3500 DRW Aisin to carry Lance camper. 3:42 or 4:10?

[dward]

I posted in the Towing section so I'll keep it short.
I can get a great deal on a 17 Tradesman CC 4x4 Aisin 3:42 for $43,500. ($14k) off sticker.
I will be carrying a 5-6k lb Lance and flat towing a Jeep or 6k lb trailer or a 13k lb FW TH on occasion.
Will the 3:42 do the job or should I go with 4:10?
3:73 isn't that popular on dealer lots.

 

[jhenderson]

I tow an 18,500 gvw GN with a 3.42 rear. Never had any problems. If I did it daily, in the Rockies I might prefer a 4.10 rear but with grades of less than 4% most of the time, my truck isjust fine.

 

[BILLUA]

As the poster above alludes to...If you live in the flat lands with primarily low density altitudes, go with the lower ratio. If you live in the mountains or experience high density altitudes, you will like the 4.10's better.

I got 3.73's on this truck to see if they might help with mileage. They don't! My truck tows 90 percent of the time here in the mountains out west.

I will be going with 4.10's on the next truck. Plus, with the 4.10, you will be ready if you decide to go to a larger rv.

 

[TFabian]

I carry a Lance 1172 on my 2016 Laramie CC long bed dually. I ordered my truck with 4.10s. My old 2500 also had 4.10s. Living in Colorado, 4.10s were a given. I also flat tow a Jeep behind my truck/camper.

 

[Jared Herzog]

I do not haul a camper. But i tow and have the aisin with 3.42. I like the mileage empty and i have learned to lock out both overdrives. The truck does fine while towing in the overdrives i just lock them out hoping to make the transmission last as long as possible. This leaves me in fourth without the truck screaming. I think if i had the 4.10 gears i would either have to slow down, turn a lot of rpm in fourth, or tow with the over drives. For me the 3.42 works great.

 

[rynosback]

I would go with the 410s. I hem and hawed over what rear to have in my Ram when I ordered it. I went with the 410's and am glad that I did.

 

[SnoKing]

I tow a 16K high profile 5th wheel with 3.42 gears. Combined weight is 25,500. Tows great. In TH it does not try to shift (Aisin) into 6th until over 65MPH. I tow at 60-65 MPH. Long legs empty on the freeway are great. I would not want the 3.42's with the 68RFE. The Aisin's lower 1st and 2nd gears make the 3.42's work well. I do use the manual gear selector from time to time. Snoking

 

[spoon059]

Those are all low weights for the Cummins. 3.42 will be absolutely fine anywhere you drive. The 3.42's are rated to haul 17K lbs in the 2500 with the less torquey engine and transmission... you won't have any issues. I would hop all over a deal like that! $43 for a new dually???

 

[Cummins12V98]

GET the 3.42's!!! Unless you plan for a combo over 28K. Aisin get's the load rolling even at higher weights.

I tow 33K combined, 4.10's for me!!!

 

[RustyJC]

I do not haul a camper. But i tow and have the aisin with 3.42. I like the mileage empty and i have learned to lock out both overdrives. The truck does fine while towing in the overdrives i just lock them out hoping to make the transmission last as long as possible. This leaves me in fourth without the truck screaming. I think if i had the 4.10 gears i would either have to slow down, turn a lot of rpm in fourth, or tow with the over drives. For me the 3.42 works great.

The Aisin isn't a 47RE, a 727 Torqueflite with the single weak, add-on overdrive 4th gear. I tow a 19,000 lb GVWR 5th wheel with the Aisin and 4.10s and use all 6 gears. It's a medium duty truck transmission that's rated to work. I guess if you want to pay for a 6-speed transmission and effectively have a 4-speed, you could be quite happy with the 3.42 gears, as you are. If you think, however, that 5th and 6th gears which I use with the 4.10s are fragile, compare the GCWR ratings for 3.42s versus 4.10s. Our truck is rated 39,100 lbs GCWR and 30,050 lbs trailer tow.

Rusty

 

[Cummins12V98]

Towing my 28-29K combo with 3.42's and 68RFE I found it would tow on flat to hilly roads in 6th but much more it would drop to 5th. After experimenting I found 5th to be the best for mileage. UNLESS I had a tail wind.


USE the gears!!!

 

[AH64ID]

I would look more at where/how you tow than the weight.

If you spend a lot of time on slow, winding, steep mountain roads then I would go for the 4.10's. If you spend a lot of time at highway speeds then 3.42's are fine.

There comes a point when you just can pick a lower gear and getting a load moving is different, IMHO, than sustaining low speeds.

 

[EGroeneveld]

I have 4.10 gears on my 2016 and haul a heavy Truck Camper and tow enclosed trailer behind it or drag our toy hauler. It does great but my mileage when empty stinks.

My NEXT truck will be the standard 3.42 gears.....which for what I tow and haul, would still be in range of the factory ratings.

