Issue 59's theme is, "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

Realize that that the assignment was made to TDR Writers back in October, so their comments did not take into account the newly unveiled 2009 Dodge Ram.  We didn't know how the writers would respond to this theme. Yet again, they managed to address this topic while providing insightful information on a number of technical issues relating to our trucks:

- Clutches. Leno, Holmes and Anderson discuss clutch repair.

- 6.7-Liter Engine. Writers Patton, Holmes, Anderson and Mikonis share their experiences working on the 6.7-liter engine and driving '07.5 trucks with the new engine.

- Batteries. Writers Holmes and Anderson discuss problems that often occur with batteries in the winter months.

- NV4500 Fifth Gear Nut. Anderson and Nelson give updates on the problem that continues to plague this gearbox.

- Steep Learning Curves. Patton, Holmes, Memmolo and Cameron talk about their 6.7-liter engine and the steep learning curve that Dodge and Cummins are experiencing with this engine. Note that Kevin Cameron's "Getting It Right" article is particularly insightful.

- SEMA Show. Several writers attended the show and have written about their impressions. After attending for the past eleven years, I can assure you that there were not any earth-shattering new products released at 2007's show.

In addition to these articles, what else can you expect in Issue 59? Well, in the past five issues we've been talking about lube oil. We're thinking that this issue's correspondence by John Martin will be the conclusion to our technical discussion. Martin shares with us comments from others in the lube oil business about the CJ and CI lube oil products.

You'll also see a follow-up article on the Editor's personal Mega Cab long-bed conversion. We are very impressed with the truck. We hope you enjoy his insights. The only problem? Where to park when in crowded urban areas.

And in an attempt to address the ever popular question of air intake systems, we've also included a five-page update that discusses air density and its impact on your engine.