to be a , “You should consider xxxx make and model” unless it’s a Toyota. Already made up my mind on that.

Don

 

[Billiebob]

Tundra, bigger more powerful. HEAVIER
Tacoma, smaller lighter, more agile, less capacity.
4Runner, no box, more interior storage, similar capacity to a Tacoma.

My FourRunner was a first generation one. Family of 4, we used 2 small tents and build a raised camper roof to replace the FourRunner top. Cannot do that with a new one.

What are your needs??? Family, retired, single.
What are you doing? And where? And when, summer? winter?

You need to add context, focus. Unless this is a Toyota focus group groping for marketing knowledge.

 

[Ghost]

I have had a couple 4Runners and a couple Tacoma TRDs with an Fj in the mix. Currently we have a Taco & 4Runner. Couple questions.

Daily driver or dedicated off road ?
How many passengers are you traveling with?
Sleeping arrangements?
Trailer?

My needs could be different than yours but we couldn’t do just one or the other.

I like the way the Tacoma drives off-road, stiffer, more agile, lighter, more off-road features. Beyond that I like about everything about the 4Runner better.

 

[Ghost]

Tundra, bigger more powerful. HEAVIER
Tacoma, smaller lighter, more agile, less capacity.
4Runner, no box, more interior storage, similar capacity to a Tacoma.

My FourRunner was a first generation one. Family of 4, we used 2 small tents and build a raised camper roof to replace the FourRunner top. Cannot do that with a new one.

What are your needs??? Family, retired, single.
What are you doing? And where? And when, summer? winter?

You need to add context, focus. Unless this is a Toyota focus group groping for marketing knowledge.

Funny we were both editing almost the same questions and comments at the same time.

 

[12express]

It'll be a daily driver. 95% of the time, just me. Single guy ;) I don't mind tent sleeping.
Not interested in an RTT at this time, perhaps down the road.

Uses for me: Towing my 5x14 utility trailer, my ATV (Honda Rancher), some misc gear. Trailer is 800lbs.

I've already considered those points, and all 3 vehicles will do it for me. I wouldn't be towing anywhere near the rated capacity of any of the 3 mentioned vehicles.

One thing I'm not liking about the tundra this far, is no locking rear differential.. Not looking at the TRD Pro model because my last name isn't Vanderbilt LOL

Billiebob and Ghost.. what do you currently overland in, and did you find yourself choosing between the 3? (Currently manufactured) If so, why did you choose what you currently have?

 

[Ghost]

It'll be a daily driver. 95% of the time, just me. Single guy ;) I don't mind tent sleeping.
Not interested in an RTT at this time, perhaps down the road.

Uses for me: Towing my 5x14 utility trailer, my ATV (Honda Rancher), some misc gear. Trailer is 800lbs.

I've already considered those points, and all 3 vehicles will do it for me. I wouldn't be towing anywhere near the rated capacity of any of the 3 mentioned vehicles.

One thing I'm not liking about the tundra this far, is no locking rear differential.. Not looking at the TRD Pro model because my last name isn't Vanderbilt LOL

Billiebob and Ghost.. what do you currently overland in, and did you find yourself choosing between the 3? (Currently manufactured) If so, why did you choose what you currently have?

So for the past 7 years my dedicated off-road vehicle had been a 2000 4runner with 220k pretty hard miles on it. Not my daily driver. Whenever possible I sleep on a cot in a gortex bag with no tent weather & bugs permitting. I also slept in the back of the 4Runner if there was snow or rain, and a large ground tent if staying in one place for a while but want to drive during the day. The 4Runner was not crazy built up but did have good tires, lift, sliders, skid plates and got me most everywhere I was looking to go.

Great rig but was having some issues that come with that kinda use and mileage, transmission, some electrical, oil leaks, and the motor itself was pretty gutless.

At the same time, in early 2018 my wife got a new 4runner (sr5). She drove an FJ for 4 years, an a Subaru for one bad winter before jumping back to a larger Toyota (4Runner).

Earlier this year I decided to ditch the 2000 4runner and my daily commuter car (Carolla) for a 2019 Tacoma TRD OR. One of the main reasons was I had a similar tacoma prior to having our first kid, and the fact we already had the 4Runner getting a second seemed silly.

So the comparison.

First off both are relatively new to us so other than tires most everything is currently stock.

Performance wise I’ve already done much more off-roading with the Tacoma vs the wife’s 4Runner but the 4Runner has been used more for road trips and family camping because we have had it longer. That is however changing.

