Switch from 3.73 to 4.10 or CTD?

RoadDog66 · Apr 16, 2017

Anyone here that tows a trailer switch rom a 3.73 to a 4.10 geared 6.4? If so are you happy enough with the performance/mileage to keep you from ever going CTD?

I luv the 6.4 power as a daily driver, but would prefer a little more low end torque & MPG when towing.

MN-Ram · Apr 16, 2017

I suppose it depends on what you are towing. Heavy or Hugh profile, I would say the Cummins would do much better. If you are never going to tow anything over 10,000lbs on a regular basis, I would think the Hemi would be fine.

Of course you could just get a Cummins and not have to worry about it ever again.

You will never regret getting a diesel whenever you are towing anything.

07MegaCabRam · Apr 16, 2017

Right now I have a CTD and don't tow. It's a joy to drive. The power and torque makes driving in mountain ranges a joy, never kicks down, never touch the brake with the exhaust brake.

GsRAM · Apr 16, 2017

I've not yet pulled my 23' 6k lb tt with my 3.73 geared 6.4, but I'm not expecting any issues at all. I've got about 680 miles on it so far and i can tell already the 6.4 has a lot of power and I've been driving it like an old man for the most part.

If i make it to retirement age and wind up snow birding in FL with a large 5th wheel, then i may make the jump to a diesel. For the foreseeable future my total loaded tt weight will be under 10k, so my truck should do just fine. If you have that option, go for 4.10 gears. But really, i don't need them for what I'm doing with my truck. Maybe one day if i have extra money I'll go to a 4.30 gear, but for now I'm very happy with my truck

Iron Outlaw · Apr 16, 2017

What are you towing? I tow a dump trailer, flat bed with a bobcat, and a 18 foot cargo trailer. My truck is great for that. When I'm pushing 12000 pounds with the bobcat and accessories the truck does strain pretty good. Anything over that I'd just want a diesel. I don't think gears would help that much.

mtofell · Apr 16, 2017

I don't think the jump from 3.73 to 4.10 is enough to justify the cost. I'd be looking at 4.30 or 4.56. I'm towing 11K with my 3.73 and am surviving. I've thought about re-gearing or going to a Cummins but figure I'll save my money for smater things.... for now.

NewBlackDak · Apr 17, 2017

mtofell said:
I don't think the jump from 3.73 to 4.10 is enough to justify the cost. I'd be looking at 4.30 or 4.56. I'm towing 11K with my 3.73 and am surviving. I've thought about re-gearing or going to a Cummins but figure I'll save my money for smater things.... for now.

I tow my 8.5k loaded trailer all over Utah, Co, WY, and NM. Mind has 4.10. After driving one with 3.73, I think 4.10 should be the base with 4.56 as an option. That said, I have only wished I had more once, and that was while towing someone else's 11K trailer over the Ike.

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RoadDog66 · Apr 17, 2017

We'll be taking an 8hr trip thru the Smokey Mountains in a month which will be my truck's first real test. I expect mpgs to be even lower than normally encountered while in the mountains and to be making plenty of gas station stops. I'm just seriously expecting that this trip will make me re-evaluate my 6.4/3.73 choices. A 5th wheel was not in our original plan, but those that own a camper all know how that goes. Therefore I've been contemplating what I can feasibly do in the next year or two since longer trips are in our future.

So here's my dilema. Last year we bought a 9250 lb dry 5th wheel (so easily 10K loaded) which my truck pulls very well. When towing though the truck prefers 2nd on the hills and the mpg's can be miserable. The MDS is pretty worthless even in normal daily driving, but some with 4.10s have said that their's works better resulting in slightly better mpg's. I can live with the 12/15 unloaded around home, but my current 7 mpg towing is a tough pill when considering future long road trips. I've seen some 4.10 guys reporting 9-10 mpg towing heavy which isn't a huge improvement, but when considering either a $2500-$3000 re-gear to 4.30/4.56s or equivalent trade up to a new '17 with 4.10s (possibly a Mega cab too) I'd easliy go new.

Right now I'm just trying to get real world experience and researching my options, but if I do ever decide to trade up it'll be a Mega 3500CTD or a Mega 2500/3500 with 4.10s.

rabbitreborn · Apr 17, 2017

I have both bumper pull and a 5th wheel deckover trailers that I tow on a regular basis that put me in the 15-16k GCVW range. My truck is a 2016 2500 CCLB with the 6.4 and 4.10 gears. Granted I am in Florida so no major hills or mountains, but I have never felt the need for more gearing. I average about 11-12 MPG towing those trailers on the open road, 9-10 in the city.

15BlueStreak · Apr 17, 2017

RoadDog66 said:
We'll be taking an 8hr trip thru the Smokey Mountains in a month which will be my truck's first real test. I expect mpgs to be even lower than normally encountered while in the mountains and to be making plenty of gas station stops. I'm just seriously expecting that this trip will make me re-evaluate my 6.4/3.73 choices. A 5th wheel was not in our original plan, but those that own a camper all know how that goes. Therefore I've been contemplating what I can feasibly do in the next year or two since longer trips are in our future.

So here's my dilema. Last year we bought a 9250 lb dry 5th wheel (so easily 10K loaded) which my truck pulls very well. When towing though the truck prefers 2nd on the hills and the mpg's can be miserable. The MDS is pretty worthless even in normal daily driving, but some with 4.10s have said that their's works better resulting in slightly better mpg's. I can live with the 12/15 unloaded around home, but my current 7 mpg towing is a tough pill when considering future long road trips. I've seen some 4.10 guys reporting 9-10 mpg towing heavy which isn't a huge improvement, but when considering either a $2500-$3000 re-gear to 4.30/4.56s or equivalent trade up to a new '17 with 4.10s (possibly a Mega cab too) I'd easliy go new.

