98 B3500 Van Conversion: 4.10 to 3.55 swap?
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Air Dam and Weight
Hi Gerald,
A couple of things. First I read on a recent Roadtrek forum that a member who has the same van as we have installed an air dam below his front bumper, and increased his mileage by 1 mpg. I would be interested to know if anyone else out that has had a similar experience. An air dam would certainly be cheaper than converting your rear end. Also I will mention that we put our van on the scales as we left town for one of our trips recently. It weighed 9,200 lbs., about 500 pounds over the posted gross vehicle weight of the vehicle. We've tried to cut down on the weight, but it isn't easy. Let me know if you get a chance to check out the spacing between your tires. Our tire size is 245/75/16 which is the recommended size according to the door sticker.
Cheers....Vince
A couple of things. First I read on a recent Roadtrek forum that a member who has the same van as we have installed an air dam below his front bumper, and increased his mileage by 1 mpg. I would be interested to know if anyone else out that has had a similar experience. An air dam would certainly be cheaper than converting your rear end. Also I will mention that we put our van on the scales as we left town for one of our trips recently. It weighed 9,200 lbs., about 500 pounds over the posted gross vehicle weight of the vehicle. We've tried to cut down on the weight, but it isn't easy. Let me know if you get a chance to check out the spacing between your tires. Our tire size is 245/75/16 which is the recommended size according to the door sticker.
Cheers....Vince
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Post an add in the services section of Craigslist asking for someone to do the swap for you at their location. Often junkyards will deliver heavy items for like $50 so you won't have to pick it up. You just get it delivered to where the swap is being done. I see people doing this quite often when they can't do it themselves or don't want to pay garage or dealer labor prices.
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Hi Gerald,
A couple of things. First I read on a recent Roadtrek forum that a member who has the same van as we have installed an air dam below his front bumper, and increased his mileage by 1 mpg. I would be interested to know if anyone else out that has had a similar experience. An air dam would certainly be cheaper than converting your rear end. Also I will mention that we put our van on the scales as we left town for one of our trips recently. It weighed 9,200 lbs., about 500 pounds over the posted gross vehicle weight of the vehicle. We've tried to cut down on the weight, but it isn't easy. Let me know if you get a chance to check out the spacing between your tires. Our tire size is 245/75/16 which is the recommended size according to the door sticker.
Cheers....Vince
A couple of things. First I read on a recent Roadtrek forum that a member who has the same van as we have installed an air dam below his front bumper, and increased his mileage by 1 mpg. I would be interested to know if anyone else out that has had a similar experience. An air dam would certainly be cheaper than converting your rear end. Also I will mention that we put our van on the scales as we left town for one of our trips recently. It weighed 9,200 lbs., about 500 pounds over the posted gross vehicle weight of the vehicle. We've tried to cut down on the weight, but it isn't easy. Let me know if you get a chance to check out the spacing between your tires. Our tire size is 245/75/16 which is the recommended size according to the door sticker.
Cheers....Vince
I would be very interested in an air dam, as the van is quite high in the front, and there would be plenty of ground clearance and need for one. Do you know of a source for one that attaches to the existing bumper?
The rearend on mine is making noises, so it needs a full rebuild anyway, gears included. Since it's getting new gears, I will try a different ratio to see if the mileage will improve.
My tires are the same size, made by Cooper, inflated to the max allowed on the sidewall, 55 psi. With 1/2 full fresh water, full propane, full gasoline, empty holding tanks, and nothing else on board, there is approximately 3/4 inch between the tire bulges. I'm sure this will decrease as more weight is added.
In your case, the sidewalls touching may not be a problem, because there is no relative movement. A problem may occur if debris gets caught between the tires. If there is a tire with a higher load range available, you may want to change brands next time...the sidewalls are usually stiffer as load range (and possibly max pressure) increases.
Gerard
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Hi Gerald,
A couple of things. First I read on a recent Roadtrek forum that a member who has the same van as we have installed an air dam below his front bumper, and increased his mileage by 1 mpg. I would be interested to know if anyone else out that has had a similar experience. An air dam would certainly be cheaper than converting your rear end. Also I will mention that we put our van on the scales as we left town for one of our trips recently. It weighed 9,200 lbs., about 500 pounds over the posted gross vehicle weight of the vehicle. We've tried to cut down on the weight, but it isn't easy. Let me know if you get a chance to check out the spacing between your tires. Our tire size is 245/75/16 which is the recommended size according to the door sticker.
Cheers....Vince
A couple of things. First I read on a recent Roadtrek forum that a member who has the same van as we have installed an air dam below his front bumper, and increased his mileage by 1 mpg. I would be interested to know if anyone else out that has had a similar experience. An air dam would certainly be cheaper than converting your rear end. Also I will mention that we put our van on the scales as we left town for one of our trips recently. It weighed 9,200 lbs., about 500 pounds over the posted gross vehicle weight of the vehicle. We've tried to cut down on the weight, but it isn't easy. Let me know if you get a chance to check out the spacing between your tires. Our tire size is 245/75/16 which is the recommended size according to the door sticker.
Cheers....Vince
Gerard
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Hi Gerald,
My tires are Toyo Open Country LT E rated. They were on the van when I bought it two years ago, and they still have plenty of tread. Just after I got my van I posted a question on the Xplorer site asking about proper tire inflation. Someone with the same year van as mine that they bought new posted that the manufacturer changed the pressure recommendation to 70 lbs. psi in all four tires just after they bought their van. I have been running between 65-70 in mine ever since. Also did you see the post on the forum titled "Ram Van Front Bumper"? It has a link to a site where you can buy the air dam, and a picture of what it looks like. Let me know if you decide to do it. I would do it if I could be sure it would improve my mileage.
