guys whove ran 35s with stock gears chime in please...
#31
01-22-2012, 09:58 PM
Champion
I ram 35" tires with stock gearing for over a year, my truck was actually crusing at a lower rpm with the 35" tires.
Right now I have 33" tires and can barely tell a difference power wise stepping down a size.
I didnt downsize for gas mileage either, just because 33" tires are alot cheaper than 35's!
Right now I have 33" tires and can barely tell a difference power wise stepping down a size.
I didnt downsize for gas mileage either, just because 33" tires are alot cheaper than 35's!
one more thing ...did you happen to ever drive your truck with stock sized tires? Do you know what your missing? The difference between 3.55 gears and stock tires vs 3.55 gears and 35 or 33 tires is much greater.
Last edited by Augiedoggy; 01-22-2012 at 10:16 PM.
#32
01-22-2012, 10:21 PM
Actually, I'm very impressed with your mods list...how's that. No sarcasm whatsoever. You've obviously built yourself an effective engine with the right parts, although I didn't see if you modded your intake manifold or TB. Better yet, I'd build my motor the same way when it's time.
Since nothing screamed uber mpg( other than bringing everything into spec or slightly better) at me, and the fact you have such an intensive maint schedule (which I have no information on what you really do) so I can't make an accurate cost anaylisis. Btw folks, this does apply to those considering motor mods or gearing mods so bear with me.
So while I can't do a true apple to apple test, maybe a red apple to green apple might suffice
Using my truck, I ran a quick comparison of my best mpg on my last roadtrip to Minnesota.
Average was about 12.1 mpg I filled up about every 3/4 tank or around 20 gallons.
Quick math 12.1 x 20 = 242 I was fillling up at around 228/230 miles but my odometer is off.
20 gals gas x 3.01 (current reg price)= $60.20
Using the same formula but at 15.1 mpg (3 mpg gain) would be
242 devided by 15.1 = 16 gallons gas used, saving 4 gallons
16 gallons X 3.24/gal (current premium price) = 51.84 cost of tank. A nice savings of $8.36 per tank. A nice savings...or is it?
Folks, we need to factor in one more variable....the cost of mods that got us the savings. I know most of you don't give a rats butt about this, but it is something anyone who intends on owning thier truck longer than a year or so should consider. Unless you're independently wealthy.
I tried to pricing together on your mods Mr. merc, but I can only guestimate, I'll do what I think is a low end guess, and (again) won't factor labor @ 10 hrs weekly either. One should put a price on ones time, shouldn't they? And granted folks, we can't take the wow factor into effect either.
I'm gonna say you have about 4 grand US in your trucks engine. With your pardon I'll apply it to my truck. MMMMM SWEEEEET!
So we'll take 4,000oo and devide by 8 (rounded down) which is the amount of money saved per fillup, and get 500. That should be the number of fillups (at 20 gallons) to recoup my investment. At one fill up a week and 52 weeks in a year, it will take 9.6 years to do so. BTW you folks should take manitenance into account but since mine is a bit limited other than 3000 mi oil changes...again your figures may vary.
BTW, the comments about tranny death and poor gearing tire combo is spot on. Not a matter of if but when. I should factor that into my above cost equation...but I already know I'm still making payments. And besides the rats are all pointing at thier asses and telling me my time is up. <<NOW THAT is sarcasm!
Last point, this thread was about running 3:55s with stock gears....it sucks....it sucks with 33's too. Thats my Mopar fan since 1968 ownner since 1977 experience. I shoulda put "this my 2nd Dodge Ram" in there too. Not that it would matter. I degress... you should either choose your mods carefully based on cost, or not do them at all. Because some rat is just waiting to make you pay out your *** for it. I would offer lower cost gears rather than expensive motor mods. Granted gears can't be shown off like a motor but the bang for buck is instant, and if your truck struggles to keep a steady mph on hills at legal speeds gearing is a better assist.
Have fun storming the castle kiddies!
Since nothing screamed uber mpg( other than bringing everything into spec or slightly better) at me, and the fact you have such an intensive maint schedule (which I have no information on what you really do) so I can't make an accurate cost anaylisis. Btw folks, this does apply to those considering motor mods or gearing mods so bear with me.
So while I can't do a true apple to apple test, maybe a red apple to green apple might suffice
Using my truck, I ran a quick comparison of my best mpg on my last roadtrip to Minnesota.
Average was about 12.1 mpg I filled up about every 3/4 tank or around 20 gallons.
Quick math 12.1 x 20 = 242 I was fillling up at around 228/230 miles but my odometer is off.
