Changing the rear end gears will make it easier to climb hills just like driving with OD off. I can go up any hill at any speed with overdrive off, my truck has plenty of "power" at hi rpms. Myhuge gas guzzling 5.9L engine should have more torque to go up hills on the interstate without coming out of overdrive.

 

first simple things are exhaust and intake. work them and youll notice a diffrence along with better mileage if you keep your foot out of it.

 

What "work" should be done to the intake and exhaust?

 

My 01, which had a 318 in it before I upgraded, would never do what you are asking. I've spent thousdands of dollars to improve the performance on mine but I've never worried about the single downshift from overdrive. It no longer makes that 2nd downshift so I feel that I have succeeded

If you're desiring to improve performance remember you need to open the intake and exhaust together to make any difference. A larger flow out will do nothing if you're still restricted on the in-flow, the same goes for a larger in-flow through the throttle body and a smaller outflow through the exhaust.

Don't have any other info to provide, so others will need to help you out.

 

The stock throttle body is somewhere around 46 to 48 mm in size. If you are looking for improvement you could go up to a modified Fastman throttle doy which I think is 54 or 55mm. Adding a Cold Air Intake or one of the newer round intake some of the other forum members are using will improve air flow into your engine. The stock air box is not a good system.

Replacing the stock catalytic converter with a high flow one from Magnaflow or another company will help your performance, especially if you also install a new cat-back exhaust system. I have heard that a single 3" exhaust helps with increased torque better than a dual 2 1/2 inch exhaust. The stock manifolds are a pretty good design, but Edelbrock and some of the other companies make some really good shorty headers for our rams.

 

Have you checked your plenum gaket. VERY common problem on these trucks. Also look on the pcm (passenger side firewall) for a little sticker that says "Authorized Software Update". To compensate for design flaws sorrounding the intake manifold's plenum, they pulled a ****load of timing out of the motor to prevent detonation due to carbon build-up that accumulates after long periods of burning oil.If neded, fix the plenum. Then,chips or flashes will take care of the pcm. I have had both. IMO the best and easiest mod you can do short of any major engine work is the B&G flash. If you plan on modding further,go with the m1 flash. If not, just go with the performance flash.

http://www.bgchrysler.com/Service/Hi...b_g_flash.html

 

When I bought my truck it had a 3" cat back exhaust. I took it off and installed a 2 1/2". My truck goes up hills better in overdrive with the 2 1/2.

 

I have 82K on mine and it runs pretty well.
Fact, I moved a buddy with a 14' trailer full of furniture and it handled hills and high way like I wasnt towing anything.
I do have an AirAid and only 265s right now.

 

I checked the plenum gasket and it is ok. The Superchips program advances the timing and it significantly helped going up hills in overdrive. In town drivingmy truck runs great. When I push on the gas it responds immediately and moves. And small rolling hills on interstate are no problem. I have adjusted the trans cable to allow alot of pedal movement before kickdown. My dissappointment is going up 10-15 mile long hills and not being able to stay in overdrive with the truck empty. Maybe I am expecting too much.
I understand opening up the exhaust and intake to flow more produces more power at higher rpms. My trucks turns 2000rpm at 70mph. If I drive in 3rd gear(OD off) it has plenty of power at 3000rpm which is about 70mph. So that leads me to believe my intake and exhaust should have minimal restriction at 2000rpm. So, installing a bigger exhaust doesn't make sense.
It seems so easy to improve power and torque above 3000rpm, but I haven't seen any products specifically designed to increase low end torque. Maybe there aren't any? Maybe I can't get what I want? (Ok I admit, I'm slightly spoiled) Maybe the answer is in the suggestions above and I am just not getting it?

 

I'm very pleased with the way my truck runs. Take a look at my signature to see what mods I've done. My truck is a little heavier than most, since I have the quad cab, 8 foot bed, and a fiberglass cap, but it pulls quite well. I just got back from a camping trip this weekend where I was pulling my pop-up camper (approx. 1800 lbs), with two adults, two kids, and all our camping gear and firewood in the bed. I ran Interstate 80 part of the way which has plenty of hills. As long as I kept the truck at 65 mph at the base of most hills, I could hold that speed or maybe drop to 60 mph at the top. That was running in OD. If it drops below 60 mph, which is about 1700 rpm, then I loose power quickly.

So for my truck,below 1800 rpm's is right where the torque/hp curve really drops off. When driving, I've learned to start stepping on the gas before hitting the hills so I can maintain at least 1800 rpm when on the hill. When running on the back roads this weekend where the speed limit was 45 mph and the hills were a lot steeper, I just kept the OD off. With the truck in 3rd gear and the torque converter locked up, it pulled almost every hill without dropping much speed. I almost had to run over a Fjord truck going up one hill. I let him get some distance on me and was able to accelerate in the middle of the hill and catch him.

Okay, so much for bragging. In summary, the programmer (93 octane setting), advancing my timing with the crankshaft position sensor (CKP) mod, and the 14"round air filter were all done about the same time, and the combination of those three really helped my truck I had also ported my own throttle body maybe six months earlier, but that alone didn't make drastic changes. In combination with the other things, the ported TB may be an asset. The exhaust is still stock, with the expection of the CAT, which the previous owner punched out. I may take it up to 3" when it needs to be replaced. The truck pulls real good above 3000 rpm, but I rarely go that high. I'm very pleased with the torque in the 1800 - 2500 rpm range, which is where I normally keep it when driving.