angus

Gearing makes a huge difference in the way your truck feels, and drives. I would estimate you need about a 4.10/1 ratio just to get back to where you were with the 31" tires. it would also relieve some strain on the drive line, but its not going to be cheep..$$$$$$$.

I`m wondering if the 2nd gen Dana axles are a tad bit narrower than the AAG axles?? I have a set of 2nd gen 16" wheels and caps and they seem to have a deeper dish.. or less backspacing than my 3rd gen.

I`m just curious about the helicopters.. is there alot of difference between the engine on an Apache, and thosed used in something like a (Chinook) sp? sorry about the spelling.

The OEM 375hp cam might have made 420lb/ft of peak torque @ 3000 RPM and 375hp @ 5800 RPM. By contrast the exotic cam grind might make 550lb/ft peak torque @ 5800 RPM and 600hp at 8,800 RPM. I`m just making up those numbers out of thin air, but thats how the relationship works when you are aiming for high end HP. Small cc Dirt bikes are a great example.. anybody thats ever rode one knows how they bog at low RPM then take off like a rocket once they hit their powerband, or torque curve.

No, the old "super stock" NHRA class racers engines were definitely modified! They all used some very exotic camshaft grinds to get them to turn that kind of RPM.. The old Big block Camaros were very popular back then because of their massive port designs which could really breath at high RPM. These types of cars would be miserable to drive on the street, and Could you imagine trying to tow something with one! LOL!

When I was a teenager, I used to hangout at a local machine shop with all the drag racers. One day we were discussing a guy who set a new national record in NHRA super stock class. I remember asking how in the hell can a argueably "stock" Camaro run a mid 10 second quarter mile?? The guy was running a 68 Camaro SS rectangular port 396, otherwise known as a 375hp. He was running a 6.00/1 rearend gear and turning the engine 8,800 RPM !! One of the Guru`s explained it like this; To increse top end HP you have to shift the engines peak torque value higher in the rpm range which obviously sacrafices the low end. and thats where the incredibly low gear ratio compensates. This primarily applies only to naturally asperated engines, because the miricle of boost can give us the best of both worlds. Drag racing and towing are about as polar opposite as you can get, in that you want a big fat torque curve in the lower RPM for driveability.

Well, when you look at any dyno sheet you will see the torque curve peek and then begin to fall as the rpm increases. then you see a HP curve that continues to rise to its own peek value. There is no better place to study this than in a camshaft comparison chart where they use a test mule and track the perfomance of different grinds. Torque and HP will be both change with RPM, so I do think speed and RPM are important. I just think Rancherman was describing a real world scenario where the load he was pulling up a hill has overcome the torque output (Twisting force) of his engine so he begins to lose speed, and RPM On my day job, I am a electrician at Newell Coach Corp. Which is a up scale luxury Coach manufacturer. They are powered by Cummins ISX engines. Part of my job is programing, clearing codes, and checking for the latest calibration updates. The ISX we use is roughly 600hp at 2300 RPM but the torque output is 1950 lb/ft at 1200 rpm. These are 60,000 lb motorhomes and they will get up and haul !

True, engine dynos are configured to match an engines torque output. I think in Ranchermans original post where load exceeds the engines torque , HP becomes irrelevant. When we are measuring a vehicles performance there are so many variables to consider, particularly gear ratio which actually multiplies torque. Measuring speed or RPM as a performance parameter in a towing situation is kind of apples and oranges imo..

http://www.epi-eng.com/piston_engine_technology/power_and_torque.htm I`m a little late reading this thread, but this Link has some interesting facts about the relationship between the two

I`m running 265/70 17 Cooper S/T maxx. They only have about 12k on them. Ironically I rarely tow anything with this truck,, its my old GMC that gets the workouts. I notice you have fender flares on your truck.. I have seen some that look really good, and some others that are down right hideous looking! http://www.autoanything.com/fender-flares/61A2948A0A0.aspx These EGRs might be a nice addition??

