Front end problems?

[dodgeking7131]

Been looking seriously at some of the 01-03 duramaxes. Im leaving a 2004 ram cummins, ive had 4 of them and Love them but recent life changes leave me needing a strong diesel truck but not the payments of a new truck.

My biggest concern on the chevy offerings is the front end. I new they didnt use a solid axle which had me lil scared to begin with BUT i didnt know they didnt have springs and still used t bars on the heavy duties. So can anyone tell me what the major disadvantages to the front end in the chevy compared to the Ford and Dodge. Im choosing Chevy over ford cause they pull stronger, have more power. and in the years and price range im looking at still have a 5 speed trans. Which from what i can tell is upgradable to 6 wiht some kits. Please be honest

[DmaxMaverick]

Welcome to the Forums!

Unless you are planning on a heavy plow or heavy duty off roading, they are very capable. The capacity is adequate up to (and a little more) the truck's towing/loading limits. I've had mine at the limit many times and have been pleased with the performance. I regularly tow a 14K 5'er RV.

The only weekness I've seen is the tie rod. I've replaced both bearing/hub assy's at 100K(left) and 112K(right), but that is not typical. Most go twice that and more. I would have repacked the bearings 4 times by now with a SFA.

The OEM shocks suck. Bilsteins are gooder. At 112K, my front brake pads have more than 50% left, and the brakes work better than any previous GM, or current other. The rears are at about 25%. All 4 rotors look very good. Don't know what they did with the brakes, but they did it right.

The IFS is much gentler on tires and allignments, and the SFA ride and control can't compare to IFS.

[rob from bc canada]

I've driven F..Ds with twin I beam (horrible) constantly wandering off the road no matter how you hold the wheel.

GM IFS Front End is a pleasure to drive, and the ride some say its like a Caddy even on a 3500.

I had a 93 K2500 6.5 TD and drove it offroad a lot with a heavy (overloaded) Camper on it. After nearly 200,000 KMs I never needed a wheeel alignment, and I could still let go the steering wheel on a straight stretch of road for a 1/4 mile or so.

My 3500 hasn't had much rough use yet, and it did need a wheeel alignment just after I bought it new to get rid of what sounded like bearing noise in the left front when turning right on a smooth highway. Since the alignment, it's been great.

I agree about the brakes, they are fantastic - no fade, long lasting.

The steering on the new ones doesn't track quite as well as my old 93 - I can't let go the wheel quite as long before it wanders off, but it is very responsive and easy to drive on long hauls.

I've not seen anything on this or other DMAX forums to indicate any inherent problem with the IFS.

[DickWells]

Hi D K:
Just happened onto this thread, and had to add my 2 cents.
My 04 Sierra had 45 K on it last Spring when I bought it in Del Rio. The ONLY thing that showed in the Car Fax (sp?) printout, was a record of having changed 1 tie rod twice. I talked to the previous owner about it, and he said that he lived out at the end of 15 miles of really rough dirt road. He towed a heavy goose neck horse trailer a lot of those miles. He felt that the truck had held up quite well. I've had no problems with the truck in the 23K that I've put on.
BTW, my trade-in was a 96 Dodge Cummiins 2500 4x4 x-cab with 66k on it. There had been FOUR track bars in there when I traded it! A new steering gear. New tie-rod ends, too. I still miss the Cummins, and the manual 5 speed, but not that front end.
The only parts that have ever been changed in the front end of the 95 Suburban are the rotors and shocks. One-hundred-eighty thousand on that. About 130 k was towing a travel trailer. The last 60 k was towing with a tongue weight of just over 1400 lbs! I know, that's got little to do with the front, but I had 1200 lb. dual cam bars transfering a lot of weight forward. Thank Goodness the Law never stopped me and had the actual trailer weight checked against the factory sticker! Had an extended tongue, with an 850 + lb ATV on it.
Anyway, I feel that the GM front-end is as good as any you can buy.
FWIW, and good luck with your new truck.
Dick Wells:D

[Got Diesel?]

We run 3 CC 2500's at work

Mine old 03' has 165,000 miles on it and has had a pitman arm replaced and both front hub assembly replaced.

The 02' with 70,000 plowing miles has only needed a pitman arm

The 03' with 70,000 plowing miles has had a pitman arm and both hub assemblies replaced

I will say that we have Timbrens and the torsion bars cranked all the way up on all the trucks.

I have been overall impressed by the trucks and how well they have handled the abuse that the guys put them through. I have always been under the impression that you need a straight axle to carry the load of a plow reliably. They don't handle the load of the Blizzard plows like the F or D (squatting at least 2-3 inches more that the Fords or Dodges) but have been standing up better in the long run.

I don't know if this is some sort of fluke, but we have more problems with our 03' trucks than the 02' Just my 2 cents on that one?

[DA BIG ONE]

http://bulletproofsteering.com/gmifstierod.html