1957 Chevy 3100, meet 1994 Dodge Ram 1500

[Bierkan]

I thought everyone knew that the 94+ Dodge trucks were component frame trucks. :-) Trucks were assembled in Mexico from US stamped parts. To increase the number of frames they could ship, to allow them to sandwich together, they made the frame in sections. 4WD front hoop is the same for a standard or extended cab. Long or short bed is the same frame hoop for 2wd and 4wd, std and ext cab. And so on. I remember this because it was in some car magazine back in the early 90's that, IIRC, featured the dual-axled T-Rex Dodge truck.

I had a 95 with a 360. Shoulda kept it. NOTHING would kill that truck. During one move, where I had my motorcycle, some tools, all the flammables that the moving company wouldn't touch in the back of my truck (1500 pounds in a 1/2 ton truck), the engine boiled out all the water 'cause a dealership's mechanic put the thermostat in upside down. Warped the radiator, fried the fan clutch and damaged some hoses. That was at about 160,000 miles. I sold it at 250,000 and never touched the motor in between. If the heads warped or cracked, it never lost compression or leaked fluids. Lucky.

A huge tree fell on that truck during a storm, too. Fell across the truck and covered it from front to rear. Only place it touched the truck was on the tailgate, crushing it. Bed, cab, fenders were all spared. Lucky. Yeah, I still miss Clifford the Big Red Dodge.

[Purcell69]

Originally Posted by Bierkan

I thought everyone knew that the 94+ Dodge trucks were component frame trucks. :-) Trucks were assembled in Mexico from US stamped parts. To increase the number of frames they could ship, to allow them to sandwich together, they made the frame in sections. 4WD front hoop is the same for a standard or extended cab. Long or short bed is the same frame hoop for 2wd and 4wd, std and ext cab. And so on. I remember this because it was in some car magazine back in the early 90's that, IIRC, featured the dual-axled T-Rex Dodge truck.

I knew there had to be a reason for the subframe, I just figured it was to allow different variations from one main frame, as in long bed to extended cab, etc. Thanks for the info.

















-Joe