I have been looking around at aftermarket aluminum rims, and it looks like 5" backspacing is the only common option available in 17X9 w8X6.5 lug?? My steel OEMs have a 6 1/4" backspace. This would look great with my free spin hubs, but I`m just curious what the wider stance looks like. Anybody have some good pics??

When I reassembled the pass side I ran a wire brush wheel through the bores .. It took very little effort from the press tool to seat the new BJs. after talking to a Dynatrac tech I decided to break it back down and get a knurled set. Meanwhile I broke the drivers side down, and the lower joint pressed in tight.. when I did the upper I literally pushed the joint in and back out by hand. The previous owner had a pretty impressive service record at the dealership where I bought the truck, so I would bet these are going to be the third set now. Dynatrac claims these will be the last ball joints I will need to buy?? At least thats what my motivation is for spending so much $$$$ on this project.

Well.. They appeared to be OEM?? The truck had 120K on it when I bought it , and I`m not sure whether the previous owner replaced them or not. I have 160K on the clock now, and the ones I removed really were not in bad shape.

Well,, I have ran into a snag with my free spin hub, and ball joint replacement. After putting the pass side together I decided I was`nt satisfied with the "loose" press fit of the new Dynatrac ball joints. I called dynatrac and they were more than happy to send me a set of knurled joints and swap me strait out plus shipping. I`m going on two weeks with my truck on jack stands, and it looks like its going to be early next week at best before the new joints get here.. evidently they have had to machine a set out and assemble them before they could ship?? The gal on the phone was very nice, so I have minded my manners.. I had no clue this was going to be such a cluster!!

LOL! thats the first thing that popped into my mind !

Been doing a little wheel research, and my OEM steel rims have a 6 1/2" back spacing. The H2 wheels in AH64,s link have a 5" back space. I think that clears up the length issue. Now I just need to decide if the "look" is worth a new set of rims http://www.autoanything.com/wheels-rims/mickey-thompson-classic-baja-lock-wheels

So is your hubs supposed to be the earlier version of the shorty?? The tech guy from Spyntec told me the new shorty measures 4 3/4" from the stud flange to the end of the hub... and that is according to him the only forging they sell now. http://spyntec.com/00-13_dodge_customer_photo_gallery/

No, I`m not even sure I like the idea of wheel spacers but I nknow they are a neccessity with certain types of rims.

The guy from Spyntec assured me that they only sell one hub with the shorty, and that the longer version was discontinued sometime in 2012. I`m wondering if running a wheel spacer would make much difference? There is no way anyone is gonna get the entire hub/lockout flush with the type of OEM rims I have.

Dork, your rims & caps are identical to mine . So that should be what mine look like as well.

The guy I ordered everything from emailed me some pics of the original kits installed and they looked a little goofy.. you would need to watch out for pedestrians in parking lots or you might take someones legs out! I think there have only been two versions I`m aware of??

I think the OEM wheels on my "03" have a deeper back spacing than the ones on your link.. My hub caps are flush with the outside of the tires.. After looking a little deeper I`m going to have about an 1/8" of hub showing, and 1" of lockout. Its not going to be 2" like I first thought. I need to finish the install and get the caps cut out. I`ll post some more pics when I get it wraped up.

I talked with Matt from Spyntec. He said the latest version of the shorty hubs measure 4 3/4" from the stud flange to the end of the hub. These are 1 1/4" shorter than there original hub. I measured mine and they are the latest version.

Looks like I have the right kit.. There seems to be an optical illusion looking at it without the hub cap on. I should have about 1 1/8 - 1 1/4" sticking out with the lockout when I`m finished.

Man I got started putting my Spyntec hubs on today... I got one side done, and the hub/lockout sticks out 2" past the lug cap?? It is supposed to be the D0008S shorty kit?? I was not expecting anything more than the lockout cap to stick out.