1989 c3500 trade in progress

[RichLo]

Good, a 305 would be completely useless in a dually, lol. I cant put mine in 5th unless its warmed up and traveling 70+ But thats also with 3.42 gears and bigger tires. But still, that would be a lot of work for something that couldn't pull an empty trailer.

 

[PolarBear]

With a 4.56 gear, I feel even a 305 would motivate that dually just fine for the time being.

With that being said, I have a good running 7.4 TBI, 176k on it, no accessories. $750 in Kansas City.

 

[Rock Hard Concrete]

If your goal is towing do not put in a locker. Truetrac will work great and allow full wheel speed differentiation.

Backing up a heavy trailer with a locked dually axle will try to plow the trailer straight.

 

[PWC Repair]

With a 4.56 gear, I feel even a 305 would motivate that dually just fine for the time being.

With that being said, I have a good running 7.4 TBI, 176k on it, no accessories. $750 in Kansas City.

I also agree that with 4.56 gears and an overdrive transmission, it will motivate fine. You can move LOTS of weight with gearing. It's not gonna win any races or pull 10,000 pounds but it will drive around and pull a boat or something. Hell, I've pulled my car trailer loaded with a 4x4 extended cab Ford ranger behind my Nissan Xterra with 3.3 and auto............have you ever driven an Xterra with a 3.3l? They are absolutely gutless turds, and it pulled just fine albeit a bit slow.

Also, that's a GREAT deal on that engine, jump on it!

 

[618 Syndicate]

I also agree that with 4.56 gears and an overdrive transmission, it will motivate fine. You can move LOTS of weight with gearing. It's not gonna win any races or pull 10,000 pounds but it will drive around and pull a boat or something. Hell, I've pulled my car trailer loaded with a 4x4 extended cab Ford ranger behind my Nissan Xterra with 3.3 and auto............have you ever driven an Xterra with a 3.3l? They are absolutely gutless turds, and it pulled just fine albeit a bit slow.

Also, that's a GREAT deal on that engine, jump on it!

No overdrive. And an Xterra weighs a whole lot less than a dually!

 

[PWC Repair]

I meant WITH an overdrive trans.....you get that short 1st gear. And I wouldn't say A LOT less. Curb weight on my 4x4 Xterra is 4200#. That's about 800 pounds less than my '94 ext cab 2wd dually. The torque of a V8 should make up for that no problemo.

 

[618 Syndicate]

I meant WITH an overdrive trans.....you get that short 1st gear.

A 4L80 has the same 1st gear (1-3 are all the same) as a TH400

And I wouldn't say A LOT less. Curb weight on my 4x4 Xterra is 4200#. That's about 800 pounds less than my '94 ext cab 2wd dually.

That's almost 25% more, pretty significant imo.

The torque of a V8 should make up for that no problemo.

An L30 305 makes 285 ft/lbs, the V6 Xterra motor makes the same amount.

 

[PWC Repair]

Sorry, I should have specified since I don't think a 4l80 EVER came behind a 305. The short 1st gear would be in a 700r4/4l60/4l65.
Also the 3.3l xterra v6 is LESS than 200ft# on torque. WAY more anemic than the 2005-up with 4.0.

Anyway I digress because apparently a 305 will never work.

 

[618 Syndicate]

Sorry, I should have specified since I don't think a 4l80 EVER came behind a 305. The short 1st gear would be in a 700r4/4l60/4l65.
Also the 3.3l xterra v6 is LESS than 200ft# on torque. WAY more anemic than the 2005-up with 4.0.

Anyway I digress because apparently a 305 will never work.

Correct, a 4L80 never came from GM behind a 305. The truck in question has a th400, so he was considering putting a motor in, not trans swapping right away.
I see what you're saying, but I stand by my statement that putting a 305 in a dually isn't worth doing, even if you already had the motor.

 

[Erik the Awful]

Also the 3.3l xterra v6 is LESS than 200ft# on torque.

An L30 305 makes 285 ft/lbs, the V6 Xterra motor makes the same amount.

The early VG33E Xterras had right at 200 lb/ft of torque. The later VQ40DEs jumped up to 280ish.