While the 4Runner is a more plush ride on road, the Tacoma is IMO better off road. The Tacoma with stock tires has gone everyplace the old 4Runner has with much less effort. The Tacoma also works better for how we haul our gear. Even with the dedicated off-road 2000 4Runner I kept everything in containers in the garage and would load them up for trips. The truck just makes this easier. Even with the short bed we can carry more gear and have room for 4 passengers. While I don’t think I’ll be doing a RTT I may add a camper shell to the Tacoma for security and protection from the elements. Also roof racks to both rigs to get fuel, water, and tools out of the interior of both rigs.

So for a more dedicated “overlanding” rig slash daily driver I do prefer my Tacoma.

While I like the smoother ride and what feels like a more roomy drivers compartment on the 4Runner, for about everything else the Tacoma is just better on the trail. Again just my opinion.

What i didn’t ask is do you need a truck bed? We have a 5x10’ utility trailer that I use for everything, trash, landscaping, lumber, so the normally hauling stuff is done with that and can be used behind both vehicles. It also gets loaned out to friends & family vs the “can I barrow your truck or can you haul this for me” question.

Both vehicles obviously work well as proven by many people here on OB. I think much depends on how you outfit them and choose to use them.

Long winded answer and totally just my opinion but I hope this helps?

 

[12express]

Man that’s exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. I like hearing about experiences from someone who’s put miles on what I’m looking at.

So having a bed is nice for just tossing stuff in, doing general hauling and work related things, but one downside for me is dust. Anything that goes in the bed (I have a soft roll up tonneau also) gets dusty. The upside to a 4Runner is no dust inside obviously. I, like you, keep my gear in containers (Plano, contico, rubbermade with lid etc.). If I had the 4Runner, or even a 4 door truck like a Tacoma (my ram is 2 door) I’d be able to keep more gear out of the elements.

Personally, I’ve enjoyed having a full size truck, minus the two rear doors. Hauling and towing with a v-8 is nice. I do miss out on the benefits of the much better fuel economy that a Tacoma or 4Runner would offer.


Comparatively speaking, what kind of mpg are you seeing between the runner and the Tacoma?


Don

 

[Ghost]

Man that’s exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. I like hearing about experiences from someone who’s put miles on what I’m looking at.

So having a bed is nice for just tossing stuff in, doing general hauling and work related things, but one downside for me is dust. Anything that goes in the bed (I have a soft roll up tonneau also) gets dusty. The upside to a 4Runner is no dust inside obviously. I, like you, keep my gear in containers (Plano, contico, rubbermade with lid etc.). If I had the 4Runner, or even a 4 door truck like a Tacoma (my ram is 2 door) I’d be able to keep more gear out of the elements.

Personally, I’ve enjoyed having a full size truck, minus the two rear doors. Hauling and towing with a v-8 is nice. I do miss out on the benefits of the much better fuel economy that a Tacoma or 4Runner would offer.


Comparatively speaking, what kind of mpg are you seeing between the runner and the Tacoma?


Don

Glad I could help.

I get the dust thing, was just looking at my dash this morning. For us here in Washington its the rain. It just started this weekend so the dust is gone but the next next 6 months will be rain, snow, ice.

As for mileage both my wife and I each commute 40 miles a day in opposite directions on a state highway that is anything but flat or straight.

Right now I an getting 19.9 mpg on average with my "best" being 22.1 in the Tacoma with factory tires
I believe my wife is getting about 18.3-18.6 mpg on the 4runner, but is also running 265/70r17 BFG KO2s vs the old factory tires.

So really not a huge difference in MPG but it does seem the spread on my Tacoma is greater in that the freeway travel improves MPG more with the Tacoma than the 4Runner?

I will say my results could be greatly influenced by our individual driving habits but neither of us drive too fast or aggressive. If anything Im the one to "get on it" more.

