Advice on gear ratio

the codes · Jan 12, 2012

Hey guys, in the somewhat near future I want to go from my 16 inch rims and 31 inch tires, to prob 18-20 inch rims and 33-34 inch tires.

When I changed to my 31 inch tires from my stockers I noticed a pretty big differences in my trucks pick up and go as well as stopping.

So my question is, what ratio should I go with? I am thinking about either swapping the gears and putting a LSD in it or getting a new strange axle built with the ratio I want and an LSD.

So I was thinking either 4.11's, or 4.56's. Just wanted to see what you guys input was.

Thanks.

quietpeen · Jan 12, 2012

Now this is just my opinion. if you are going to spend the money to do it yo might as well go 4.56

wermbang · Jan 12, 2012

since your in there might as well do the 4.56s. My truck has 4.10s and they work from what I use it for

the codes · Jan 12, 2012

Thats what I really wanna go with but I do some highway driving going back and forth to school a few times a month, and I wasnt sure how the gears would do on the highway. But on the other hand I do alot of city driving as well.

wermbang · Jan 12, 2012

410s would still work for you.

talon6 · Jan 12, 2012

4.56's. just keep her under 70 on the highway and it wont hurt you that bad at all. if any.

Big Boi · Jan 12, 2012

talon6 said:
4.56's. just keep her under 70 on the highway and it wont hurt you that bad at all. if any.

What do you mean?

Im in the same boat. But dont want a gear so tall that the truck roars on long hauls outta town. I normally do 80mph anyway.

talon6 · Jan 12, 2012

gas mileage. but if you do 80mph it is for sure gonna hurt your mileage. and make her rev pretty high.

Mad Cow · Jan 12, 2012

4.56 for the win.

ramhunter9 · Jan 12, 2012

I have had 2 sets of 4:10's in my life . First set on my 07 gasser second set on the 01 CTD
Had 4:56's on my 04 also

Between the two , I will choose 4:10 all day . Just fits my need better .

Big Boi · Jan 12, 2012

ramhunter9 said:
I have had 2 sets of 4:10's in my life . First set on my 07 gasser second set on the 01 CTD
Had 4:56's on my 04 also

Between the two , I will choose 4:10 all day . Just fits my need better .

What would you recommend in my situation?

I rarely pull a trailer, but when I do is a 6x12 (Uhaul) less than 2k lbs wet.
I mainly do city driving with mixed highway.
I want to maintain decent gas mileage (14cty/18hwy)
And once every other month we drive a 500 mile round trip to the in laws.

ramhunter9 · Jan 12, 2012

Big Boi said:
What would you recommend in my situation?

I rarely pull a trailer, but when I do is a 6x12 (Uhaul) less than 2k lbs wet.
I mainly do city driving with mixed highway.
I want to maintain decent gas mileage (14cty/18hwy)
And once every other month we drive a 500 mile round trip to the in laws.

Same as me . I rarely tow , drive mainly city/town with some highway

IMO, 4:10 because they give ya just about what the 4:56 do BUT , you dont have to worry about watching your speed to save in the MPG department with the 4:10 like some do with the 4:56

Big Boi · Jan 12, 2012

What about factory 3.92's. 3.55's to 3.92's worth it?

ramhunter9 · Jan 12, 2012

Not worth it ... IMO . Those gears are just to low for a full size truck . Why they come from the factory is beyond me

talon6 · Jan 12, 2012

yeh, i hate my 3.92's. 4.56's is gonna be installed this summer some time. and i donnt tow any. nothing but for performance. might even do 4.88's.

i couldnt even imagine what it would feel like if you went from 3.55's to 4.56's. it would feel like a totally different truck i am sure.

rambob · Jan 12, 2012

ramhunter9 said:
Not worth it ... IMO . Those gears are just to low for a full size truck . Why they come from the factory is beyond me

agreed. I couldn't believe it.

just shameful.

Stangshcky12 · Jan 12, 2012

I think for codes situation 4:10s the way to go
I doubt you will be doing any hard core off roading or drag racing so I don't think you would be to happy with a steep gear

rambob · Jan 12, 2012

on the other hand, I supposedly have 3.55 GR and it is far better than my z71 that had the same size tires, 5.3l, and 3.73

V-10 RAM · Jan 12, 2012

If you have that kind of money to spend you have enough to not even think about gas mileage. Who care about MPG when you have thousands to throw into rims,tires & gears?

Okiespaniel · Jan 12, 2012

Opinions on gears...about as varied as the trucks and ther owners themselves.

One thing is constant...the more unsrung weight you add from large tires and the more weight you add to your truck, the more torque you need to get that mass moving.
Gears are torque multipliers, simple as that. They are also horsepower bleeders, thats why you lose top end when you install them.

Its also unfair to compare a cummins truck, which makes around 400 ft/lb of torque to the same wheel base gasser, which makes around half that.

So....rather than give an opinion, I present a handy dandy chart that helps you determine what a gas vehicle should gear to.
Remember...Multiply the given rpm by .85 to get your overdrive rpm at 65 mph.

Tire & Gear Ratio Chart at Morris 4x4 Center

For the OP's application, if you are going to run a 35 inch tire, with a wider heavier rim, you should be running 4:56's You'll be running 2418 rpm in OD at 65. That will hurt your mileage slightly, but no worse than bucking a headwind with a full load and the OD off... with 4:10s.

On the subject of 3:92 gears, one should notice that with 33 inch tires there is only a 132 rpm difference between 3:92s and 4:10s, but 240 rpm between 3:92s and 3:55s! In OD that works out to 1997 and 2200 for the 3:92's 2200 rpm is about the torque curves' sweet spot in a mild magnum V-8.

Advice on gear ratio

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