Best way to switch from full time 4x4 to part time 4x4

[mopar65pa]

A couple people have said go with a bigger tire, but that depends on how your geared and what size tire you have already. My axles are geared at 3.04

If the axles are stock they should be 3:23's or 3:54's going to a 31-33x9.5-10.5 tire will help.

[Chewie]

Better mileage?

I live 100 miles from work and drive it every day in a 93 Dakota. I get 17mpg in 2wd, and 13.5 in 4wd in an ethanol state. It has a 318/A518 with 3.55's and 31/10.50 tires.
My 91 2wd dually gets 23 with the Cummins.
I think the way to better mileage lies in either reducing RPM, improved fuel delivery (EFI), or a diesel swap.
Reduce RPM by overdrive, or taller tires. I've seen several brands offering a 34/9.50. You could make a gearing change.
I think taller tires would be cheaper than a donor truck and a lot easier, too.

[pwdave]

Keep pumping it won't hurt to have too much.

Really you should drive it maybe 4 days a week and re-grease them if you don't know when they were greased the last time.

I have a buddy that has 200K miles on his front hub bearings in a full-time and they are just now to the point now that they should be replaced.

Good luck.

m-65 it realy does hurt to have to much grease in the bearings, if you pump the grease gun till you can see grease you have blown out the inside grease seals which means that water can get in the bearings, splashed or if you go wading with the truck, it will ruin your bearings pretty quick. the bearings are not hard to change but the bearings are getting expensive plus seals and the labor whether it's your own or a garages

[mopar65pa]

m-65 it realy does hurt to have to much grease in the bearings, if you pump the grease gun till you can see grease you have blown out the inside grease seals which means that water can get in the bearings, splashed or if you go wading with the truck, it will ruin your bearings pretty quick. the bearings are not hard to change but the bearings are getting expensive plus seals and the labor whether it's your own or a garages

Yes I guess I should have said something about not blowing it out the seals. My bad thanks for the correction. :-)

[pwdave]

seals

don't ask how I know that. Dave.

[mopar65pa]

don't ask how I know that. Dave.

So how would you know about that Dave. :-)

[Gordon Maney]

So how would you know about that Dave. :-)

Yes, inquiring minds would like to know....

[Gordon Maney]

A great bit of info here....

http://www.bluechipdiesel.com/vp44diagnostichelp.html

[horace]

You can do this do that however 2 wheel drives of that vintage were hardly much different economically! It was the era!! I sold those new the 79 may have been about the worst because of 1st year of stringent emmissions only.
There was a kit some one sold back in the day for an easy conversion but I doubt if you'd gain a mile per gallon. Factory literature maintained less than 1/2 or maybe it was a 1/10 of a mile per gallon was lost.
People used take a highway 14 mile per gallon PU do the magnet thing, install duall exhaust, change to radial tires maybe some doo dah carb etc
then get 15 or 16, however in reality it was probably a change in driving habits that really did the trick. After spending upwards of $500 of unrecoopable $ by that time folks were serious about proper driving.
I remember one customer who got 10-12 highway mpg he traded for a different Power Wagon next customer a gentle driving soul pulled off 16
go figure 2nd owner was even a FORD guy

[OLD DODGE]

2nd owner was even a FORD guy

So he was used to driving slow and taking it easy ; ^)

[horace]

No he just drove senibly point is he didn't give the Dodge any extra credit because he was not a can do no wrong Mopar guy. In fact first guy kind of a Dodge guy found lots of faults in the 75 called it a lemon Ford guy drove it to 170,000 hard miles no trouble, one light roll

[Dodgezilla]

I live 100 miles from work and drive it every day in a 93 Dakota. I get 17mpg in 2wd, and 13.5 in 4wd in an ethanol state. It has a 318/A518 with 3.55's and 31/10.50 tires.
My 91 2wd dually gets 23 with the Cummins.
I think the way to better mileage lies in either reducing RPM, improved fuel delivery (EFI), or a diesel swap.
Reduce RPM by overdrive, or taller tires. I've seen several brands offering a 34/9.50. You could make a gearing change.
I think taller tires would be cheaper than a donor truck and a lot easier, too.

Reducing RPM is not always the best way to go about getting better MPG..

If you are not in your powerband, Then you have to give it more throttle to keep going the same speed as you would in possibly a lower gear.

Lugging an engine doesnt give you better mpg

[Chewie]

Yeah, I had thought of that.
A 34" tire with 4.10's should run 2200 or so at 55.
About 1800 rpm at 45.
3rd gear at 35 should be 2300 and 2000 rpm at 30mph.
I've seen so many conflicting dyno reports from 318's that it's hard to pin down torque peak, but I don't think 1800 to 2400 will be lugging anything.

What size were the stock tires?