3.73 vs 4.10

[zeus2120]

Hey all! I'm looking to see if anyone on here has direct experience with both gear ratios offered on the 2500. Long story short, I'm moving up from a 2014 1500 with the 3.92. Five years ago when I was considering 3.21 vs 3.92, I didn't think I'd "need" the 3.92 -- but the truck I found on the lot had it and I have absolutely loved the peppiness -- no regrets.

So now that I'm moving up to a 2500 I'm trying to decide what gearing option to select. On the 1500, in my opinion there is a noticeable difference between the 3.21 (when renting / out of town) and the 3.92 on my daily driver. For anyone who has driven both or owned both -- what's your opinion? Edit: Engine choice will be the Hemi.

Towing really wouldn't be an issue with either option. Half the year I occasionally tow my 11k pound food trailer. 99% of my mileage is without a trailer attached. Would the 3.73 perform closer to the 3.21 or 3.92 on the 1500? MPGs aren't a main concern because I know either way it'll be pretty terrible. Any calculations out there as to RPMS at say 75 mph? I'm ordering this truck so I want to get it right and hopefully have no regrets!

 

[Ramrodd]

Are you looking at the hemi or the Cummins?


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[zeus2120]

Are you looking at the hemi or the Cummins?


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Forgot to specify. 100% going with the Hemi.

 

[dhay13]

I don't think you will 'feel' the difference and wouldn't be able to tell which is which but if you have the choice I would go with the 4.10's. If you find the truck you really like but has 3.73s then I would buy that one. If you towed heavy alot then that might be different. Me and my son both have 4.10's so I can't compare apples to apples but 3.73 to 4.10 is quite a bit different than 3.21 to 3.92

 

[zeus2120]

I don't think you will 'feel' the difference and wouldn't be able to tell which is which but if you have the choice I would go with the 4.10's. If you find the truck you really like but has 3.73s then I would buy that one. If you towed heavy alot then that might be different. Me and my son both have 4.10's so I can't compare apples to apples but 3.73 to 4.10 is quite a bit different than 3.21 to 3.92

Appreciate the feedback! Do you have any regrets or dislikes with your 4.10s? I've combed these forums for hours but gladly will listen to any advice as to what to add or avoid if the opinions are out there!

 

[Ramrodd]

3.73s with the 8 speed is all you need. The 4.10s will be better but you won’t notice it. 1st gear ratio for that trans is 5.00 and that is very low. I have a 2019 bighorn with 3.73s and it pulls my 8k pound trailer like it’s not back there


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[Travelin Ram]

99% empty no need for 4.10. As previously posted the 8 speed will launch a trailer.

More a question of tires. If you’re envisioning big rubber then 4.10 will let you keep using 8th.

 

[MSgtZ]

I have the 4.10's in my truck and I like them for normal driving and yesterday for towing the old utility trailer. Haven't had a chance to tow my big trailer (hopefully soon after my daughter cleans her household goods out of dad's motorcycle (ie daughters mobile free storage unit )

 

[Mega-Hemi]

I loved my 4.10's for towing my 5th wheel. That's why I specifically ordered my truck that way. With that said, I wish there was a way to skip 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th when not towing. you could seriously take off in 4th gear and it wouldn't bother that thing at all. If you go with 3.73's you're probably going to wish you had 4.10's every time you pull that 11k lbs. But the other 99% of the time, they'll be more than enough for DDing.

 

[Sandevino]

I did some research on this very subject before I ordered mine.

With the 4.10 ratio, you pick up about 2,000 additional towing capacity. Figure out if 14,000 is a comfortable max and if not you can bump up to 16,000 and change.

The 8 speed is a game changer and depending on your use case will sway you one way or the other. As others have said, the 4.10’s are STEEP when mated to the close ratio 8 speed.

I went with the 3.73’s as I’ll not tow heavier than 10,000 pounds and appreciate the slightly better mileage when running unloaded.

 

[zeus2120]

For the technical minded people out there -- If the lowest ratio on a 2500 is 3.73, does that mean it turns fewer RPMs than a 1500 with 3.92? Or is there more to factor in such as the engine of a 2500 being a 6.4 compared to 5.7 in the 1500?

 

[RainDesert]

For the technical minded people out there -- If the lowest ratio on a 2500 is 3.73, does that mean it turns fewer RPMs than a 1500 with 3.92? Or is there more to factor in such as the engine of a 2500 being a 6.4 compared to 5.7 in the 1500?

Yes if the tranny gearing is the same.

As far as your first question with gearing, I have a lot of recent experience with 1500 and 2500 gassers since 2014 when I stepped away from diesels.
My last truck was an ordered 2019 Ram 2500 6.4 with 4.10's. I was certain coming from a 6.2 Ford with 4.30's(previous had 3.73's) I wanted the 4.10 hemi. Well after 10k miles I regretted it somewhat. The first gear was way too low and the 8spd was so much better vs. my previous Ford 6spds. If I re-order a Ram again it will have 3.73's. I don't tow much ever over 10k and I don't run huge heavy tires so the 3.73 is what would be best for my usually daily driving.
I drove a 2020 Ram 1500 5.7 with 3.92's for a short time. That truck did not feel so low geared like the 2500 did. I'm not sure if it is the tranny tuning or just the 3.92 to 4.10 difference. But I noticed it, and always felt I was to low geared in my 2500.

