2nd Gen Dodge 2500, mod suggestions?

[PaulArthur1]

 https://trackeasy.fun/usps/ https://showbox.tools/
 

[Me78569]

It would be good to know what you have done so far.   What trans?   what maintence? really just general information.

[dieselautopower]

Paul,

 

What are your goals for the truck and what do you have done already?

[crocoyes6]

DOR front end parts. Their steering gearbox brace is amazing and their customer service is fantstic. Also recommend track bar kit from them.

[Mopar1973Man]

5 hours ago, crocoyes6 said:

DOR front end parts. Their steering gearbox brace is amazing and their customer service is fantstic. Also recommend track bar kit from them.

Little secret. Don't lift, no leveling kits and leave it stock. You can get way more out of a front end with out needing DOR parts. I'm stock and clearing 200k miles on ball joints, 100 to 150k miles on track bars, 200k miles on brakes, steering box 350k miles, tie rod ends 350k miles. Leave it stock and parts last MUCH longer. Still stock at 417k miles never needed steering brace or any upgraded parts. No even the upgraded tie rods. 

Drop away from stock size tires 265's and look towards either 235/85 R16 or 245/75 R16 both these tires sizes I've used on my truck. The 245's are my favorite being it makes a 3.55 geared axle a 3.69 final to the ground increasing my pulling torque, reduced towing EGT's and improved towing MPG to a high of 14.7 MPG with 17,300 pounds GCW. Cruising speed at 66 MPH is a perfect 2,000 RPM's. If you wanting oversized tire change the axle gears to 4.10 start with. Then your final ratio will be correct with 35 inch tires. Still over sized tires will shorten the suspension life.

 

Gauges I tend to suggest ISSPro EV2 being that they are USB programmable and you can set the warming light on the gauges. I'm running EGT (0-1600°F), Boost (0 to 60 PSI), Fuel pressure (0 to 30 PSI), then transmission temperature (100 to 320°F). Even on a manual I suggest this.

 

Fuel system discussion have started a bit here with people getting fuel temps as high as 150 to 160°F. I suggest the AirDog 150 or 165 pumps with 1/2" lines DO NOT use 3/8" fuel lines they are too small and cannot wash the heat from the VP44 like 1/2" lines can. You would try to fight a house fire with a garden hose would you?

 

Tuner is a good idea for all these truck. I would suggest the Quadzilla Adrenaline. Best tuner right now for the VP44 fuel system. Full timing control, full fuel management, and host of other things it can control. . 

[JAG1]

2 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Little secret. Don't lift, no leveling kits and leave it stock. You can get way more out of a front end with out needing DOR parts. I'm stock and clearing 200k miles on ball joints, 100 to 150k miles on track bars, 200k miles on brakes, steering box 350k miles, tie rod ends 350k miles. Leave it stock and parts last MUCH longer. Still stock at 417k miles never needed steering brace or any upgraded parts. No even the upgraded tie rods. 

Drop away from stock size tires 265's and look towards either 235/85 R16 or 245/75 R16 both these tires sizes I've used on my truck. The 245's are my favorite being it makes a 3.55 geared axle a 3.69 final to the ground increasing my pulling torque, reduced towing EGT's and improved towing MPG to a high of 14.7 MPG with 17,300 pounds GCW. Cruising speed at 66 MPH is a perfect 2,000 RPM's. If you wanting oversized tire change the axle gears to 4.10 start with. Then your final ratio will be correct with 35 inch tires. Still over sized tires will shorten the suspension life.

 

Gauges I tend to suggest ISSPro EV2 being that they are USB programmable and you can set the warming light on the gauges. I'm running EGT (0-1600°F), Boost (0 to 60 PSI), Fuel pressure (0 to 30 PSI), then transmission temperature (100 to 320°F). Even on a manual I suggest this.

 

Fuel system discussion have started a bit here with people getting fuel temps as high as 150 to 160°F. I suggest the AirDog 150 or 165 pumps with 1/2" lines DO NOT use 3/8" fuel lines they are too small and cannot wash the heat from the VP44 like 1/2" lines can. You would try to fight a house fire with a garden hose would you?

 

Tuner is a good idea for all these truck. I would suggest the Quadzilla Adrenaline. Best tuner right now for the VP44 fuel system. Full timing control, full fuel management, and host of other things it can control. . 

 

This post needs to be a sticky..... best I've ever read from M73M 

 

W-T electrical corrections to the wire harness are good mods too. Can't go wrong there 

[Doubletrouble]

 I know you recommend the quad adrenaline @Mopar1973Man but what are your thoughts on the quad power box? I was reading a bit on those and for a mild daily driver it doesn't sound bad. Half the price as well.

The quad XZT+ is the one I was reading about.

[Mopar1973Man]

Not much... Canned tuner I'm not going even suggest... If you cant adjust timing a tuner is just not going to work optimal. If your going to stay pure stock then yes I would suggest it because the canned tunes are typically build for true stock trucks. Now change injectors you need to change timing to meet the needs of the injector for efficiency. Like most canned tuners are built for stock so maybe few extra degrees of timing. Like my Edge Comp it turned into a smokey hot EGT mess with bigger injectors. Now with the 150 HP injectors now are extremely cool and good MPG. Now if I was to swap back to the Edge Comp (which I did with the 75 HP Injectors) it was a totally smoke bomb, extremely hot and worthless as a tuner. Again without a means to manage timing your kind of limited.

[Joe_Pool]

What year is the truck and is it a 12 or 24 valve?

[Evan]

Haha old thread good info on almost everything except 12valves.