Just how durable is the Allison?

[RobG]

I've been reading this forum off and on since the Duramax/Allison came out, and until recently, I've been a die-hard Cummins fan.

Well, as of late, I've become more and more unhappy with my truck. I'm tired of shifting... my RAM is a 6-speed and has always been a pain to shift. I'm tired of it riding like a brick. I'm tired of the noisy motor (even with ATP blankets its still noisy), and I'm especially tired of no back seat room.

I want an automatic. I already know from firsthand experience that Dodge's automatics are complete and total CRAP and always will be until they totally redesign it and stop trying to reuse a car transmission. I had a '96 auto that I fried in only 5k miles even after beefing up the tranny. That's why I got a 2001 6-speed.

Anyway... the point of this post. Just how durable is the Allison? Both in terms of a 100% stock truck and a mildly modified one. I'm not looking to drag race. I would buy a loaded 3500 4x4 crew cab that would carry my Lance camper and tow my 24' enclosed car trailer (GCWR of 20k or so) and I want something that will do so at a decent pace, not have to climb hills at 25 mph (I can pull most hills at 55+ with my current setup), and get decent fuel mileage.

I honestly don't care about brand wars anymore. If I thought for a second that the new Ford 6.0 and 5sp auto were good, I'd look that way, but I've already heard about lots of trouble with the 6.0 and I don't trust Ford's tranny much more than Dodge's.

When towing big loads, does the Allison run in top gear? Does it actually make use of all five gears? The 5sp auto in my Jeep Grand Cherokee never ever uses 4th... it goes 1-2-3-5 all the time. Lock out overdrive and it runs in 3rd. What's the point of that?

For power mods, I'm looking to pick up at most 100 hp. My 01 RAM made 245 / 505 stock, and the mode I run in most often puts it at about 375-400 hp (stage 3 injectors plus a fueling box on level 1 or 2) and it works well, though the elevation here in Reno requires frequent monitoring of EGTs.

Can you get the 3500 with 4.10 gears or is the only ratio available the 3.73? I hate the wimpy little 215/85-16 tires and would prefer to upgrade to 235's, but with 3.73s I would be hesitant to do so. I don't want to have to dump a bunch of money into mods for this truck like I did my current one.

Last question (for now)... are there any significant changes coming for 2004, or should I try to find an '03 and get the killer financing on it?

Thanks!

Rob

[hoot]

I don't tow heavy... here's a recent comment...
Post (http://forum.thedieselpage.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=006617;p=1#0000 01)

I would wait for the changed 04 engine. More power and some good revisions that make an easy engine to work on even easier. Out of warranty repairs could be significantly cheaper and in warranty easier on the mechanic and you.

[RobG]

When is the new '04 engine supposed to be out? I was out looking today and the local dealers are all out of 03 models and have a few 04s, but they're all the current design as far as I know.

I did get to drive one and was very impressed with it. Currently we're waiting to see if the incentives will transfer to the 04, which they said they should find out about on Sept 2nd. If they don't, then this whole thing is probably moot because it won't be worth trying to trade.

Rob

[ram/tx]

RobG---I don't think you were looking at an 04 D/Max because they are not even going to be on the lots until sometime in January of 2004. As far as the Allison tranny goes, I am happy with mine. No problems yet, but some on here have had problems, but I think the Allison is an excellent tranny, but you will have problems with anything mechanical, new stuff will brake for unknown reasons. The only good thing is Allison won't let GM work on them while they are in warranty. Just R&R them. Can't give you a garantee it won't break, but I think it is better than the Fo@d or Dod@e Tranny. Just my 02 worth.

[RobG]

This was definitely an 04 because I saw the sticker and it said so. So apparently there will be an "early" 04 and a "mid" 04 or 04-1/2.

So anyway... the new motor setup will be out in January? What's new about it? It may be worth waiting for...

Rob

[ram/tx]

RobG--Check this topic out, it will tell you more than I can.
http://forum.thedieselpage.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=006443
You may have to copy and paste, but it is under the Duramax 6600 topic and it is (04 Spec ????)

