I went to dodgetruckworld.com and told them my situation in a new thread and got like 20 new posts within the first 2 or 3 hours. They said a 2 - 4 inch lift would be reasonable, and they also said tires no bigger than 35's or 36's. They also said that in my case, i might have to change the ring and pinion and the whole rear end to a 3:91 or a 4:10 gear ratio because the big tires will tear up on the rearend. They also said I would make up for power because i am going to probable try and do a 2 1/2 inch to 3 inch exhuast and a Cold Air Intake. Im now even thinking about putting a new cam in. waytogo waytogo waytogo
just remember dude the bigger the tire the less the mileage believe me especially in a V8 expect even with new gearing around 10 MPG and the exhaust and intake wont do too much maybe 5 HP but save up put in a cam and get a hypertech power programmer they are expensive but worth the money IMO.
Also you can runs Amsoil in the Diffs,Tranny,T Case and Engine and get some more mileage and longer intervals between changes.Dont forget those tires wont last all that long with daily driving and upgrade the brakes!!!
But if I get the Power Programmer, and I do a new rear end, I could probably get more power with the programmer anyway, right? And yes, it is a daily driver because I am a teenager, and I need to get from home to school and work, and etc. Wow all of these mods are really adding up: Truck $6000 - $12000 Lift: Almost $1000 Rims + Tires: $1000 - $1500 Exhaust: $600 CAI: $300 Step Bars: $200 New Ring and Pinion or New Rear End: Atleast $1000 for parts and labor for 4wd Power Programmer: $280 Also brakes and a cam: WINNING THE GIRLS AND BEING SATISFIED WITH MY TRUCK=PRICELESS>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo Now I kinda see why some teenagers end up with Honda Civics! rotfl
yeah they cost my friend who can barely get into his truck has 20K in it and just turned 18 last weekend.Fuel and parts add up quickly and God forbid you have a major brakeage issue.
For one, basically throw out all the info you've read about bad Dodge autos. Automatics are a big wild card. You never know what you will get and everyone is different. Just because it's got 100K and hasn't had trans problems doesn't mean you are in the clear. Most fail AFTER 100K. Some do, some don't. It's all about LUCK. As for lifts, tires, and all that stuff.... Here is my first vehicle/ back up for my Dodge. The problem with all this stuff is what it does to power and mileage. I have a built 406ci small block that is about 320HP, but my Dodge at stock power levels runs right with it accelerating. Not to mention it's basically an 8mpg rig in town and about 11 on the highway. It costs a lot of money to lift something fairly high and to do it RIGHT with new shafts. Tires and wheels are a huge variable, and think you are a little on the cheap side. I spent over $2500 on my tires and wheels. Brent/Zippy....I'm 6'4"...:stir:
I just looked at the dyno charts from Hypertech Power Programmer III for a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 with the 5.9l engine and the horsepower gain is CRAZY!!!!!!!! imp: imp: imp: imp: imp: imp: imp: imp: imp: imp: Factory Horsepower: 214 Factory Torque: 304 AFTER HYPERTECH POWER PROGRAMMER Horsepower : 223 @ 4000 RPM GAIN OF 9 Torque: 316 @ 3250 Remember, this dyno was done on stock gear ratio and stock tire size and height. I will also be doing a exhaust and Cold Air Intake so that might come to and extra 10 - 20 Horsepower and 10 - 30 Torque. Depending on the cam that I want to do, It will bring another 10+ horsepower.
Fixed it for ya not to mention about another $1000 or so for labor on everything else. Believe me I have bought all of my vehicles with the best intentions of tricking them out but $ limitations and common sense prevailed.waytogo good luck though!!
rotfl My box added 120HP and 350ft lbs. I don't think I would even bother with a programmer on a gas engine. 400-500 clams for 9HP? I don't think so... IMHO, you need at least 10HP to actually SLIGHTLY get a better SOP feeling (seat of pants) in a car. In a heavy 3/4-1ton pickup or ANY lifted pickup with big tires, you need at least 15HP, more like 20HP to really get anything to register on the SOP meter. A Cam is actually a decent idea, and could gain 20+HP or so, but at a very high effort to get it. You really need to know what you are doing, not to mention the amount of work to get the cam in. If the EFI system is a MAF (Mass airflow) system then it will likely adjust for the cam, but if it's a MAP system then you will need a custom prom, which is another few hundred. It's a lot of money and effort for 10-25HP. This is the reason why diesel power is spreading like wild fire. It takes a ton of money and mechanical effort, along with effecting warranties, to make a stock gas engine gain 15% more power. You are going to loose what feels like roughly a 30HP or so loss on average with a set of 35's. It will feel even worse if you have high gearing and go with a heavier tire. (A 35x10.50 A/T weighs a BUNCH less than my 35x16 Boggers). So basically....you are going to loose what feels like about a 15% loss in power and are going to spend probably around $1500 in your planned engine mods to gain 12-15% back. I don't think it would be worth it to me to spend $1500 for that gain back. If it was me and I had to have a gas engine, I would either JUST do the exhaust (really, mainly for the sound and maybe a gain of 5-10HP), and that would basically be it. Now if I really wanted more power I would just go all out, Whipple twin screw charger (another 100HP, now we are talking some decent power), some aluminum heads, and an appropriate cam. All of that would net roughly 150HP more, which would be like a 60% increase. Thats enough to make the 'ol Sop meter register in the red. But, there again, you are talking $5K+ along with all the work to install. Not counting trans work either. There is only so much you can get out of a naturally aspirated engine that has the mechanical flow limits of stock hard parts (heads, cam, intake, EFI system, injectors, blah blah.) Forced induction is what is going to yeild best results, but at a high cost.
