Gotta convince the Missus !

[lizzyhermit]

Retirement is within sight and were looking at building a rig for our long anticipated journey. We want a new truck and new 5er. I'm strongly suggesting the 6 spd manual behind the new HO in a 3500 DRW using the logic that this mule would comfortably handle almost anything we'd want in a mobile 5er of 30-37 feet.



Do you knowing ones have any other good, logical reasons for the 6 spd between the '06 HO and the 4:10ish rear end?



BTW,we're leaning at the QC long bed DRW having been quite tickled with our 98. 5

 

[Forrest Nearing]

manual will hold the power, it's safer for towing, and it will last MANY more miles without problems than an automatic!!!!

 

[mberry]

Not to nitpick Forrest, but it's the clutch or torque converter that holds the power, not the transmission, but in my opinion the 6 speed is better for towing the loads you are looking at especially the heavier you go.



On a side note, stick with the 3. 73 gear ratio in the rear end. It is almost exactly the same final ratio as an NV5600 with 4. 10's.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

the stock 6sp will hold more than the stock auto... no matter what clutch or converter you put in there... the transmission still has clutches in it...

 

[mberry]

True, but lizzy didn't say anything about bombing. I really don't want to argue with you and didn't mean to imply that you were wrong in any way. Can we agree on this, if he's at 30' for an RV at an "average" weight the auto would be ok but at the 37' lenght and "average" weight the 6 speed would be better?



Ah hell Lizzy, just get the 6 speed. Then you don't have to worry about all the maintenance that goes with the auto. Forrest is right.

 

[LYoder]

lizzyhermit

well that is great that you can do it... i live in mine and it is 38ft... and i have a dwr-6spd-3. 73 rearend with hp... . and dont forget to get a exhaust brake... . that is the cat-meow... . itworks so sweet... and for the misses... it took a while for mine to come around... but now she is a believer

















2003-3500-drw-6speed-with a jacobs exhaust-hp-3. 73 rearend-d&d air filter

 

[Forrest Nearing]

bottom line is they're retiring... I'm assuming this will be the last vehicle they buy for a while...



you show take a truck w/ 250k miles on it w/ a manual transmission and another w/ the auto... I'll buy the manual over the auto every time because they just don't wear out like the autos... they'll hold up over time...



Forrest

 

[Nyoest]

3. 73 Gears would be a lot better than 4. 10's. I've got 4. 10's in my 01 6spd and at 63 mph I'm at 2200 rpm. Get it up to 70 and it's at 2400. The cummins has plenty of torque for the higher gears. Ditto on the Exhaust Brake they're wonderful.

 

[dodgeguy44]

I agree, stick with the 6 spd and 3. 73. The final ratio is still lower than your existing truck. Don't do the Auto, Dodge just hasn't built one that will last yet. There are aftermarket Autos out there but thats a whole lot more money.



Have a great time and enjoy your travels.

 

[Buffalo]

Lizzy,



If you would really rather have an auto & can wait a couple of years, it might be interesting to see what the Cummins 6. 7 with new 6-sp. auto (Aisin), will be like.



I have a 91. 5, 4 sp. auto (ATS conversion) & an '03, 6-sp. (NV-5600). For towing, I like the 6-sp. better. You seem to have more gear choices, can downshift easily &, generally, have more control, it seems.



The auto. is nice for a lot of in town, stop & go driving.



Best of luck in your decision.



Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[TowPro]

I don't think you can get 4:10's with the 6 speed since the new 6 speed came out a year or so ago. I tow a big(er) 5er just over 10K lbs. . I ordered the 6 speed with 3:73's. There are some graphs around where you enter the rear ratio, type of trans, tire size, etc. My 06 3:73 with G56 6 speed will be doing 64mph@2000 rpm. My 02 Auto dually with 47re auto and 4:10 rear is doing 65mph@2000rpm. This includes the fact the 06 had different size tires then the 02 dually. I think the new setup will be great for towing!

 

[PatrickCampbell]

Ditto I don't think you can even get 4. 10's anymore. 3. 73's + 6spd will be fine.

 

[wcjp]

3. 73's with the G56 6spd are pretty low. Sometimes while in sixth I'm reaching for a higher gear.

 

[SnoKing]

It's pretty easy, tell her how quiet it is going to be, that it will have dual climate control so that she can set her own settings and that it will have room in the back to take another couple to the golf course. I would get the 6 speed, exhaust brake, and it comes only in 3:73 with the new 6 speed. I would look for a trailer no more than around 34 feet for easy of getting in and out of parks.



Also the Brakesmart trailer brake controller is back in production. Dr. Performance is handling the ordering etc. Price went up a bit more, but people that have them swear by them. Carry a Prodigy as a back up controller. I also would get a long box.



I have both the truck trunk and V Box from Creative Industries. Two sets of golf clubs with mild size bags will fix in the V Box. http://www.trucktrunk.com/ I also really like my Hi Jacker hitch. http://www.hijacker.com/ I put a pad lock on the hitch lever when traveling and parking the trailer at malls or restaurants.



Next item is to figure out Nav system. Garmin C330 is a nice little unit, but I have a laptop and serveral GPS already, so may go that route!