[cowboywildbill]

Hi Rob, I had a Dodge and I loved the cummins. Mine was turned up (305 hp) and would outpull most powerstrokes while towing. But I went through six trannys in the 97 Dodge and many many sets of front brake pads in 93,000 miles. I traded it in on a new 02 D/Max allison 3500 4x4 crew cab in Oct of 2001. I haven't had a minutes trouble with the truck, except for a dealer replaced the A/C relay( took two minutes)plugs in like a fuse under the hood.Happened when it was new. I now have 35,500 miles on it and have had the truck going on two years this October Most of my miles are done while towing, 10,000 to 15,000 lbs. I am still running the same stock brakes, and the pads are still about as thick as they were when I bought it new. It will definitley out pull my Dodge on any hill, and I get the same milage while towing. And the GMC is a crewcab dually, the Dodge was a 2500 quad cab non dually. I did get about 1 to 1.5 mpg better while running empty (not towing) with the Dodge. But I think the difference is the dual wheels and crewcab. The GMC rides/stops/ shifts and handles better than our Dodge ever did. I tow a 12' 2" high 36 ft. 14,000 lb. fifth wheel camper with it, that I put a Goose neck adapter on, so I don't have to use the fifth wheel any more. Tows better this way also. There isn't a hill that I can't pull at least 10 to 20 mph faster than we did with the cummins. I wouldn't have beleived it untill I pulled with it. Good luck in whatever you decide to buy. I would wait untill the newer style head comes out before buying if you can wait that long. Either way, I think you will be very happy. And I feel the allison is by far the best Auto trans out there to date. I have a lot of friends with D/max allys , and most of them run a 90 hp e-z amp and they haven't had any problems at all. One of my friends has an 01 and it has 87,900 miles on it (all of it towing)and he hasn't had any problems except for a failed heater hose. Good luck in your purchase.

[Clyde]

I have a 03 d/a crew cab3500 with 7980 miles took delivery 04/01/03 was in shop 5 out of the 1st 7 weeks of ownership GM won't the sudden acceleration problem. Still have my 01 Dodge quad cab with a cummins and auto. Put a K&N and a superchip, I plow in the winter I service the trans once a year with Amsoil tranny oil 55,000 miles no problems. Tow a 7,000 lbs trailer at any speed get 16-17 mpg empty 22mpg around town empty 15-16mpg. Set the cruise at any speed and will hold within 1 mph, usually tow at 72mph. The Duramax gives me 10mpg then when I put my camper on I get 8mpg around town I get 10. When I set the cruise at 70 it will drop to 65 then down shift and go to 73 then settle back to 70.

[Captain Mal]

RobG,

Just got back from another cross-country tow. The trailers are between 8 and 10,000lbs and have fronts like the side of a building with LOTS of wind resistance.

The Allison has been re-programmed three times and now does a fairly good job of staying in 5th gear on minor hills. 6-8% grades are held in 4th gear at about 50mph with little throttle pressure. At all times on hills I have to be very careful of throttle position. One minor jerk on my part and the transmission does downshift to 4th. It takes a lot of "feel" to hold it in 5th. Sometimes that is maddening.

Cruise control is not a good option to hold 5th while towing. If not towing, the Allison always stays in 5th and always uses all the gears.

The Tow Haul Mode works well and is a real nice feature going downhill or stopping with trailers on. The transmission temps. stay around 200 degrees on the hottest/toughest grades.

Personally, for towing I would rather have the manual transmission. For driving - especially in traffic, launching boats, stopped on hills etc. - the automatic is far easier and safer to live with.

Right now the truck shows about 148,000 miles and the transmission still seems fine.

Oh - I would NOT buy a Duramax engine as it is now configured. Mine has cost me multiple breakdowns and about $6,000 in fuel system repairs.

[Buck]

I run AFE stage II, Kennedy 5" exhaust, and 90 hp juice. I run the pi$$ out of this thing lately towing 8,000lbs+. Allison never has given me a problem yet!!! 42000 miles......oh, I do have Allison deep pan with transynd. Tranny never reaches 200* either. I'm happy with it :D

[Vette Racer]

I pull 23k all the time (A 38 ft 5th wheel with Jeep inside) and get right at 9-10 Mpg. I use the juice box set on level 3 most of the time with cruise but you still have to foot it at the bottom of a hill when you are towing or it will downshift do to the turbo lag. I owned a 99 24 valve cummins and this truck is way above that one, ride, performance, and room. I would not even look back at the difference. My .02 cents. The Allison has never had a problem in 30k miles.