AH64ID

Sounds exciting!! It's a external module, right? So no reprogram of the ECM? How does that effect the readout of your mileage/hp/tq on the OBDLink. It seems everytime the fuel/timing/etc is changed the OBDLink would need to be adjusted to be accurate. It would be nice to see you hit a dyno for actual hp numbers. (You should know that adding up the power adders for horsepower is NEWB-101 right???) Most aftermarket power adders advertise rwhp gains anyhow.

How many miles are on the truck? have you scaled the front axle? The ranch hands are heavy but 1.5" low surprises me. When I put my TT on the front hitch it has over 1K of tongue weight and I don't think I drop that much. I wonder if your springs are worn out?

It may or may not. The gears are pretty big. Just about every time 4wd is used there is binding of some sorts but it's not always enough to make shifting difficult.

Generally grinding out of 4L means there is some binding internal to the xcase. It could mean you're driving in 4wd on surfaces with too much traction.

Unfortunately parts are what older trucks are stolen for, especially that far north of the border. There isn't much you can do in the US with a stolen vehicle aside from part it, race and crash it, or take it over the border. There is minimal market across the border for older stolen stuff. Good luck with finding it, or with the insurance company!! Do you think it was a random theft or targeted based on mods?

In stock programming it will turn on when the IAT and ECT are low. EFI could possibly disable that feature.

Post filter, and I am also not sure there is even a pre-filter option on this motor.

Yes it's all post filer.

The small exhaust housing and huge increase in airflow from the cam will choke you down at higher rpms. If you want to spend a little bit of money and not go crazy on a turbo I highly suggest having your OEM turbo modified by turbo re-source and have a HE351VE turbine wheel put it. The compressor is a good one and the upgraded turbine matches it's flow much better.

Personally I would be more worried with the Edge than the Smarty as the edge is know to run hotter and add timing. That's just my 0.02, but I have been messing with these CR's since 2007 and custom tuning them since the beta testing phase of UDC. The pistons are not an issue with added timing as long as the timing is appropriate and the duration isn't crazy long, neither of which is an issue on a Smarty or Smarty Jr on the lower settings (where I recommend towing at). I have seen several sets of 04.5-07 pistons with lots of heavy towing on a Smarty Jr, and even more timing, and there are zero issues as long as the EGT's are kept appropriate. By that I mean 1250° max continuous, 1300° max and only for very short bursts. Stock EGT's are not safe when any timing is added. Gotcha on the 19.5's treadlife...I am still hoping I get great treadlife out of mine but so far it doesn't look like it. Towing on dirt roads is hard on tires, as it mountain towing on chip sealed roads. I am familiar with PA and 81.. I bet I would get a lot better tread life out there. I would also like the EGT performance it gives me at sea level. I can only imagine how high your EGT's would be if you were to tow at any elevation. Are you still running the stock manifold/turbo with the cam?

A HPCR has more variables to a tune, but basically the duration/rail pressure/timing combo on higher level tunes can be too much for sustained power and higher cylinder heat. It may not document on a pyro. The way that Edge increases EGT's with added timing is bad, IMHO. It is all based on that hypothetical question. As timing increases the cylinder temperature, and pressure, increase but so does efficiency and power output, to a point. It's about finding that balance of EGT's, cylinder temps, and for the OEM tune emissions. The OEM tune has a very retarded timing profile to meet emissions. Aftermarket tuning advances the timing back to a more non-EPA level that improves performance. With added timing EGT's should drop, so when EGT's increase it can mean too much timing, or a combo of added timing and too much fuel. I also don't know that running the levels max'd out on a 2nd gen is a good thing, but I'm not familar enough with the tuning of a 2nd gen to make an educated comment. I do know that there are a few 2nd gens on here that are over fueled/tuned for their turbo but they just drive by the pyro. That can actually let you run too much tune and stay safer; however, I prefer a tune that's appropriate for the entire motor. The 04.5-07's would run 1450° EGT's all day when towing with the OEM tuning. With the tuning I have in my 2005 now I would likely melt a piston at those temps and won't let it get above 1250° continuous, but it works out as it's very difficult to get it above those temps. What kinds of loads do you plan on hauling with 19.5's on a DRW?? That's a lot of tire for a DRW.

