Am I Pushing My Drivelines Limits?

9

99cumminsdeere

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Jan 16, 2011
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I have searched and not found exactly what I am looking for so here goes.

I am planning on selling my pulling truck in the next year or two so I don't want to put a lot of time and money into it cause i'll just be tearing it all apart again to sell. I just want to have fun this summer and not go broke.

Its a 99 reg cab with a Dana 80, 3.55's, NV4500 and 271 T-case. Front driveshaft is stock rear driveshaft has 1480's. Also 4200lb sintert iron dual disk. Tires are 285-65-16 BFG AT's at half tread may be getting a new set of 305-70-17. I hope to be close to 700 horse next year.

Should I be worried about breaking the front drivehaft, or axles? Is 4th gear too high? If I pull in 2nd Hi or 3rd Low should I be worried about breaking?

I am thinking find a used set of 4.10 or 4.88's, weld the rear differential together, and throw a new set of BFG AT 305-70-17 tires on and this would make a decent setup for a while? What do you all think?
 
i'd say your going to tear up parts in the NV before anything else, find tall gears, run in 4th, try and keep the rpms up
 
Make sure your front driveshaft is good and tight. When those double cardans get just a little bit loose they tend to be a ticking time bomb in any situation where the vehicle sees strenuous use. El cheapo U-joints like Precisions and PDQs tend to be a little to loose when new. The centering kit also needs to be in good shape.
 
Get some 4.88's or 5.13's it will help take some of the load off the rest of your drivetrain. Next step will be your 35 spline axles in your Dana 80 $.02
 
I guess I'll have to learn how to setup differentials now. What parts do I need to switch from 3.55 to 4.88 or 5.13 on the front and rear? Does it take a new carrier and spider gears? I have never torn one appart I don't know what all is involved.
 
Ring gear spacer for the front, new carrier for the rear.
 
Yes, they are 35 spline stock. He probably meant 37 spline.

What are you running to lock up the rear? Spool?
 
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Sarafin said:
3.55s only came with spiders, he said he wanted to weldem
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Ya wanna weld the spiders I figure this is the cheapest way to go.

Also What are a good brand of ring and pinion to run? Seems like a lot of placs sell Yukon I assume they are about the best? I hav seen USA Standard is cheaper are they not as good? I assume you get what you pay for?
 
99cumminsdeere said:
Ya wanna weld the spiders I figure this is the cheapest way to go.

Also What are a good brand of ring and pinion to run? Seems like a lot of placs sell Yukon I assume they are about the best? I hav seen USA Standard is cheaper are they not as good? I assume you get what you pay for?
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For a Dodge, just buy Dana. Thats pretty much the best off the shelf you can get, and if you shop around they are damn near as cheap as buying Yukons.

Gears are kind of funny, certain manufacturers have varying qualitys for the same product line depending on application.
 
1pieceatatime. said:
For a Dodge, just buy Dana. Thats pretty much the best off the shelf you can get, and if you shop around they are damn near as cheap as buying Yukons.

Gears are kind of funny, certain manufacturers have varying qualitys for the same product line depending on application.
Click to expand...

Where is a good place to buy Dana Spicer gears? Everyplace I have found is way more than Yukon.

Also If I do a spool in the rear and up front will I be able to turn if I have a pull cable to disconnect the front axle? (truck is not driven on the street)
 
If you want to go cheap like you said just get USA gears or Superior gears, weld the Lincoln lock the carriers and keep a cable for your CAD and have some fun.
 
99cumminsdeere said:
Where is a good place to buy Dana Spicer gears? Everyplace I have found is way more than Yukon.

Also If I do a spool in the rear and up front will I be able to turn if I have a pull cable to disconnect the front axle? (truck is not driven on the street)
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You have to look carefully and price it apples to apples. 90% ( if not all) of dana's gear sets come as a kit with everything but carrier bearings and shims. Pinion bearins, seal, pinion nut, crush sleeve, pinion shims and a baffle when applicable. Where as Yukon's you get a gear set and you have to buy a complete install kit. Randy's also sells the Dana gears, but most applications they break the Dana kits up, sell just the gears and use the rest of the pieces to put together there master kits.

And yes the pull cable for the disconnect will allow you to turn with a spool in the front.
 
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