Bully Dog # BY40410GMC,

Roadjunkie,

Pull with the rig before you decide to put a tuner in. you may find with the gearing, you already have plenty of power to do what you want. Then again, some can never have enough HP. Just depends upon where the HP is put out. If like my Vortec 350, if it all comes at higher revs, ie above 4-5000, I'm rarely in the 4000+ relm, so what good does a tuner giving me a max say300hp vs the 200-255 i use? Just something to kick around.

Marty

Thanks

2112 wrote:

I am swapping out the 3.23 gears for 4.10 gears in. In fact, it goes in this morning and will be done by afternoon.

If you don't mind me asking, how much did the gear swap cost?

I had my F150 regeared in 2000 for ~$400. I sometimes recommend people to do it without knowing today's price tag.

Gears Unlimited quoted me $300 labor plus parts and that includes swapping out the gears and replacing my axle seals. Total should be right around $600. The transmission shop I called quoted $1000 to $1500.

I am swapping out the 3.23 gears for 4.10 gears in. In fact, it goes in this morning and will be done by afternoon.

If you don't mind me asking, how much did the gear swap cost?

I had my F150 regeared in 2000 for ~$400. I sometimes recommend people to do it without knowing today's price tag.

blt2ski wrote:
Remember, HP keeps you moving. Torque gets you going! Been stuck on the bottom of a grade with a higher HP motor but badly geared for torque multiplication. Meanwhile the rig with a lower tow rating, even under rated for the task, but correctly geared, goes up the grade heavier than the higher rated rig! With 3.23 gear sets, you are geared really tall! Even with a trans with a decent 1st gear ratio from a towing standpoint. Hence why many including myself are suggesting gears first. THEN, if you need more HP for the freeway useage, go with a tuner etc. As this HP/power will be increased in the higher rpm range, along with as noted a different shift points.
My son has a friend that took out the 3.42 gears, put in 4.10's, major improvment in mpg, towing ability etc. He has thought about the same for his 4.8L V8 1500. 2500-3000 for the two pumkins can be a hit......
While you and others do say can not have too much HP! reality is, if it is not properly setup, HP can be useless if you can not get the correct power to the ground at take off, such that you do not take off.....says the person with a few blown trannies from lack of gearing, torque etc......
By the way, my 92 IHC with a non turbo 175/330 7.3 diesel will pull 30K lbs up a 30 percent grade, my 05 dmax would only do 20K up a 26 percent grade before the tall gears would not let it go up the grade. Speed on a 4 percent freeway grade was better with the 300+ hp dmax.......freeway grades are not the only place I tow.
You want the proper combo of HP and torque multiplication.....you are lacking the torque multiplication currently! Fix that part first!

Marty

Thanks Marty. I didn't mention it in the original post and should have but I am swapping out the 3.23 gears for 4.10 gears in. In fact, it goes in this morning and will be done by afternoon. I'm wondering about after the gears are installed. Still a good idea?

I changed gears from 3.73 to 4.10, and use a Bully Dog tuner to correct the speedometer for the gear change and slightly larger tires, and to monitor the torque converter. I ran the first year on the standard tune with 87 octane, then switched to the performance tune that requires high octane. I liked it so much, I have not switched back.

Generally, torque will rise with HP improvements. I do agree that gearing change is a good idea as well with 3.23s.

Remember, HP keeps you moving. Torque gets you going! Been stuck on the bottom of a grade with a higher HP motor but badly geared for torque multiplication. Meanwhile the rig with a lower tow rating, even under rated for the task, but correctly geared, goes up the grade heavier than the higher rated rig! With 3.23 gear sets, you are geared really tall! Even with a trans with a decent 1st gear ratio from a towing standpoint. Hence why many including myself are suggesting gears first. THEN, if you need more HP for the freeway useage, go with a tuner etc. As this HP/power will be increased in the higher rpm range, along with as noted a different shift points.
My son has a friend that took out the 3.42 gears, put in 4.10's, major improvment in mpg, towing ability etc. He has thought about the same for his 4.8L V8 1500. 2500-3000 for the two pumkins can be a hit......
While you and others do say can not have too much HP! reality is, if it is not properly setup, HP can be useless if you can not get the correct power to the ground at take off, such that you do not take off.....says the person with a few blown trannies from lack of gearing, torque etc......
By the way, my 92 IHC with a non turbo 175/330 7.3 diesel will pull 30K lbs up a 30 percent grade, my 05 dmax would only do 20K up a 26 percent grade before the tall gears would not let it go up the grade. Speed on a 4 percent freeway grade was better with the 300+ hp dmax.......freeway grades are not the only place I tow.
You want the proper combo of HP and torque multiplication.....you are lacking the torque multiplication currently! Fix that part first!

Marty

Had a Diablo tuner in my 2015 GMC 5.3L. Was night and day difference! Really woke up the engine and greatly improved the shifting points in the trans. Don't know if it will have the same effect on your late model.

roadjunkie wrote:
According to a consumer notice from the Federal Trade Commission, using a higher-octane gasoline than your owner's manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit. It won't make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage or run cleaner.

Keep in mind that I was speaking of a tuner and the tune that was calibrated for premium fuel. You won't find anything about those tunes in your manual unless you are talking about the tuner manual. :)