I want to know if they make light weight pulleys like aluminum but not under drive pulleys.

 

I can't remember his screen name right now
but there is a professional machinist in Canada
(Newfoundland or maybe Nova Scotia)
who was making custom pulleys for 2nd Gen Rams.
Perhaps he would make them for 3rd Gen Rams.

In the newest issue of Hot Rod Magazine
there is an article about putting a 5.7 Hemi V8
into an older Duster
and there are several photos of the custom
pulleys they had to fit to the engine,
including 'Air Conditioner Delete' bolt on idlers
which may indicate that a variety of pulleys
can be ordered from somewhere.

 

I don't subscribe to the whole smaller pulley thing. Electric fan, yes. Smaller power steering pulley, yes but I wouldn't screw with the water-pump or the alt. pulley. Hell, if you are going to do that, just remove the a/c and get a smaller belt. I think all that is best for getting more power, but as we all know more power=less mpg. A proven fact like the more money you make=more money she spends, more you drink=more good looking she gets, etc. I think we spend more on things that will save gas then they will make back for us during our time with the truck. It's like driving miles out of your way because gas is 4 cents cheaper but you spend the difference driving there. I caught myself doing that all the time. The way we drive is got to be the biggest factor, if I change that it'll helpbut Igots to, it's a Hemi!!! The only thing that makes me smile is the fact that my Hemi gets better mileage the n a '72 Maverick.

 

My basis is that I want lighweight pulleys, less weight mean less rotating mass=less horsepower to spin that mass. I think that makes sense? I don't want to under drive my equipment so I'm not sure if there's going to be a big difference just by putting on lightweight pulleys instead of smaller ones

 

actually, drop a honda civic engine in your truck... you should do fine. especially that SI engine. dude, youd beat a lambo with it too!

 

You don't want a lighter weight pulley
you want a pulley designed to have a lower
"rotational moment of inertia"

That is just fancy words
for what you in the designs of
'flywheels'
on machinery like
steam locomotitves, metal punches, amusement park ride drives, etc.

Flywheels have a large 'rotational moment of inertia' because their design has most of the mass are far from the center as possible.

Pulleys for engine belt drives
{and wheels & tires}
should be designed to have low moments of rotational inertia.

Things that have lots of mass are hard to get moving fast in a straight line.

Things that have lots of 'rotational moment of inertia' are hard to get rotating faster, and once rotating they are hard to slow down.

Just like the captial letter M is used as an abbreviation for mass,
the capital letter I is used as an abbreviation of rotational moment of inertia.

When you hear people says that 20 inch diameter wheels and tires slow down acceleration and make braking distances longer, they are really saying that these wheels have a large "I" just like a flywheel does.

 

I had a 2001 with a 5.9 that got very good mileage...about 12/18 city/hwy on average. I was told by the dealership that about 1 5.9 in a thousand would do that. It also had exceptional power for a 5.9. I had two others with horrible mileage and no power. [/align][/align]I get about the same with my hemi with better city mileage. I easily get 13 in the city and easily 17 on the highway at 70 mph. I never get below 11 in winter city driving with a lot of idling. The CAI is the only mod I made with either truck and I actually had 285son the '01. The CAI definitely makes a difference in MPG. I've switched back and forth a few times just to make sure.[/align]

 

A CAI is one my list of upgrades for sure

 

15 MPG city,
18 MPG hwy,
16.5 MPG with a 700lb ATV and supplies on the bed of my truck going through the Rockies,
7 MPG !!! With the same setup as above + 4000 lbs enclosed 6 x 12 trailer (moving from Chicago to Tulsa) 700 miles and 100 gallons of gas!

3.7 V6 with 5sp manual... That trailer was a real anchor Most of the hills in MO required downshifting to 3rd gear and some to 2nd!!!

Tomski