Greetings

[gmctd]

Happy and prosperous New Year for you all, folks.........

[mhagie]

GMCTD, How about some pics of the new powertrain??
Merle

[gmctd]

If you're talkin' the '89 GMC-Cummins conversion, Merle, that project got shelved, maybe permanently.

I picked up a '96 3500 club cab Dodge\Cummins for my bro' but he didn't want it, so I've been er, um, slightly busy with it, instead.

So far, I've added IAT, Boost, and EGT gages, replaced the clutch-pilot bearing (already had a new clutch\pressure plate, t-o bearing), installed the 330hp\775lbsft torque TST plate, replaced the brown doggie-motel velour interior with grey velour, instrument panel and all, replaced the vacuum brake boost with Hydroboost, and.......

Dodge built their frames in three sections -

front section determined suspension type
2wd independent
4wd coil springs, trailing links
2wd straight front axle coil springs\trailing links, same frame\suspension\steering as 4wd

middle section determined cab type
regular cab 2-door
club cab 2dr (4 door '98 - up)

rear section determined bed length

Sooooo......I jacked the truck up, raised the cab up a foot off the frame, raised the Cummins 6 inches outta the frame, then cut the front i-f-s frame section out at the factory splice, directly beneath the seats.

Having located and prepped a 3500 4wd front section and the straight front axle, I then mated, aligned, and welded the two sections and VOILA!!!

I now have maybe the only Dodge 3500 HD straight front axle dooley pickup on the road - white\grey velour, sittin' 5" higher than when Dodge sold it to another old man and his dog (Boy! did that cab ever stink!!!!!).

The straight front axle is the Dana 70 without the differential third-member and drive axles - the steering knuckles, brakes, hubs, etc, are the same, just no drive assy, replaced by a section of 3/8ths inch thick heavy-wall tube.

HD factory option was offered only in cab-and-chassis configuration, with the narrower rear axle

I see Dodge now builds one-piece rail frames, but I like the '93 - 2001 body style trucks, so no biggie.

Next is a '98 4-door club cab switcheroo, a 2002 NV-5600 6-speed with 13" clutch to handle the 775ftlbs torque, maybe an 8.3 with TST for 1300ftlbs torque, and you should see what can be done with the first-gen 24-valve by eliminating the PCM.

Hoo hah!!!!! did I mention I like Dodge\Cummins?

Hey - sorry for the not-so-brief aside, but you guys oughtta know by now what happens when somebody rattles my chain........... tongue.gif ;)


yeah -- I edited it, but I ain't makin' any excuses - deal with it! tongue.gif

[ 01-11-2006, 04:48 AM: Message edited by: gmctd ]

[tom.mcinerney]

Thanks, J.D.

Someday somebody's gonna mount a webcam with access to your skunkworks...., though if occassional updates (as above)emmanate, we'll try to limit our questions, in the interest of your efficacious progress.

My truck arrived with 'ventshades' over the windows, which allows the windows to be cracked open at rest, which yields a fine fresh atmosphere within. But when the heater's on , the fumes of the oil which used to cover the engine make a different aromatherapy!

Happy New Year.

[mhagie]

jd, How does it ride?, my 1/2 ton 4x4 with the straight axle rides rough big time.
Also its time for a stupid question, why would you go to all that work and stay w/2wd that truck would look awesome as a straight axle 4x4.
BTW how is the GMC taking all of this? with you giving all of your attention to a Dodge? probably mad at you. :D
Merle

[gmctd]

Those long-travel coil springs give a ride like a half-ton.
Dodge still uses the Dana straight front axle in the 4x4 trucks, with the 3500 Cummins getting a Dana 70 front.

Problem is - it's a full-time axle, with a vac-operated dog clutch in the passenger-side axle shaft.
The un-clutched axle still drives the side and spider gears, and the clutched axle stub - no small task in the Dana 70 - so the 3500 4x4 dooley usually gets about 13mpg.

My 2wd dooley - same heighth, same look - still gets 21mpg back and forth to work, 30 - 45mph, stop-n-go traffic.

Yeah - you're right - I am beginning to notice a greenish tinge to the big GMC dooley's paint scheme!

Thought it must be from the trees, but it just might be jealous envy.

Guess that big hoss might be gettin' in touch with it's feminine side......... ;)

[mhagie]

Yeah your right Dodge has really dropped the ball on their 4x4 full time front axle set up.
I had forgot about that when I asked the question, also I have never seen a 3500 2wd here up north so I made the assumption that as a straight axle it had to be leaf springs.
Dang now I'm starting to be a little envious here.
Looked long and hard at Dodge before I bought the 02 d-max but everything I found on ebay and other sites had been run hard and put away wet.
In fact the one I did but was one of very few without a hitch mount in the bed.
Now your next project could be converting the old GMC to the Dodge front coil springs. :D
Think about that!
BTW back in the late 70's early 80's guys around here were reworking the Dodge Dana 44's with Chevrolet parts to install lockout hubs, I suppose that don't work anymore like the hubs from the GMC working on a Dodge Dana 70?
Merle

[gmctd]

Nice to hear from you, Tom, always enjoy your posts - appreciated the in-depth info on the PCM.

Or, was that EWC - sorry, having a senior moment, here........

I know what you mean on the enhanced aromatherapy, but then, we do love the smell of Diesel in the morning, right?

Ennybody heard from Billman?????

That was the plan on the GMC, Merle, to get the coil spring ride - use the Dana 70 - 80 front-rear Dodge setup, also getting a modern up-to-date axle set with limited-slip and matching disk brakes.

Ratios of 3.54, 3.73, 3.90, and 4.10 - mine's 3.54

Would also make parts-chasing much easier, not having to peruse musty old tomes in a back room of some local parts emporium.

[ 01-03-2006, 04:51 AM: Message edited by: gmctd ]

[Billman]

Just happened to catch your post, jd. If you write it... I'll read it. Provided I see it.

Been busy with my newest Internal Combustion Engine. An Air-cooled, V-Twin Harley-Davidson. Haven't been here much. Learnin' Their EFI.

Glad to hear you're enjoyin' the D-D-Dodge.

Hope the Holidays were good and all is well.

[gmctd]

A big hog - Harley - is a very good distraction - I'd have one, if road conditions were not so dangerous here.

Thanks, Billman, and keep your wheels on the road...........

[84 Convert]

Just an aside on the mpg thing with the 3500 Dodge Cummins. The company I worked for a while ago had a 94c&c 2wd (solid axle) and an 01 4wd pickup , both had utility boxes and yes the 2wd got ~20 mpg but the 4wd was getting 17-18mpg. Also, I saw an article in a 4wd mag a while back where someone (Warn if I'm not mistaken) was making a kit to eliminate the the disconnect and install hubs. If you are interested I can look through the back-issues and find out.

Let us know the fate of your GMC.

Gregg

[Cowracer]

Hey J.D.

Any chance you want to let go of the Brownie?

Tim

[gmctd]

Sorry, Tim, but my Bro's also have a vested interest in that unit...........

Later.....

Yes, I would be interested in that article, Gregg, and thanks for the heads up.

I installed the 4L80E in the GMC, and the truck is currently resting under the same shade tree that assisted in the install ;)
I'll be testing it soon..............

[ 01-09-2006, 09:27 PM: Message edited by: gmctd ]