 

[trikebubble]

I went from a well kitted out Xterra to a Tundra...and while the Xterra will have a place in my heart forever, I've never looked back. I can go (and have) to 90% of the places I went in the Xterra with my Tundra.
The endless power on tap alone almost makes it worth choosing a full size truck like the Tundra. The interior room and ergonomics of the seats in the Tundra (as opposed to the bucket style low seats in an suv or smaller truck) allow me to sit comfortably and drive all day for multiple days in a row with no issues whatsoever. When we returned from a 6500+ km trip in the old Xterra I felt like ripping my spine out and/or shooting myself to get rid of the pain. Last year we completed an 8500+ km trip and I stepped out of the Tundra as if I'd driven 15 minutes down to the cold beer and wine store. No comparison whatsoever.
The increased payload, the comfort, the power, and the pedigree of reliability drew me to, and keep me in my Tundra. Fully loaded with my camper the Tundra gets about 12mpg, which is about the same as the Xterra full loaded. Fully loaded the Tundra does not care one bit what you throw at it, it will climb mountain grades all day long as a decent clip, and you have power on hand to pass big rigs on the highway as quick as you need. I'll never, ever go back to anything other than a full size truck for my main adventure vehicle.

As far as the lack of the rear locker goes, It is on my list of things to add, but it was not even close enough of a lack of an item to sway me away from the Tundra and towards another brand. I had (and used) a loacker on the Xterra, and while it would be nice to have, it hasn't really stopped me from getting where I want/need to go yet. IMO, I can add a locker down the road to the Tundra, I can't add what I believe is the Toyota reliability to another brand of full size truck that comes with a locker.

 

[12express]

Glad I could help.

I get the dust thing, was just looking at my dash this morning. For us here in Washington its the rain. It just started this weekend so the dust is gone but the next next 6 months will be rain, snow, ice.

As for mileage both my wife and I each commute 40 miles a day in opposite directions on a state highway that is anything but flat or straight.

Right now I an getting 19.9 mpg on average with my "best" being 22.1 in the Tacoma with factory tires
I believe my wife is getting about 18.3-18.6 mpg on the 4runner, but is also running 265/70r17 BFG KO2s vs the old factory tires.

So really not a huge difference in MPG but it does seem the spread on my Tacoma is greater in that the freeway travel improves MPG more with the Tacoma than the 4Runner?

I will say my results could be greatly influenced by our individual driving habits but neither of us drive too fast or aggressive. If anything Im the one to "get on it" more.

That’s pretty similar really. Thanks for the mpg info.

How many miles do you have on the Tacoma and the 4Runner? Any reliability issues or mechanical work other than regular maintenance?

 

[12express]

I went from a well kitted out Xterra to a Tundra...and while the Xterra will have a place in my heart forever, I've never looked back. I can go (and have) to 90% of the places I went in the Xterra with my Tundra.
The endless power on tap alone almost makes it worth choosing a full size truck like the Tundra. The interior room and ergonomics of the seats in the Tundra (as opposed to the bucket style low seats in an suv or smaller truck) allow me to sit comfortably and drive all day for multiple days in a row with no issues whatsoever. When we returned from a 6500+ km trip in the old Xterra I felt like ripping my spine out and/or shooting myself to get rid of the pain. Last year we completed an 8500+ km trip and I stepped out of the Tundra as if I'd driven 15 minutes down to the cold beer and wine store. No comparison whatsoever.
The increased payload, the comfort, the power, and the pedigree of reliability drew me to, and keep me in my Tundra. Fully loaded with my camper the Tundra gets about 12mpg, which is about the same as the Xterra full loaded. Fully loaded the Tundra does not care one bit what you throw at it, it will climb mountain grades all day long as a decent clip, and you have power on hand to pass big rigs on the highway as quick as you need. I'll never, ever go back to anything other than a full size truck for my main adventure vehicle.

View attachment 116679

I know what you mean when it comes to the power. My 2 door ram has the Hemi with 3.92 gears. Plenty of power for a 5k lbs truck. Also having the bigger bed and interior over the Tacoma is a good selling point for me when it comes to the Tundra.

One thing I’ve not been particularly enthused about with the Tacoma is it’s sitting position. The seats are very low to the floor board as compared to a full size truck where your legs aren’t extended as much. I’m 6ft 260lbs and having room to “spread out” is something I’m concerned with.

Trikebubble, how many miles/km on the tundra odometer? Any repairs or maintenance issues?


Overall, my biggest concern with my next vehicle purchase is reliability. This is why I’m considering a Toyota. A few family members have had them and years ago I owned 2 1986 4x4 Toyota pickups with the 22r engine. They were rock solid for me. Reliability is something that’s non negotiable for me, and to have that kind of reliability I’ll sacrifice other things that aren’t as important i.e. a V-8, upfront cost (compared to some other brands), sitting position etc.

 

[Ghost]

That’s pretty similar really. Thanks for the mpg info.

