Have a truck or SUV question for the 4x4 AnswerMan? Send your questions to editor@off-road.com. Please include your name and location, and be as detailed as possible about your questions.

November 2010

October 2010

September 2010

DIESEL FUEL PSI
 
The Quadzilla Rail Pressure Gauge For Dodge Ram Cummins Diesel

4x4 AnswerMan,
Does the rail pressure gauge give you what factory pressure settings are? I’m having a problem with starting after the truck sits for a while.
M Jones

Hi Mr. Jones,

You can expect fuel presure to be anywhere from 7 – 10 PSI on a stock 5.9l Cummins lift pump.

WARNING: Don’t try checking the injector pump unless you have professional training or knowledge.  It has high pressure and can cause injury if not done correctly.

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LIMP HARDBODY

4x4 AnswerMan,
Hello, I was wheeling last week in my 1994 Hardbody and I lost the front end. It acts like the transfer case is still in 4 wheel but no front tire pull. It doesn’t have manual lockouts, they are auto. Any ideas on where to start?

Thanks,
Mudder Tucker
Kentucky

Hi Tucker,

Sounds like there might be a loose wire or vacuum hose somewhere. Try looking at your front differential. Also, take a close look at your transfer case for this. If all looks good, you can also try looking at your fuse and relay box. Look for a blown fuse or relay that engages your 4x4.

Reference your owner’s manual for the location if it’s not clearly noted.

Good luck, and hope you’re back on all fours soon.

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DUDE, STOP MY TRUCK

4x4 AnswerMan,
I am looking for braking a 2000 Ford F-350 dually. I travel with a 15000 lb. 5th wheel. I’ve been across states twice and Alaska twice.

I need better brakes for long mountains in Colorado (Steamboat to Denver, Steamboat to Loveland) also Al-Can. My tech says he can't find right brakes vented for dually.

Can you help me?

Thanks,
Dan Archuleta

Hi Dan,

You have a full load there, buddy. You didn’t tell us if you have a diesel Ford Super Duty, but if you do—might I recommend an exhaust brake. You’ll love it. No more wasting money on brake jobs or sweating bullets when going down those steep grades with a 5th wheel pushing down.

The folks at BD Power have what you need.

http://www.dieselperformance.com/

Now if you’re running one of those V10 jobs, performance brakes and rotors might be the answer.  You can seek advice from the guys at Powerslot http://www.powerslot.com/

Cheers!

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JIMMY NO DOORS

4x4 AnswerMan,
Is there a way to remove the doors off of a late ‘90s GMC Jimmy without having to destroy or replace anything? If not, is there a way to cleanly mod it to do so? Tips and advice are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Nick
Loomis, CA

Hi Nick,
I hope your intentions for going door-less is to enhance your off-road experience and not for doing stunts like the Fall Guy.

In any case, you can simply remove the bolts from the hinge on the door to remove them. This will not destroy anything. No need to bust out the plasma cutter.

If you’re going to remove the doors, you might consider building some tube doors for your Jimmy.  They will add protection and also look good.

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COUNT TOUR TEETH

4x4 AnswerMan,
Doesn't the ring gear on the Chevy rear ends have a ratio number? Like 41 10 as in 41 teeth divided by 10 teeth is 4:11?
Dan Finken

Hi, Dan. You’re on the right track.

If you can’t find a tag on your axle noting the gear ratio, you can count the ring and divide it by the pinion. Also, even if you find a tag, the previous owner might have changed the gear set.  It’s always best to do a visual count.

So 41 teeth on the ring, divided by 10 teeth on the pinion = 4.10
45/11 = 4.10

FYI: The gearing noted by manufacturers is typically rounded to the nearest hundredth (e.g. 4.09090 = 4.10)

If you want to play around with numbers, Randy’s Ring & Pinion has a cool gearing calculator here http://www.ringpinion.com/Calc_GR.aspx.

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FEELING CHIPPER

4x4 AnswerMan,
I recently bought the Superchips Flashpaq with the Mileage XS tune on it.
Does the Flashpaq also reset transmission shift and torque converter?
Thank you,
R Brown

Hi Ron,
Hope you’re having as much fun with your Superchips Flashpaq as we are on our Dodge Mega Cab. The Engineers at Superchips take a number of items into consideration when optimizing your vehicle for more – including transmission shift points. 

