LorenS

My dad had a 4V53T that he had planned to put in an old Chevy Crew Cab with gear splitter of some kind. He spent all his free time buying, fixing, and renting out the occasional crappy house that came up for sale around him, so never got to it. Thankfully, it all paid off and he bought his 01 Dodge dually from an auction. The Detroit went away, but the Chevy carcass is - unfortunately - still taking up space in the driveway as it has for the last 22 years or so. I had him fire up the Detroit before he sold it, it sounded great!

So at what point do normal people decide "this is why they make 5500 series trucks"? Yes. If the truck hadn't come with 17s and I hadn't already purchased the brake components for 17s, I may have found a used set of 16s the first time I needed tires. Since I have the 8" wide wheels, I didn't want the LT245/70/17 tires, since that's the max wheel width. Strangely, an 8" wheel is the minimum wheel width for the 265/65/17 - but that's easier to seat the bead when I mount them ;) Yesterday I got a set of used steel wheels pretty cheap, so if I hate the setup hopefully I can sell as a package and not be out much money.

@Mopar1973Man thanks to your preaching on the small diameter tire, today I ordered a set of LT265/65/17 tires, around 30.7" diameter. Not easy to find!

I guess I "misremembered" what you told me before! I just sent you the money on PayPal. I don't know why, but thought the 35/40 hybrid was a 40 turbine and 35 compressor. I suppose that makes no sense now that I think about it, especially knowing that M1973M is at a higher elevation, where I understand a larger compressor is beneficial. Once I read this site's recommendations for a couple of days I'll call Turbo Lab to order the needed parts. Knowing I can tune down injectors, I may keep this as the most budget of builds. Anything more than my old HY35 has GOT to be an improvement.

Last week Threadzy was kind enough to send me his used 8-blade HX35. I should receive it today (I'll get you paid today for the shipping, @Threadzy!). I want to build this turbo for the sense of satisfaction, even if it costs a little more than buying a different one. I don't golf, I don't spend money on hunting, so if I want to spend some money in a silly way, I chalk it up to "hobby". Now, it's an absolute waste of money I'm willing to find the next sucker and pass it along! On to my questions if this isn't a terrible idea... I know it needs a wastegate actuator. Is there a preferred brand/style/vendor? I'm not wanting to spend $200, but am willing to step up some from a stock unit, if recommended. It needs a rebuild kit, plan to buy this Holset kit: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M9NJ1VK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A2CRRCPAMUXUH6&psc=1 From photos, it appears that the turbine wheel got into the housing. If it's gouged real bad, would this Turbo Lab replacement be okay to take me to an HX40 style downpipe? http://turbolabofamerica.com/category/holset/holset-hx35/hx35-turbine-housing-exhaust-housing/ It's about $180 on Amazon. What type of turbine wheel and shaft should I be looking for? 11 blade? 12 blade? Prefer Holset quality. Since I have a Quad, am now looking to upgrade injectors (7x.010 since @Me78569 recommends them so much). If I go that route, should I actually make this an HX35/40 hybrid? I figure the closer I get my truck to M1973M's truck, the better off I'll be for getting help However, I'm not looking for 500-600 HP. More than anything I want a reliable, relatively fuel efficient truck that can tow up to possibly 10k pounds as that would put me at the limit of my 18k pound tags. In reality that would be very rare and relatively short distances, like taking tractor somewhere. If I can do all that have 500 HP, great!

I'm rather surprised someone hasn't chimed in since Friday! I'm not the expert in this matter, so consider this a post to Bump the topic back to the top! I'm still trying to learn my Quad tuning, so love reading others' experiences.

I see. Didn't know if it would be "Snowflakians", "Snowflakers", or something else. "Folks from Snowflake".

Completely off topic, but @NIsaacs, what are persons from your town called? Like "New Yorkers", or "Kansas Citians".

Why would recalibration be needed for 265/65/17s? Isn't that about as close to the same diameter as the stock 245/7x/16 tires as you'll get? Or is it recalibration from a previous calibration to taller tires? Since I don't like to out tires on the max-width wheels, I was going to try the above 265/65 in stead of 245/70.

@Blueox01 transmission setup may be the best for this heavy towing, but IIRC would fall in the "very custom" category. However, I may very well not recall correctly! When I was looking GV units, I determined it might be a good solution for a guy with 4:10 gears who didn't tow a often, or not very heavy. They need fluid changed like every 5k miles, and that may be for light duty daily driver service. They don't like heavy loads in reverse, per their own website. I have 3.55 gears and would love a gear between 3rd and 4th, but double over would be for downhill only!

Whoah! Well, that certainly sells me on the idea of buying from @dieselautopower vs. building. I bought the adapter a couple of years ago and my dad has a pressure tester, but fidgeting around with shims and springs, or whatever, with non-matched nozzles (or would they be?) sounds like a good recipe for a quick trip to the nut-house. Thanks for educating me on this.