The 4.10 gears are just to extreme for all the new 75 and 80 MPH interstates in the west now.

Both work, but my next truck will be the 3.42.....

 

[dward]

Thank so for the good advice.
I drove a 4:10 today at my local dealer. Seemed very familiar to my old srw 3:42 but running higher rpms. 2k at 70 mph.
Im also considering going to 285 tires and thought this may be too high with the 3:42, but the srw had 285/75/18 and it did great towing my TH.
Im leaning toward the 3:42 as the majority of the time I'm only carrying 5k lbs in the bed and flat towing 4K lbs.
They both were a little nicer than my 02. Lol.
However the local dealer would only come down about $9500 and the truck had 3500 mi because whoever bought it had to turn it back in due to financing problems. It had the 5th wheel prep and bedliner which I'd like to have.
The dealer with the 3:42 truck is about 100 mi away and with my military rebate, I'll be a hair less than $14k off for a brand new truck.
I can add the BW Turnover ball and companion hitch for about $1600.

 

[Mingoglia]

Thank so for the good advice.
I drove a 4:10 today at my local dealer. Seemed very familiar to my old srw 3:42 but running higher rpms. 2k at 70 mph.
Im also considering going to 285 tires and thought this may be too high with the 3:42, but the srw had 285/75/18 and it did great towing my TH.
Im leaning toward the 3:42 as the majority of the time I'm only carrying 5k lbs in the bed and flat towing 4K lbs.
They both were a little nicer than my 02. Lol.
However the local dealer would only come down about $9500 and the truck had 3500 mi because whoever bought it had to turn it back in due to financing problems. It had the 5th wheel prep and bedliner which I'd like to have.
The dealer with the 3:42 truck is about 100 mi away and with my military rebate, I'll be a hair less than $14k off for a brand new truck.
I can add the BW Turnover ball and companion hitch for about $1600.

If you can't get at least $10k off any brand new truck on the lot, find another dealer.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I would look more at where/how you tow than the weight.

If you spend a lot of time on slow, winding, steep mountain roads then I would go for the 4.10's. If you spend a lot of time at highway speeds then 3.42's are fine.

There comes a point when you just can pick a lower gear and getting a load moving is different, IMHO, than sustaining low speeds.

The Aisin is the secret to making the 3.42's a great gear set towing in ALL conditions. My Son has a 15 Limited LB SRW with the Aisin. I have driven it with a BigTex 14K dump trailer in tow with a load of pea graves that grossed the trailer to 18K easily. I was amazed how easy it took off from a start and even on a grade.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Thank so for the good advice.
I drove a 4:10 today at my local dealer. Seemed very familiar to my old srw 3:42 but running higher rpms. 2k at 70 mph.
Im also considering going to 285 tires and thought this may be too high with the 3:42, but the srw had 285/75/18 and it did great towing my TH.
Im leaning toward the 3:42 as the majority of the time I'm only carrying 5k lbs in the bed and flat towing 4K lbs.
They both were a little nicer than my 02. Lol.
However the local dealer would only come down about $9500 and the truck had 3500 mi because whoever bought it had to turn it back in due to financing problems. It had the 5th wheel prep and bedliner which I'd like to have.
The dealer with the 3:42 truck is about 100 mi away and with my military rebate, I'll be a hair less than $14k off for a brand new truck.
I can add the BW Turnover ball and companion hitch for about $1600.

Go with the NEW truck and 3.42's with Aisin. If there is no hitch prep get the pucks from Chrysler they are a easy install, ask SNOKING. The puck B&W RVK3600 is a great hitch.

 

[AH64ID]

The Aisin is the secret to making the 3.42's a great gear set towing in ALL conditions. My Son has a 15 Limited LB SRW with the Aisin. I have driven it with a BigTex 14K dump trailer in tow with a load of pea graves that grossed the trailer to 18K easily. I was amazed how easy it took off from a start and even on a grade.

Will the Aisin lock the TCC in 1st?

 

[Cummins12V98]

Will the Aisin lock the TCC in 1st?

No, only way that will happen is with a standard trans.

There is a huge difference in how well the torque converter works with the Aisin. Takes MUCH less pedal pressure to get the load rolling compared to the 68 and the old 48's.

 

[AH64ID]

No, only way that will happen is with a standard trans.

There is a huge difference in how well the torque converter works with the Aisin. Takes MUCH less pedal pressure to get the load rolling compared to the 68 and the old 48's.

Yes it's quite the setup.

The slow speed concern is for sustained slow speeds vs getting a load moving. 4.10's allow the trans to get into 2nd sooner and lock the TC on a long slow hill climb. It's long slow climbs with an unlocked converter that generate the most heat. If the trans is in 1st due to the 3.42's for many miles it will generate more heat than locked in 2nd with 4.10's. It's not a use experienced by most owners, but it's something to think about if it applies.