You’ll notice a change in gear shifting only if your vehicle is equipped with an electronic controlled auto transmission. If you have a manual or earlier non-electronic transmission, you won’t.

If you want to learn more about the Superchips Flashpaq, check out https://www.superchips.com/

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PATHFINDER LINES
 
4x4 AnswerMan,
Awesome article and rundown of the Pathfinder. I have at the moment the Calmini 3 inch suspension lift and 3 inch body pucks and plan on adding the Trailmaster 4 inch lift. My concern is when I installed the 3 inch lift springs on the rear I noticed that the brake lines are a little snug. To hell with the e-brake, I know that’s gone with the Trailmaster lift. My question is where can I find 10 inch extended braided lines? I’ve looked all over the web and have not been successful. and help would be awesome!
Jason

Hi Jason,

Give the guys at Calmini a call. I’m sure they can help you. If you really can’t source them, then custom ones can be made. You can try a local hose shop, like Hoseman.
Good luck!

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DID MY TIRES DO ME IN?

4x4 AnswerMan,
I just put 285-75-16s on my 2001 2wd F-150 and soon as I was driving home from the shop my check engine light came on. Is it because of the bigger tire size or just a coincidence? If it is because of the bigger tire what can I do to fix it?
Anthony

Hi Anthony,
Get your F-150 scanned for the check engine light. With any luck, you’ll be able to pull an error code. This will give you a better idea what is causing the problem.

It’s too early to say if the bigger tires are the culprit.

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AIR BOOST
 
FRAM Boost Performance Air Intake System

4x4 AnswerMan,
Is the FRAM Boost available for a 2000 Dodge Durango 5.9 R/T?
Mike Hughes

Hi Mike,

Since this article was written, FRAM has dropped their FRAM Boost line. If you’re interested in the Dry Media Filter technology, be sure to check out AEM Brute Force. Let’s just say it’s the original. http://www.aemintakes.com/

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HYPER TRANS

4x4 AnswerMan,
I have a Chevy 2500 with 3.73 gears and a 5.7L 350 V8 engine. I bought a max energy Hypertech programmer. Any advice on were to set shift points and firmness?
Robert Sumner

WOW. Sounds like fun, Rob. My best answer is--it’s really up to you. The shift points for on-road vs. off-road will be different. Your best bet is to play with it and see what you like. You can also reference Hypertech for a good starting point and take it from there. http://www.hypertech.com/

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FAT TIRE
4x4 AnswerMan,
Can a 31x10.5x15 on a 15x10 wheel fit my Toyota SR5 4x4 without rubbing? I turned my torsion bars up to 14 1/2 and I have a 3inch lift in the rear. Will the front rub when I turn?
Umar Benson

Hi Umar,

The 31s should fit. As for the wheel, it depends on the back spacing. There might be some rubbing, but it’s highly unlikely with 10-inch-wide tires. Now if we we’re talking 12.50 or 15-inch-wide, backspacing would be even more crucial.

Look for 2– to 2.5-inch backspacing to avoid problems.

If all else fails, test fit them and check for rubbing on steering components, suspension or frame at full lock (left/right).

Enjoy!

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LEAKEY RAM

4x4 AnswerMan,
I've got a 07 Laramie 5.7, @ 16000 miles the front struts were leaking, along with the pinion seal, it now has developed a surge around 45-60 mph, that no one can fix -yet.  The truck is babied, never off road.  I’m slowly getting soured on Dodge trucks, and this is my 4th.
-Bob Dickson

Hi Bob,
Sorry to hear your Ram is giving you such a brush. Unfortunately the warranty is up on your 2007 truck (3-yr/36,000 miles).

16,000 miles does seem a little early for the front struts and pinion seal to go bad.
If and when you replace them, try getting a set of mono-tube gas pressure ones.

Bilstein is a good brand. They make the shocks/struts for many of the SRT models and the Power Wagon. It will ride better and you won’t have any more issues with leaky twin-tube shocks/struts.

You might also try talking to the service manager at the dealer where you bought the truck to see if there are any open bulletins on the problems you mentioned. Stress the fact that the truck only has 16,000 miles. They might work with you on the repairs.

Good luck.

Have a truck or SUV question for the 4x4 AnswerMan? Send your questions to editor@off-road.com. Please include your name and location, and be as detailed as possible about your questions.