If you have an 8 speed with 3.21 AR...

[Moab_Rockstar]

What are your experiences with towing with this setup? How much do you typically tow? Does it handle well? Acceleration? Hills?

I was thinking about getting a four door 5.7L and was looking for experiences. I typically don't tow much, but when I do, it's about 3000 pounds with around 500 or so in cargo. There are instances where I may go around 6500 in cargo/trailer cross-country. The 8 speed trans has a lot of gears with a ridiculous 1st gear, so I'm thinking that this setup will probably do what I need. My biggest concern is how it handles hills. I occasionally tow my Wrangler to Utah. I've done trailer, and flat-towed. I like flat towing because it's easier on the powertrain and the fuel economy. Trailering is nice though, because if the Jeep breaks something in the axle or suspension, it's just a matter of getting it on the trailer to go home.

 

[mohemipar]

The 5.7 / 8 speed, even with 3.21’s will tow very strong, especially at only 5000 or less pounds. You probably wouldn’t even feel that. The thing to watch out for on the 1500 is payload and stability when you start towing heavy. The scenario you described a 1500 should do perfectly fine.

 

[RaftingDave]

We have the 8spd and 3.21's. We tow a pop-up camper, a shade under 3k loaded. No need or interest going past that with this truck, although i have no doubt we could. Except for steep grades, we don't even feel it. When not towing, we get a small mpg benefit from the 3.21s also.

 

[WilliamS]

Ive had a 1500 pound pressure washer trailer and didnt know it was back there. Had a 5000 pound trailer with a car on it, I knew it was there but still had no issues picking up speed on the on ramps. Pulled a 2 car trailer total of roughly 7900 pounds, I felt that one. No real issue getting on the ramps or over hills, the transmission did all the guess work. Never got hot, and its a billion degreess in florida. The 3.92 would have helped get it rolling but with 8 gears it did its job.

Forgot to mention Im running 3.21 gears, my truck is a crew 4x4 Hemi with 295/65-20 so taller than a 35.

Also below my post is a great suggestion about not using 7th gear lockout in hills

 

[Jebb]

I have 3.21 gears with 35" tires. It has plenty of power off the line (because 1st gear is really low) but it has a hard time staying in 8th gear on the freeway if there's a slight grade or headwind. Just a tad too much tire diameter for that gear ratio (it should have 3.55s). I always turn off MDS and sometimes kick it down to 7th gear if I'm in a hilly area to keep it from shifting back and forth annoyingly.

And that's NOT pulling anything - just the truck itself.

If you have stock tires 3.21 should work fine but if oversize you might want to turn off MDS and use 7th gear as your top gear (using the gear shifter on the steering wheel).

 

[Black W900]

I have 3:21 gears and I tow a 4500 #(dry weight) T/T with about 800 to 1000 # of stuff in it...The truck tows it like a champ with my WDH and all of my temps stay well within acceptable ranges.

You'll be fine.

 

[69GWC]

I will start with if you can find the truck you want with 3:92s get it.

That said I ended up with a truck with 3:21s and the 8sp and have zero problems pulling my trailer .The 8sp has so many gears that there is not a problem of finding a good gear to pull what ever you are pulling in.

I have 35s now and my truck pulls my 6,000lb + trailer easy allthough it did it alittle better on the stock tires.
The lower gears will help but in my honest opinion they are not something the 1500 has to have since you will run out of payload and towing capabilities before you run out of power.
Unless you are pulling in mountains alot then I would opt for the lower gears.

Guess what I mean is you dont haft to have 3:92s but they will give a mechanical advantage over the 3:21s.

Just my opinion dont mean much..

What I pull. What my rpms are running down the hwy while pulling that trailer.

 

[YJ Steve-O]

I tow a Rockwood Freedom 282XRT with an ATV and a generator on the deck- total weight about 4400 lbs. I have the 8 speed and 3.21 rear end and have no problems towing that setup and still get decent mileage while having plenty of power for the hills here in Colorado. You should have no problems at all with what you're expecting to do.

