Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Best Bombs for towing, Help decide????

[BCriste]

I have a 96' 5-speed 3. 54 3500 with 198,000 and the clutch is finally starting to slip. The truck is stock except A straight pipe and guages (boost and pyro). I plan on installing the big south bend clutch and a splined 5th gear shaft. After doing this I want to make this the best towing truck. My first purchase is an exhaust brake, what would you recommend. Next it's time for power but I DON'T WANT TO BE DRIVING WITH ONE EYE ON THE PYRO AND THE OTHER ON THE ROAD. I am looking for lots of power but with very good EGT control. Good spool up is also a must. I know this sounds like a lot to ask but I'm just looking for experiences. Everyone talks about big dyno numbers but I'm a drag racer and I know the biggest numbers on the dyno don't always get to the finish line first. I want to be the first to the top of the mountain. I would like to do this in stages after the exhaust brake I would like to spend about $1000. on the first stage and $1000. on the second stage. I'm going to be doing all the work myself.

Let the ideas begin,

Brian

 

[GAmes]

I like my Jacob's brake but if you are going to go to a 4" exhaust it won't be what you want. Does anyone make a 4" e-brake???

 

[Bhale]

Call Piers and/or TST and ask them what they think. So far i'm VERY pleased with the #4 TST plate/3k GSK/AFC spring combo. If i want to i can get EGT's way up fast but i have to make it do it. With my camper, family and all the junk that goes in the camper i'm right around 10,500 lbs and the EGTs' are very managable. Plenty of power also (of course i'll "need" more in the near future ) Just those 3 items will run you around $375 or so, can't remember exactly.



Brian

 

[Todd G]

If it was me, I'd get a 4" exhaust, 4" remote exhaust brake, and then Piers' HX-40, #4 plate, gov spring kit and 370 injectors. I think that would be a bit over-budget but one heck of a setup.

 

[JJW_ND]

Here is a good start!

With your 96 5sp, I would start with a #11. This is a very safe yet good power plate. I have #11 in my 96 5sp alone with a 4" exhaust and a BHAF and I did just short of 350 hp. I have yet to get over 1300 pulling and pulling it does. Running empty, especially now with the 3GSK I can get over 1300 but this is at higher RPMs that I never see pulling (no need to run that high). This is with the stock turbo housing.



If after you have this you need more you can add 370 DB injectors and then a larger exhaust housing. and then... ... . and then...



jjw

ND

 

[C Schomer]

I really like my setup. Great driveability and runs clean. I haven't had a need for bigger injectors - the power I have has been hard enough on the drivetrain as it is. It's 99% usable power - I rarely have to back off for egt. Craig

 

[GSchlegel]

I've got the same truck as you. You can see my truck's profile below. My current setup can get the EGTs over 1300* on a hard uphill pull. That probably wouldn't happen if the #10 plate was in the stock position instead of slid forward. As the others have said, contact Piers for the best info.



If you have any other questions I'll try to help.



Gene

 

[Deezul1]

I have towed prolly 12,000 miles with my setup (6500lbs)and there hasnt been a grade yet that I couldnt pull at the speed limit in 5th with no EGT troubles. You do need to be aware of EGT but its not a problem unless you want to acclerate on the hills which is too easy and then you had better watch the gauge and is easily controlled with your right foot. This is with the stock HX35 12cm turbo and stock 3" exhaust with straight pipe. Untill you hit around 500hp the 4" wont help you much at all and there is almost no HP gain as proved on the Dyno by several well known members. BD has a 4" exhaust brake. This truck will out run a 15. 2 sec car from a 5mph rolloff (just barely but everytime) all the way to 105mph.

Have fun

John

 

[BCriste]

Thanks for the ideas....

but I forgot to mention the towing I have done in the past is at about 18,000lb gcvw and I'm getting a bigger race car trailer wich means I can haul even more junk to the racetrack. The new gcvw should be around 23,000lb. So thats why I'm concerned about EGT because the truck will need to work real hard for 2000mile+ trips on a monthly basis. Also the other problem is that my wife and crew also drive it while the others sleep. That is why the EGT needs to be ALMOST idiot proof. I'm not saying that they can't watch the guages, it is if my wife has to drive by the guage all the time I'll never hear the end of it :-{} . I know we need a bigger truck BUT it is either use the old ram or quite racing for a while... ... Thats a no-brainer... . DAH... ... ... ..... I'm wondering with some of the posts with Piers HX40 and 370's is the spool-up O. K. and is the EGT really controllable. I was thinking a #11, 3000GSK, and an AFE mega-cannon. For the first stage. In the second stage a piers HX35 with a 14cm exhaust housing with either a banks brake or a remote BD 4" with full 4" exhaust. BUT if you guys (and Piers) thinks it is possible to run a hx40 and 370's (with the BD brake), A 4" exhaust, and still get almost idiot proof EGT control then maybe thats the direction I'll go??????I'm still open for any other ideas..... What do ya'll think????

Thanks for all the help.

Arn't these the fun threads where ya'll get to bragg about your trucks,

Brian Criste

 

[Blakers]

You might want to go with a 16 cm2 exhaust housing on your stock turbo. That's only about a $150 mod and should give you lower egts.



