AAM 11.5 3.42 now available!!

[MLisle]

Alot of you are missing the obvious point. The higher gear ratios are mainly being requested by the G56 croud. And since it is a manual transmission, who cares if your towing? You don't always have to be in high gear. Heck you could use 2. 25 gears and tow in 3rd. And anyone that's drove a G56 knows that low is really low. 3. 42's and/or 3. 36's are a win win, if your heavy or crusing slow just use 5th gear. For higher speeds or lightweight loads use 6th. My semi with the 3. 36's needs to be moving above 65mph in order to efficiently be able to use high gear. However, that in no way means that it's geared too high. Look at the Ford F-450/550's, 5. 33 gears!! Nice unless you actually want to move faster than 60 and get anything better than 5mpg. I learned my lesson a long time ago, NEVER replace HP with gears.

EXCELLANT POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Oo. Oo. Oo.

 

[AKaiser]

I hated when I hit Texas...

My pocketbook sure did Winter fuel in the I-10 area where it's 80 MPH limit, my fuel use went from 17. 8 to 12 MPGs.

 

[MAshley]

I see 2 things going on here... . Not that either one is better then the other, its just a differences in driving styles and locations.







#1







A Large bunch of people who drive Fast 70+ That don't seem to tow heavy. I define heavy as hauling 15K+ trailer, so GCVW would be 24,000 lbs and up on a regular basis, Defined as 60% or more of the time. That don't realize or know that the 3. 73 gear with the G56 is like a 4. 10 rear end in the old NV5600 and NV5500 trucks. They really need or could use a 7th gear or taller gearing. Mainly a people transport, that can haul the RV or boat on the weekend. If you need example look at the mega cab... .



I would also believe they live in a open country, and with little traffic.







#2







People who do haul heavy all the time, near or past 26,000 lbs GCVR, don't travel at 70+ all the time because its there work truck and more then likely should have a semi truck but because its a Dodge with great power and decent gearing gets the job done. Don't get me wrong there are times on long hauls they drive at 75+ but this is in open roads. I would also assume they might live in mountain areas, and with traffic.











I fall into the #2 category, Personally I tow at 26K about 80% of the time, and have been thinking of going to 19. 5 but the increase in tire height might really suck when starting out from a dead stop going up a hill. I live in Washington and we have plenty of hills with stop signs. Right now truck is stock, starting up a hill category the clutch will glue it self making the next shift hard, this has only happened 4 times in 45K miles mostly its the hills fault and driving really loaded. . IE Im using the truck for more then it was designed for, it works though and thats what matters to me. but taller tires or gearing would make my life harder while towing, especially from a start and stop point of view. And then there is stop and go traffic, honestly there isn't a lot of times I can go 70+ MPH without running into traffic a mile up the road, Im happy traffic going the speed limit.







Honestly my truck is a Work truck, not a toy or pleasure truck, I need it to to work , with as little time as possible in the shop, if I loose 2MPG then well I can live with that, its the cost of doing business.







Again I fall in #2 others fall in #1, there is no coerect answer for everyone, only the coerect answer for you.

 

[GSatler]

I would like to get a report when someone gets 3. 42 gears installed.

MPG?

RPM @ 55 mph /mpg?

RPM @ 70 mpg /mpg?

 

[MMiller]

Hmm, last night I was coming home from a pull, hauling about 22,000#, in northern Missouri, and Sothern Iowa. I run 3. 55's and 33 tires, and used OD most all the way anywhere from 62-75 mph. I'm leaving giving up ALOT of power that you 3rd genners have, and can't see a reason for a road truck to be geared differently. *I* don't tow in mountains, or in citys much. I would be interested in 3. 42's in a 3rd genner, I was dissappointed that the 3. 55's went away.



Heck, if OD is too high, I've always gots direct drive to use, and it works well. The trans runs cooler in direct drive. Some people here seem to forget that just a few years ago, we weren't supposed to tow in OD, now the trucks now are geared that to get anything done, you have to tow in OD.



Michael

 

[cerberusiam]

Well, that should significantly increase the DMF failures and warranty denials for those that choose the 3. 42 option. :-laf



I predict SB will be getting a LOT more business.

 

[therabbittree]

a South Bend Clutch is a option like a Built aftermarket auto trans . . ie dtt, ats etc etc. . goes hand in hand. . If I bought a new manual 3rd gen the clutch would be one of the first things to get done . . get rid of the Dual Mass Flywheel etc. . same with a auto the trans would get pulled and upgraded. . etc no one does the asin yet . .

 

[JFaulkner]

a South Bend Clutch is a option like a Built aftermarket auto trans . . ie dtt, ats etc etc. . goes hand in hand. . If I bought a new manual 3rd gen the clutch would be one of the first things to get done . . get rid of the Dual Mass Flywheel etc. . same with a auto the trans would get pulled and upgraded. . etc no one does the asin yet . .

You'll never really respect what a complete POS the G56 flywheel is until you remove it. Now since Ford, GM, and now Dodge have all tried them maybe we can get back to the tried and true. I'd venture to guess that South Bend laughs all the way to the bank when the learn another MFG decided to go with dual mass flywheels. :-laf