My Duster runs a heap of a lot better with the super six than it did with the one barrel. It will fly on the top end. But my low end torque really hasn't changed all that much. It is still somewhat struggling around town. but up above 50 it runs beautifully. Here is what I have:

2.76 gears out back

still have the tiny 1-barrel exhaust which I plan to change when I get some money. Don't know what kind of effect that will have anyway.

stock distributor with stock curves.

everything else is stock.

Should I wait until I get the larger exhasut on to diagnose the problem or what?

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

If you want more "seat-of-the-pants" bottom end, you're gonna need either a lower gear or a V8...

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

Oh, yeah, I did upgrades on the Duster in stages long ago. I noticed much more of an improvement in overall performance when I bolted on the "super six" setup than when I went to headers and duals (on a stock cam and head). ...so I don't think the exhaust is holding you back as bad as you think, Jeb. If you really want more power we need to start talking cam and head work to get the air flowing thru that bottleneck None of that will really give much in the way of bottom end grunt, though. Milling the head and upping the compression ratio would help a little in that department.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

I installed my Super Six and Dutra Duals at the same time, so I can't really compare the two separately, but one phenomenon I've noticed over the years is that, if I can hear the exhaust, the car feels just a little quicker...

Of course, your results may vary.

VM

I don't want a rocket, I just want to be able to better keep up with traffic.

I have been seriously considering a gear swap though. I think 2.93s would help somewhat.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

The larger exhaust will have little effect on the torque, and in fact may actually hurt it according to some "pundits." Lower (numerically) gears are probably your best option to get some bottom end. Low end torque is actually one of the 225s long suits so if everything else is according to Hoyle then the gears should make the difference.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Don't waste your time with that - you want at least a 3.23 ...matter of fact, the 3.23 is probably about perfect for what you want.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

I do A LOT of highway driving so I don't think that 3.23's would suit me. My D-150 has 3.25 gears out back and it is quicker than the Duster around town but gets to sounding a little busy around 70 and gets horrible gas mileage.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

You will barely even notice the difference with a 2.93, you'd be wasting your time. A 3.23 is a good general purpose gear. The slant just sounds like it's cooking out on the highway because they'e squeezed pretty tight at anything over 2800 RPM. I drive the Duster out on the Interstate all day long with 3.23's and fairly short tires, too. It feels great and doesn't get burn a lot of gas, either. A lot of Valiant's, Darts, etc with the /6 came stock with the 3.23, so they're not difficult to find, either.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

Jeb needs a 5 speed with 3.23 gears....

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Good, I have an A-body 8 1/4 that has a bad ring gear. When my current rear goes south (sometime soon). I will have this one rebuilt with 3.23 gears. Know of any good places to get a rear rebuilt around here? This ins one I do not want to jump on by myself.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

It's often easier to find a whole different rear-end drum-to-drum with the gears you want than it is to find someone with all the proper tools and capability to swap gears when it comes to rearends like the 8.25. Not saying they aren't out there, but there are a lot of idiots who will say they can do it for you but have no clue how to do it correctly.

By the way, why do you suspect a bad ring gear?

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

Other way round. Lower-ratio, higher-numerically gears are what is desired for more bottom end.

I agree with D/W:2.93s won't be all that much different compared to 2.76. Unless you do a ton of open-highway driving, get 3.23s and do final dialling-in with tire size.

It's kind of interesting how rear axle ratio selection evolved opposite what it should have in the A-bodies. The lightweight '60 Valiant with tiny tires got 3.55s(!) with manual or automatic(!!). Automatics and 225/manuals got 3.23s for '62, while 170/manuals kept 3.55s. 225/automatics got 2.93s in '63 when the A-bodies got bigger and heavier, and then 170/automatics and 225/automatics got 2.76s in '68 when they got bigger and heavier still. Optional larger tires came in '65, and standard-equipment tires got bigger in '70, but 2.76 was the order of the day for 225/auto cars unless another ratio was specially ordered. Then emission controls began corroding the slant's output, and axle ratios remained 2.76, and right at the end of the line, 2.45s made an appearance!

Those '60 Valiants would've done great with 2.76s, while 3.23s reliably wake up the sluggish heavy '70s models. 3.55s were silly with an automatic in any case, and trying to drag around a '67 Dart with a 170 and 2.76s is just inconceivable!

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

The rear was making a horrible noise so I took the back cover off and the gears were so sharp you could cut your finger on them.

Down here you are very hard pressed to find anything Chrysler, much less an A-body.

I tried www.car-part.com and turned up only one 8 1/4 rear with 2.71 gears. Found a bunch of small bolt pattern 7 1/4 rears, but they won't fit my application. Can you swap small bolt pattern axles for big bolt pattern axles?

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

Man, that would be nice. I am waiting on them to mass produce that T-5 adapter.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2