 

[dhay13]

Appreciate the feedback! Do you have any regrets or dislikes with your 4.10s? I've combed these forums for hours but gladly will listen to any advice as to what to add or avoid if the opinions are out there!

I have no regrets and would go with 4.10's again but mine is a 2018 with the 6 speed. I have no experience with the newer 8 speed. I work from home so only put about 7000 miles a year on it but my son has put about 70,000 on his in about 15 months but his company pays for his fuel so the mileage doesn't matter to him. I am averaging 12.2 hand calculated since I bought the truck (see my fuelly at the bottom here). It had 8000 miles on it when I got it and just under 20,000 now and probably about 60-70% in town driving with about 500 miles of it towing a 9000lb boat.

 

[zeus2120]

Yes if the tranny gearing is the same.

As far as your first question with gearing, I have a lot of recent experience with 1500 and 2500 gassers since 2014 when I stepped away from diesels.
My last truck was an ordered 2019 Ram 2500 6.4 with 4.10's. I was certain coming from a 6.2 Ford with 4.30's(previous had 3.73's) I wanted the 4.10 hemi. Well after 10k miles I regretted it somewhat. The first gear was way too low and the 8spd was so much better vs. my previous Ford 6spds. If I re-order a Ram again it will have 3.73's. I don't tow much ever over 10k and I don't run huge heavy tires so the 3.73 is what would be best for my usually daily driving.
I drove a 2020 Ram 1500 5.7 with 3.92's for a short time. That truck did not feel so low geared like the 2500 did. I'm not sure if it is the tranny tuning or just the 3.92 to 4.10 difference. But I noticed it, and always felt I was to low geared in my 2500.

I appreciate everyone who has posted on this thread, but this here may have convinced me to go with the 3.73 -- so thank you! Seems like it would align with my needs better without much of a downside. I appreciate it!

 

[mtnrider]

Do you plan on ever going up in size on the tires? If so I would lean towards the 4:10's to offset that. Just something to consider.


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[John KIOhio]

I had 4.10's in my 2014 3500. I had a 2016 3500 mega with 3.73's I ordered my 2020 3500 mega with 4.10's. I am mainly on the highway. The 16 with the 3.73's was always looking for a gear. I would never get 3.73's for my use. I haul enough and tow trailer's a lot. Over 65% of the time, I have weight in or behind my truck. All the trucks were 6.4's.

 

[Ramrodd]

I had 4.10's in my 2014 3500. I had a 2016 3500 mega with 3.73's I ordered my 2020 3500 mega with 4.10's. I am mainly on the highway. The 16 with the 3.73's was always looking for a gear. I would never get 3.73's for my use. I haul enough and tow trailer's a lot. Over 65% of the time, I have weight in or behind my truck. All the trucks were 6.4's.

The eight speed never seems to be looking for a gear. It’s always in the right gear towing or not towing


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[NH RAM]

I had 4.10's in my 2014 3500. I had a 2016 3500 mega with 3.73's I ordered my 2020 3500 mega with 4.10's. I am mainly on the highway. The 16 with the 3.73's was always looking for a gear. I would never get 3.73's for my use. I haul enough and tow trailer's a lot. Over 65% of the time, I have weight in or behind my truck. All the trucks were 6.4's.

The 6 speed vs the 8 speed transmission will make a big difference. The 8 speed does a great job and seems to find the right gear without running too high or too low rpm's because of the gear spacing. IIRC, under load the 6 speed would run to high rpms, downshift, and drop the rpm's out of the power band because of the gear spacing. None of that drama with the 8HP75.

 

[NH RAM]

I appreciate everyone who has posted on this thread, but this here may have convinced me to go with the 3.73 -- so thank you! Seems like it would align with my needs better without much of a downside. I appreciate it!

I think you'll be happy with that. If you want to order 4.10's, by all means, but I really don't think that the relatively small 3.73 to 4.10 jump really nets the stated 2,500# difference in towing ability. I'm rated to tow over 14,000 with the 3.73's in my 4x4 crew cab- if I'm towing more than that with any frequency, I'm going to be looking pretty hard at a diesel. I have no complaints towing my 5w, which is around 11,000 loaded.

 

[John KIOhio]

The 6 speed vs the 8 speed transmission will make a big difference. The 8 speed does a great job and seems to find the right gear without running too high or too low rpm's because of the gear spacing. IIRC, under load the 6 speed would run to high rpms, downshift, and drop the rpm's out of the power band because of the gear spacing. None of that drama with the 8HP75.

I can agree on the 6spd to 8 spd comment but at the same time I am comparing my 14 with the 6 spd and 4.10's that never looked for a gear. I do see a big difference with the 4.10's. If you can get the 4.10's I see NO negative reason not too. Also, I wouldn't skip over a truck I wanted if it had 3.73's.