K2500 w/3.54:1

[special-K]

What do you think? Would you want 3.54:1 ratio in a K2500/K20 with Th350 and 285/75-16s or there abouts rubber? I ask because I just opened up a Dana 60 Power-Lok I have and that's the ratio. I'm a 4.10 man from way back and I don't need to go 80 mph. Do you think the mileage gain would be significant and worth the loss of grunt? I haven't done any math, but it seems the difference in gearing would be close to O/D on the hiway. But it's all the time, not just up to speed. I do have another Dana 44 front axle to do the gear swap, so could always the 3.10 set in case I didn't like it or need it. Just pondering I guess.

* Actually, probably not like O/D. More like about half what O/D gives

[RichardJ]

Not 4wd, but in some ways, close to the same parameters.

C20, SM465, 3.54:1 DANA posi, 285/70R17, 4600# across the scales , but 292 six.
I has done light towing and often has bed full of gravel, sand, pavers, lumber. Unloaded on the open hwy, it's very comfortable at 70-75 and always with the AC on.

With the extra weight of 4wd you might want 3.73:1, but you do have a v8 and auto trans

[MARKDTN]

My '83 K20 has 3.42s and 700R4 overdrive. It was OK with the stock engine, but the Tuned-Port fuel injection really woke it up. I guess I am saying if you have an engine with some bottom end torque it will probably be fine.

[jocko]

Agree with above statement. For occasional off road or hauling duties, 4.10 probably preferred since you said you don’t need to go 80 on the hwy. 3.54 with 285s probably about as high a gear I’d ever want to go to, if ever. 3.54 a std ratio for a big block C20 with a D60 - but I was not aware that there was a 3.54 gear available for a D44 to make a matched set(?) I think you will really notice the torque loss going from 4.10 to 3.54, which is even worse with 285s (which already provide an apparent ratio of 3.90-4.00-ish due to tire dia). Personally, I’d save the 3.54 for a future C20 or stick it in that nice SWB project

[57taskforce]

If you had a 4 speed I bet you could live with it pretty decent being able to use granny to get you out of the hole better when loaded up, being you’ve got an auto I’d agree with the guys above. I’m with you Tim, I like 4:10s as well.

[special-K]

Yep, love my "gears", too! I'm not going this route. I bought the rear Sunday as a suspected posi because both wheels turned. Ratio was uncertain, but not to me if it was in fact from a '68 396/TH400. I opened it up yesterday and verified it is in fact a Power-Lok 3.54. Then the thoughts started rolling and I started this thread. As the day went on I decided to scrap such ideas. In into going over the original rear now. I was actually hoping this was another 4.10 for a spare.

Jocko you read my mind. I have been wanting a 3.54 Dana60 for my '67 project all along. What a dream era correct drivetrain for my era hot truck build, 327 steel crank large journal (have and built)/M22 (have)/3.54 posi Dana60. I have 3.52s & a posi for the 12-bolt as it is. Now to see if I can find parts to convert to 6-lug semi-floater!

[special-K]

I run at 65 just fine. I don't like to run it at 70, which is the speed limit on the open interstate. That's the thing, it really is open interstate. You can run along in the slow lane at 55 if you want. You have to run flashers at 40. It's 6 lane, so they can pass if they don't like my speed. The other thing is, between my place and Baltimore there are the very old rural 2 lanes* running parallel on either side. I mean 45-50 (or less) stuff. I won't always live hear, but where I live I'm fine with what I have. Before I ever owned my '92, all my 8-luggers were 4.10. The '92 had 4.10s, too, w/NV4500! And that was like driving a car. Actually, my daily driver '95 Suburban has 4.10a with O/D. Boy, I really am a 4.10 man


* One is the actual "National Road" from George Washington time and the other is probably just as old and that's "Frederick Rd". I'm a in between Baltimore and Frederick.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by special-K

I run at 65 just fine. I don't like to run it at 70, which is the speed limit on the open interstate. That's the thing, it really is open interstate. You can run along in the slow lane at 55 if you want. You have to run flashers at 40. It's 6 lane, so they can pass if they don't like my speed. The other thing is, between my place and Baltimore there are the very old rural 2 lanes* running parallel on either side. I mean 45-50 (or less) stuff. I won't always live hear, but where I live I'm fine with what I have. Before I ever owned my '92, all my 8-luggers were 4.10. The '92 had 4.10s, too, w/NV4500! And that was like driving a car. Actually, my daily driver '95 Suburban has 4.10a with O/D. Boy, I really am a 4.10 man


* One is the actual "National Road" from George Washington time and the other is probably just as old and that's "Frederick Rd". I'm a in between Baltimore and Frederick.

I used to like to drive route 9 between Leesburg and Charlestown or 9 to 671 to 340 to get to Neersville and HarpersFerry. When we lived in Neersville that was about the only way to get anywhere east... that used to be a nice drive in the old 4 speed trucks. Holy crap, the asshats we’re running me over at 60 when I went home a month or so ago. I cant hardly that drive any more. It’s all grown up so much. A lot has changed in 5 years, (really the last 25 or 30) every year when I go back I recognize it all a little less.

