dodge ruining a good thing??

[Cummins Cowboy]

next year my lease is up so it looks like I will be buying a late '06 model. I have long been a manual guy, at least when it comes to the cummins. I want to stay with the 6 speed only problem is IMO the gearing is all wrong with the g56 and 3:73's I don't wanna have a truck cruising 70 @2200 rpm. this would be like my current truck running 80mph. What is dodge thinking here??I know more RPM is easier on the trans, but I think that is excessive, I know the 4:10 crowd always wants more RPM, well my question is whats 5th gear for. This is making me think about makeing a purchase or even going with the auto heaven forbid

 

[ndennis]

I totally agree with the Cummins Cowboy. But I have beefing about the loss of the 3. 54's since I acquired the 04. 5

N Dennis

 

[DPKetchum]

Had a D. C. field rep tell me in 2000 that THEY wanted to get rid of 3. 55/3. 54 gears then! wasn't a good gear for pulling. I have to agree,I bought TWO a 90 and a 93 and swapped both of those out to 4. 10s. Trucks drove so much better loaded and empty. Put the cummins in the sweet spot at 70 etc. Neignbor has a 05 with 3. 73s and pulls 8k weekly. Says the 3. 73 with AUTO was a mistake. Theres got to be a reason THEY diid this. My guess is to compete with the other manufactures in towing weights.

 

[RMalone]

All that about towing is great, but why not let the consumer have a choice?

Not all of us tow, I prefer an auto for daily driving but some guys want the stick.

 

[Bertram65]

These trucks are made for working, specifically towing and hauling heavy loads, that being thier primary role they gear the truck for that, these trucks are not designed for cruising empty on the highway at 80mph. If the truck had any lower gears than 3. 73s with the auto you could never put it in OD when you were towing unless you were going 80mph, with the stick you could never use 6th. The engine are also built to rev, they can run all day at 3000rpm, it will be loud and burn alot of fuel but you will not hurt it.

 

[klenger]

Bottom line is, 3. 73 is the lowest ratio available for the AAM axles. There's not much Dodge can do about that, unless they could pressure AAM to make some 3. 55's.



I think I could get better milage with my NV5600 if I had 4. 10's or had a G56 with the 3. 73s. With my NV5600 and 3. 73's I have to either be in 6th at 65 MPH or so or drop to 5th going abut 50 - 55 MPH. With 4. 10's or a G56 I could tow in 6th at 55 - 60 and get better milage. I rarely drive on the freeway empty, so high reving is not much of an issue for me. I had 4. 10's on my 01. 5 and never had a complaint about them.

 

[bkroupa]

Overdrive should be overdrive, & the strongest gear (one to one) should be used for pulling up a grade or accerating up to speed.

I swapped out the 4. 10's for 3. 54's & picked up a solid 1. 5 mpg for my daily empty commute. For towing, OD is now actually OD for 60mph & up, 4th gear is just a little lower than 5th was with the 4. 10's & is a great gear for hills now. If I was a full time heavy trailer puller with 285 or larger tires I might consider 4. 10's again if I was in the mountains, but the truck is so much more pleasant/happier sounding with the 3. 54's.

 

[RustyJC]

Overdrive should be overdrive, & the strongest gear (one to one) should be used for pulling up a grade or accerating up to speed.

If I had an NV4500 and had to be concerned about the 5th gear nut issue, I might feel the same way.



With 4. 10's, 6th gear puts us at 2350 RPM at 70 MPH. That's great when we're towing our heavy 5th wheel - I never come out of 6th for any 6% grade. It is a little revvy for 75 MPH empty cruising on the Interstates, however.



The 4. 10 gears provided a substantially improved GCWR as opposed to the 3. 54's - that's why I ordered them. Since 90% or more of the miles our truck accumulates is with the 5th wheel in tow, the 4. 10s work fine for our application.



Rusty

 

[67guzzler]

You all know where I fall on this. The NV5600 4. 10 guys and the happy G56 3. 73 guys are correct -- these trucks are designed to tow. But to make ALL G56 guys BE the same as NV5600 4. 10 guys only is wrong.



They should have a G56 3. 42 combo to equate to the NV5600 3. 73 combo.



I just don't think that DC cares... .

 

[CJ Lagos]

People are buying these trucks for the wrong reason. If you want to be cool and drive a cummins be prepared to deal with the compromises. We're talking around 10% change here, get over it!



I'm sorry but I see this at work all the time. People pick the wrong solution for the wrong reasons and then complain when it doesn't do what they want #@$%!



There is a very simple solution... get an overdrive. It's gonna cost you but you can't have your cake and eat it too.

 

[67guzzler]

People are buying these trucks for the wrong reason. If you want to be cool and drive a cummins be prepared to deal with the compromises. We're talking around 10% change here, get over it!



I'm sorry but I see this at work all the time. People pick the wrong solution for the wrong reasons and then complain when it doesn't do what they want #@$%!

You're 100% dead wrong.



You're missing the point. You COULD buy a NV5600 3. 73 in the 2005 model year up until 1/1/2005. Did the NV5600 3. 73 buyer buy their trucks for the wrong reason? This makes no sense!



