I have a 92 Cummins W350 with 355 rears, 33 inch tires and a five speed. This is not the best setup for pullin a fifth wheel but it's the way it is. The fifth wheel loaded is about 11500 or so. This brings the GVW to around 18000 or there abouts. <br><br>We just got back from a trip through New England. This was pretty hilley and the ole girl worked pretty hard. I had to shift early and often. The speed dropped way down at points. Even on the interstate there were a couple of times I had to go into third to pull the long grades. It didn't take much to shift into fourth. With this setup what are the best rears for all around use?<br><br>Can someone tell me the best all around rears for this thing? Now I don't pull all the time. I guess the key here is the rears along with the 33&quot; tires. The way it is set up now the tires give it even longer legs and far less power. I don't know whether to go to 373's or 410's. I don't know if the 410's would be to much for all around driveing. <br><br>Can someone that has the same setup with different rears tell me the rpm at 60mph and how you like the setup for pullin?<br>Remember it has to have 33&quot; tires. I would like to hear from owners of 373's and 410's.<br><br>Thanks for the help<br><br>Gary<br><br>

 

Gary,<br> I would put my money in some modest power mods. The gears you have with the 5 speed and 33's are not too high and the 4:10's would be taching too high for any economy.<br> Some decent mods would bring your power and economy up and would surprise you what that truck could do with those gears. You might even stay in 5th!!! I am not suggesting go all out crazy but that motor can give you alot more power.<br><br>Guages* Heavy Clutch* Performance mods and keep the gears IMO would be your best bet.<br><br>Remember there are guys out there trying to buy overdrives for their 5 speeds with 4:10's. You have alot of untapped streetable/drivable/towable power untapped in your truck to be had for what those gears would cost you!

 

This may be a dumb question, but how can you tell what gears you have? I have been wondering and waiting for the right time to ask.<br>Thanks,<br>Paul

 

Paul<br><br>The ratio of the rear or rears can be found either in the orignial sticker on the truck, a tag on the rear at the pumpkin or you can do a test and check it.<br><br>Put the truck on jacks at the rear axle. Put the trans in nutral. Mark the drive shaft and the tire. Rotate the tire one time and count the revs of the drive shaft. This will give you the ratio of the rear. If the drive shaft rotates four times and a little bit then it's a 410. If it rotates three and a half times it's a 354. Three and three quaters indicates a 373.

 

thumbs process works if you have a suregrip, but if you have an open differential you need to either keep one wheel from moving during the test, or rotate the wheel 2 revolutions.<br><br>have you turned the pump up or anything? WIth my modest pump tweaking and the 16cm^2 housing, my truck is a completely different animal than it was in stock form. It's still not a powerhouse by any means, but it runs pretty good, and it getting 3mpg more than when I first bought it

 

furious70<br><br>No the truck is stock. I am concerned about blowin the pump. I sure would like to get more power though. She's pretty slow on the hills. I am a patient man but it started to get to me a bit. Those long steady pulls killed me. The only thing I have done(performance wise) is an AFE air filter and 3inch exause with a turbo flow muffler. I put the exhause in front of the rear wheel to reduce the back pressure goin over the axle. <br><br>If I turn up the pump do I need the guages?

 

Gary,<br> Get the Guages first most definately. Even stock I would get the guages! Dodge has that Cummins turned down so much it isn't even funny so you have alot to play with before you run alot of risk. Matter of fact your clutch is going to be your weak link. As I stated in my previous post... Guages, Clutch, and then Mods depending on how much you go.<br><br>If you gear it down i think you would regret it when you have so much available power right there under your hood.<br><br>Dodge detuned that motor so they could keep a clutch in it beyond warrantee amoung other things. I reiterate you don't have to go nuts but you can &quot;safely&quot; get enough out of her to pull in 5th gear for most hills and you will ;D the whole way up it.<br><br>James

 

I can't imagine trying to tow up here in the hills with a stock truck . . .<br><br>In my opinion, the cheapest performance modification is rotating the AFC pin which increases the fueling. All you need is a big flat head screw driver -- you don't even have to wrestle with a tamper proof cap . . . BUT the best value for money is changing your turbo housing. For about $60 or so you should be able to buy a used 12cm housing from a later model truck. If you put that on, with no pump modifications, it will improve your torque rise, and give you a little added efficiency: You know when you are starting up a grade, making that shift into third -- the engine boggs way down, you have the pedal floored, finally she starts to pick up speed, then suddenly the turbo spools up and you accelerate up to the governor? Well, stock that acceleration is when you hit about 1700 rpm, the maximum torque speed. The smaller turbine housing brings that speed down to below 1500 rpm, so when you make the shift you are still within the &quot;power band&quot; of the engine. It will also (with stock pump settings) not require adding guages (though they are a good idea even if you aren't planning on modifying your truck). A new housing, and some minor pump tweaking, and you won't believe it is the same truck -- until you forget just what a dog it used to be ;D<br><br>Now -- if some day you are going to want to put out 250+ hp, you might not want to go as small as the 12cm housing, but for how you are describing your driving habits I think it might be the way to go. (It does involve taking the old housing off, shortening the down pipe where it attaches to the turbo, and hooking up a line for the waste gate.)<br><br>I think you will be pretty happy cruising at 55 in 5th with 12lbs of boost down around 1600 rpm -- looking out the window at the scenery, and able to hear yourself think .<br><br>By the way, I have heard that our 1st gen clutches are actually pretty tough -- I really haven't seen many folks here burn theirs up?<br><br>Good luck,<br><br>Alec

 

[quote author=asilitch link=board=9;threadid=17416;start=0#163263 date=1058991124]
For about $60 or so you should be able to buy a used 12cm housing from a later model truck. (It does involve taking the old housing off, shortening the down pipe where it attaches to the turbo, and hooking up a line for the waste gate.)

By the way, I have heard that our 1st gen clutches are actually pretty tough -- I really haven't seen many folks here burn theirs up?

[/quote]
You can skip hooking up the boost line if you get a Turbo Master. To find out about what 1st gen clutches can take, look at Okiebroncrider's sig and see how bombed his truck is.

He's running a stock clutch. ;D

 

Here's my 2 cents, Go with a 16cm^ turbo housing ( EGT's will be higher with 12-14's-see BOMBS AWAYYYYYYY post) then get some POD Inj's,and leave you pump alone. With POD's you will not have to turn your pump up to increase power. Turning your pump up puts more strain on it and will take life out of it . How much-???? (POD's are cheaper than a new pump.) You will definitly feel the increase in power, also this gives you the oppertunity to turn it up later if you need more umph. Oh and dont forget the gauges.

 

Good to hear about the stock clutch in the 1st gens. Glad to be corrected on that. I assumed (incorrectly) that the clutch was just like the 2nd gen clutch :-[ Sorry. Good for you though Gary.<br><br>Thanks for chiming in and taking out any confusion i might have added guys <br><br>James