[special-K]

Yeah, the thing in that area is there's only one road. The Charles Town area has built up so much it isn't funny. And it's all transplants rushing to get back where they can from to make the money they bring back to raise the cost of living for those who lived there since the same people had no interest. I blame overdrive transmissions!! Seriously. They don't save fuel, they have allowed urban sprawl to spread farther out and people are driving faster to get from point A to point B because they are farther apart. People are commuting 1.5 hours one way and that's ideal conditions, no accidents, or other rubber-neckin' idiot bs.

I can drive to Carlisle and never hit the hiway and doesn't take much longer. I drive through the country to the PA line to hit US15 minimum anyway. All hiway is much less direct. And 15 is a nice drive with sparse traffic.

I'll drive to Hedgesville, Berkley Springs, all the way to Cumberland, up to Pittsburg on old 2-lanes. I drive to my sister's between Front Royal and Luray in my '72 all the time. Every year I drive it to Clearbrook in Sept for the antique truck show. Then we drive to Berryville Saturday night after the show for the Watermelon Festival... Yeehaw!!

That's one good thing about the old back east... old windy roads up and down the grades

Any of this look familiar? Last two are up at my sister's place.

[special-K]

I guess since I'm not going with hiways gears I'm showing where I go without hiway gears. If I had to run consistently at 65 I would want better gearing. I practice avoidance and that gets old, too, when it's everyday. I just want to get there and get home the quickest way

All pictures are from the same weekend

[special-K]

Originally Posted by jocko

... I was not aware that there was a 3.54 gear available for a D44 to make a matched set(?)

I've been thinking to sell this rear, although my normal old self would surely keep it same as any special piece for these trucks. Carlisle Trucks is coming up later this week and it would be time to think about loading it up. But I never checked and the thought hit me this morning, so I looked into it. Sure 'nuff there are 3.54 gear set available for Dana44s. The axle won't be going to Carlisle.

It's back to my old self keeping special pieces with no particular plan for them. Except... the idea is always keep options open till it's all over. The '72 with the 285s/TH350/3.54s would be an excellent driving classic 3/4t 4wd pickup. It would really suit the truck if I restore it, otherwise, as it was built. I have a posi unit for Dana44 that I'd use up front when I did the gear swap, so posi fr & rr. I also have a spare Dana44 front end to build and swap to keep the one in it intact.

Talk about keeping options open. For that truck I have a complete 4spd change-over, a 4.10 open 1t axle set, a 4.10 No-Spin HO52 I'd use in place of the 14-bolt or just swap with the Dana44, I'm always looking for a low-profile utility bed, I just bought LWB running boards for a Fenderside, and have a spare A/C, High Hump, Clearance Lamp cab. Not to mention the saddle dash pieces the truck should have from factory. I keep spare parts too, but these are just options.

What I'm thinking now is keep truck factory (98%) and build another from scratch just the way I want it and use it, once the Sierra is restored.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by special-K

Yeah, the thing in that area is there's only one road. The Charles Town area has built up so much it isn't funny. And it's all transplants rushing to get back where they can from to make the money they bring back to raise the cost of living for those who lived there since the same people had no interest. I blame overdrive transmissions!! Seriously. They don't save fuel, they have allowed urban sprawl to spread farther out and people are driving faster to get from point A to point B because they are farther apart. People are commuting 1.5 hours one way and that's ideal conditions, no accidents, or other rubber-neckin' idiot bs.

I can drive to Carlisle and never hit the hiway and doesn't take much longer. I drive through the country to the PA line to hit US15 minimum anyway. All hiway is much less direct. And 15 is a nice drive with sparse traffic.

I'll drive to Hedgesville, Berkley Springs, all the way to Cumberland, up to Pittsburg on old 2-lanes. I drive to my sister's between Front Royal and Luray in my '72 all the time. Every year I drive it to Clearbrook in Sept for the antique truck show. Then we drive to Berryville Saturday night after the show for the Watermelon Festival... Yeehaw!!

That's one good thing about the old back east... old windy roads up and down the grades

Any of this look familiar? Last two are up at my sister's place.

Yes sir all of those are looking pretty familiar. My grandparents still live outside Berryville. They are about 3 miles from watermelon park as a matter of fact. I used to go to dinosaur land pretty frequently when I was little, and now my son enjoys it. My wife and I were actually thinking about moving down towards Front Royal a year or so before we started planning to move here. The cost of living has gotten so bad there I just couldn’t do it anymore. I was tired of everything costing so much. I can live a pretty nice life here for pennies on the dollar compared to home. As long as I get back to the blue ridge and the Shenandoah River once a year I’m good.
Funny I actually have one of the same pictures you’ve got here handy on my phone.

[57taskforce]

This is actually one of my all time favorites of the area though, this is the newer RT9 bypass that cuts from the Loudon county line and spits you out on 340 just outside of Charles town. This is about 3 minutes from my Dads house.
One of these days I’m going to bring my Camaro out there so I can throw it thru some of those winding roads, not many like that out here.

[special-K]

Yeah that's some road they put in. The Charles Town to Leesburg stretch of Rt9 I don't travel much, but have been familiar with it for a long time. I've only been on the new road a couple times.

This area has gotten rich for my blood being single, that's for sure. I never met so many Bills in my life ! I live simple and buy as little as possible. I'm just building equity for a hobby now, and my truck world suffers.