I have a 96 ram 5.2 4x4 auto. It only has 124k on it, I was going to trade it in but decided I really like the truck and not having a payment. I am thinking about making the truck like new again. Here is some stuff can you guys give me some round about prices.

Rebuild the engine( maybe stroker but what will that do to my mileage)
Rebuild Trans
Rebuild transfer case
Maybe 4.10 gears(what will that do to my mileage)

The reason I ask so much about my mpg is because it's still my daily driver and wanting to do a 3 or 5 inch lift also. I will not be doing any of that work myself.

 

gears and more cubes (stroker)will destroy any idea of gas mileage plain and simple .jack it up put big tires on it and drive it.124k is not the end of the world for your truck if youve taken care of it .it should not need a major power train/drivetrain overhaul.if it aint broke dont fix it .

 

What will the tires do to mpg with 3.55 dears though

 

well depends on how big your goin the bigger the tire lower your gear ratio gets numerically speaking .say your doin 55 with your stock tires runnin 2200 rpm with say 35" tires your motor at 55 will turn 2000rpm (not actual math here just an example)so they look cool and save you gas on the highway.on the bad side youll loose bottom end torque because it takes more power to get those big tires turning .now if pop in say 3.73 gears youll be gettin back close to stock engine rpm and keep your bottom end and mileage wont change.what size tire do you have in mind

 

or you can just lift it and leave it stock.a free flowing exhuast may help mileage a hair and also running a factory style k&n filter wont hurt

 

What's the metric size for 33x12.50 or do they make those in 16's

 

i dont know off the top of my head .you should be able to find them in a 16

 

theres alot of guys here with big tires and other offroad mods that will chime in with more info for ya .im not much of an off road guy

 

I know big mud tires drop mileage. The whole idea of bigger tires with same gears should make overall hwy gear ratio higher and mpg better just doesn't hold true. It makes sense that bigger tires with stock gears would get better mpg on the highway...but you won't. I don't know if you lose the mpgs accelerating to hwy speeds or what, but I've never gotten better mileage with larger tires. Probably because you get more rolling resistance with an aggressive tire...and nobody runs a 35 inch hwy tire.