My truck got no power. How easy is it to change the gears in my diff. Don't know what they are now but they can't be over a 1:83...anyone help??

 

Before you go swapping gears, try this. Take it out of overdrive. My '98 ranger manual advised to not tow or go uphill in overdrive. That's strictly for flats and downhill. That seems to keep the motor wound up and running much stronger.

BTW, I have a 2.5l with 5spd manual trans. and love it. Towed a metro home on a dolly after I bought the pickup while on vacation. (That'll teach my wife to send me off alone! Towed just great at 75 in overdrive on the flats, downshift to 4th or 3rd on really steep hills, but still came up them at 50 or faster. That was on the run between Twin Falls ID and Coeur d'Alene via I84 to Pasco, then up 395 to I-90 and Spokane. Anyone familiar with the area will tell you there are some STEEP hills, particularly around LaGrande and Pendleton Oregon, on that route. I've also ran it all over the hills of North Idaho with no complaints. Just downshift first.

FWIW, I've also been along when the local tranny shop guy (The only one in town people trust) said that if you leave them in OD while going up hill the engine can produce enough torque to cause the shafts in the tranny to flex slightly. That means the bushings and bearings wear into the cases and that gets expensive! Better to downshift or kick out the electronic overdrive on an auto. Saves money, engine runs better and cleaner when it's not lugging, and you get to the top without becoming a rolling road block.

Just my opinion, worth exactly what you paid for it, i.e. nothing.

Dave T.