How many miles do you have on the Tacoma and the 4Runner? Any reliability issues or mechanical work other than regular maintenance?

So the Tacoma just went in for its 10K service and the 4runner has 30K on it so to say "they are reliable" based on that mileage would be a joke. Nothing to report but ask me in 100-200K.
As for my experience with other Toyota vehicles ive owned.
2000 4Runner 220,000 which i put the last 50K on. It wasn't pretty but I never replaced any parts other than brakes & batteries.
2004 Fj Cruiser 120,000 miles original owner, replaced water pump at 80K & rear axle seal at 90K. I was a little let down on the seal.
2006 Corolla 222,000 miles original owner, 2 sets of brakes, 2 water pumps (100K intervals) and batteries. ran like a champ.
We have no plans on moving away from Toyota being that they fit our needs well and haven't had any major issues.

 

[Ghost]

I went from a well kitted out Xterra to a Tundra...and while the Xterra will have a place in my heart forever, I've never looked back. I can go (and have) to 90% of the places I went in the Xterra with my Tundra.
The endless power on tap alone almost makes it worth choosing a full size truck like the Tundra. The interior room and ergonomics of the seats in the Tundra (as opposed to the bucket style low seats in an suv or smaller truck) allow me to sit comfortably and drive all day for multiple days in a row with no issues whatsoever. When we returned from a 6500+ km trip in the old Xterra I felt like ripping my spine out and/or shooting myself to get rid of the pain. Last year we completed an 8500+ km trip and I stepped out of the Tundra as if I'd driven 15 minutes down to the cold beer and wine store. No comparison whatsoever.
The increased payload, the comfort, the power, and the pedigree of reliability drew me to, and keep me in my Tundra. Fully loaded with my camper the Tundra gets about 12mpg, which is about the same as the Xterra full loaded. Fully loaded the Tundra does not care one bit what you throw at it, it will climb mountain grades all day long as a decent clip, and you have power on hand to pass big rigs on the highway as quick as you need. I'll never, ever go back to anything other than a full size truck for my main adventure vehicle.

As far as the lack of the rear locker goes, It is on my list of things to add, but it was not even close enough of a lack of an item to sway me away from the Tundra and towards another brand. I had (and used) a loacker on the Xterra, and while it would be nice to have, it hasn't really stopped me from getting where I want/need to go yet. IMO, I can add a locker down the road to the Tundra, I can't add what I believe is the Toyota reliability to another brand of full size truck that comes with a locker.

View attachment 116679

I really like that setup! Nice Rig.

 

[12express]

That is indeed a nice rig.

That’s the kind of reliability that I’ve known to expect of when it comes to Toyota. I believe that whatever I choose among the 3 will be reliable. The rest comes down to what I like the most in the end and what suits my individual needs. Right now, I’m thinking Tundra, Tacoma, 4Runner in order of most likely to least likely. The absence of a rear locker in the Tundra can be rectified by an ARB. No worries there. I often am not a part of a group, so off-road options and recovery gear are something I hold high on the list of what to spend my money on.

I’m sure that the off-road capability in the Tacoma has come a long way since my 86 pickups that had over 300k miles each on them. I’ve put a few hundred miles behind the wheel of the latest generation Tacoma (2016), but only on pavement.

 

[Ghost]

That is indeed a nice rig.

That’s the kind of reliability that I’ve known to expect of when it comes to Toyota. I believe that whatever I choose among the 3 will be reliable. The rest comes down to what I like the most in the end and what suits my individual needs. Right now, I’m thinking Tundra, Tacoma, 4Runner in order of most likely to least likely. The absence of a rear locker in the Tundra can be rectified by an ARB. No worries there. I often am not a part of a group, so off-road options and recovery gear are something I hold high on the list of what to spend my money on.

I’m sure that the off-road capability in the Tacoma has come a long way since my 86 pickups that had over 300k miles each on them. I’ve put a few hundred miles behind the wheel of the latest generation Tacoma (2016), but only on pavement.

I totally left out my 2003 Tacoma TRD extended cab that only had 65K on it when we traded it for what we thought would be a more family friendly Toyota FJ. As it turns out kids car seats and suicide doors suck. who'd of thought? The Rig was great but in regards to new models vs old they seem to improve in performance, but it could be argued that with added electronics it may come at the cost of reliability.

