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I'm seriously considering another 4X4. This one would be a full size 2003-2006 Ram 2500. They run $7000-$10,000. I'd need to put a complete lift kit in it. Kor Racing has what I want. Either 35 or 37 inch tires, five, and wheels. New 5.7 Hemi engine as the average mileage on a 2003 is about 137,000 miles. A few other things, like a custom front bumper, so my angle of attack matches my angle of departure. 4.56 or more in the differentials. True-Trac in the front and a Detroit Locker in the back.
I'd need a trailer to tow it behind my camper rig.
I figure $20,000 to $25,000 all together.
It would have twice the range of my Jeep Wrangler. I would sit higher up for better visability. With a roll bar in the bed, I could sit on it to glass, etc.
I'm thinking I'm going to need something else where I'm going to be hunting. Flat, thick washes of desert Ironwood. 100 sq. miles of land where I'll need to stay on the move to find fresh tracks.
Yes, I can afford it.
So, what do you think ? E

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they use salt on the roads out your way? i had a 05 1500 with the 4.7 and it was a complete POS. it was shot by 2012. rotted body, frame, shackles and gas tank. rear end shot, tranny slipping, you name it. under 100k miles. i would run not walk away from mid 2000 dodges.


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No, we don't salt our roads.
Any truck I would consider has to be in good shape. You go used truck shopping in old clothes. Not hard to crawl under the truck and look.
Anything already modified and used off road is out. Anything used in constuction is out. Here in Kalifornia, lots of people buy heavy duty 4X4's and don't use them much. They may put alot of miles on them, but not much else. That's what I'd consider. E

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I have had trucks with 4:56 gears. You don't, in my opinion, need that kind of gearing in a hunting truck. I much prefer 3:76 or so.

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Originally Posted by stantdm
I have had trucks with 4:56 gears. You don't, in my opinion, need that kind of gearing in a hunting truck. I much prefer 3:76 or so.


Negative, the OP stated he wanted a lift with 35"or 37" tires therefore 4.56 gears or even lower will be needed to maintain performance.

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A truckers next rig has got to be one of those four door ones!

There must be some nick name for them? What is it?

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Station Wagon.


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Originally Posted by Oheremicus
I'm seriously considering another 4X4. This one would be a full size 2003-2006 Ram 2500. They run $7000-$10,000. I'd need to put a complete lift kit in it. Kor Racing has what I want. Either 35 or 37 inch tires, five, and wheels. New 5.7 Hemi engine as the average mileage on a 2003 is about 137,000 miles. A few other things, like a custom front bumper, so my angle of attack matches my angle of departure. 4.56 or more in the differentials. True-Trac in the front and a Detroit Locker in the back.
I'd need a trailer to tow it behind my camper rig.
I figure $20,000 to $25,000 all together.
It would have twice the range of my Jeep Wrangler. I would sit higher up for better visability. With a roll bar in the bed, I could sit on it to glass, etc.
I'm thinking I'm going to need something else where I'm going to be hunting. Flat, thick washes of desert Ironwood. 100 sq. miles of land where I'll need to stay on the move to find fresh tracks.
Yes, I can afford it.
So, what do you think ? E


Not sure why you want a 3/4 ton if you are going to tow it instead of tow with it?



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I would be towing a jeep or a small tacoma 4x4 if it were me

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Even a first gen tundra if you want more room.


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Hunting for what?


I like to do my hunting BEFORE I pull the trigger!
There is only one kind of dead, but there are many different kinds of wounded.
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Desert mulies. The place I want to hunt is over 100 square miles of washes.
They run across it in over a dozen places, often almost flat and thick. I'd need lots of range, and the ability to get off the ground to glass the edges.
With 33 inch tires, the Power Wagons use 4.56 and 4.10 raatios. With 35 inch tires, I may be better off with 3.89's because the Power Wagons are geared for rock crawling. E

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A ram in those years with big tires and a lift I'd go Cummins. We have both at work and in stock form either one has plenty of power but with lower gears and big tires I'd want a tuned cummins. Not only for getting up and going but for fuel mileage.

Or buy a power wagon with the 6.4 hemi.

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He already said it would get a new hemi.


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Originally Posted by tzone
He already said it would get a new hemi.

I missed that.


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I would guess your mileage in the truck you describe isn't going to be great with the low gearing you want. I run 35" tires with 4:10's and get about 12 mpg off road in 4 wheel high and that is on packed two track forest service and private land roads. No sand washes. I can run about 200 miles with the 22 gallon fuel tank before I start worrying about it. I carry a 5 gallon fuel bottle in the truck bed that gives me another 60 miles or so.

Since you are towing your truck to the place you hunt you can start with a full tank. I drive mine to the sites and am going to drop down to 3:76 or so as the highway mileage isn't too good. I am running a 5.3 Chevy V8 with an auto trans.

Anyway good luck with this I like trucks like you are describing. Post a photo when you get it built.

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I'd watch for something with low mileage/engine that was already setup.


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Would you believe I found a 2005 2dr. Power Wagon with 76,000 miles on it for $20500..... ? All it would need is to change the differential ratios. I don't need the rock crawling 4.56's. E

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Don't change the diffs. It's more fun to put bigger tires on it to get final drive where you want it to be. Did you buy the truck?

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Originally Posted by K1500
Don't change the diffs. It's more fun to put bigger tires on it to get final drive where you want it to be. Did you buy the truck?


Correct, when you put the larger tires on the truck the "Effective Drive Ratio" will be lower. There are various calculators on the internet that will allow you to determine your new drive ratio when you install the taller tires. Without me doing the calculations I would think that going from 33" tires to 35" tires would get you to an Effective ration below 4.00, and going to 37" tires should get you close to the 3.89 gears you discussed earlier.

I went to 4.56 gears from 3.73 in my Ford Super duty when I went from 32" tires to 35" tires. I put ARB Air Lockers in both front and rear so doing the gears was a no-brainer at the time. My effective ratio is around 4.17 compared to the original 3.73 and the truck pulls better and gets better fuel milage on trips, it stays in Overdrive longer when pulling grades.


Last edited by VaHunter; 12/22/16.
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