2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Axle swap

[Flats]

I am thinking about a axle swap. I would like to see how the 3. 55 gears do behind the 5speed and the 4. 10 do with the auto? I know about the speedo pickup. I am thinking that the complete axle swap would be the essayist. I went to see how the taller gears handle the 5th wheel the trailer weights in about 12-13K when loaded. What are youa'lls thoughts? I know I will have to change the front end as will but for a trail I think this would be the essayist. Is the abs and the speedo pickup the same hole or are they different? Dose the computer have to be reprogrammed?

Thanks

Glen

 

[Clinton]

Well, this probably isn't much help, but I'm thinking about swapping my 4. 10 ring and pinion for a 3. 54. I can tell you the 4. 10s with the auto give me 2000rpm in the low 60s (mph). I run 255/85R16 tires, so the speedo is a little low. If I want to roll fast, say 75 mph, it'll go up around 2200 rpm and fuel economy drops off just as fast. I try to drive it right around 2000 rpm.



Now about the ABS... I can never keep track of which years had which options for two-wheel vs. four-wheel ABS. I think my '96 just has front-wheel ABS. Does your '96 have four-wheel? As little work as my rear drums do for actually stopping the vehicle, they may have ABS for all I know. I'm thinking about disabling my front ABS to run the Spyntec hubs.



Yeah, an axle swap would be a cool project, but it would take me about six months to actually do one.



Let us know how it works out.

 

[Flats]

As fare as I know the 96 has four wheel ABS. In 98 dodge went to a all in one ABS and speedo.

Thanks

 

[Road Dog]

The trucks came with rear wheel ABS standard and four wheel ABS optional. There's a sensor on the rear diff (always) and one on each front wheel hub (4-wheel ABS).

 

[JMcCoy]

I have rear ABS only. To bad Ya'll don't live close to south Florida. I would gladly trade my 3. 55s for 4. 10s. Summet sells a speedo correction unit.

 

[HHhuntitall]

All my second gens have 3. 54 gears, and I pull just about anything I want, in all kinds of weight classes, even overloads. With the power the 12 valves can make with a little tuning, I've never had a problem except for 3 to 4th gear. I put a 6 speed in my work truck, and that pretty much fixes the problem. A lot of people say it underpowers the trucks, but I think it's like my old Kenworth. If you can't pull it, downshift and run a gear lower. You can always downshift, but you can't upshift once you run out of gears! I like the fuel mileage when it will run in over. And with my 12 valves, if you can't run in overdrive, don't let a state trooper see what you're pulling!!

 

[Flats]

Thanks for the help. Thats is what I was thinking myself that I can always take a lower gear.

Thanks

Glen

 

[ChrisOlson]

hello
I have a 99 4X4 with 3. 54s

I tow a 30 ft toy hauler and truck trailer and stuff all total 18000 lbs
truck dynoed at 280 hp and 700 ftlbs of torque.
pulls the trailer fine the only problem i have is at high altitudes and head winds
that is the only time i wish i had 4. 10s that would be maybe 15% of the time.

some times i wonder if there is a happy medium in the middle somewhere
say 3. 70s or 3. 80s just thinking out loud
my 2 cents worth

Chris