I'm just curious, two of my friends also have dodges, ones a 96 with a 4.8 and the other a 97/98 with a 5.2. I have a 98 with a 5.9 engine and I don't seem to have the same acceleration. I know I have the bigger of the engines and therefore the slowest (seems obvious) but I was wondering if maybe its just me but when I floor it, I don't feel anything special, its not like burning rubber (not like I want to do that, I'm just saying) it just builds up to speed slowly. I know I probably shouldn't be expecting it to be fast acceleration because of the engine size. When I'm riding in my friends truck (the 5.2) its got great pick up, could that difference between our engines mean that its slower by that much? (Sorry I'm not really technical or anything, this is my first vehicle and I don't know too much about it yet).

 

gotta remember our trucks are heavy pigs... you gotta take into consideration your rear gear ratio too...thatll either help or hurt your acceleration... its it a 4x4? right there is a ton of extra added weight that slows them down ... any i dont think i understood your right.... you DONT wanna burn rubber? you feeelin ok?

 

yeah mine as well as the 5.2's is 4x4, but I have no clue about the rear gear ratio. The only reason I don't want to burn rubber is because I dont want to have to buy new tires :P

 

yeah i understand.. i have a 2001 5.2.. but i rode in a 97 5.9 and it didnt really feel like it had to much pick-up at all.. i could probally take him.. but what i understand is they only have probally 15-20 more horsepower.. and with that bigger engine thats a lot more weight

 

You can crawl under the back of the truck and look at the rear end housing. There should be a rectangular tag attached to one of the cover bolts that will have your gear ratio stamped on it. Your front gear will be one number higher. ( ex. 3.55 rear - 3.54 front)

 

never knew that.. im running 33's on my truck now on stock gears.. im guessing 3.55's.. probally why im sluggish off the line??

 

yea .. i would assume... i got 4.10's and i should only run 35's and thats pushin it.. thats just under suggestions from manufacturers... i know a guy that rean 3.55's with 40's on his truck...

why is the front diff a notch higher then the rear..always wonderd that..

 

that cant be too good for the rear.. i heard 4:10's for 33's.. 4:56's for 35's.. and 4:88's for anything over

 

i thought 4.56's were the highest you can go in our 9.25's unless someone came out with an adaptable .88's

 

Hey shott8283, if you mean the gearing, [I read this years ago as I wondered the same thing]the front is ever so slightly different to make the handling better in 4wd, the idea is for the front end to "pull" ever so slightly and not be "pushed" by the rear end which would make it squirrly to steer while in 4wd.