Community Forums

RustyJC · 09-27-2005, 09:54 AM

Bob,

You may or may not want to sink some $$$$ into your 1997, but the 12 valve Cummins has the potential to be a pulling beast. Piers Diesel Research isn't too far from you, and Piers is one of the top Cummins 5.9L 12 valve people around. Give him a call and tell him what you're trying to do.

Rusty

retired_ranger · 09-27-2005, 01:59 PM

Well good news for me. I put the truck in the tranny shop today and he said it was one of the cleanest fluid, shifting and shavingless trannies and pans he has seen for a 12 valve. I do get the tranny serviced regularly. As stated I weighed the vehicle yesterday at 7350 with a full tank and me. I am guestimating until I weigh it that the trailer weighs at 10,500 since the uvw is 9020 and the max weight by the plate is 12000 (so splitting it in half). If the 20% pin weight is the norm then my truck weighs in at 9350 with no passengers except me and 1650 under max weight of the truck. And that leaves around 8500 for the trailer. So how does that figure out? Bill says my max tow load is 11,500 for the 97 3500. I should have paid more attention in math

Any help? I will call PDR and I think that the basic turbo increase may be helpful. I am also looking into an upgraded torque converter and cooler. Dont want a hot rod just a puller.

Wilber1 · 09-27-2005, 07:44 PM

Ranger

Tow ratings are like GCWR's, they are not legal limits in almost any place. They are also subject to drive line of your truck. Just as my GCWR went up 2000 lbs on my truck, so did the tow rating when I switched from a 3.55 to a 4.10 rear end.

If you do end up going to Piers you might want to talk transmissions with either of these guys. They are only a few miles down the road from Piers.

DTT

or

BD

DBCooper · 10-25-2005, 05:40 PM

Ranger, I can attest to the Cummins 12 valves pulling performance. Stock it's not too bad, but with a few easy mods it will pull well. The problem is that you can add all the power in the world, but if it is lost in the loose stock torque converter it won't do you any good. I think that this is what was happening when your truck was sluggish on pulling away. There are several very good trans people that deal with these almost exclusively, and offer tighter torque converters, DTT and BD are two. I have had experience with the DTT and can't say enough about the product or the people. Their trans made it a whole new truck and thier customer support is flawless. BD is well known, I just haven't delt with them for anything but thier exhaust brake. Piers is also doing transmissions now and if they (he) does them like everything else they do they should be top notch. If you would like more info on anything reguarding your truck, take a look at http://www.turbodieselregister.com or pm me and I'll see if I can help.

TankerYanker · 10-26-2005, 05:37 AM

Lot of good advise above. I had my tranny rebuilt bt DTT & it was the best $$ I spent on that truck. I now have a new 05 dually with a six speed to put me legal with our 32' 5vr.

cwsoules · 10-26-2005, 01:42 PM

Try turbodieselregister.com for more info and then dieseltrans.com. I too have the DTT mods and find they make towing less stressful for me. If you do not have the three gages (exhaust gas temperature, turbo boost pressure, and transmission temperature) you should add them. Plus in addition to the tow package tranny cooler I had another tranny cooler installed and now seldom see tranny temps above 16o.

OThomas3 · 11-06-2005, 02:26 PM

Check with Bill K at DTT. They did my transmission when I was stationed in Washington State. You cannot find a better group of people who stand behind their products. Bill will probably invite you into the shop to show you your transmission as he or one of his great employees do the work. I can't say enough about the service I received.
Tom

Jeff_in_The_Dalles · 11-15-2005, 07:58 AM

I can't find anything on the web, but if I recall, the GCWR on those was around 22,000. At least on my SRW truck, GCWR is 21,000 w/3.73 rear end, and would be 23,000 w/4.10.

I would suggest joining http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/

as there is a lot of good information there. Plenty of power upgrades and transmission upgrades.

I think your engine might be in the era that were vulnerable to what they call KDP, though, and if so you might want to take preventative measures.

Essentially there is a steel dowel pin pressed into the front of the block to locate the timing case. The pin can back out and drop into the cam/oil pump gears...

