Optimal Gearing

viper red cj-7

viper red cj-7

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2005
Location
charlotte
Hey all,
I'm looking for an eventual replacement tow / DD vehicle. I currently have a 2010 Ram 1500 Hemi. I have north of 200K on it. Used mostly for DD, have towed camper and my Jeep with it. I have no idea what gearing is on the truck- I'd have to go look..
my question.
I'm looking at 2019 Rams. - specifically with Towing package.....the gearing I'm seeing with these are 3.21 gears- with a towing package...that seems awful shallow....Is this the norm, or are there deeper geared ones out there????

I"ll tow with it really about 6 times/ year, and I sold my camper, so it's basically flat towing the CJ until I can get a trailer...

thanks for the input!
 
viper red cj-7 said:
Hey all,
I'm looking for an eventual replacement tow / DD vehicle. I currently have a 2010 Ram 1500 Hemi. I have north of 200K on it. Used mostly for DD, have towed camper and my Jeep with it. I have no idea what gearing is on the truck- I'd have to go look..
my question.
I'm looking at 2019 Rams. - specifically with Towing package.....the gearing I'm seeing with these are 3.21 gears- with a towing package...that seems awful shallow....Is this the norm, or are there deeper geared ones out there????

I"ll tow with it really about 6 times/ year, and I sold my camper, so it's basically flat towing the CJ until I can get a trailer...

thanks for the input!
Click to expand...
Haven't looked at them, but I suspect what you are seeing is with expanded transmission gears you have a deeper 1st (and likely even 2nd) than first gear in older transmission.

Hence the ability to achieve the same final drive ratio with a smaller rear diff gear
 
Modern trucks have 6 speeds, some even 8 & 10 speeds, so as Ron said they have the lower gearing in the trans for get up and go and the final hearing in the rear end coupled with that many gears keeps it efficient on the highway.

Example: @cufor98 has a V6 EcoBoost F150 with the 10 speed and can flat wear me out towing a heavier Jeep than my own. With my 4 speed I’m screaming going up the hills, or lugging going down the highway. I have a small window of the perfect range of power compared to him pretty much having enough gearing options to quite literally always be in the power range he needs.
 
You should be able to get 3.92s, which is what I would try to find because I can't seem to keep the stock size tire on any of my trucks. But with the 8 speed trans Ram uses now I imagine 3.21 would be fine. Hell Dodge used 3.23s behind the 727 in trucks for years lol.

Duane
 
ok- that makes sense. I think my current dodge is a 5-6 Spd....I'll keep looking...I'm betting the 3.21 is likely better on gas, so they're more prevalent? Maybe??

I appreciate the feedback! Thanks guys!
 
I had to hunt to find my 2016 Ram with 8 speed and 3.92 gears. I did a lot of research and found most people with 3.21 complained the 8 speed was always coming in and out of the 7-8 shift on the highway.

My 3.92 setup was in 8th by 45mph if I wasn't doing anything foolish, turn off the cylinder deactivation (manually select 8th gear via. The steering wheel controls) and the truck was a JOY to drive.
Towing was 10-14mpg (as small as 4k as big as 10k), highway struggled to get much above 19mpg unloaded. I always ran premium in the 5.7l hemi.
Look for a "sport" trim, I think more of them come equipped with 3.92, if you don't tow heavy or plan on bigger tires, 3.21 will be absolutely fine, the steep 1st gear is plenty to get you moving in a hurry.
 
viper red cj-7 said:
ok- that makes sense. I think my current dodge is a 5-6 Spd....I'll keep looking...I'm betting the 3.21 is likely better on gas, so they're more prevalent? Maybe??

I appreciate the feedback! Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

2010 Hemi Dodge would be a 545RFE, the one with two "second" gears, one shorter on acceleration the other slightly taller for rolling downshifts. I had one in my 2006 Hemi 2500HD 2wd with 3.73 axle gears. It would easily tow up to the max 15000# GCWR and I did so on many occasions. Go for the deeper gears.

Not a Dodge story but the 2014 Chevy 1500 work truck I just turned in was a 5.3 with the 3.42 gears. It was an absolute rocket and towed 3200# more than the 3.08 equipped trucks at my work (same engine, chassis, cab, etc). They were rated for 6700#, mine was rated for 9900#. It makes a huge difference.
 
I've had no complaints about towing or mileage with my 2016 Chevy 1500 4x4. 6.2 gasser, with 8 sp.& [Ugh] 3.23 rear. It's as much about gas mileage, as it is the 8 sp. I understand the new 10 speeds, are even better! But I do wish I had a 3.42 or 3.55, just for curiosity [& smoking tires]. I thought Dodge was the only one offering lower gears, until I read a review on the Titan. The 400 hp Titan, come with a 4.08! I really don't understand Why?
 
rodney eppes said:
I've had no complaints about towing or mileage with my 2016 Chevy 1500 4x4. 6.2 gasser, with 8 sp.& [Ugh] 3.23 rear. It's as much about gas mileage, as it is the 8 sp. I understand the new 10 speeds, are even better! But I do wish I had a 3.42 or 3.55, just for curiosity [& smoking tires]. I thought Dodge was the only one offering lower gears, until I read a review on the Titan. The 400 hp Titan, come with a 4.08! I really don't understand Why?
Click to expand...
The tundra with the 5.7 is ONLY offered with a 4.30
 
3.42 in my 6 speed 2015 Ram with a Cummins.
I'll likely add some take out 3.73 at some point just to help when towing my Ranger. Camper weight is no issue. But my pig of a rig pulls it down some.
 
Ron said:
The tundra with the 5.7 is ONLY offered with a 4.30
Click to expand...
My dad has a tundra (probably what I’ll get next) and it tows ~7000 easy. I’ve towed with it with rig, camping gear, everything to Harlan and it never acted like it didn’t want to go. It works damn good.
 
Jody Treadway said:
3.42 in my 6 speed 2015 Ram with a Cummins.
I'll likely add some take out 3.73 at some point just to help when towing my Ranger. Camper weight is no issue. But my pig of a rig pulls it down some.
Click to expand...

You still on stock size tires?

Duane
 
Jody Treadway said:
35s. Even with the stock metric nearly 33s it was similar.
Click to expand...

10-4. I went to 4.10s when I went to 37's (which measure at 35") and I'm pleased with it, but I have the 68rfe.

Duane
 
rodney eppes said:
But I do wish I had a 3.42 or 3.55, just for curiosity [& smoking tires]
Click to expand...

Yup, nice long smoky burnouts with 3.42s. Disable traction control, shift to manual (M1), power brake, once she starts boiling tap the switch for 2nd gear, then let her rip.
 
OnlyOneDR said:
Yup, nice long smoky burnouts with 3.42s. Disable traction control, shift to manual (M1), power brake, once she starts boiling tap the switch for 2nd gear, then let her rip.
Click to expand...

Video or it didn’t happen!
 
Jody Treadway said:
3.42 in my 6 speed 2015 Ram with a Cummins.
I'll likely add some take out 3.73 at some point just to help when towing my Ranger. Camper weight is no issue. But my pig of a rig pulls it down some.
Click to expand...
I have this same feeling with my 14 6 speed with the 3.42. 70mph is a question of 5-6 gear. I would love some 3.73 but wondering if the 4.10 would be too much?
 
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