Right now I'm just trying to get real world experience and researching my options, but if I do ever decide to trade up it'll be a Mega 3500CTD or a Mega 2500/3500 with 4.10s.

Kinda in the same boat as you but I have 4.10 gears. A lot of people are happy towing heavier trailers like you with 3.73 and are happy or resigned to the fact that you have to "drive the truck" more than you would if you had better gears or a diesel. We will be picking up our new TT on May 6th. Its dry weight is just over 8500 lbs. Our current TT has a dry weight of 7800 lbs. I will say this I should have either bought a diesel or ordered a Ford gasser with 4.30 gears that I wanted to order. Does my truck pull good? Yes when not in 1st or 2nd gear. Long story short I would not trade up to a another 6.4 hemi with 4.10's. I dont think you will be satisfied. I would regear to 4.56, Order a Ford with 4.30s, or go diesel. Not necessarily in that order. Me I am still on the fence. If I go diesel I like the somewhat more simplistic cummins over the Ford Powerstroke. If I stick with gas it will be the Ford hands down. Better transmission and better gearing. That is my opinion which is not worth squat. Good luck these decisions suck.

theviking · Apr 17, 2017

15BlueStreak said:
Long story short I would not trade up to a another 6.4 hemi with 4.10's. I dont think you will be satisfied. I would regear to 4.56, Order a Ford with 4.30s, or go diesel. Not necessarily in that order. Me I am still on the fence. If I go diesel I like the somewhat more simplistic cummins over the Ford Powerstroke. If I stick with gas it will be the Ford hands down. Better transmission and better gearing. That is my opinion which is not worth squat. Good luck these decisions suck.

+1. I would go straight to 4.56's or just buy a diesel.

SouthTexan · Apr 17, 2017

Or you can jut get one of these.....

[yt]0HQsg0RJRsk[/yt]

15BlueStreak · Apr 17, 2017

SouthTexan said:
Or you can jut get one of these.....

[yt]0HQsg0RJRsk[/yt]

Sounds so good! That's about 8k for a setup like that I would guess?

Iron Outlaw · Apr 17, 2017

I'd go diesel in your scenario. I have to wonder how a gasser would hold up driving in the mountains all the time with a heavy 5th wheel.

theviking · Apr 17, 2017

SouthTexan said:
Or you can jut get one of these.....

[yt]0HQsg0RJRsk[/yt]

This was essentially a one-off install from Arrington they do not currently not sell a kit or any of the components. At least that's what I was told when I spoke to them last.

Whipple is supposed to be working on the Ram 6.4 kit now, but their release date is constantly changing. They do have a 5.7 Ram kit available now.

NewBlackDak · Apr 18, 2017

15BlueStreak said:
Sounds so good! That's about 8k for a setup like that I would guess?

For 8K, and the special consideration when you have an aftermarket SC, I would just go trade for a Cummins.

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Bigdaddy · Apr 20, 2017

I had a 2014 2500 with the 3.73 gears and now I have the 2016 2500 6.4L with the 4.10 gears in it and I can tell you I can tell the different in the two. My TT is about 9,500 to 10,000 lbs ready for camping and it pull it with no problem.

The wife and I went camping about a few weeks ago and where we went had some hills, here in the PNW a few hills here, and I just wanted to see what kind of mileage I was getting and even though the trip was about 150 miles I was getting 9.1 mpg.

Now all of it wasn't hills but about half were, so I was please on what I was getting. The test is going to come when we travel to Las Vegas this September, which is about a 1,200 miles trip but I can't wait.

We will keep the setup for a few years, after we pay ours house off and then we will be getting a fiver and maybe a 3500 CTD, what the heck.

I will revisit your need and maybe just see how it work out for you when you do travel up in the hills, I believe that you will be impressed, let us know what you decide.

Bigdaddy · Apr 20, 2017

BTW: Please don't go and test drive one though because if you do, you will be hook.

RoadDog66 · Apr 20, 2017

Bigdaddy said:
BTW: Please don't go and test drive one though because if you do, you will be hook.

Yeah I'm trying not to

If I were to trade it in it would be on a Mega cab. Looking around I could get a Mega Cab BigHorn 2500 with 4.10's without taking a big hit. Only issue is the payload drops by 400lb and the warranty goes to 5yr/60K rather than my current 6yr/100K.

The 3500 Megas are harder to find and typically I'm only seeing Laramies on the lots which bumps the price up. I think I'd be happy with 4.10s if it netted a 2-3 mpg increase (like yours is getting). They really need to improve MDS activation over what I'm seeing with 3.73s.

I'm still on the fence about diesels. I know others swear by them, I just haven't had any experience with them, their servicing, or repairs. Plus they are now a $9700 increase on the sticker ($8700 on Laramie pkg). I think I'll likely keep my current setup a while and see how the current gen CTDs are fairing after 5-7 yrs.

RoadDog66 · Apr 30, 2017

Well after the last towing trip with 6.8-7 mpg results i couldn't take it and started scouring the internet for a diesel. Well i found one. I'll miss the quick on demand unloaded power of the 6.4 in daily driving, but certainly not the frequent gas station trips or crap mileage. Found a '17 CTD 3500 BigHorn Crew with Sport Appearance Pkg and got a good trade value and great deal. Still on my first tank of fuel averaging 19 mpg after 165 miles and still over 3/4 of a tank left. Luv'in the turbo spool and jake brake. The pictures aren't the best, but still think it looks good.

Switch from 3.73 to 4.10 or CTD?

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