Letters published in this magazine reflect the opinions of the writers, and we reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, brevity, or other purposes. Always check state regulations before modifying a vehicle with pollution controls or one that will be driven on the street. We will answer as many letters as possible each month, but due to the large volume of mail we receive, we regret that we cannot reply to unpublished letters or return photos. Digital photos must measure no less than 1600 x 1200 pixels (or two megapixels) and be saved as a TIFF, an EPS, or a maximum-quality JPEG file.
Write to:
Nuts & Bolts, 4-Wheel & Off-Road,
6420 Wilshire Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515,
fax 323.782.2704
E-mail to:
fred.williams@primedia.com
Question: I have a 12,000-pound Mega Winch that I took off another vehicle. I would like to put it on my '97 F-350 that runs a 5.8L engine with a 900-cca battery. Fabricating the required brackets for mounting it won't be a problem, however, the electrical part of the hookup is confusing. I don't think I ever got even half the potential of the pulling power before. Is there more to it than connecting to a battery?
Rick Harris
Pennville, NJ
Answer: In our experience the Mega Winches manufactured by MW-Worldwide (503.288.1245, www.megawinch.com) are extremely durable and powerful. Like all winches the electrical connection should be straightforward. Make sure you are using heavy gauge (2-gauge wire or bigger) directly from the winch to the positive and negative terminals on your battery. Keep in mind that a lot of the used Mega Winches on the market were originally installed on 24-volt-equipped military vehicles. Running a 24-volt winch on 12 volts would produce the results you're describing.
Question: I'm currently deployed in Iraq. Prior to my deployment I had to store my '00 Chevy Silverado that has low mileage in our motor pool. The motor pool is heated and well ventilated. When I get back off this deployment and start up my truck for the first time in 12 months will I cause any permanent damaged to the piston rings or to the cylinder walls or even the engine? Was there anything I should have done to prevent any damage to my truck from this long deployment?
Spc. Travis Lausche
Balad, Iraq
Answer: When you get home your truck will be just fine. We've neglected many vehicles by leaving them outside for years and fired them up after just an oil change without any problem. By keeping the truck in a heated and well-ventilated garage you are eliminating the majority of rust-causing condensation. If you get redeployed you might consider pulling all eight spark plugs and squirting some Marvel Mystery Oil in each cylinder to coat the cylinder walls before you park it again. Storing the truck with a full tank of gas will also help. We'd throw in a bottle of fuel stabilizer too. For those of you who can't store your pride and joy in a heated garage, the best way to store a vehicle for long periods of time is to have someone drive it a couple times a month to get the vehicle up to operating temperature.
Question: I have a '98 Ford F-150, and was wondering what, if any, benefits there would be to disconnecting the front sway bar on the trail?
Aaron Arbuckle
Macomb, IL
Answer: By its very nature a sway bar is designed to limit the amount of suspension travel from side to side. We've never unhooked the sway bar on a '97-'03 F-150, but on our '04 it freed up a lot of wheel travel. It's certainly worth experimenting with, but make sure to hook the sway bar back up before driving on the street.
Question: I want a Silverado 1500 extended cab, shortbed 4x4. I am not sure what year though. I want an electronically fuel-injected engine because gas prices are crazy now. I also want a solid front axle as it is simpler and cheaper to lift. What year should I be looking for?
Patrick Branch
Los Olivos, CA
Answer: Keep dreaming, because Chevrolet never made what you're looking for. The closest thing to what you want was the '87-'91 K5 Blazer. Those trucks had solid axles, a fuel-injected engine, and a 106-inch wheelbase. If you absolutely have to have a pickup you should look for an '87-'91 crew cab 1-ton. And then find a way to shorten the wheelbase.
Question: I am thinking of replacing my tired 440 in my '74 Dodge Ramcharger. I bought this truck new back in 1975 and just hate to part with it. I was told that I could swap the drivetrain out for a newer Cummins engine. What would be necessary to go along with this swap? And what would I be getting into?
Paul Middleman
Esparto, CA
Answer: Engine swaps like this should really be treated as an engine transplant because you're not just removing and replacing an engine, you're swapping over a completely different powertrain. It's a very doable swap, but there will be a lot of parts changing in the process. Basically what you want to do is find a running '89-'93 Dodge 3/4- or 1-ton 4x4 with a Cummins diesel engine in it to use as a donor vehicle. The initial purchase price may seem higher when you do it this way, but in the end it will actually be much cheaper than trying to piece the necessary hoses, fittings, brackets, and wiring together. At the very least expect to blend the new Cummins engine mounts onto your Ramcharger's frame, adapt the fuel system to use your Ramcharger's fuel tank, replace your current TF727 transmission with the TF727, A618, or manual transmission that's behind your donor truck's Cummins engine, and modify your current radiator support to work with the Cummins truck's radiator and possibly the intercooler.