Help decide 325/610 Dually owners!

[Big P]

Help me decide 325/610 Dually owners!

I have the oppertunity to get a good price on an 05 dually. The only thing I am hesitating about is that it has 4:10 gears. From what I am gathering, the 325/610's don't get good mileage anyways, so I'd like to ask you dually owners what the mileage difference is between the 3. 73's and the 4. 10's? The difference might be so small that it might not matter. Most of my driving is highway, about 70mph, loaded with about 1000lbs, and tow 1-3 times a month (usually light). TIA

 

[Scrappy]

I don't have one but I would recommend that you get the 3. 73's I have an '03 srw with 4. 10's, and 35" tires on it to try to get some mileage back.

 

[MHalberstadt]

I have the 04. 5 Dually 4. 10 with the TSB. My mileage is 13 around town 15 on freeway unloaded @ 75. Freeway with a 2000 lb trailer is 12~13 @ 70.



The torque in the 50~70 mph range is really nice. I've towed up to 7000 lbs in mountains don't rember the mileage but after towing the same weight with my old 97 Dodge V-10 I finally see why the diesels tow better.

 

[MChildress]

My 373 gets an average between 16 and 17,90% hwy-10% city DRW 4x4 6SPD. It took about 15,000 for these numbers,it was 14 to 15 MPG. At 75 Im turning 2200 RPMS. My 95 F350 PS with a 410,5 SPD,2 wheel drive gets 17 MPG turning 2700 RPMS at 75. So I believe the Dodge is doing good with the DRW and 4x4.

 

[Big P]

Thanks guys, keep it coming. I should mention that it is a 4x4 auto.

 

[Tomeygun]

I have the oppertunity to get a good price on an 05 dually. The only thing I am hesitating about is that it has 4:10 gears. From what I am gathering, the 325/610's don't get good mileage anyways, so I'd like to ask you dually owners what the mileage difference is between the 3. 73's and the 4. 10's? The difference might be so small that it might not matter. Most of my driving is highway, about 70mph, loaded with about 1000lbs, and tow 1-3 times a month (usually light). TIA

I will only sell the 4. 10s if someone tows 80% of the time... The 4. 10 is a killer IMO...



SO... How good of price?

Enough to get some 35's right off the bat with a kelderman air-ride??

woo-hoo!

 

[tschwab]

Mine is not a DRW, but on our 1st tow with 12K 5ver over three mountain passes and 3K miles on the truck, we averaged 12. 2 MPG and had plenty of power. Both uncles have similar trucks to mine but with 4. 10's and tow about the same weight, one uncle is complaining he only gets around 9 mpg towing through the mountains, less than 10k miles on a 600 and the other uncle has 45K miles on a 555 and is around 12-13 towing non mountinous terrain AND he tows atleast 80% of the time.



I'm with Tommeygun on this one, I thought I might have made a mistake getting the 3. 73's until I actually towed with it, plenty of power.



Think of it this way, your picking the absolute worst combination for fuel economy.



Automatic, Dually, 4x4, 4. 10's are ALL going to contribute to low fuel economy.



How good of a deal is it? You can easily buy a new RAM CTD at or below invoice and still get all of the rebates.

 

[Big P]

I will only sell the 4. 10s if someone tows 80% of the time... The 4. 10 is a killer IMO...



SO... How good of price?

Enough to get some 35's right off the bat with a kelderman air-ride??

woo-hoo!

Well it's a little fuzzy because my trade is worked into the deal but, it's about my truck and 19400 on a 45200 sticker.



The reason I am looking at a dually is that I'm not too crazy about the looks of a non-lifted single rear wheel 3rd gen. So buying a Kore lift and new tires would end up more than the dually. Probably be just as bad on fuel too.

 

[robert4570]

I have the oppertunity to get a good price on an 05 dually. The only thing I am hesitating about is that it has 4:10 gears. From what I am gathering, the 325/610's don't get good mileage anyways, so I'd like to ask you dually owners what the mileage difference is between the 3. 73's and the 4. 10's? The difference might be so small that it might not matter. Most of my driving is highway, about 70mph, loaded with about 1000lbs, and tow 1-3 times a month (usually light). TIA

3:73 's - 6spd here and love it.

From your intended use i would not get 4:10's ,overkill for what your doing . Like Tomeygun stated only if you tow 80% or the majority of the time for that matter. No sense in driving around empty turnin' all ,those rpm's for nothing .

