Ask for truck upgrade advice on a gun forum, what better place could there be?

[AKDoug]

That is an idea. Thanks. I was actually considering doing the ring and pinion swap myself, but couldn't imagine that much time/work on my garage floor. Not a real mechanic, but I can do stuff that doesn't involve electronics or injection.

Ring and pinion setups are not for amateurs. It requires special tools and patience.

[BehindBlueI's]

Ring and pinion setups are not for amateurs. It requires special tools and patience.

To build on this, there's no way I'd do it myself. Getting them in isn't really complicated. Getting them set correctly so that they don't make a metric shit ton of noise and be weaker then they should be is where knowing what you're doing comes into play.

[JRB]

To build on this, there's no way I'd do it myself. Getting them in isn't really complicated. Getting them set correctly so that they don't make a metric shit ton of noise and be weaker then they should be is where knowing what you're doing comes into play.

Nevermind the one-shot chance you have at getting the pinion depth set correctly with a crush sleeve. Too far, and it's time for a new crush sleeve.

[Duelist]

My ‘07 Durango has the 4.7. Last year was the first time I towed a travel trailer with it, and that was just because it’s what I have and we decided to take the trip. The trailer was a rental. I’ll get a different tow vehicle if I decide to get a trailer of my own.

We pulled from southern AZ through New Mexico, Texas and OK panhandles, Kansas, Missouri, on up to Iowa. Saw some family, some historical settlements, a city one of my ancestors helped settle, westward migration sites, picked up a dog in Iowa, and then turned around and came home. Good trip, kids got to see places they’ve never been.

Had to go slow a lot. Especially on grades. Only had to stop and let it cool down one time, up a grade on a pass in New Mexico on the way home. Just taking our time anyway.

The only thing I pull regularly is a single axle utility trailer, and I probably won’t ever do a long pull of a heavy trailer with this vehicle again. It was fine to do once, I think, but I’m not going to use it as a tow vehicle for that again. If I were pulling a travel trailer on the regular, I’d get a crew cab half or 3/4 ton with an engine and transmission meant for and set up for that use.

[Welder]

There's merit to this idea, but Dodge did some funky stuff with ABS sensors through those years, so while the rest of the loaded axle might bolt in, the ABS sensors and rings may not match up exactly and it'll throw an ABS code. Assuming his truck has ABS, 03's may predate when it became standard.

The other problem is getting that 'good used axle' installed can be a fast way to discover it needs new axle seals, new bearings, or new pinion seal, and then you're tearing the whole thing down anyway, hence my recommendation for a new R&P kit in the ratio you want, and just having that installed in the axle you've got. Replace all those seals while you're in there and you won't have to worry about it for a long time.

Dropping the 3rd member/diff carrier/pumpkin/whatever you want to call it is pretty mechanically easy too, and you can take that to a 4wd shop and have them set it up with your R&P of choice for a pittance compared to paying for the whole job.

Speaking personally, if it were my truck and I were dead set on keeping it, I'd go to a 4.10. If that ends up being too much gear, you can go to a taller tire on the next set of tires and get to the equivalent of a 3.73 or 3.91 pretty easily.

Gotcha and agree that that's probably better advice to give to others. For myself, I just shop lower mileage wrecked / blown engine trucks and don't ever have any trouble with seals, bearings, etc. If there's no old leakage there and it hasn't been sitting a long time and getting rust on the seal's running surface, it's likely good for just a few years' more use. I also don't mind taking the risk obviously.

However, not being familiar with those newer axles I didn't realize you could remove and replace complete 3rd members on light duty trucks these days...so I agree that's a good option. Yank it yourself and save the labor, let somebody else set it up in the ratio of your choice. It really is cake work. Additionally, and again if you can replace 3rd members on the light duty trucks (which it sounds like this one is), I totally take back my idea of replacing the complete rear assembly. I'd still swap for a low-mileage, non-leaking used numerically higher ratio pumpkin without a second thought, but that's just me.

Absolutely nothing wrong with getting new gears, bearings, etc put in. Just more expensive.

[DDTSGM]

Ring and pinion setups are not for amateurs. It requires special tools and patience.

So, my skills from 1971 high school shop class working on the old rear end wont suffice? (I kid - I'm too old to be crawling around doing that stuff.)

[0ddl0t]

I think the best thing to do is to address the cooling issues & learn to live with slower travel speeds when towing something as bulky as a travel trailer - especially since the terrain you're looking at is mostly flat to short rolling hills. Is it really the end of the world if an occasional 300 mile trip takes you an extra ~45 minutes averaging 62 mph instead of 75? You'll save a fair bit of money on fuel too.

Unless you absolutely love that specific truck, I wouldn't put money into modifications when you can get a good running pre-emission Cummins 4x4 for under $10K.

[mmc45414]

Especially since you have other stuff to drive i would consider 4:10.

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[LittleLebowski]

I had the 4.7 in a Dakota. It never let me down, but it drank gas and wasn’t especially powerful. I’d save towards a better engine or a different vehicle.

[DDTSGM]

Unless you absolutely love that specific truck, I wouldn't put money into modifications when you can get a good running pre-emission Cummins 4x4 for under $10K.

That is where I'm at. Not going to haul over 300 miles. My biggest concern is holding up traffic. I pull over onto improved shoulders if someone is following me for a couple minutes so they can get by, I also pull over if two or more cars are backed up behind me.

It bothers me when people don't maintain the traffic flow, cars get backed up and impatient folks start making dangerous passes. I don't want to be that guy so I take care not to be.

And yes, I intend to keep the truck. I found an ideal tow vehicle for 15,000.00 but I'm already tagging 8 vehicles, didn't need to make it nine. We take turns buying a new vehicle every five-years, the next turn is my wife's - she should pass her 2017 KIA Sorento down to me as a daily driver. I'm hoping she will take one for the team and get a Tundra as her daily driver - the Ram was originally hers, it was her daily driver for the first 5 years we owned it.