So, I have reread this quite long thread that I started and would just like to make a few comments.
The bicycle comparison was used. Having been an avid cyclist years ago along with 30 pounds ago (3K-4K a year in the Midwest with no winter riding), given the choice and keeping the same pace and speed, I always found it easier and less effort to use the combination of a small (front) chainring with smaller rear cogs than the larger chainring and larger rear cogs. Take that for what it’s worth and figure it and calculate any way you want.
As far as vehicle gearing, I mentioned at some point that I was a gearhead in the early 70’s. I had a small block 4 speed 1969 Nova SS that originally had a 3.31 gear. It didn’t take too many runs at the local drag strip to figure that wasn’t a good gear for the quarter mile so I swapped it for a 4.56 which worked well at the drag strip but not so well on the highway. Gas was cheap then so who cared. I moved up to a 69 396 Camaro (the good 375 HP 396) that came with an OEM 4.88 gear. That combination was perfect for the drag strip (and maybe some street racing ) and worse for the highway but obviously it wasn’t a highway cruiser set up like that.
All of that said I understand perfectly well the difference that gear ratio’s make with respect to speed and power to the ground. As I mentioned in one post I didn’t intend on towing a trailer when I purchased my Ram with the 3.21 gear two years ago. When we got the trailer I knew that it would not pull from a stop like a 4.10 gear but figured that once I got going it would be OK. I have since realized that pulling an 8K flatbed trailer loaded with bricks and pulling an 8K square box that sticks up over 11ft are two different things, particularly running into a headwind. I’ve also come to realize that the passengers, cargo and trailer tongue weight can eat into the payload of a well equipped 1500 Longhorn with sunroof, Ramboxes and E-Torque along with taking more effort to get up to speed with each stop and slowdown. It’s a very nice truck and I love it but it’s not optimally equipped for heavy towing.
So, we’re taking the towing slow, not straying too far into hilly country which is relatively easy to do in Illinois and we’re both anxiously awaiting our 2500 with a 6.4 Hemi with 4.10 gears that was ordered 8 and a half weeks ago.
All of the input has been appreciated.