Uh.....balljoints, exhaust manifold bolts, all seals, shocks, bushings, maybe the power steering (only saying this because mine has failed 5 times)

 

The valve springs sometimes had issues on the early Hemis but that was all resolved by '05 or so. Luckily for you Quad cab 4x4 Hemis are probably the most common 3rd gens around. IDK where you live but rust will most commonly at the top of the wheelwells. The 545RFE trans will live a long time with proper maintenance and the 5.7 will easily go past 300,000 miles

 

I've gotta add the rear diff to that list. Some of the LSD's had some issues with clutch plates coming loose and grenading. Happened to mine and now there's a TSB on it.

 

Thanks for the replies, nothing Striker mentioned sounds too serious and yeah am in Dakota/Minnesota area so rust is an issue and I expect in the wheel wells of Dodges.

Big reason I am getting out of Fords are the 2 valves like mine have head and intake gasket issues which are a couple grand to replace and a crappy spark plug setup where if they break off during replacement you are hosed. Plus on the 3 valve version the cam phasers go out on nearly everyone I have talked to and that fix is a couple grand, plus there is a timing tensioner issue, etc, etc... I fully expect and can handle repairs but being nearly assured several multi-thousands of dollar jobs is too much. I have not heard of the recent Ram trucks having major engine or transmission issues so figure I will try them out.

So on an 80-100k vehicle are there certain things I should ask or look to see have been done by this age/mileage? spark plugs, timing chain, and the like? If no records or unknown I usually have tranny fluid and coolant changed just in case it hasn't been done yet, and so I know approx mileage for follow up service.

 

All you had to say was 5.4 and I knew why you were leaving Ford But seriously.

Plugs need changed every 30,000 miles (at least they won't stick in the heads at that interval), I agree with you and would change the transmission fluid and coolant just to be sure. Timing chain shouldn't be an issue, but contrary to popular opinion it is something that needs to be replaced once in a while (still waiting on timing gears from the factory). I'll probably do mine and the tensioners at 110,000 mile or so.

Any issues with the Hemi MDS? I see it debuted in 2004, they have the kinks (if any) worked out by 05/06? any years to stay away from?

2006 was the first year for MDS in the 1/2 ton Rams, there are no widespread issues associated with it. It has been in the Hemi cars since 2003 or 2004 IIRC.

 

Any issues with the Hemi MDS? I see it debuted in 2004, they have the kinks (if any) worked out by 05/06? any years to stay away from?

 

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far.

Heard some suggestions on listening for a Hemi "tick". If that is really a thing what is the cause of the noise and is it serious/a symptom of a larger issue?

 

Its not an issue. People don't like it because they haven't heard it in other engines they've owned, but it doesn't impact longevity or reliability. Different people will say that different things cause it (hydraulic lifters, pushrods are a tiny bit too short, etc...) but IDK how true any of those explanations actually are. I think its just a characteristic of the pushrod valvetrain and peope just aren't used to it because they've only ever had OHC engines. Chrysler and GM are the only companies to still make pushrod engines

 

check the heat before you buy. make sure the switchover from vent to floor/defrost and defrost to flor works. the vent doors snap, and become a nightmare.

 

This blend door is notorious for failing. Also check if body work was done over bed wheel wells, I know of at least a dozen that had "Ram Rot"

 

Both trucks I looked at this weekend had the vent door issue. One didnt go to floor hardly at all, and the other didnt go to full defrost, full defrost position was split between defrost/floor. The rest of the selections all went to the correct position ok on both. The doors don't appear to have broken but something is not right, a cable stretch or something that won't pull doors closed all the way? Neither issue is catastrophic, merely an annoyance.

 

What year were they? There was a recall on the blend door actuators on some Rams. I don't remember which ones specifically it applied to, but my dad's 2009 SLT was included.

A quick question on a trick I saw a dealer pull. I was looking in the wheel wells and saw that they dress them up with some kind of black paint - covering the plastic wheel well and any part of the frame suspension that is visible from a quick look through the tire area. 1) the wheel wells on a ten year old northern truck dont look that clean and 2) there was overspray on the oil filter. Is this practice "shady" or merely a dress up/part of detailing?

Can't say, my truck has wheel well liners and I'm from the South. I couldn't really see it being a bad thing if there really is no rust. If its covering it that's another story.

 

A quick question on a trick I saw a dealer pull. I was looking in the wheel wells and saw that they dress them up with some kind of black paint - covering the plastic wheel well and any part of the frame suspension that is visible from a quick look through the tire area. 1) the wheel wells on a ten year old northern truck dont look that clean and 2) there was overspray on the oil filter. Is this practice "shady" or merely a dress up/part of detailing?

 

Finances dictate looking at 2005-2008ish years. These years potentially have some serious wheel well rot. Am being careful when looking at them for any patch panels, bubbling paint, etc.

The years I looked at with blend door problems were a 2005 and a 2006. hot/cold dial was fine but selecting where the air comes out from was the problem. Curious if it will get worse over time....am guessing so and if its the expensive >$1,000 repair.

The spray paint job in the wheel wells I doubt was intended to cover up any serious issues/rust/etc. but I find it a little shady....maybe that's me being picky. What else are they covering up?