Truck mods

msiminoff wrote:

rooney77 wrote:
It's already got a dana60 front end...

Wow, did you replace your AAM 9.25 with the Dana 60? If so, that's very cool (well, except for the CAD maybe)!!
I'm interested to hear about this upgrade and why you chose an axle with CAD instead of going with locking hubs.
-Mark

rooney77 wrote:
It's the stock axle. I assumed it was the 60 since that used to be the common axle.

Either way, an axle swap can be a bit pricey and to gain what? Some extra strength in more extreme offroad situations? That's well and good if I intend on wheeling it. I intend on wheeling my crawler, this is portable housing to get to the spots to go wheeling.

My rear had a stock Dana 60, replaced with a Dana 70 Dually.

Front end has a Dana 44 with the auto hubs (Moving sleeve in the axle), needs a Dana 60 to get it up to the 1-ton spec from 1992, I already push the GAWR on the front end with the big cargo setup on there, plus my camper.

Since my camper is 39 years old, and my truck is 20 years old and I'm going for a classic look and a 1-ton dually Club cab 1st gen Dodge 4x4 for sale is as rare as hens teeth in this area and my truck already had the frame from the 1-ton to begin with, I just decided to upgrade the running gear to get the extra weight margin I needed.

So, the end result is I get bigger brakes and better load ranges on my tires and axles for a greater safety margin.

Not exactly an offroad beast (nor is it intended to be).

It's the stock axle. I assumed it was the 60 since that used to be the common axle.

Either way, an axle swap can be a bit pricey and to gain what? Some extra strength in more extreme offroad situations? That's well and good if I intend on wheeling it. I intend on wheeling my crawler, this is portable housing to get to the spots to go wheeling.

rooney77 wrote:
It's already got a dana60 front end...

Wow, did you replace your AAM 9.25 with the Dana 60? If so, that's very cool (well, except for the CAD maybe)!!
I'm interested to hear about this upgrade and why you chose an axle with CAD instead of going with locking hubs.
-Mark

rooney77 wrote:

JoeChiOhki wrote:
3k, buy a Dana 60 front end with dually hubs and 4.10 gears, replace all the leaf springs with heavy duty packs.

It's already got a dana60 front end and the gear ratio would be completely dependent on what is already in the rear (assuming I were to switch). Granted it's a CAD axle but it's still a 60. I'm not seeing how gear ratios would effect anything but power and/or mileage.

Most of the salvage axles off of similar year Dodge 1-tons have 3.54 gears in them because they were on the diesel trucks, my truck has 4.10s. So, if I pulled an axle off a matching year Dodge, I would also need a set of 4.10 gears to replace the original 3.54s in there already.

Since I have a 2005 4x4 Dodge truck I would get a Dynatrac free spin hub kit, Dynatrac ball joints and the newer Dodge front steering set-up. Please send $ to:

Disclaimer: I've already installed Bilstein shocks and SuperSprings on the truck.

JoeChiOhki wrote:
3k, buy a Dana 60 front end with dually hubs and 4.10 gears, replace all the leaf springs with heavy duty packs.

It's already got a dana60 front end and the gear ratio would be completely dependent on what is already in the rear (assuming I were to switch). Granted it's a CAD axle but it's still a 60. I'm not seeing how gear ratios would effect anything but power and/or mileage.

3k, buy a Dana 60 front end with dually hubs and 4.10 gears, replace all the leaf springs with heavy duty packs.

rooney77 wrote:
I mainly daily drive it then use it to haul my rockcrawler (jeep in sig on a bumerpull car hauler) and am adding the TC in on that as well. I'm trying to prespend my xmas loot. :B



So far I've debated added supersprings and a swaybar to the existing mods. And a pass thru rear window on the truck.



Background: I had been debating getting a larger truck and making it a mix of a homebuilt class c and a truck camper then decided that'd be a lot of work to end up with exactly what I have now. So I decided to improve upon the existing setup. And I like conversations that allow me to daydream about improvements.

I see that you have a Dodge, But I went through the same process when outfitting my F350 for my TC. My sequence went like this:
Stable-Loads
Torque-Lift frame-mounted Tie-Downs
Hel-Wig Sway-Bar
Rancho RS-9000 Shocks
All this before buying the TC
Then came:
Vision Aluminum 19.5 Rims and Michelin 265--70-19.5 Load Range G tires
That was it for a while, then decided I wanted to tow ATV's etc. :
Super-Hitch and 30" Super-truss
Ride-Rite Air Bags

Still to come:
Front mounted Hitch/Rack

Dreaming...
Supercharged 5.4L out of a Shelby Cobra:B

Garry in Kodiak, AK

rooney77 wrote:
Let's say you had 3k to spend. What mods would you do to improve your truck's on road ability and why?

Hmmm, well the answers depend largely upon your definition of "on road ability", and you haven't told us much about your other truck mods so far... other than the airbags & overload bump stops.

This is what I'd do if it was my $3k, listed in the order I'd choose to do them:
• EGT & boost gauges. (~$175)
• '08 steering linkage upgrade (IF it hasn't already been done under recall, ~$375), a DSS steering stabilizer (~$200) and a heavy duty track bar ($325). These items will significantly improve the handling/steering and eliminate "death wobble"
• RoadMaster rear anti-sway bar (~$300).
• Since you're hauling & towing, the 48RE transmission is a weak link and unfortunately a complete rebuild is well over your $3k budget…. however you could upgrade the valve body (~$600) & tripple disk torque converter (~$1,295) which would make a huge improvment in the performance & longevity of the trans'.

All that adds up to around $3,270, depending upon where you shop.
Maybe Santa will feel extra generous this year ;)

Cheers,
-Mark