20 gals gas x 3.01 (current reg price)= $60.20
Using the same formula but at 15.1 mpg (3 mpg gain) would be
242 devided by 15.1 = 16 gallons gas used, saving 4 gallons
16 gallons X 3.24/gal (current premium price) = 51.84 cost of tank. A nice savings of $8.36 per tank. A nice savings...or is it?
Folks, we need to factor in one more variable....the cost of mods that got us the savings. I know most of you don't give a rats butt about this, but it is something anyone who intends on owning thier truck longer than a year or so should consider. Unless you're independently wealthy.
I tried to pricing together on your mods Mr. merc, but I can only guestimate, I'll do what I think is a low end guess, and (again) won't factor labor @ 10 hrs weekly either. One should put a price on ones time, shouldn't they? And granted folks, we can't take the wow factor into effect either.
I'm gonna say you have about 4 grand US in your trucks engine. With your pardon I'll apply it to my truck. MMMMM SWEEEEET!
So we'll take 4,000oo and devide by 8 (rounded down) which is the amount of money saved per fillup, and get 500. That should be the number of fillups (at 20 gallons) to recoup my investment. At one fill up a week and 52 weeks in a year, it will take 9.6 years to do so. BTW you folks should take manitenance into account but since mine is a bit limited other than 3000 mi oil changes...again your figures may vary.
BTW, the comments about tranny death and poor gearing tire combo is spot on. Not a matter of if but when. I should factor that into my above cost equation...but I already know I'm still making payments. And besides the rats are all pointing at thier asses and telling me my time is up. <<NOW THAT is sarcasm!
Last point, this thread was about running 3:55s with stock gears....it sucks....it sucks with 33's too. Thats my Mopar fan since 1968 ownner since 1977 experience. I shoulda put "this my 2nd Dodge Ram" in there too. Not that it would matter. I degress... you should either choose your mods carefully based on cost, or not do them at all. Because some rat is just waiting to make you pay out your *** for it. I would offer lower cost gears rather than expensive motor mods. Granted gears can't be shown off like a motor but the bang for buck is instant, and if your truck struggles to keep a steady mph on hills at legal speeds gearing is a better assist.
Have fun storming the castle kiddies!
Quote by merc225hp: Thanks and you are spot on keeping up on you trucks maintenance pay's off, most would think I am nuts for my tune up schedule and what parts are replaced in those tune ups. I have thousands invested into my motor in parts, if I had not built this motor I would indeed be lower on gas mpg. Will I ever see my money back in gas mpg nope never.
As I said most would think my maintenance is overkill. I was a marine tech for way to long, many years and being such I learned a long time ago that breaking down in the middle of nowhere sucks bad and costs big, the way to avoid this is proper maintenance. But that security costs. A $400 tow job buys a lot of tune up parts. I don’t do tune ups for mpg that’s a small part of it, it’s about getting from point A to point B without any reliability issues.
That said here is my yearly routine
Full tune up in the spring this is to include; new spark plugs, new sparkplug leads, cap, rotor, oil change, all fluids in the truck changed, air cleaner washed and oiled, check tire psi.
Fall tune up is the same as spring.
Every three months it gets a new cap and rotor (I consider these a consumable item) cheap and ez to change.
Oil changes go by time not mileage as the truck only gets 9000 miles a year put on it. So oil and filter change every two months.
I hate auto tranny work so once a year it gets service at the dealer.
Weekly it’s just go over it from top to bottom looking for broken parts, oil leaks, tire psi, lights, wash and wax, clean the interior and so on.
The intake is a Mopar performance M1 no mods needed to be done to it, as for the TB I have a BBK 52 mm but it takes away from the lower tq band so the stock one stays on the motor.
The cost of my motors mods you are close.
I feel the need to point this out one more time reliability is the name of my game; I don’t care what it costs to keep me out of a shop or off the back of a tow truck, or an upset wife in the next seat.
I don’t expect anybody to do what I do for maintenance; my labor is my time and it’s a job of love and care; so no I will not put a price tag on that. I do charge $100 hr for working on others vehicles/boats.
35’s and 3.55 gears don’t go well together that point I can’t agree more on.
Last edited by merc225hp; 01-22-2012 at 10:30 PM.
#33
01-22-2012, 10:35 PM
Champion
The OP said he got his answers so...we are safe wandering off topic.
Merc, Do you believe in the expensive wires having a performance gain with an otherwise stock ignition and copper plugs or do you just buy quality silicone wires that are reasonably priced since you change them every year? how about cap and rotor.... myself I learned the expensive stuff doesnt do much of anything except make me less willing to replace it when it should be... you can improve the wire thickness/resistance all you want but if your still using a stock coil and copper plugs whats the point? Gains will be very minimal, Am I wrong?
