How do you spend over $5k for that stuff??

Sounds like you got ripped off..

 

Including a high end trans rebuild 5+ grand doesn't sound like too much for what he listed.
But telling him he got ripped off definitely makes you sound like a tool to me.

 

Only an idiot would mistake a person for a tool.

I spent $1,500 to rebuild my whole suspension of the vehicle. That includes a new rack and pinion as well as a power steering pump, fan clutch, and exhaust. So unless you want to tell me that it costs $3,500 to rebuild a trans and tires..

 

Yeah, scared me too when I stupidly did the math. $950 for tires with tax and warranty, $880 for full Magnaflow and new O2's, $300 for 4 bilsteins, $120 or so for rotor/cap/wires/plugs from Summit, then there was the $3200 for the trans work with big bucks torque convertor and kevlar stuff. I just dropped off the D, so they did the in/out work too.

I didn't shop around for the trans work, since I was pretty new in town. I depended upon my Jeep club buddies to point me in the right direction, which they did ("They're not the cheapest, but are the best"). The trans was the first on the list, so that decision was the make/break on keeping the D or not. After the trans in Oct '12, the rest was just moving forward. It's like a new truck now, which is why I was thinking of the Airgap.

Pub's not a tool. We banter all the time, all good.

 

Ahh the full magna system.. yep, that’ll eat some cash.

And the trans work is a lot.. not sure on the parts needed but $3200 seems very over priced. I was thinking around the $1500 to 2k mark, but that’s all dependent on the labor & parts - but sounds like you got the big boy pants installed which those aren’t cheap..


And yes, we banter quite often. Keeps the conversation fluid. ..hence the beer

 

So back on topic. I would do some 1.7 rocker arms. Easiest way to move more air in without touching the cam. Couple that with an airgap, your exhaust, and a tune you will have a towing monster at sea level. I would get a set of EBC rotors and pads just in case your trailer brakes ever fail. For $600 in parts you can do the EBC brakes and the 1.7 rockers.

 

I've never seen somebody say that as much as you. I just can't gulp paying $500 a month plus whatever I have to put down, for a new/newest ram, when I pay Nothing for my durango, except fuel, inspection, registration, tires , oil, and whatever miscellaneous things that pop up over the year. It comes a lot cheaper than the new vehicle, and at that rate, I can keep and maintain three vehicles at the same cost per year. (Except every couple years when a vehicle needs some decent amount of work, new axle, suspension, tranny rebuild, etc.)

I see the points you make, but I'd rather have my old ram, and have a little less hp and tq compared to the new engine, and pay nothin but maint. When I can buy something at a 20th of the new price, and get about the same work out of it, I see that as a, "**** yeah," kind of thing.

I understand what you mean on wasting money on performance parts for a 15 year old truck, but there's only three routes to go when working on your truck. Put the best on, put the cheapest on, or do nothing at all and ignore it. We tend to do any of the three. I usually go with the best if I want more than the cheapest, because what's the point in settling for less on spark plugs? Right? Anyway, that's enough jabbering on from me, if you haven't understood anything I've said, then one of us is likely off their rocker, and I wouldn't put it past myself to be the one.

Btw, reply, I would like to hear out your logic of it? I don't hear that side of this argent very often.

 

I agree on the buy new vs fix old. My '93 Jeep taught me that big time. It's got a Chevy motor, Ford axle, different frame, different trans, tcase has been open and improved maybe 4 times, axle internals are cro-moly with ARBs, etc. There is no moving part (zero, even the steering column) that has not been swapped out or improved over the 17 years I have owned the Jeep. I also had a '84 Mercedes 300D that I got new, kept that for 26 years, only sold it when I did the big move to New Mexico in '11.

Since the D body was in great shape, as well as the interior (was near 95000 mi when the trans happened), I didn't really hesitate to do all the work.

By the way, the trans was to be $1900 including the out/in work, but what made it $3200 was the improved internal parts I chose to have put in, including full syn fluid, and of course sales tax. I'm good with the deal, and don't mind at all if others are not.

 

Your last line for $600 sounds good. A main reason I thought maybe Airgap sooner than later is the pan. If I look down the open TB now, I see bright metal, but with a really really thin coat of oil there. I thought if I was pulling the intake.... ??

How are the 1.7 rocker manners in daily driving, idling and such?

 

User lastrights had a thread earlier this month were he posted a video after he put in his 1.7 rockers. The manners will be exactly the same just more power. Since the cam timing is exactly the same you will have the same power band and idle, the higher ratio gives slightly more lift. The factory rockers are 1.56:1. The 1.7's that are most common are harland sharps and around $320-350 for a set. Here's the thread I mentioned earlier https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...lets-talk.html . All I know is I gotta get my trans done so I can start some power upgrades.......