RustyJC · 11-15-2005, 08:17 AM

The highest GCWR on the 2nd gens is 21,500 lbs and requires the Cummins HO, 6-speed and 4.10 axle - that's why we ordered this combo as shown in our signature. With the 3.54 axle, GCWR is 20,000 lbs. The earlier 2nd gen trucks had GCWRs as low as 16,000 lbs if memory serves (not a good bet at my age!)

Rusty

retired_ranger · 11-15-2005, 08:07 PM

Yes you are right with the low GCWR (unfortunate for me). I have decided to install the TST plate to bump HP from 180 to 230 and hope that the transmission holds up until I can save enough fun money for a tranny upgrade. Anyone have any luck with the TST plate?

Retired_Ranger
97 Dodge Dually 12 valver
2000 Crossroads All American
Wife that loves her vicious arm pit piranha Shitzu "Toro"

Eng208 · 11-16-2005, 01:45 PM

Hey, I have a TST #8 plate slid about 3/4 forward on mine. Be very careful with the plate you pick. As I said before in PM, I had to put a TC and a valve body in mine the first time I went to the mountains with my trailer loaded. The power was incredible, above 60. The problem comes when the TC locks up at 50. The internal pressures are not high enough to keep the TC from slipping at that low of an RPM. It would be best to lock out OD until you get to about 60 and up. That will keep the pressures up high enough to save your TC. It is not a case of tranny failure, it is TC failure that then destroys the tranny.
If you put a plate in, be sure to get gauges from them also and install the EGT pre turbo. The instructions on both are very detailed. Once again, I will be glad to help you any way I can.
Chris

retired_ranger · 11-16-2005, 05:43 PM

Thanks Chris,
I thought that you said you had a TST setup. Have you ever seen any info on Phoenix Remanufactured transmissions. They are out of Phoenix AZ and have the Dodge tranny with HD TC for 1200 bucks with core exchange. See Ebay "Dodge 3500" and it will come up. Seems much cheaper than other tranny doctors. I am going to do the TST now and not haul until after winter and hopefully get the tranny funds. Howz it down in GA. Moved up here 3 years ago from Savannah. Best move I ever made for fishing, hunting and RVing.

Retired_Ranger
97 Dodge Dually 12 valver
2000 Crossroads All American
Wife that loves her vicious arm pit piranha Shitzu "Toro"

Eng208 · 11-17-2005, 08:49 AM

I haven't read anything negative on Phoenix except that if you go to Pheonix Transmissions website they say they don't sell on Ebay.
http://phoenixtrans.com/
http://www.phoenixhardparts.com/
http://www.phoenixstandardtransmissions.com/

I don't know what the difference is between the three Phoenix transmissions, but I would investigate a little more. I also would like to know what kind of improvements they make to the valve bodies to help with the torque converter. You could probably get your local tranny guy to put in a Suncoast shift improver kit in your valve body, get him to modify to increase the line pressures to help the TC lock up and be perfectly fine with that set up. That setup would probably cost less than 4-500 bucks and make the TC live a long time. Just keeping it from lugging at around 50-55 locked up would save it. Dave Goerend helped me out, and I love the truck now, a single disk TC is not that high (I think it is around 700, a triple, which is what I have, is 12) and the valve body fully assembled and modified is about 400 bucks with a 100,000 mile warranty on parts.

It is pretty cold here right now, the coldest day so far. I am glad you like it in Oregon, I have never been there but pictures I see are bueatiful. I like the Albuq, New Mexico area myself and hope to live there someday. I will be heading up to New Jersey this evening, so I will be away for a few days, but talk to the guy at your tranny shop and see if he knows of any easy modifications to make to the 47 RE valve body. The tranny itself is about as good as they come.
Chris

RustyJC · 11-17-2005, 08:58 AM

If you're looking for a lot of bang for the buck insofar as improvements for the 47RE automatic are concerned, I'd also recommend talking to Dave Goerend at Goerend Brothers. You will be severely challenged to find anyone that has anything negative to say about Dave as an individual, the quality of his work or his willingness to stand behind his products.

Rusty