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I need direction for a 1998 1500 4x4...

I just bought a 1998 dodge ram 1500 4x4 long bed with a 5.2L for $6k. It only has 24k miles and has a class 4 hitch and some bull bars/brush guard on the front. It was a military service vehicle that was used on the specwar base. I am going to use it as a tow vehicle and winter vehicle.

Anywho, it drives like a brand new truck in most regards, but it didnt have near the power it should. I put new plug wires and new champion plugs in it because thats oem for it, but those are very cold plugs. Would it hurt to put a hotter plug in it? Would it even help?

I also changed it from stock rims to some 16x8 eagle alloys with 265/75 cooper AT3's. It rides a lot better now, but I need to get a programmer because the difference in tire size effects the shift points by A LOT. I am guestimating that my spedo is off by ~17%

Other than that, I am trying to decide what all I need to do to it.

I know I need a new throttle cable.

The other cable attached to the throttle body is also very loose and I am not sure what to do about it.

I am looking to put a K&N intake on it, is this a waste of time/money?

I am told the headers are very restrictive, which ones would you guys recommend grabbing? I am definately changing the exhaust. What is the general consensus for this truck, Dual or single exhaust?

I am thinking detroit trutrak as well.

What else would you change on this truck?
 






I have a 98 Ram 4x2 Long bed with the 5.2.

A lot needs to be considered when you are losing power on a vehicle. I only use champion plugs on mine and I have never looked back. The 5.2 is a plenty powerful engine for most day to day chores, but I hear most people who do a lot of towing opt for the 5.9, which is basically the same as the 5.2 just different cam and length of stroke I think. Its a direct swap if you find one, but it needs to be a 98 and up as there is an EGR setup on the older engines.

As for your transmission shift issue, I doubt the tires are the real concern. I originally had 245's on it when I got it with 3.55 gearing (OEM spec tires) and the tranny still shifted like crap. I have 265/70's now and I find no difference in shift points. That other loose cable on your throttle body is the transmission kickdown cable. It tells the transmission when to downshift to a lower gear at WOT. If its loose it probably needs to be adjusted, which is giving you the crappy shifts. There is a small u clip on the back of the kickdown cable connector at the throttle body. Remove it and let the wire tighten up, then clip it back into place. You may need to play with it a little bit to get the shifts you want, its not an exact science.

Personally the headers are a good place to start, however since I never felt the need or had the extra money hanging around I never did it. I use a AEM Brute Force CAI and I definitely picked up a few horses there, also the sound was much better.

The throttle cable has probably developed some slack over time. I used zip ties to take the slack out of mine at the throttle body. Its a cheap fix and makes a world of difference.

I was also looking at lockers for mine as well. I know its only a 4x2, but it certainly is a good investment if I take this bad boy to the beach.
 






Well so far, I bought a tuner off craigslist for $80, which was a good deal i think. I have it set for 91/performance right now. It also let me adjust the spedo for the different tire size. Not sure how acurate I am yet, but I will find out sometime here soon.

I tightened up the throttle cable with zip ties also :p I put 2 small ones on the transmission kickdown cable, but I will try to adjust it properly someday.

Since you confirmed the CAI helps, thats probably my next item, followed closely by headers.

Since this is going to be a winter vehicle for a pretty remote rural area (dirt road going to a gravel road for a few miles, to finally a street) that gets A LOT of snow, I really want some form of limited slip AT LEAST in the rear. I am not sure how that works though. Would I have to have lockers in the rear and LS in the front, or can I have LS just in the rear?

What size winch would you recommend for this truck? I was thinking an 8k lb would be enough, but the guy at the 4x4 warehouse is trying to sell me on a 12k...
 






I don't have a winch or lockers in either of my rigs, ( I do have a limited slip in my Explorer though) but I have talked extensively with people who have and researched your same questions for myself. This would be what I would do if I had the money and the time, but take it with that grain of salt.

Its better to go a little overkill on a winch then to find out you really could have used that extra power. It also really depends on how much you want to spend, I would be quite comfortable with a 12k, but I think 8k would be on the low side of my comfort zone. The key is that you are not only just pulling the truck, but also all the junk keeping it from getting it unstuck normally, plus the strain of overcoming all the static friction of getting a nearly 2.5 ton lump of steel moving. Your call.

Gears would be a nice upgrade, but moving 265's is hardly a chore with all the torque the v8 puts out. As for a LS I would bypass them all together. Dodge did make some Rams with the limited slip, but by now those clutches are probably toast and the cost of rebuilding one could get you set up with some nice lunchbox lockers. I believe that there is one locker out there that acts like a limited slip during normal driving and locks up like a lunch box when it detects wheel spin. Those are not cheap, but possibly a good investment. For reference, the 2nd Gen Ram's used a D44 for the front axle and the rear is a Chrysler 9.25".

Basically a limited slip transitions part of the power to the wheel with traction, as opposed to an open differential which puts all the power to the wheel without traction. They are very good on the road and work off road in a pinch, but I would rather have the axles locked together for maximum traction if I was going to be facing snow. That is basically what a locker does. Auto lockers are fairly cheap and lock up when they detect wheel spin and release when they don't, so it acts like an open differential. The Detroit True Trac you suggested or the Aussie locker are good examples. There are a few manually controlled lockers which leave the locking option up to you, such as the ARB air lockers or the OX wire lockers, but both are very expensive and some people have problems with reliability, especially with the ARB's

Most people put the locker in the back and find that it is sufficient for their needs with out delving into the front, but if you feel that you are going to need the extra traction, you might as well do them both. To note, when the front axle locks up in 4x4 it will make turning a big chore. I would personally go with a front locker that I could engage myself so I could turn it off when I need to steer and put it back on when I need the extra traction.

Also if you are going to be towing with this truck, make sure to put some extra TLC into the transmission, they are the known weak points of an otherwise stellar truck. A transmission cooler, deeper fluid pan, and a temp gauge are good starts. I also added a quart of Lucas transmission helper to the fluid in mine and its made a difference. Also, you probably know this already but don't tow with the OD on, its a sure way to kill it.

Anyways, just my thoughts. It sounds like you are making one nice rig there. :thumbsup:
 






The reason I was looking at the 8k winches is the biggest front receiver we can put on these trucks is 9k lb pull. Putting a 12k lb winch and actually trying it would result in ripping the front end of the truck off! lol

I am going to talk to my mechanic here in a few weeks and see how much it would cost me to put in rear lockers.

As far as the tranny, I agree. I am not sure what I am going to do about it. I have no experience with a dodge tranny. I just did a valve body service and installed a shift kit in my ex, but I am sure they are completely alien to each other.

What is your thoughts on a front leveling kit? Is that just for looks? Good/bad?
 






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