After 1/1/2005, you had to get the G56 and COULD NOT GET THE EQUIVALENT of the NV5600 and the 3. 73. They made this change without notice and forced you to get the equivalent of the NV5600 and the 4. 10. Let me tell you something, you could do some pretty good towing with the NV5600 and the 3. 73 AND have a better all around truck.



The GET OVER IT CRAP is a bunch of hooey.



On low RPM engines like this, a 200 rpm difference at 70 mph IS HUGE.



You need to GET OVER saying "GET OVER IT" and GET THE POINT.

 

[DPKetchum]

Want to run 80 mph. Get a 1500 with Hemi. 70/72 mph is my limint loaded or not. This is my THIRD Cummins and that was my limint with all of them. Now my 1500 slt with a handling tire I run and can cruise at 80 in comfort.

 

[67guzzler]

No. I want to run this truck at 80. Thank you.

 

[CJ Lagos]

What part of 2500/3500 truck don't you understand?



FACT: G56 is . 79 overdrive instead of . 73

FACT: Tallest gear for the axles are 3. 73

FACT: DaimlerChrysler has absolutely no obligation to make new rpms match old.



Maybe with your new downgraded load range D tires you should put on a 1/2ton suspension so it rides better too?



Your truck will drive 80mph all day long without issue. The rpms will be exactly 188 higher than what you want. GET OVER IT.

 

[JCleary]

Get some 35" tires. It will make you wish you had 4. 10's if you don't, or happy with your G56. .



I know I do. If it wasn't so expensive I'd chage the ring and pinions, but for now I'll just deal with the lower rpms.



I do agree, though, you should have a choice of axle ratios with the G56.



My theory is this: Manual transmission sales in this country are less than 10% of the vehicles sold. That being said, perhaps DC's sales numbers suggested that the majority of the 10% or so of the Ram buyers that choose the manual transmissions are also ordering the 4. 10 gears? It would then seem logical to me that they eliminated the current equivalent to a 3. 73 (3. 54 w/ the G56) option.



After all, the manual transmission *is* for the guy who tows heavy.



The weekend warriors with their fiver's can get the 48re and 4. 10's if they want to haul, and 3. 73's if they want to haul booty on the highway.

 

[RMalone]

Lots of "Tow Snobs" around here eh? bottom line is there are many guys who don't need a Cummins, we want one. I sure as hell wont make any excuses or feel inferior because I dont tow at 8k over rating. In fact you tow snobs should be glad us daily driver types are buying the ctd, it makes it more profitable for DC and Cummins therefore they can justify r&d to make the truck better. If some guys want 3. 55 gear who are you guys to tell them to shut up and live with it!!

 

[CJ Lagos]

Great point. Thank you all the hot rodders that keep these trucks affordable



Nothing wrong with wanting 3. 55's, the problem is they don't make them. What can you do? Nothing. If it is a big enough problem then you can buy an overdrive but otherwise the only choice is to swap transmisions, axle assemblies or live with it.



Reality hurts.

 

[Hohn]

next year my lease is up so it looks like I will be buying a late '06 model. I have long been a manual guy, at least when it comes to the cummins. I want to stay with the 6 speed only problem is IMO the gearing is all wrong with the g56 and 3:73's I don't wanna have a truck cruising 70 @2200 rpm. this would be like my current truck running 80mph. What is dodge thinking here??I know more RPM is easier on the trans, but I think that is excessive, I know the 4:10 crowd always wants more RPM, well my question is whats 5th gear for. This is making me think about makeing a purchase or even going with the auto heaven forbid

If I were in the market for a new CTD, I would buy the 48RE without hesitation.



I love my 6-speed, but the new gearing is all wrong for my mostly-commuter driving, and the G56 is unproven.





If you want to BOMB, then I think the auto is the way to go for sure.



jmo as a gear rower

 

[DPKetchum]

I bet your way down in the minority of buyers. Same as the manual transmission trucks. Buy you a US gear or Gear Vendor o/d unit.

 

[Bertram65]

Get some 35" tires. It will make you wish you had 4. 10's if you don't, or happy with your G56. .



I know I do. If it wasn't so expensive I'd chage the ring and pinions, but for now I'll just deal with the lower rpms.



I do agree, though, you should have a choice of axle ratios with the G56.



My theory is this: Manual transmission sales in this country are less than 10% of the vehicles sold. That being said, perhaps DC's sales numbers suggested that the majority of the 10% or so of the Ram buyers that choose the manual transmissions are also ordering the 4. 10 gears? It would then seem logical to me that they eliminated the current equivalent to a 3. 73 (3. 54 w/ the G56) option.



After all, the manual transmission *is* for the guy who tows heavy.



The weekend warriors with their fiver's can get the 48re and 4. 10's if they want to haul, and 3. 73's if they want to haul booty on the highway.

Funny you say that about the manual, that it is for the guy who tows heavy and the auto is for the weekend weekend warrior seeing as the auto equiped truck is rated to tow more than the manual.