Are there manuals out yet for the new generation models? I have checked the web the best I could, and all the local dealerships. The dodge dealer wants $100 for one. I have one I bought of ebay for $10, in cdrom format, but its
2800 pages. I would spend more in ink then I would buying the $100 manual. Plus the dodge dealer one is most likely a shop manual, not as detailed as a haynes or chilton. ThanksJohn
I would suggest spending the money and buying the shop manual, and I believe you are misinformed when you say "not as detailed as Chiltons".
Quite the opposite. First, there are no manuals available beyond the '98 model year from Haynes or Chilton's (that I've seen). Second, having both a Chilton's, Haynes, and Factory manual for my older trucks, the factory manual flat-out blows the others away as far as details. Granted, the Haynes will sometimes give you alternative work-arounds for some of the procedures that normally require "special" tools, but don't come anywhere near the detail of the factory manuals.
Not only do the FSM's give you detailed removal/installation instructions (with lots of diagrams - by the way, where do you think most of the diagrams in the Haynes or Chilton's manuals come from? Yep - the factory manuals), they also discuss the operation of each of the systems - giving you some background on how exactly things are supposed to work.
Then there's the wiring diagrams... if you do any electrical modifications to your truck, the electrical diagrams alone are worth the entire price of the FSM. The Chilton's or Haynes will have maybe 10-20 pages of "typical" wiring diagrams... "this is how it's probably wired in your truck - good luck". The factory manual will give you EVERY circuit, EVERY connector, EVERY splice location...nothing is left to guesswork. Why not go through section 8W in your .PDF file, and compare that to what little information you get in a Haynes. Or compare section 21, Transmission... with it's step-by-step list and diagrams of how to disassemble and re-assemble your transmission or transfer case, to the corresponding section in a Haynes manual. Of course, the Haynes I have for the '94-'98 trucks has 7 (count 'em - that's seven) whole pages covering the automatic transmission. You're not going to find any disassembly diagrams there... (not that you would ever tear down your trans, unless you knew exactly what you were doing, but this illustrates the difference in level of detail)
Now - as far as the .PDF file on CD goes... I have both the printed version and the CD-ROM. Granted, it's sometimes nice to be able to flip through an actual book, but I've found more often than not that the book is just too big and bulky to keep around - not to mention getting the pages all greasy, ripped, torn, etc. If I'm doing something specific to the truck, I print out the relevant pages (usually a half-dozen or less), and I don't care if they get grimed up - I'm throwing them away when I'm finished.
In short - there's a reason the FSM's cost more than an $11 Haynes manual.... because they're worth it
You buy a $25,000 truck, and you don't want spend $100 more? Buy the factory manual! There is a reason it is 2800 pages long, tons of information that the others left out! Greg
I fully agree with the other posters.....order the shop manual.
It makes for good reading. I also believe that a CD should be kept and used as another poster suggested. Print the section needed ,single sided ,so it can be laidout while working. Also get some clear heavy duty page holders for printed pages so you can mark them up as work is being done (grease pencil) and be cleaned for next job.
Henry
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