I am ordering a new 3500 Quad Cab Laramie 4X4 with the 5.9 HO Cummins Diesel and the new 48RE Auto Transmission. Should I go with the 4.10 rear end or the 3.73? The truck will be pulling a Gooseneck Horse Trailer 8500 lbs empty and 1200 lbs loaded. With this new Auto transmission which way should I go. Any and all opinions are wellcome pros and cons please.

Also the 3500 Quad Cab Laramie comes standard with a sliding rear window. As a option I can select a Rear Window Defroster. Does that mean the Rear Slider is replaced by a Solid Window with the Defrost Feature? [undecided]

 

I wish I had 3:73 gears in mine. The 3:54 is just a little too tall for pulling my fiver on a two lane. If I take it out of O/D then I have to keep my foot close to the floor to hold close to 60 mph. In O/D it is only at about 1700 rpm at 60 mph.<br>Tom

 

This topic has been the source of major debate here within the last month or so. I think it depends on how much towing you will be doing vs running unoaded, and what terrain you expect to encounter.<br><br>Look at the &quot;road reports/lessons learned&quot; threads posted recently.<br><br>With that said, I pull a 8500 lb boat/trailer with ease (4.10's), but unloaded I find myself looking for a 7th gear rolling onto the superslab. I picked my truck off the lot, but if I ordered it, I would have gone for 3.73's.<br>

 

I tried a Black 3500 Laramie 4x4 with the 5.9L HO Diesel, Quad Cab DRW, Manual 6 speed transmission and 4.10 Rear axle today at a Dealer. The RPM's were right around 2100 to 2200 in six gear going about 70 mph. I wonder where the RPM's will be at that speed with the 4.10 rear and Auto 48RE? The truck sure was sweet well done in and out and smooth. The wife really liked it and she comes from a 2001 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab Gas truck that we sold. I live in VT and we have hills.

 

In my 99 3500 auto (DTT TC &amp; VB) in OD at 70, I'm turning about 2250 RPM's. It will be interesting to see what the new auto's RPM's will be. I pull a 12,000 pound fiver, but only about 4,000 miles a year. Pulling the fiver, I love the 4:10's. When I'm solo, I wish I had the 3.73's. I'm seriously considering an aux. transmission down the road. Seriously, the only time I really miss the taller gears is on the expressway. And the nearest expressway to me is 70 miles away, so I really don't miss the taller gears that often. If I were driving one every day, I would deffinately want the 3.73's. Or that aux. trans.

 

Regarding the defroster ... I tried to get one but it only came without the slider ... so I kept the slider [undecided]

 

Depends on how much highway driving you do. I run a slide in camper/boat combo and I'm running about 14K GCVW. With an auto and 3.55's . It puts me around 1600-1800 at 65-70 and pulls fine. I drove a truck with 4.10's and I wouldn't want to run a lot of highway miles with it, it was running around 2400 RPM at 70. With 3.55's I just pull it down to 3rd and keep it at 60 at around 2400 RPM on the hills.

 

Fortin, you will be fine up to 14,000 pounds with that set up and 3.73 axle. If you are ordering SRW you might want to check the tongue weight of your trailer so as not to go over the GVWR on your truck. Good luck

Casey

 

I have 4:10 in my truck and running 70/75 I am turning about 2500 rpm. I am thinking about changing my gearing to somewhere between the 4;10 and the 3:54 like maybe the 3:73 ;D : ;D <br><br>The low gears are great to get the 5er moving but now that my &quot;stock&quot; truck is running so strong I may not need the low gears.<br><br>I know I was not much help to you with your question. Here is my input to you.<br> How often do you pull heavy?<br> What are your BOMBing plans?<br><br>See Ya<br>Chris

 

JUst got a little 95..3500..with a 47RH and 3:55's and pull a 53ft and a 44ft enclosed car hauler trailer that has maxed at 29000 lbs (Iam CDLed) yes I do slow down on mountain long up grades but never thought of lower gearing...since I can control my engine RPM's and tranny by turning off OD or downshifting to keep everything in the sweet spot and not lug the engine or burn up the tranny...IMHO if your a mindless driver then you should set your truck up for mindless gearing...but you cant tow and city drive with the same gearing and not suffer on one or the other

 

Confusion ,confusion-if you are ordering the truck for pulling seriously consider 4.10's as the engine will give you maximum performance while under maximum load and will help reduce heat in both the tranny and engine. Do a milage calculation and if the amount of towing is less than 20-25% 3.73's are probably a better choice. Consider if you are dropping out of overdrive in order to pull the trailer because it is &quot;lugging&quot; and 2500rpm is in the peak power band for maximum pulling then this is where you should be despite the noise. Fuel milage is best as many have discovered at less than 2000 rpm, peak torque is between 1550-1750 therefore maximum efficiency will be 1600-2000 rpm. Too many people on here are trying add 6-12000lbs extra behind their trucks and expecting race car performance, economy car fuel consumption and only own one vehicle. Even the big trucks are ordered to job specifics to accomplish maximum efficiency with no one combination being superior for all hauling. If it is absolutely necssary to travel at 80mph on the freeway continously a different vehicle with high speed rated tires and brakes would probably be a better choice as fuel milage really is not that important any ways. PK

 

Actually the mileage and power don't care much what ratio the rear or trans is or the tire size is, all that counts is the ratio that is put on the pavement by the tires in relation to engine speed. I have always opted for the faster gear so that I can cruise at speed limit at a good ratio and drop one gear (to direct) for pulling. The 3.54 in the Dodge does this just right. I have enough first gear ratio with the Cummins to pull off on the steepest of grades, cruise at 2200 at 70 to 75, and dropping to direct gives me 50 to 70 with no problem although I generally shift out at 67 or 68. Yes it is geared for over 100 but the cruise is important. I have great pulling power and good mileage running it this way. Sure, I do shift more from direct to OD. When pulling the best mileage that I get is 2000 to 2400, the best power 2200 to about 2800. I never run below 2000 in OD or 1800 pulling at any time. I get better mileage in OD at 70 to 75 than I do in direct at 62 to 65 which is around 2500 to 2600. Have run it thousands of miles both ways. I know that this will bring negative comments, but have done this a lot of years with many different sized trucks and it works for me.

The way to gear is for the highest gear set to cruise at the highest regular every day speed. Then down gear for pull. This will give you 90% of pulling in direct with virtually eliminates transmission heat and saves countershaft bearings with no transmission drag loss. I have never seen a significent rear axle temperature difference between ratios as close as 4.11, 3.73, and 3.54. This is probably why at 163,000 miles I am still running the stock OD on the nv4500 with no problems.

 

If you are ordering a DRW, and do not intend to change tire size, then stick w/3:54.<br>On the other hand, if it is a SRW, and you intend to install larger then stock tires, by all means, goto 4:10. <br><br>4:10 and 33, or 35's is a combinaton that works. Same tire w/ 3:54 is ugly. Right DF?

 

[quote author=BigK link=board=11;threadid=9400;start=0#91762 date=1042520838]

4:10 and 33, or 35's is a combinaton that works. Same tire w/ 3:54 is ugly. Right DF?
[/quote]

:'( :'( :'( :'(
I can vouch for how awful 3.54's and 35's are! :'( :'( :'(
Can you say 76mph in 5th @ 2000rpm?
It's all about top end, baby!

 

Yeah Bigk, you are right about that too