As for full size trucks Ive had a few, an older Dodge with the 12 valve Cummings being my last. The Tacoma I have now will likely go to my oldest daughter if she can afford it. (no free rides) By that time ill be be about done with work and commuting.
We have already discussed going to the Tundra if the quality remains the same.

 

[trikebubble]

I know what you mean when it comes to the power. My 2 door ram has the Hemi with 3.92 gears. Plenty of power for a 5k lbs truck. Also having the bigger bed and interior over the Tacoma is a good selling point for me when it comes to the Tundra.

One thing I’ve not been particularly enthused about with the Tacoma is it’s sitting position. The seats are very low to the floor board as compared to a full size truck where your legs aren’t extended as much. I’m 6ft 260lbs and having room to “spread out” is something I’m concerned with.

Trikebubble, how many miles/km on the tundra odometer? Any repairs or maintenance issues?


Overall, my biggest concern with my next vehicle purchase is reliability. This is why I’m considering a Toyota. A few family members have had them and years ago I owned 2 1986 4x4 Toyota pickups with the 22r engine. They were rock solid for me. Reliability is something that’s non negotiable for me, and to have that kind of reliability I’ll sacrifice other things that aren’t as important i.e. a V-8, upfront cost (compared to some other brands), sitting position etc.

I am just shy of 100K km on the Tundra. It's a 2014 that I bought in 2017 with 60K Km on it. The majority of the almost 40K Km I have put on it have been on adventures, ans 95% have been with the camper on. Many hard KM's like running The Dempster, or spending two weeks chasing back country rec sites on logging roads on Vancouver Island this past July. We also use it to go up into the mountains almost every weekend all year long it seems. Lots of day trip ascents up to 7000ft (and back down) in the middle of winter to go snowshoeing. I have not had a single vehicle caused issue as of yet. I had a rubber CV boot clamp break near Whitehorse but it was the faulty of the mechanic at the Toyota dealer who over-tightened it. I have had to replace my front brake caliper, but that was my fault as I neglected to torque a wheel and it almost fell off on the highway, and took the brake caliper and a couple lug bolts with it (I won;t ever not torque and check torque on my wheels again....I'll tell you that) I change the oil every 5K km with Toyota synthetic.

I'm 6'2" and I prefer an open hip angle type seating arrangement, as opposed to any sort of bucket seat. I just don't find it comfortable at all. The height of the Tundra seats (and corresponding roof height) just work for me.

 

[12express]

I am just shy of 100K km on the Tundra. It's a 2014 that I bought in 2017 with 60K Km on it. The majority of the almost 40K Km I have put on it have been on adventures, ans 95% have been with the camper on. Many hard KM's like running The Dempster, or spending two weeks chasing back country rec sites on logging roads on Vancouver Island this past July. We also use it to go up into the mountains almost every weekend all year long it seems. Lots of day trip ascents up to 7000ft (and back down) in the middle of winter to go snowshoeing. I have not had a single vehicle caused issue as of yet. I had a rubber CV boot clamp break near Whitehorse but it was the faulty of the mechanic at the Toyota dealer who over-tightened it. I have had to replace my front brake caliper, but that was my fault as I neglected to torque a wheel and it almost fell off on the highway, and took the brake caliper and a couple lug bolts with it (I won;t ever not torque and check torque on my wheels again....I'll tell you that) I change the oil every 5K km with Toyota synthetic.

I'm 6'2" and I prefer an open hip angle type seating arrangement, as opposed to any sort of bucket seat. I just don't find it comfortable at all. The height of the Tundra seats (and corresponding roof height) just work for me.

I know what you mean with the seat height and open seating arrangement. That’s a plus.

Sorry to hear about those snafus with the Tundra. I’ve always believed the best way to learn is the hard way. Makes it easier the next time. Looks like you’ve got it sorted out now though.


My Ram that I currently have will certainly be the last Chrysler/Ram/FCA vehicle I’ll ever own. You couldn’t pay me enough money to own another.


Toyota, here I come

 

[trikebubble]

I know what you mean with the seat height and open seating arrangement. That’s a plus.

Sorry to hear about those snafus with the Tundra. I’ve always believed the best way to learn is the hard way. Makes it easier the next time. Looks like you’ve got it sorted out now though.


My Ram that I currently have will certainly be the last Chrysler/Ram/FCA vehicle I’ll ever own. You couldn’t pay me enough money to own another.