Cheers...Vince
My tires are Toyo Open Country LT E rated. They were on the van when I bought it two years ago, and they still have plenty of tread. Just after I got my van I posted a question on the Xplorer site asking about proper tire inflation. Someone with the same year van as mine that they bought new posted that the manufacturer changed the pressure recommendation to 70 lbs. psi in all four tires just after they bought their van. I have been running between 65-70 in mine ever since. Also did you see the post on the forum titled "Ram Van Front Bumper"? It has a link to a site where you can buy the air dam, and a picture of what it looks like. Let me know if you decide to do it. I would do it if I could be sure it would improve my mileage.
Cheers...Vince
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On Saturday I was speaking to a gentleman from the Midwest, who installed a Cummins 6BT in his extended Ram Wagon, the only one I know exists He also uses a Gear Vender overdrive unit which allows him to run 3.92s and lower his RPMs on the highway. Likely a better choice for you than installing 3.55s in your MH which is probably near its max GVWR unloaded.
Last edited by iodj44; Feb 4, 2014 at 07:01 AM.
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Update: I found a guy in the Kearny Mesa area of San Diego that can do the rearend rebuild. My appointment is Feb 14, and I'm planning to change from 4.10 to 3.73 rear gears. This guy has a tall building that will accept my Class B motorhome on a lift.
His competitor in El Cajon wanted to charge me an extra $170 because my vehicle was too high for his lift, and they would have had to crawl underneath to do the work. I say, PHOOEY on you! Don't expect me to pay extra because you don't have the right equipment for my vehicle!
Still trying to figure out how to re-cal the speedo. Apparently, neither Superchips nor Hypertech have anything for my 98 B3500 Ram Van.
Ideas on the speedo recalibration? Anyone know of a tuner/recalibrator I can buy? Or am I at the mercy of the dealer or a speedo shop?
Gerard
His competitor in El Cajon wanted to charge me an extra $170 because my vehicle was too high for his lift, and they would have had to crawl underneath to do the work. I say, PHOOEY on you! Don't expect me to pay extra because you don't have the right equipment for my vehicle!
Still trying to figure out how to re-cal the speedo. Apparently, neither Superchips nor Hypertech have anything for my 98 B3500 Ram Van.
Ideas on the speedo recalibration? Anyone know of a tuner/recalibrator I can buy? Or am I at the mercy of the dealer or a speedo shop?
Gerard
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Edge products evoht p/n 36030 appears to support 98-2003 vans.
BUT they also have a disclaimer that they do not support cab and chassis vehicles which is what all conversions vans are.
Could be worth a call to their CS line. Since C&C's are 99% same as work vans except for a few extra electrical circuits.
I would think that going to a single rear wheel set would save on fuel. When the price of gas first went high many people went to super-single rear wheel and tires. Back then, Dick Cepek sold lots of 12-16.5 conversion kits for fuel savings.
Our conversion van is a A1500 Star Craft conversion. On certified scales it weighs 5900# with tractor tools and stuff.
It has the V360 and 4 speed OD 3.55 gears with P23575R15 27" tires!
Around town on short trips it gets 10 MPG
On the freeway with cruise set to 65 it gets 15.9 MPG.
Towing a 7000# load [I use it as a tow vehicle to relocate a utility tractor that weighs 5000# plus the trailer] it gets 9 mpg, overdrive locked out taking it at 55 MPH flat terrain. Towing the trailer with out the tractor 13 MPG (pulls so well you will forget that the trailer is attached)
I gets better MPG than an F350 V460 C6 ford did on same load (3.55 gears)
Fine tow vehicle, front and rear AC and heat that cools even in 110F Texas summers.
I do not expect it to stay together long working hard but the price was right.
A true mileage test is over the hill to El Centro and back to SD!
BUT they also have a disclaimer that they do not support cab and chassis vehicles which is what all conversions vans are.
Could be worth a call to their CS line. Since C&C's are 99% same as work vans except for a few extra electrical circuits.
I would think that going to a single rear wheel set would save on fuel. When the price of gas first went high many people went to super-single rear wheel and tires. Back then, Dick Cepek sold lots of 12-16.5 conversion kits for fuel savings.
Our conversion van is a A1500 Star Craft conversion. On certified scales it weighs 5900# with tractor tools and stuff.
It has the V360 and 4 speed OD 3.55 gears with P23575R15 27" tires!
Around town on short trips it gets 10 MPG
On the freeway with cruise set to 65 it gets 15.9 MPG.
Towing a 7000# load [I use it as a tow vehicle to relocate a utility tractor that weighs 5000# plus the trailer] it gets 9 mpg, overdrive locked out taking it at 55 MPH flat terrain. Towing the trailer with out the tractor 13 MPG (pulls so well you will forget that the trailer is attached)
I gets better MPG than an F350 V460 C6 ford did on same load (3.55 gears)
Fine tow vehicle, front and rear AC and heat that cools even in 110F Texas summers.
I do not expect it to stay together long working hard but the price was right.
A true mileage test is over the hill to El Centro and back to SD!
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Torino,
Give a call to Oceanside driveline for another option.
http://www.oceansidedriveline.com/
Not sure how the compare to others around town, just know they came highly recommended by everyone around here.
They had no issues putting my raised roof on a lift when they put new bearings in a junkyard axle for me.
They scrubbed and painted the axle for me too. Still looks good 6 years later.
Give a call to Oceanside driveline for another option.
http://www.oceansidedriveline.com/
Not sure how the compare to others around town, just know they came highly recommended by everyone around here.
They had no issues putting my raised roof on a lift when they put new bearings in a junkyard axle for me.
They scrubbed and painted the axle for me too. Still looks good 6 years later.