thanks to all of you guys i was talking to my uncle(he's a pretty big b.s'er and seems to know a million different problems with every car on the road) but both him and a kid i go to school with that drives one kinda scared me away from em but you guys really helped out a lot! thanks again! oh and if any of you have lifted rams do the bigger tiers effect the trans or rear end? t

 

Bigger tires, meaning 35" and above will need the differential gears switched out with lower gear ratios in order to lessen the stress on the trans and keep mpg and power in its place.

33" tires will not put stress on anything. And they won't rub as long as they're not too wide.

 

thanks I'm only planning on going to 33"'s with a leveling kit

 

Look for an Off Road Edition truck. (2000-2001 only) They come with 4.10 gears, and 33's will go with those rather nicely.

 

Not bashing at all, but I have not been impressed with the transmissions at all. Other than that, I have few complaints (other than gas mileage). I bought my 98 new. Changed fluid and filter every 30k miles with ATF +4. It lasted until 130k. Rebuilt it again at 170k. Has 180k now. It is a 4wd with a 360. I get 13 mpg. Have never gotten over 14. Other than the trans and the gas mileage, I've replaced very little. Radiator, water pump, starter, and heater core I changed but I imagine you'd have to change those on most vehicles at some point within 14 yrs.

 

+ 1 on the 00-01 offroad edition. 4.10 gears and 2 inch factory lift. expect to pay an extra $1000 for it, but its worth it.

 

With stock tires you should get 14mpg on a 4x4. With 33" tires you should get 10mpg if you still have the stock 3.55 gears. If you get a Ram with 4.10 gears and put 33" tires on it then you should get 12mpg. I assume you want a 4x4 since you want to put bigger tires on it. If you get one with the swirly rims that have the three spokes on them then 33" tires will most likely rub the control arms in a full lock turn because of the offset on them.

As far as the transmission goes, I don't think they're any more or less reliable than the chevy transmissions that were used in the silverados around 2000. Change the fluid every 2 years or 24000 miles, don't tow more than 6600 lbs and don't use overdrive while towing and they will last quite a while.

 

yeah i do want a 4x4, and if i get a truck with 3.55 gears would it still be extremely expensive to re-gear the diff to 4.10 if i did it my self? i have quite a nice tool collection and plenty of time to do the work. or would it just be easier to get it done professionally?

 

Not a cheap endeavor to re-gear. 500 and some change in parts.... (as you have two differentials to deal with.) Also, it is a pretty precision exercise..... if you haven't done it before, find someone that has to help you, if you can't find someone to help you, pay someone else to do it.... (expect to pay a few hundred per axle.....) as doing it wrong can be quite expensive.....

 

ok thanks, my father has done it before and we have 3 or 4 micrometers to make sure everything is measured right, i don't mind being under the truck ether, not scared to get my hands dirty.