Blake

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Brian it sounds like you have the right idea with the #11 and 3k's then go from there later with a HX-40 and 370's, the only expensive thing here is the turbo, if get to the point were you would like to have more power available while not towing you can get a valet switch from Piers, he has one on his truck so he can tame it down while towing his trailer, the trick is what he does to the wastegate so he can get medium fueling and max boost so it will pull like heck and keep the EGT's down, with Piers you'll get the same or cheaper prices and a wealth of knowledge and the best customer service there is (ok the same as DTT )



Jim

 

[BCriste]

Thanks for the help. O. K. if I was to do what you said Jim would I have more turbo lag with the HX40, the 370's, and a straight 4" exhaust or does one cancel the other???? Also would I have higher EGT's while towing if I added the HX40 and the 370's(after the #11, GSK, and an AFE intake)??? Is there any other things (other than cam or head work as I don't want to pull it down yet) that would help lower the EGT such as a Banks Twin Ram or anything like that.

You guys are helping alot





Brian

 

[Forrest]

BHAF, TST #0, Piers HX40-16. No reason to cut corners ... go straight for the gusto.



If EGT's aren't high enough, add on the 370 injectors.

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

Mine is a 2500 and I did the Pac-Brake first. Once it's moving, it has to be able to stop. TST #11, AFC spring kit, 4K GSK, and TST clutch. Stock one couldn't hang any more. Truck has over 104000 miles on it now. Just finished driving over 10000 miles in the last month, from Md to Alaska. Weighed almost 22000 lbs coming back, and couldn't find a hill big enough to stop the Cummins. Pulled great. Don't have excessive smoke, and EGT's wouldn't climb to 1300 if I downshifted to 4th. Made sure the wife knew what the gauge is for, though.

 

[LarryB]

Brian

Once you get in the ballpark with EGTs you can fine tune them by sliding the plate a few thousandths either way. I have mine set to barely reach 1350 if I hold both feet on the go pedal on a long hill.

 

[drees1]

check my sig. truck and conditions are very close to yours.



I tow frequently at 20,000 to 25,000 gcwr. I can tell you that if you run 70 -75 mph and run some grades, and want it idiot proof, you need to look at about 325 - 350 Hp max. There is a big difference between a "full" load and a lighter trailer. In the mountains on grades, in the summer, with A/C, your coolant temp will continue to climb as long as you are in it. And at this power level it won't climb too fast, and you can set it up to max out EGT without needing to watch it too close.



The Southbend 13" clutch is a great product. The center section is very heavily built. Lesser designs have had the center torn out in heavy towing.



The #11 fuel plate is "the" plate for heavy towing. It reduces fuel at high rpm and adds fuel as speed drops, which gives it hill climbing ability. With air intake mods, the EGT is fine. Peak torque is at 1600 rpm. The problem with going to more fuel in heavy towing is that you can't use it without dangerous EGT. And towing heavy on a grade, you need to keep the hammer down, can't be letting up 10 or 20 seconds.



When I set up my truck for towing, I thought I would do more and more, like is discussed here, but, the engine is working pretty hard when it's actually making 300+ hp for 5 minutes or more. I envisioned more mods on mine like 370's and turbo, but now I'm not so sure. Temp gages on the trans and rear might be next. The increase in towing power with my mods is like comparing your existing truck to a 305 Chevy. Like night and day.

 

[Sleeper]

Agree with DREES1. #11, K&N, 4" catback (have a 16cm as well but not needed) Told Piers what I wanted it for and this is what he worked out. We did have the plate forward for a while, silly amount of power (360+RWHP) but I had to watch the guages on long pulls. Now the plate is fully back, it pulls just fine (338 RWHP).

 

[BCriste]

drees1 I noticed in your sig. that you have a 4. 1 and a gearvendors. Do you think that I (with a 3. 54 and no splitter)will be at a big disadvantage. Thanks guys for all the help with your personal experiances, likes, dislikes, and suggestions. I really wasn't even considering coolant temprature as a factor, I guess because my stock truck never gets above exactly halfway on the guage even on the long 7%+pulls at WOT the hole way in 4th gear @2000-2200rpm.



Thanks again,

Brian

 

[drees1]

Brian,



I think you will be fine with 3. 54 axle, maybe even better once you are rolling. The gear vendors and 4. 11 is nice to get it rolling by splitting out 7 good forward speeds. Also gives me lowest 1st and reverse for jockeying the trailer.



Consider that overall I am geared for more speed than you and I only downshift 1 gear on the worst grades, 4 - 6%, 24,000 gcw. This means with similar bombs you would get even further before going to 4th.



My gearing. 4. 11 x . 75 x . 78 = 2. 40 in top double over.

4. 11 x . 78 = 3. 20 in 4th w/ gear vendors in OD, which is my 1st and only downshift.



. 75 is the 5 speed, . 78 is the Gear Vendors



Your gearing. 3. 54 x . 75 = 2. 66 in top gear.

On your 1st down shift, 3. 54 x 1. 00 = 3. 54 in 4th.



On a heavy pull I down shift the NV4500 to help with the 5th gear problem and let the gear vendors take it.



My 4th over and 5th direct are essentially the same ratio, so I miss a split there.



So, other than getting the load up to speed, where I can split out 3rd and 5th, your gearing is probably even better for approaching the first downshift at cruising speed.



It is amazing how these trucks will perform with some mods



The reason you are not pulling your temp gage up yet is that you are not producing enough HP to overload the radiator. If you took the same grade with mods on the engine, you would not be dropping the gear, pull the grade at a higher speed, and watch your temp gage climb a little!!



Good luck with your mods, you will love that truck!!Oo.



Doug Rees

 

[LarryB]

Going with gov springs to widen the powerband also negates the need to split gears. The only time I really use the 2speed is for double over. If I had it to do over again I would go with the taller rear diff ratio, 4k gov springs and call it good. Less noise, less worrys, no power flat spots, lots less cost.



But then again, I like to have toys to play with.