Toyota, here I come

Chrysler stories being shared? I've owned every major make of vehicle in the past 35 years of driving. The only (and I mean only) make of vehicle I have ever really had an issue with is Chrysler. I had to retire my 17 year old, 300K Km, much loved and much used Chevy Astro work company van last year. Given the limited options now available I bought a very gently used 2015 Dodge Caravan with 100K km on it. A couple months later, at 110K km it sh1t it's motor, took the radiatior with it, to the tune of $5K in repairs. Apparantly it's a well known issue with these wonderful Chrysler motors, some head cylinder issue that goes. They had offered to extend the warranty on certain years of vehicles with this imploding pos motor...but nothing was done by Chrysler or my local Dodge dealer to help me ... nothing at all. So my small business was out to the tune of the $5K to fix this thing....and while the stereo is nice, I really don't have faith in it anymore. I wish they still made the indestrctable Chevy Astro van, I'd be driving one right now if they did. And I'll never in my life spend money on a Chrysler product again.

 

[12express]

Chrysler stories being shared? I've owned every major make of vehicle in the past 35 years of driving. The only (and I mean only) make of vehicle I have ever really had an issue with is Chrysler. I had to retire my 17 year old, 300K Km, much loved and much used Chevy Astro work company van last year. Given the limited options now available I bought a very gently used 2015 Dodge Caravan with 100K km on it. A couple months later, at 110K km it sh1t it's motor, took the radiatior with it, to the tune of $5K in repairs. Apparantly it's a well known issue with these wonderful Chrysler motors, some head cylinder issue that goes. They had offered to extend the warranty on certain years of vehicles with this imploding pos motor...but nothing was done by Chrysler or my local Dodge dealer to help me ... nothing at all. So my small business was out to the tune of the $5K to fix this thing....and while the stereo is nice, I really don't have faith in it anymore. I wish they still made the indestrctable Chevy Astro van, I'd be driving one right now if they did. And I'll never in my life spend money on a Chrysler product again.

I’m on my phone at work, so pardon the brevity in this list. My Ram 1500 is meticulously maintained, and I don’t drive it hard. Prior to this I owned a Dodge Dakota (2007). It was superior in build quality to this ram.

List of problems as of 84k miles on my Ram:

Paint is highly susceptible to water spots, 4 trips to dealer and still wasn’t rectified. Had to figure it out on my own.

Driver and Passenger windows rattle when rolled down. Dealer replaced both window regulator panels. No fix. Come to find out that all the 4th gen 2 doors do this.

I’ve had 3 blower motors put in because they make noise after awhile.. also one blower motor resistor.

Both door lock actuators failed around the 75-80k mile mark.

I’ve replaced the passenger side exhaust manifold bolts and gasket. The manifolds warp because they don’t allow the cast iron to de stress before they are installed. Now the driver side needs done, it’s starting to become noticeable in cooler weather.

The driver side seat bolster had completely deteriorated and I put new foam in.

Last week my airbag light came on.. a little research shows the wiring harness for the seat airbags is trash. I played with it a bit under the passenger seat and the light went out.

2 days ago I put the truck into 4 low and it wouldn’t come out.. 20 min later I finally got it back into 2wd.

Both front wheel well liners are such cheap plastic, at highway speed into a headwind they flex back and rub on the tires.


The factory brake caliper brackets that hold the caliper and pads were not machined to spec. Brake pads rattle.


Im a ham radio operator. The ignition noise created by the Hemi is so ridiculous that I have completely removed my VHF/UHF radio. Nearly unusable. I’ve spent TONS of time troubleshooting it, only to find out that commercial radio shops have discovered this on police cars that have hemis. No fix for this. This same ignition noise also affects the stereo reception. Clearly this ignition noise is broad banded in the vhf/uhf spectrum. The fix was to install a stereo that receives HD radio (digital).. no interference.

So far the engine and transmission have been flawless. I even had Blackstone labs run an oil analysis and it was very positive. I hope that these things all detail why I’m so unhappy with Ram. This truck is a pile of s*it.

 

[Billiebob]

Billiebob and Ghost.. what do you currently overland in

Retired, I need very little but want a dry full bed every night and zero setup. I picked a Rubicon, best 4x4 ever. Compact manuverable, 2 lockers, great clearance, plenty of power. The Tacoma was the close second but I have no need for the box and the Rubi includes lockers.

I tow a home built slide in tear drop on a mirage 5x10 deck trailer. It'll follow the Jeep anywhere. Best part, park, roll in, sleep. Wake up to rain..... roll out of bed, drive away.