Hounddog

Well I guess my neighbor and I have had some SICK trucks cause most miserable pulling he and I both have done is with 3.54 3.55 gear in these trucks pulling anything over 8k.Its all you can do to maintain on grades and if anybody pulls in front of you then its 50 or so mph until the flat/level or downhill.Now pulling through Florida or Texas they work ok not great but ok.Any kind of long uphill pulls unless your floored and running 75 mph that gear not worth a plug nickel for pulling.Thats a hiway CRUISE gear not a working gear.

MLB 1

Hounddog, could you expand on the highway cruise gear comment? Are you referring to a 5 or 6 speed trans (late 01 had nv5600 with a 6speed)?

Granted the older NV 4500 had some trouble with 5th "popping off". But for the most part I used and still use 5th in the NV 4500's and 6th in the NV/G56 trans with no problems.

I currently gross 25-30,000 lbs using 6th gear on the highway at 75-80 (legal speed limit) with no problems at all.

MJDiesel

Although I do not own a newer Dodge (wish I could afford one!), I thought that this was interesting. I have had experience with 4.10 gears, but they are not in a Dodge pickup.

They are in my father's 98 Chevy 3/4 ton 4X4 with the 350 Vortec and a five speed. Not exactly the low rpm torque monster that a Cummins is! Also, he owns an 89 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 with a 350 and the 5-speed and 3.42 gears. Also not a torque rich motor. I can tell you with confidence that the only, THE ONLY thing that the 4.10 gears do is make the 98 pickup slower and cause it to drink more gas. We tow 12,000 lbs with these pickups on a regular basis and the 89 keeps right up with the 98. 4.10s might be a little bit easier on the clutch, but my dad always starts the 98 in second gear, so it really doesn't matter anyway! I should add that 3.42s are not the ideal gear ratio behind a 350 engine (3.73s are probably about right), but I would still take them over over 4.10s any day of the week.

My Dodge pickups, as well as most of them that I have used, have 3.54 or 3.73 gears and I couldn't imagine why someone would want 4.10s?????? The only practical reason would be if the rig has large tires and needs to be geared down.

3.42s with the 6-speed should be a sweet combination! Its good to hear that they finally offer them!

AH64ID

Nothing surprising there, thats for commercial use, or HD recreational use... 25K GVW is above the GVWR of the truck... by almost 20% on my truck..... so it probably has a higher rating than the 3.42's, as they are part of the GVWR, which is only 19K on a 3.42 equipped rig, so the GV has a 25% higher rating than the truck does... should be plenty.

SO for 99% of users the GV will be more than plenty.. and give better mileage when not towing(probably better than 3.42's), and more gear options so better hill climbing when towing.. .something the 3.42's cant do.

IMO the GV is a better bang for the buck... 3.42's drop the tow rating by 1K, as well as drop the GVWR by 1K (2500) or 2K (3500 SRW).. the GV doesnt affect it. 3.42's are only 8% better, while the GV is 22%, and gives you 10 speeds.

Hounddog

My comments were not about what trans but what rear axel gear.Towing with 3.55 gear in the Midwest or Northern states is a struggle.The 3.55 ratio is a travelin/hiway gear not a pulling big weight gear.Chrysler has known that for years and wanted to do away with it way back when but couldn't because of Dana. I changed many a 3.55 geared truck over to 4.10s because sales people told a customer Oh it will pull just fine the way it is.Also I will not tow anything at 75/80 mph! Period.Too darn dangerous.70 is my MAX speed and the 3.55 gears won't do at 65/68 mph.

Chad04Ram

Mine's an 07 6.7 auto with a 6 spd auto and at 70 mph it tachs 2000 rpm's.before the g-30 recall = 11.2 around town 15.5 highway. After recall 13.2 in town and 17 on the highway.My friend has a 06 5.9 with a manual and 410's and when he's on the highway it screams at 65 mph, he also takes off in third gear 1rst is useless unless your extreem weight.

torquefan

I agree that 4.10 is a good gear for towing, as long as it's behind a gas engine that makes its power at 3000 rpm. On my 12 valve equipped truck that has its "sweet spot" at 1800-2000 rpm, I'm very happy with my 3.55gears, pulling heavy, whether going up hills or not.

Hounddog

What is heavy and what to you call a hill? Why do you think they even offer 4.10s? Why is it even on a late model there is a warning and disclosers about towing any kind of weight with 3.42s and lots more h.p. then those older trucks with 3.55s had.Wonder why there is a differance in GVWR between 3.55 and 4.10s

Hintz

no offense, but your friend doesnt have 4.10s w./ his manual they didnt offer it unless its aftermarket, they only offered 3.73 w/ the g56.

Hintz

This is not true (not on your part, but on Chrysler's) Dana Corp. has had 3.73 gears since the early 90s for the D80 and even earlier for the D60 and D70 rear and d60 front

Hounddog

Back in 99 one of the D.C.reps I deldt with after he went to a big Chrysler pow wow said such and let it on that it was more of a Dana issue.It might have been that back then even Chrysler was not happy with Dana and the issue between the two companys was just starting.But he said the issue was that the 3.54 did not work well with the Cummins power plant ever/never and needed to be changed to a 3.73 standard rear gear.With my NV5600 I would like to have seen 1st and reverse not much more then a crawl.I have a friend with a 05 dually auto 4x4 with 3.73 that tows 7k/8k a lot.He said mine pulls so much better then his truck.That his is eaither happy pulling at 72mph plus which he isn't or its lugging/hunting on winding two lanes between 3rd and 4th.Same friend pulled same trailer 30k with a 02 2500 3.55 geared 2wd auto and said when he bought the trailer he wanted a 4 horse.Trailer dealer said they would NOT recomend it with that truck.Owner later said trailer dealer was correct.That if he was loaded with 3 horses and gear and lost any speed on big interstae inclines that it was like he needed a tow truck to help.Said no load truck ran great.But towning 8k was NOT easy or comfertable in mountains or big rolling hill country.

AH64ID

yep, but you could get a NV5600 with 4.10's... glad mine has 3.73's

Hounddog

Eaither way he's about correct on the rpms as the 05 G56 with 3.73 is about the same as a NV5600 with 4.10s

AH64ID

Yeah they are VERY close... 75 mph with a NV5600 and 4.10's is 2462, and a G56 with 3.73's is 2424..

Hintz

your right but he said 06 not a 05, no nv5600 offered just the g56