They are a mechanically driven gerotor pump which are known for longevity (unless you have a freak incident). It's not something I would worry about but if you do want to change it out they are easy to install once you pull the timing cover.

That right there is a big red flag for me! EGT's should never be cooler on stock than a tune with timing, or any tune, especially when towing (drag/sled pull tunes aside... but that's a different scenario). As others have stated the EDGE runs HOT but I never realized they ran that hot! As for stock 325/610 pulling 8.5K at 70 up a grade it all depends on the drag of the trailer. My 8-9K TT gets my load to 100% pretty easily at 65-70 on stock tuning, but my trans OD is a little taller than yours. So I would hit dorkweed up on his Smarty. The S-06 is a better option if you ever plan to get custom tuning for it, otherwise the Jr is a good choice. If you want a Jr I have a used one I could part ways with, just let me know. Welcome to the forum! NO NO NO!!! This is a HPCR thread!! It's bad enough advice that you should probably delete/edit the info so others don't read it and take it to heart.

What converter do you have now? There may be a plug and play PD converter vs the PD9200. Either way the PD converters are about as good as converters get. I have a PD4655 and am very pleased with its performance.

Even at 0 psi there will be air, just not more than ambient pressure. That's normal to hear air as you make the bag act like a bellow. With your light loading it probably won't be an issue but with heavier loads pre filling the bags and then adding the load can cause them to be overinflated. With just my trailer 7 psi become about 15-17 when I'm hooked up. I have found that the best ride is found keeping a decent amount of weight on the truck springs, which basically means don't use enough air to make the truck higher loaded than it is empty. About 1-1.5" of sag is probably a good goal. This is data from several trucks, not just my dodge.

Here is a reference. Low miles on the truck and 0 psi in the airbags. 2" level up front and approx 2,750 lb pallet putting the RAW around 5,500lbs and I wasn't quite on the overload perches. I will say that I have noticed that my airbags are keeping my springs much more springy vs my brothers lighter, but same spring pack, 2500 Hemi. He sags much easier and rides lower when empty. So I would say that use of airbags extends the life of springs.

Sounds like 1/2 ton suspension and P rated tires :-)

Heavy but nothing crazy. I come into the scales at 8400ish most of the time, so he doesn't have enough to make his RAW that heavy. Possible, but the angle of the control arm should still make a difference.

Unless the control arms are considerably longer on the 2nd gen I cannot imagine why there wouldn't be change. The ride change is from the angle of the control arms being steeper with a lift and stock arms. Sounds like his springs are worn out!

They are both tapped the same IIRC. One is use for temp and the other as a fill port.

Top Gun Customz makes the 1" spacer I am using. The 3500 SRW of Taz's year (03-09 actually) uses the same base spring pack as a 2500 with overloads, but the overloads don't contact their perches until approx 6K RAW so they often are unused. The 2" is too much if you load up the bed/hitch often but I haven't had the same issues with 1"... amazing what an inch can do :-)

Based on what I see you would gain clearance by lowering the front.

Turn to where it rubs and get out. Look and see if the tire going forward a little would make it better or worse.

Where are you the closest to rubbing? If you drop to a 1" you will push the axle forward a little.

@notlimah what size are the tires? A level kit on these trucks can actually decrease the tire clearance depending on the wheel offset. With my OEM wheels and 19.5" wheels I am the closest to tire contact at the firewall which has been reduced by the 1" level. I'd go back to stock but I can clear chains and like the added oil pan clearance from the 1" level. I had a 2" level installed the day I bought it and swapped to a 1" level about 5 years ago. The 1" level is SO much better, IMHO. It still gives me the oil pan clearance, the look of a level truck, and it rides better!! I was not expecting a ride change but it's night and day from the 2" to a 1", so much that I would hate to see what a 3" on stock control arms feels like. I can also use less air in my airbags, about 1/3 as much, when loaded at the same weight. My dad still runs his 2" and a 3,500lb truck camper. He doesn't believe me that he would be much happier with it removed or dropped to a 1". He needs all 100 psi in his airbags to stay level where he could probably do it with 60-70 psi on a 1" So there are some things to think about.