Very true it is easier and cheaper to get more power with a simple programer with a diesle but go back when you were that age and remember your first horsepower mod it made you feel gitty just installing it and then driving it you were like christmas in july. I wont try to talk you down from building your truck just remember I have a long list of planed mods for our five vehicles and since starting my own shop money is tighter than before find what you can do by yourself,to save money,then pay a pro for the larger stuff like a lift,gears ect if you havent got the place or time and experince or help to do it cause it will save your butt in the long run. You can do it just take your time and think about how it will affect your daily driving,other bills ect.
Ya i know what your thinking. When I typed that message (the horsepower gain is crazy) i didnt realize that the torque was on the dyno chart, and i was looking at the torque, so i thought the programmer added almost 100+ hp. Sorry about that. I should probably edit that. I like your idea about the exhaust, that is one of the main reasons I would like to get an exhaust, for the noise. It would probably piss off my neighbors in the morning (coloradok5) when reving up to go to school. You do have a good point about spending a ton of money to get that power back. Remember, I like power though! You know, i would get a diesel but my parents dont want me to get one because it is to expensive. You also have another good point with the whole supercharger thing, and I would do that, but it is to expensive. My dad and I are not made of money. So what to do? I would really like to lift it and do bigger tires because im really into offroading. Im probably not going to be towing much so that doesnt matter. And to spend money on performance parts, or not. You about convinced me not to do anything but an exhuast and a cam. So what to do? everyone keep tellin me what to do, because you guys no from experience, im just a teenager on this site to figure what to do! Please tell me your opinion.
Number one do what makes you happy its your truck and it doesnt matter what we think since we are not paying for it.Living life and trying new things is the only way to find out what you like or dont like if you love off roading then lift it and go for the cam,exhaust and programer,gears ect just do it over time and shop around.
i will agree with him just do what makes you happy and what your finances can provide i remember my first truck was a 90 gmc suburban 2wd. i put a 3" lift on it first and was happy but started thinking well.....self.....you knowfabtech makes a long arm travel kit that is made to bolt on with everything else and so i bought it installed it enjoyed it for 8 months and drove my truck maybe 30 times in the eight months jumped about 8-10 ft. in the air off some railroad tracks landed great and then realized that the whole thing was a waste cuz i got 8 mPG and could barely drive the thing so i encourage you to build what you can and what you want and maybe sometime ill come up and help but just be happy with what you do!
Right now, Im thinkin about going with a 2000 or 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 Ext. Cab with the Off Road Package. Then my plan was to squeeze the biggest tires I could under the wheel wells without doing a lift. Then do a few perforance mods like exhuast. Then over time, get a lift done. I will try and spread this out over time. Remember, i am 15, so i am a freshman, I will start my sophmore year with my truck, so I have almost 4 years to do all of this. I was thinkin, maybe I could do something special with my truck for my senior project (our school requires it). This one chick I know painted and did a turbo and a bunch of other things on her older Subaru Impreza for her Senior Project. Maybe I could do something like that if I get the money.
Did you think you would get this much info back on your post carguy? All really good info from what I have read. I was thinking about it, if you are getting a dodge 4x4, they sit pretty high already. If you go up to a 265/75/16 or a 275/70/16 tire with after market rims like the black steel wheels (rock crawler) since they are pretty inexpensive, I think you will be pretty satisfied until you get the money and a plan of attack to go to the next level. You could also consider a body lift to gain an inch or two. As far as exhaust goes, get an after market muffler welded in and it will sound good. waytogo
i agree with CB bolt in a 40 series flowmaster like 40 $ on ebay and they sound great and have midas weld it in for maybe $100. stick 285/75/16's on it they will fit maybe just a little rubbing i had that size on my tahoe with cranked torsion bars so you'll be fine and yeah dwn the road maybe do a lift. if you pread all of it out you'll never get board!
To tag onto to what Zippy said about spreading it out you will also be able to gain knowledge on how to do the work yourself and that will save you a bundle. Kind of like the senoir project you talked about.waytogo
By the way, this is kinda the look im going for: or The first guy has a 5'' lift and 37 inch tires and the 2nd guy has a 3'' lift with 33 inch tires but this is what I kinda want mine to look like when it is done. waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo waytogo
thats great dude go for it and save up for senior project in a few years and you'll win and maybe ill help if you need it. so go forth and save and search.
