1500 Engine options

[Benchmark]

I am shopping for the next 1500. My current is a 2019 Limited 1500 with the 5.7 hemi (no etorque) and 3.21 rear. I am debating on which engine/rear end to get next. I tow several times per summer- both a cargo trailer total weight around 3000 lbs and our camper which is 4000 empty and about 4800 loaded (this one with wd hitch). All of this works great, I'm well within all the load limits. The only thing I dislike is how much my engine seems to be working (high rpm) at highway speed- obviously worse with a headwind or uphill.
What combination of engine/rear end would calm this down a little?
I know the etorque will give me better grunt from a dead stop, but I think it does little to help at highway speed, corrrect?
The diesel may work, but I don't think it has any more torque than the standard hemi?
Would another hemi with the 3.92 rear allow it to drop into a higher gear at highway speed?.
Your thoughts?

 

[Bill A]

The diesel will give you much better fuel economy and with the light load you are towing you could opt for the 323 rear end and save max on fuel. I have the diesel and pull a 6700# (loaded) trailer so I opted for the 392 rear end and it pulls fine and still gets decent fuel mileage.

 

[mikeru]

The diesel will give you much better fuel economy and with the light load you are towing you could opt for the 323 rear end and save max on fuel. I have the diesel and pull a 6700# (loaded) trailer so I opted for the 392 rear end and it pulls fine and still gets decent fuel mileage.

I'm sure you meant the 3.21 rear end since there is no 3.23 option. Regardless, The 3.21 works better for fuel economy when not towing. The 3.92 is better suited for towing, which is what the OP is asking for.

@Benchmark, the torque difference between either version of the Hemi and the ecodiesel is only 10 lb/ft. But it occurs lower in the rpm range with the ecodiesel. In my opinion, the EcoDiesel engine combined with the 3.92 gearing will somewhat solve the issues you're seeing with your current 1500. And you'll see up to 10 mpg better fuel economy when not towing.

 

[Bill A]

Correct, 321

 

[crash68]

The only thing I dislike is how much my engine seems to be working (high rpm) at highway speed- obviously worse with a headwind or uphill.
What combination of engine/rear end would calm this down a little?
I know the etorque will give me better grunt from a dead stop, but I think it does little to help at highway speed, corrrect?
The diesel may work, but I don't think it has any more torque than the standard hemi?
Would another hemi with the 3.92 rear allow it to drop into a higher gear at highway speed?.
Your thoughts?

Horsepower doesn't tow a trailer, torque does. A gasser needs to spin higher RPMs when under load to get up into the torque band. The Hemi has a peak torque of 410 ft/lbs @ 4000 RPMs where as the EcoDiesel is 480 ft/lbs @ 1600 RPMs Gen3 motor.
With your weight of trailer, the 3.21 is probably sufficient but 3.92 would cut down on some of the downshifting. If I had your trailer behind my EcoDiesel it probably would barely drop below 7th unless climbing a grade.

the torque difference between either version of the Hemi and the ecodiesel is only 10 lb/ft. But it occurs lower in the rpm range with the ecodiesel. In my opinion, the EcoDiesel engine combined with the 3.92 gearing will somewhat solve the issues you're seeing with your current 1500. And you'll see up to 10 mpg better fuel economy when not towing.

The 10 ft/lbs torque difference was with the Gen2 motor 420 ft/lbs @ 2000 RPMs the new Gen3 motor is 480 ft/lbs @ 1600 RPMs. Your definitely correct on the fuel economy advantage over the Hemi. I drove 250 miles an another 250 miles with a 8K lbs 28' enclosed trailer in tow on less than 26 gallons of fuel.

 

[HEMIMANN]

One of the drivetrain specialists here did some cyphering and analysis on the rear end gearing vs. transmission gear selection - I'm going off of memory here, but I think what I recall is the transmission will select the gear that keeps the overall torque load to the engine constant.

That means, constant highway speed on flat, a higher geared axle like 3.92 would select a higher transmission gear like 7 or 8, and a lower geared axle like 3.21 would select a lower transmission gear like 5 or 6. This is just an example.

Overall that would mean you'd be close to the same engine rpm, which makes sense, because that would mean similar torque output. So the question would really become if this feels like it's working too hard (like mine did), then go to the ecodiesel. The newest engine has the bugs worked out. I went to the heavy duty with 6.4 Hemi and am satisfied with that.

 

[runamuck]

3.92 is a Lower gear than 3.21. my laramie with 3.92 rear end gets 20 on the highway most of the time and that lower gearing gives me good towing power when I tow our travel trailer. If you will only be highway cruising or only towing light, the higher gearing will give you a little better gas mileage.

 

[Kickboxer]

The diesel will give you much better fuel economy and with the light load you are towing you could opt for the 323 rear end and save max on fuel. I have the diesel and pull a 6700# (loaded) trailer so I opted for the 392 rear end and it pulls fine and still gets decent fuel mileage.

My RAM salesman has said the eco diesels they have sold have had problems, he said don't go there.
Tell me, who likes problems, and now with diesel selling at a premium of around
$.80 per gallon, problems with cold weather in the far north..........

 

[06 Dodge]

My RAM salesman has said the eco diesels they have sold have had problems, he said don't go there.
Tell me, who likes problems, and now with diesel selling at a premium of around
$.80 per gallon, problems with cold weather in the far north..........

If your worried about cold temp starts buy one that has the Cold–Weather Group that way you can use the block heater to keep engine warm and based on those who own them the newer engines do not have the same problems that some of the older engines had, IIRC the majority of engine problems were linked to one engine plant... As for fuel mileage the eco diesel owners are reporting when not towing 24-30 mpg...

 

[DILLIGAF]

Eco Diesel with 3.92 , Heck Id go 4.10 if you are ordering a brand new one.
Do yourself a favor and Skip the garbage air ride.

 

[pacofortacos]

Difference between 3.92 and 3.21 is one gear, so when towing if the 3.92 is in 7th, the 3.21 will be in 6th and the rpms will be almost identical.

I haven't figured out, why with VVT wasn't Ram able to get much more torque at a low rpm unless there isn't enough of a timing range to do it, or they felt it would be too peaky and not pleasant to drive, or too much air flow due to large ports????
The 5.9 magnum is much more torquey down low, especially with minor mods and a tune, same usually is said with the hemi even with a tune.
I would love to have my old 5.9 magnum with the 8 speed trans for my use!

 

[GTyankee]

When i bought my eco-diesel, i wanted the 3.21 rear differential, but they were only making 3.55 s
When it was brand new & running 5w-20, i was getting 27 MPG

Then they changed over to 15W-40, the MPG dropped down to 24, but there were a few programming changes tossed in & i think 2 recalls

I have not had to do any towing, but if i had to, i would not worry about it

The engine just scoots along & you don't realize that you are doing 90 on the west Texas roads

=======================

If i lived where it gets cold, i would never get Etorque or Air Suspension
I would not get it anyway, even if i lived on the Equator, but that is just me.

 

[crash68]

problems with cold weather in the far north..........

What cold weather problems? Nothing other than typical problems any diesel would deal with in temperatures well below zero and it's usually fuel related. Have read of several EcoDiesels starting un-aided in below -20°F weather.

When it was brand new & running 5w-20, i was getting 27 MPG

Then they changed over to 15W-40

The original 2nd Gen EcoDiesel oil spec was 5W-30 Euro and it was switched to 5W-40 which is what the 3rd Gen spec is now.

 

[GTyankee]

You are correct, pain pills are messing with me

Thank you for the correction