I hear ya on the boat maintenance... I had a 28 foot cabin cruiser and traded it for a smaller 21ft chaparral thinking it would be more reliable...the outdrive exploded in the middle of lake erie the second time I ever used it and luckily some drunk guys fishing towed us in.... my boating days are finished until I have more disposable income to buy a boat I KNOW was well maintained...
Merc, Do you believe in the expensive wires having a performance gain with an otherwise stock ignition and copper plugs or do you just buy quality silicone wires that are reasonably priced since you change them every year? how about cap and rotor.... myself I learned the expensive stuff doesnt do much of anything except make me less willing to replace it when it should be... you can improve the wire thickness/resistance all you want but if your still using a stock coil and copper plugs whats the point? Gains will be very minimal, Am I wrong?
I hear ya on the boat maintenance... I had a 28 foot cabin cruiser and traded it for a smaller 21ft chaparral thinking it would be more reliable...the outdrive exploded in the middle of lake erie the second time I ever used it and luckily some drunk guys fishing towed us in.... my boating days are finished until I have more disposable income to buy a boat I KNOW was well maintained...
Last edited by Augiedoggy; 01-22-2012 at 10:37 PM.
#34
01-22-2012, 10:58 PM
The OP said he got his answers so...we are safe wandering off topic.
Merc, Do you believe in the expensive wires having a performance gain with an otherwise stock ignition and copper plugs or do you just buy quality silicone wires that are reasonably priced since you change them every year? how about cap and rotor.... myself I learned the expensive stuff doesnt do much of anything except make me less willing to replace it when it should be... you can improve the wire thickness/resistance all you want but if your still using a stock coil and copper plugs whats the point? Gains will be very minimal, Am I wrong?
I hear ya on the boat maintenance... I had a 28 foot cabin cruiser and traded it for a smaller 21ft chaparral thinking it would be more reliable...the outdrive exploded in the middle of lake erie the second time I ever used it and luckily some drunk guys fishing towed us in.... my boating days are finished until I have more disposable income to buy a boat I KNOW was well maintained...
Merc, Do you believe in the expensive wires having a performance gain with an otherwise stock ignition and copper plugs or do you just buy quality silicone wires that are reasonably priced since you change them every year? how about cap and rotor.... myself I learned the expensive stuff doesnt do much of anything except make me less willing to replace it when it should be... you can improve the wire thickness/resistance all you want but if your still using a stock coil and copper plugs whats the point? Gains will be very minimal, Am I wrong?
I hear ya on the boat maintenance... I had a 28 foot cabin cruiser and traded it for a smaller 21ft chaparral thinking it would be more reliable...the outdrive exploded in the middle of lake erie the second time I ever used it and luckily some drunk guys fishing towed us in.... my boating days are finished until I have more disposable income to buy a boat I KNOW was well maintained...
For cap and rotor stock Mopar replacement parts are all I use.
I rotate my used parts for one year keep them as spares; chances are there is nothing wrong with them.
What leg did you grenade omc or merc or Volvo I have lots of spares here maybe I can help you out. Boats equal empty bank account fast, heck I don’t even own one anymore. I can get you great deals on boats new or used.
Last edited by merc225hp; 01-22-2012 at 11:40 PM. Reason: solid core to stainless steel
#35
01-23-2012, 08:12 AM
Champion
It was an alpha one magnum 350 merc setup...some gears were damaged from PO hitting something and just let loose on me..(I should have called him out on the damaged scag he said was like that for years)...
I ended up buying a rebuilt outdrive on ebay and selling the boat to an acquaintance because I just couldnt give it the attention it deserves... too many other projects
and yeah I used the non shielded wires once..at least I think thats what they were in my kitcar...stereo had tons of ignition noise even used filters before finally replacing the wires.. I didnt notice a difference but with an oem coil on a 40 year old car I'm not surprised...plus I had rebuilt the carbs and did other work at the time so it was tough to know what changed what.
I ended up buying a rebuilt outdrive on ebay and selling the boat to an acquaintance because I just couldnt give it the attention it deserves... too many other projects
and yeah I used the non shielded wires once..at least I think thats what they were in my kitcar...stereo had tons of ignition noise even used filters before finally replacing the wires.. I didnt notice a difference but with an oem coil on a 40 year old car I'm not surprised...plus I had rebuilt the carbs and did other work at the time so it was tough to know what changed what.
Last edited by Augiedoggy; 01-23-2012 at 08:18 AM.