I was under the impression that ALL injectors have lifetime of 100-150k miles. Does Bosch use better internals, etc. to make them last a little longer? These are questions I have before buying new injectors. 25-30k miles of extra life will buy me another year between replacements. The injectors I changed HAD to have been original with ~280k miles, and when put on the tester a couple of them didn't get to 100 Bar! And, spray patterns were garbage. However, driving it I really couldn't tell they were bad, neither could the local and well-respected diesel mechanic. Not new, certainly, but no idea they were that bad off. Those were changed before EGT gauge, so no idea how hot I was running.

Thanks, I would love that! Let me know what you need for shipping, etc.

I'd like to try out this one. https://www.benzforce.com/collections/holset-hx35-he351-accessories/products/new-genuine-holset-he351w-4043980-4043982-he351 Or, this guy if the above is too difficult to incorporate: https://www.dieselautopower.com/s200gx-e-dodge-ram-upgrade-turbo-12769880001

I have the welding machines, just not as much time as I'd need to fab it up. The HX35 was my preferred route until not being able to find one used, and not wanting to pay $900 for a new one. Maybe when it's Turbo Time I'll just call DAP and have them set me up right with all the required pieces and maybe even some injectors to match.

Diamond Eye 409SS at $343.08 delivered, for the win. Ol' Dad had that system on his '01 Dually and he recommended it, all things considered (price, ease of install, durability, etc.). I always found his truck a little loud, so I will likely be ordering the Donaldson in a couple of weeks. It was $80 cheaper than the MBRP without a muffler from the same seller. https://www.alligatorperformance.com/performance/exhaust-mufflers-tips/turbo-back-single/diamond-eye-k4212s-4-turbo-back-exhaust-kit-98-02-dodge-5-9l-cummins I hope an HE351 will bolt up to this exhaust, or that I can swap the 5-bolt flange from my HY. I'll be pretty darn happy if I can get this exhaust and a new turbo for less than $1000! That will aid in getting some larger injectors sooner rather than later.

That's the catalog I used to find it! I narrowed it down to the M090544, based on the dimensions you gave. Thanks for finding it cheaper, I tried just a search of the model number and "Donaldson", but didn't see the Raney's Truck Parts link, so thanks double for sending that. Now I just need to figure out what exhaust system to purchase since mine is 3.5", and this muffler is 4". And, what I need to connect it to the HE351, since I don't have a PacBrake like BlueOx01 does. With two kids under age five, the wife doesn't grant too many long work days to me to fab my own, and currently have no operational 2nd vehicle! Maybe I should start there.

Any idea from whom you purchased it? Likely calling a big-truck shop would yield a good price, but online all I'm seeing is $165! And NAPA was well over $200. With a heavy-duty muffler I'm less concerned about it being stainless.

After less than 60k miles, I think my front Bilstein 4600s are needing replaced, but am not sure. When given a solid "jounce" on the front bumper I quickly look through the wheel well and the shock is oscillating - is this a solid indicator the shocks should be replaced? For a truck that rarely leaves the pavement, I expected them last a little longer, even with the heavy engine up front. I am a curb crawler, not one that goes flying into driveways, etc!

This truck shows all kinds of damage under the front end, for all I know they drive over an anvil! Dented oil pan, patched transmission pan, long, deep scratches on cross member. I didn't plan to drive the truck but 1-2k miles per year, and now I'm putting 30k on it often 400 miles from home. The DOR sway bar is certainly nice! But also $700... https://store.dodgeoffroad.com/Dodge-Off-Road-Extreme-2nd-Gen-Torsion-Sway-Bar-25003500_p_164.html

My plan wasn't to go crazy, just maybe an HX35 or modernized equivalent. Goal of doing whole exhaust was to eliminate needing to swap downpipes later, further adding cost.

I would like recommendations for some upgrades. Now that I have my quadzilla and the exhaust fell apart yesterday, I would like to upgrade everything from the tailpipe to and including the turbo. Plans include pulling the occasional 10k pound trailer (rare) and my daily driver. I do NOT want a loud exhaust at idle or old-man cruising. Budget for turbo and exhaust is in the $1500 range, though less is better! 409SS exhaust preferred due to lots of salty roads where I live. Currently have HY35. Stock injectors, am certainly interested in some upgrades nozzles in the future - like around Christmas time.

In the mean time of fixing it or replacing, I put a new set of rubbers in, and discovered it's only out about 3/16". Will run it for a while and see what happens.

My front sway bar is bent/twisted. Has anyone had any luck at all repairing - or having repaired? It's out of whack around 1/2" and chewed up the cushions at the drop link connection. Rockauto doesn't sell a new one, and Hellwig doesn't even make an overpriced new one. Next stop: the junkyards if it can't be retweaked to straight.

Easier than installing an aftermarket radio, I'd say, for the electrical portion. Drilling and tapping your exhaust manifold for EGT isn't too hard and that's possibly the most "complicated". I have the ISSPRO EV2 gauges and really like them, including the directions for installation.