 

[Demon-HeMi]

ive towed an SUV on my 20' car hauler behind my reg cab with a 3.7 v6, 8spd and 3.21 gears, and it didnt even struggle, like said above, there are so many gears that getting your load moving is pretty dang easy, even for the v6

 

[Moab_Rockstar]

You all convinced me. I picked up a new 2018 1500 5.7L Big Horn. It's a quad cab 6'4" bed. Got about 11k off MSRP due to it being "old".

Thanks!

 

[VernDiesel]

Congrats on the new truck. Take some cues from 69GWC’s post. His trailer is likely over 5,000 pounds. Notice first it has a WDH. It’s obviously working as the truck is level with normal gap at the front wheel well so he likely has the steer weight replaced via the WDH. He also has the hitch height properly adjusted as trailer & truck are level.

Next notice he shows towing with the 3.21 gear in 6th at 60 with 2,100 rpms. Good towing fuel economy at that speed. RPMs are into peak torque range where engine is efficient & not stressed as to its load. Some people try to force the truck up into OD even double overdrive 8th gear. As can be seen on current economy screen this saves no fuel. Worse it loads the motor (bearings) where it’s not comfortable and with lower oil pressure less oil flow. It also loads the transmission harder. Peak torque range is where you want to tow not well below it where it’s designed to get max economy when loads are light.

 

[69GWC]

Yes Sir 6,000lbs plus I would guess and alittle over 5\10psi in the airbags any more air in the bags and it unloads the frontend to much.

For me 6th gear is perferct and like you said 7th/8th are for none towing being OD gears

 

[yillbs]

Yes Sir 6,000lbs plus I would guess and alittle over 5\10psi in the airbags any more air in the bags and it unloads the frontend to much.

For me 6th gear is perferct and like you said 7th/8th are for none towing being OD gears

I'm not sure that's completely accurate. When you enable TOW/HAUL mode, it has no problem putting you in 7th gear. Surely FCA knew what they were doing?

 

[69GWC]

I dont know but even in TH mode it will also go into 8th gear, I do know that 7th and 8th are both OD gears with 6th being the 1.1 gear.

It pulls at a good rpm in 6th and I dont want to chance pulling heavier in OD gears and burning something up.

 

[Moab_Rockstar]

I will start with if you can find the truck you want with 3:92s get it.
]

I wanted 3.92 gears, or at least 3.55, but all the dealers around ever seem to order is 3.21 and I didn't feel like ordering. My towing needs are minimal, so I'll see how it does. I'm only leasing for 2 years. After that, I might buy something older and build to my liking.

 

[69GWC]

Yeah thats all that was around me as well wete 3:21 geared trucks.

 

[VernDiesel]

I ordered my truck. Took 4-5 weeks to get exactly what I wanted instead of settling.

Clark Yes use Tow/Haul especially with high drag such as boxy TT. Some guys leave it off & worse back off throttle long enough to get it to shift up. Not good for your equipment assuming your transmission is working properly and as can be seen in current economy screen saves no fuel.

You can still select your gear. The point was to select a gear if need be to tow in its torque range not below it and not where is has to spin above it into more peak HP range. At least not for extended pull.

With 3.92 at 65 mine tows in 7th at 2,100 IE in its peak torque curve.

 

[69GWC]

Myself I could not wait my 68rfe was going out of my truck and I needed to get rid of it before I had to put 6k in a transmission.
Plus I bought a left over 16 model.

 

[RaftingDave]

I'm only leasing for 2 years. After that, I might buy something older and build to my liking.

We're leasing for 3yrs and already saving up to buy it out at lease end. I don't see us needing to pull anything bigger than our 3K pop-pup + some rafting gear. We like the truck and don't want payments after lease is up. You may find you want to keep the thing.

Re: your handle , we're planning a week out Moab/Canyonlands way in September.

 

[OC455]

Didn't have any trouble towing my camper (over 5500lbs) with 18 Big Horn (5.7 Hemi, 8spd, 3.21) in tow/haul mode.