We looked for a trailer with two recliners that both faced directly at the TV. We only wanted two slides, as we want to be able to use the outdoor area on the doors side as a patio. We ended up with the Cardinal 29WBLX. We had the axles flipped and then lower the trailer on the jack plates to get it setting level with the truck. 5. 5 in minus 2 = above 3. 5 inch lift. This fall we are going to stretch our legs a bit more with it, as I am retiring the end of June. If I was buying a new trailer, I would also demand Michelin XPS RIP tires before delivery.



FYI, I think it takes 6 months to a year to get a rig setup correctly and ready to roll. We have a Old Heart Freedom 10 inverter installed and carry a Honda EU1000i. I installed a 15 amp inlet and put a switch on the AC side of the converter, so that I can run the generator and charge the batteries with the Honda and still run a hair drier or the Microwave off the inverter.



Dry camping:

Gen - Converter - Batteries(2/27's) - Inverter - AC loads.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ..... \DC loads



With AC shore power:

Inverter - Batteries - DC loads

... ... ... ... . \ AC loads (pass thru 30amp tranfer switch built in to Freedom 10)



Enjoy



SNOKING (PM me for info of tires or other issues)

 

[DaveK98]

We also use the truck to pull our 5ver, truck is stick, wife doesn't drive stick, enough said... ...



Ok I'm editing this message as it was too harsh maybe... . Well she did run our new minivan into the side of the garage so maybe not... .



My honest suggesstion is let her pick out something on the truck, on ours it was the color. I was leaning towards the blue but we got the "maroon" I like it much better now that I think about it. .

 

[WardJ]

I was concerned about my wife and a 6-speed because she is 5' 1-1/2" tall and her legs are quite short. She jumped in for a test drive and took off. Her main comment was how much power and how fast the truck was. She thought diesels were slow.

She knew how to drive a stick, so her reach to the pedals was the main concern. She dismissed my concerns in 5 seconds... ... ... ... ... ... ... we bought the 6-speed and she loves to drive it. She hasn't pulled the 32' 5th wheel yet but in time she will. I need more practice myself, before I start giving lessons.

 

[SHobbs]

Something else to consider. On the truck look into air ride, the full four link. I know Keldermans offers it and we all know the price, but Air Ride Technologies offers the same set up at half the cost plus they have air bags that replace the front coils as well. Also look into a good suspension for the 5er. If you are going full time and running alot of miles it would be a good investment to smooth out that journey.



I know my current truck beats me to death with the 5er hooked up. I will be putting bags under it soon. Count me in on voting for 6spd as well, wish I had it instead of the 5spd plus the 3:73 not the 3:55.

 

[TowPro]

We also use the truck to pull our 5ver, truck is stick, wife doesn't drive stick, enough said... ...

I have thought about this..... My Wife can drive Stick or Auto, and the new truck has adjustable pedals, but she refuses to drive with the 5er hooked up.

She was forced to drive the truck with the pickup camper on from GA to PA once, but that was because I had to drive the U-hual truck with all her Fathers belongings in it.

 

[Radshooter]

Well here's my story and I'm stickin to it.



While I was still in school learning to do X-ray stuff, the wife took a travel nursing assignment in Montrose Co. We live full-time in a 38' fiver that weighs too much. At this time, I was pulling the trailer with an auto, V-10 2500. We spent the night somewhere on the east side of Monarch Pass. I told her the truck would get the trailer UP the hill, but was worried about coming DOWN the hill. We wound up hiring a tow truck to pull us over the pass. The guy shows up with a Peterbilt tow truck - the kind that hauls broke-down semis. He had no trouble getting us over the hill, and we found a wide flat spot on the west side to swap trucks. Even the tow truck driver remarked how heavy the trailer was. We paid him $300 for an hours work. While she was writing the check, the wife said it was money well spent. Then she looked at me and said... ... . "When you get out of school, you can have any truck you want to pull this thing with. "

All I said was... ..... :--) Oo. Oo. Oo.

That is how I "convinced" her to get the truck in my sig.

Good luck and happy travels.



Steve

 

[GWBourne]

3. 73 Gears would be a lot better than 4. 10's. I've got 4. 10's in my 01 6spd and at 63 mph I'm at 2200 rpm. Get it up to 70 and it's at 2400. The cummins has plenty of torque for the higher gears. Ditto on the Exhaust Brake they're wonderful.

WHY in the world would you want to pull a trailer closing in on 40 feet long over 60-65MPH? retirement means you CAN take your time as well.



as stated before the new 6 speed is 3. 73 rear end only. IF dodges gets smart and offers a lower numeric rear end ratio in my eyes getting the 3. 73 gears is the better choice. it is the same as my 04. 5 wit 4. 10 when final drive is thought about. YES, pulling 2200 RPM at 63 is higher than it could be, but the engine isnt working as hard. less wear and tear. once again, retirement normaly means one last ride, or rides not bought that offten.



my personal view is get the 3500 DRW with the 6 shooter. as of right now 3. 73 is all you can get, but if you have an option at purchase time then i would still get the 3. 73. you will not regret it. if an RPM adjust is needed, step up the tire size a bit. i pull 18k with my 32 foot GN and my 315's. my RPM's are a tad lower for all around driving, but so much power has not been lost with the 315's. my truck SEEMS more powerfull since it has a few more miles on it as well. break in has helped as i now have close to 30k on it.



exhaust brake, GET IT!! have it installed before you take delivery of the truck. this way you have it when you need it the first time, warranty is alinged up and ready to go. i love mine and have ZERO complaints of it.



sorry for the long post.

Grant