Good luck

 

[MMeier]

Even though I tow upwards of 20k# on a regular basis through high altitude mountainous terrain, my 3'73's seem to be more then enough! Of course some of my lil' goodies help also!

 

[macdaddy]

don't get off in Barstow when your going to Vagas!!!!

Get the 4:10'sa and be done with it.

* better acceleration when loaded.

* allows room for growing.

14. 5 avg city wy.

11 towing.

I don't care about the gas milage, if the damn thing needs gas, put it in and go



Mac

 

[DPKetchum]

Neighnor pulls horses for a living. Had a 6 speed 3. 73 gear. Did great. Traded it for a dually auto 3. 73 geared and does NOT like it. The auto o/d is taller and pulling 8k plus on hilly interstate it eaither lugs or downshifts to 2500 rpm unless he's running 80 which is NOT where he tows at. He pulls at 65 to 70 mph and the 3. 73 is too tall for easy towing. With a dully auto 4. 10 is THE gear.

 

[BHolm]

You are going to get opinions from both sides. I think the fact that you are running pretty much empty on the highway, or towing lightly means that the 4. 10 is overkill. I have a 305/555 dually 4x4 3. 73 auto. It tows everyday, the trailer empty is 8k and loaded it is double that. It has plenty of power with the 3. 73's. I have run it through the mountains at 28k lbs combined and it still had enough power.



So I doubt you NEED the lower gears, in fact I know from experience that you don't need them. Is it really going to effect milage that much? I doubt it. If you like the truck and the deal suits you, what the heck. I wouldn't not buy it because of the 4. 10's. I am pretty sure we are only talking about a couple hundred rpm at highway speeds.

 

[Tomeygun]

Well it's a little fuzzy because my trade is worked into the deal but, it's about my truck and 19400 on a 45200 sticker.



The reason I am looking at a dually is that I'm not too crazy about the looks of a non-lifted single rear wheel 3rd gen. So buying a Kore lift and new tires would end up more than the dually. Probably be just as bad on fuel too.

Heres my though:



Their truck:

45200 - MSRP

- 5492 (discount)

- 2000 rebate

- 1000 trade-in bonus

----------------------------

TOTAL on new truck - $36,708. 00



your truck with all those mods!!

About $19000, IMO



Difference - $17,708. 00 plus your truck



Seems they are a little lite somewhere in the math... Thats why I recommend a full break down of trade value, rebates, etc - That avoids the smoke and mirrors of the dealing



PS - I have a blue larmaie dually that stickers for about $47,000 - woah! FWIW

 

[DaveK98]

My new 05 dually with only 600 miles on it is getting 18mpg (via the computer) which may be off, haven't tested it yet.



It's got the 3. 73, only ones avaliable with the g56 (as far as I know).



At 70 I'm turning 2200 rpm in 6th.

 

[Blu-meanie]

My turn.

I had an 01 with 4:10 and a 6 speed. I didn't tow a lot, but loved the combination with only an EZ box.

My 05 has the 3:73 and a 6 speed that I have towed around 3500 miles out of the 6000 total miles on the truck. I miss the 4:10. I spend a lot of time now in 5th and 4th gear that I used to get by with in 6th. The RPM's are to low at the "legal" California towing speeds and when the EGT's get a little warm you have to downshift to avoid lugging the Cummins rather than just back off a tad on the throttle. I also got better milage with the '01, although that's a given.

 

[DaveK98]

Blu,



Do you have the G56 6 speed? I do and if I understand right with the 3. 73 it's just like having the 4. 10's?



At 70MPH I'm at 2200 rpm.....

 

[Tomeygun]

Blu,



Do you have the G56 6 speed? I do and if I understand right with the 3. 73 it's just like having the 4. 10's?



At 70MPH I'm at 2200 rpm.....

True



NV5600 with 4. 10 == about the same as G56 with 3. 73 (because of the . 79 OD)

 

[DPKetchum]

Which is about were it would be wih 4. 10s and a NV5600 and a little more then with the auto. I surprised that anyone would want a DUALLY AUTO with 3. 73s. If ONLY a few hundered rpm differance(which makes a BIG differance in a diesel)and if pulling anything more then pop up camper 4. 10s is it.

 

[DaveK98]

On another note... Can I safely tow my 10k 5th wheel in 6th gear with my g56? I hope so cause 5th would be up there in rpm's...