3:73 or 4:10

[Don]

I am just about to purchase a new 2011 or 2012 and I'm not sure what gears would be best for me. I tow a 5th wheel that weighs 14500-15500 depending on where we are going. Any advise would be helpful.

Thanks,

Don

 

[martion007]

I have 3. 73 rears and pull RV campers for a living. My favorite are the big 5th wheels. They give a very smooth ride. Once your new engine gets broken in it will pull it just great with 3. 73 rears. 1625 RPM at 65MPH... 1700RPM at 70MPH. That might seem low RPM but these new trucks have torque on the low side. I use cruise most the time and when I see a hill I down shift before starting up the hill. I never use tow haul because I can better determine when to shift than it can. I often manualy shift and in tow haul mode it will downshift to agressively if your foot is on the brake. A good habit is everytime you brake is to move your hand down and manualy use the trailer brake along with your foot brake and your exhaust brake, downshifting the gears as you see fit.



2011 SLT diesel 2wd duelly, 68RFE, 373 rears

Full DPF deletes with H&S Performance mini-max chip

firestone airbags/ on the fly adjust

woodhouse dodge sleeper berth

110 gallon extra aluminum fuel tank

RV hauler

 

[RonD]

4. 10 without question, IMO

 

[EGroeneveld]

Love my 2011 with 4. 10 gears! Turns the same RPM as my old 2005 with 3. 73 at 70.

 

[RustyJC]

I ordered my 2011 with the 4. 10s specifically to tow our 16K GVWR 5th wheel. I could have bought any number of 3. 73-equipped trucks off the dealer lots, but I wanted the GCWR and towing performance offered by the 4. 10s. They're easy to live with on the highway with the 68RFE automatic's double overdrive gear ratios.



Rusty

 

[stick]

4:10



Stick

 

[AH64ID]

4. 10's are what you want.

I have 3. 73's now, but when I buy another truck it will have 4. 10's. 4. 10's have a 10% mechanical advantage over 3. 73's, that means 10% more tq to the ground.

 

[AEdelheit]

I have 3. 73 now and will be spending some money to get 4. 10's, as previously mentioned with the 68RFE dual OD in do 4. 10 in a heartbeat

 

[Turboman]

I went 4. 10s because I knew I was gonna put 285/70 tires on right off. I cruise at 70 at about 1800~1825 now which is lower than my '02 was with 3. 55s. With that kind of load go with the 4. 10s.

 

[EGroeneveld]

I ordered my 2011 with the 4. 10s specifically to tow our 16K GVWR 5th wheel. I could have bought any number of 3. 73-equipped trucks off the dealer lots, but I wanted the GCWR and towing performance offered by the 4. 10s. They're easy to live with on the highway with the 68RFE automatic's double overdrive gear ratios.



Rusty

Me too, ordered what I wanted. 1 out 10 trucks seems to be 4. 10 when I was looking. So I ordered what I wanted.

 

[martion007]

I guess everyone disagreed with me, For me it's still 3. 73, maybe the mini-max with low setting and turbo tune is why I have no preference to the 4. 10. I had 4. 10 in my 03 and could never cruise anything over 70 as fuel milage would plumit.

 

[Don]

Thanks to all that replied. It looks like 4:10 is the winner. I checked the towing guide for the 2011 model year and it agrees with the 4:10 too. Now the problem of finding one on a lot.
Thanks,
Don

 

[RustyJC]

I had 4. 10 in my 03 and could never cruise anything over 70 as fuel milage would plumit.

Apples and oranges comparison. My 2002 with 4. 10s and NV5600 turned 2000 RPM @ 60 MPH. My 2011 with 4. 10s and 68RFE turns 1612 @ 60 MPH. The transmission gear ratios of the 68RFE double overdrive transmission make all the difference.



Rusty

 

[HBarlow]

4. 10 gears are the better choice for towing.

 

[Phil Stuart]

3.73 or 4.10's

Good info. on the 68RFE. I am about to order a 2012 HO with the 68RFE and didn't know at first to go with the 3. 73 or 4. 10 gears. My 2002 HO NV5600 had 4. 10 and it was right at 2,000 RPM @ 60 MPH. I also tow a 37' fifth wheel and the 4. 10's would pull no problem. I was wondering how the gearing was in the 68RFE, and to hear that it has kind of like a double OD is sweet.







Phil

 

[HBarlow]

Phil,

The 68RFE is not "kinda like". It has two distinct overdrive ranges with 6th much higher/lower numerically.

 

[AH64ID]

I was wondering how the gearing was in the 68RFE, and to hear that it has kind of like a double OD is sweet.







Phil

NV5600

1st 5. 63

2nd 3. 38

3rd 2. 04

4th 1. 39

5th 1. 00

6th 0. 73



68RFE

1st 3. 231

2nd 1. 837

3rd 1. 410

4th 1. 000

5th 0. 816

6th 0. 625

 

[RustyJC]

Just to amplify a bit on the gear ratio comparison AH64ID posted (thanks, by the way, for quantifying those), one can't make a meaningful straight comparison of 1st gear ratios between the two transmissions without considering the torque multiplication provided by the 68RFE's torque converter. The maximum torque multiplication is typically 2. 0 to 2. 5, depending on converter design. This would afford an effective 1st gear ratio of (let's say) 2. 25 torque multiplication x 3. 231 internal gear ratio = 7. 26975:1 at launch with the 68RFE.



Rusty

 

[AH64ID]

Just to amplify a bit on the gear ratio comparison AH64ID posted (thanks, by the way, for quantifying those), one can't make a meaningful straight comparison of 1st gear ratios between the two transmissions without considering the torque multiplication provided by the 68RFE's torque converter. The maximum torque multiplication is typically 2. 0 to 2. 5, depending on converter design. This would afford an effective 1st gear ratio of (let's say) 2. 25 torque multiplication x 3. 231 internal gear ratio = 7. 26975:1 at launch with the 68RFE.



Rusty

Yup, and that's applicable in any gear when the converter is unlocked correct?

 

[RustyJC]

Yup, and that's applicable in any gear when the converter is unlocked correct?

Well, sorta. You get maximum torque multiplication at stall (i. e. , output speed of the torque converter = 0 RPM), but there's reduced torque multiplication available any time the converter is unlocked.



Rusty