3.21 vs 3.92: The Last Word

[theblet]

Imagine that. I can fit 33x12s on a lowered truck in 2022. But you had to lift it 5in in the 90s to do that.

My newer Subaru Outback can go anywhere your useless lifted trucks can go, and get 30mpg doing it. Glad I realized it’s just a “look at me” vs function. Since I’ve yet to see any of your trucks on a hard trail off road.





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Your truck looks awesome don’t listen to the haters

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

"Hey ese, check out that vato over there looking all cholo."

 

[TNRamGuy]

Totally nailed the look (assume this was your goal)

 

[ferraiolo1]

What “I need 3.92s to pull a small crapper” looks like

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[SnowBlaZR2]

You found something your truck might be able to handle. I say go for it. Better than sleeping in public bathrooms.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

For a tired old topic, this thread blew up to 5 pages since my last reply 15 hours ago.

I've said all I can say as an Engineer. The 3.92's advantage disappears at 24mph, pulling or not. Highway speeds will see absolutely no difference with a 10,000lb trailer on your caboose.

it means get 3.92s if you plan on towing alot lol

What is towing a lot? A Jet Ski? A Camper? A Horse Trailer?

Get the 3.92 if you plan on towing near the 1500's max towing capacity....on a regular basis or more.
Get the 3.92 if your driveway doubles as a ski slope.
Get the 3.92 if you off-road or overland and you need a super low gear.

I plan to tow a good amount, but mostly light, like cars or enclosed utility trailers. Only a few times in the truck's life will I ever reach or exceed my tow capacity, and even if I do, I know my truck will still pull fine and stop fine because I have 500ft.lbs of torque and the same brakes as any other 1500.

To each their own, but ya'll really put too much faith in the capabilities of the 3.92.

I could pull my current camper with a mid-sized SUV.

Here's a rule of thumb, if your camper is so light that you could tow it with a 4Runner, you don't need a 3.92.

The 3.92 might pull it better, but so would a 3500.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Here's a rule of thumb, if your camper is so light that you could tow it with a 4Runner, you don't need a 3.92.

I've never said I needed 3.92s. I'm simply rejecting the idea that 3.21s are jUsT aS gUd. They aren't, no matter how much anyone (engineers included, you aren’t unique) try to explain it away.

I don't currently need a Hemi or even a 1500, either. Someday, I might want a bigger camper. There wasn't a single reason to handicap the truck when I ordered it.

The 3.92 might pull it better, but so would a 3500.

Of course it pulls it better. That's the whole point.

If the 3500 was the same size with the same interior, I'd have a 3500.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

I've said all I can say as an Engineer. The 3.92's advantage disappears at 24mph, pulling or not. Highway speeds will see absolutely no difference with a 10,000lb trailer on your caboose.

Oh, and this isn't entirely true either. The "advantage" 3.21s have at highway speeds because of lower RPM means the 3.92s also have better engine braking at those same speeds (really, across the board).

 

[djevox]

What “I need 3.92s to pull a small crapper” looks like

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Dayuumnnn, your pic just illustrated my entire approach with to life: unnecessary excess.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

I've never said I needed 3.92s. I'm simply rejecting the idea that 3.21s are jUsT aS gUd. They aren't, no matter how much anyone (engineers included, you aren’t unique) try to explain it away.
I don't currently need a Hemi or even a 1500, either. Someday, I might want a bigger camper. There wasn't a single reason to handicap the truck when I ordered it.


Of course it pulls it better. That's the whole point.
If the 3500 was the same size with the same interior, I'd have a 3500.

So buy a 3500, what's stopping you? If you need to pull 4,000lbs *A LOT* then you definitely need a 3500. I mean, nothing else will handle that kind of load without you tying up traffic.

You're rejecting the idea that the 3.21 is JUST AS GUD, because you have absolutely no idea about mechanics, you're simply accepting the fact that IF YOU GOTTA TOE, U GOTTA NEED DAT 3.92 OR YOU LOOK LIKE DIS:

But like I said, the 3.21 is a very small change on an otherwise identical ~10k-pulling truck. You're so quick to recommend that ANYONE with a trailer goes out and gets the 3.92, without much logic. The 3.92 is really only going to shine in a small number of situations....Just like the 3500 is going to shine in certain situations. Otherwise, you're just burning extra fuel.

 

[Ninety-9 SE-L]

Oh, and this isn't entirely true either. The "advantage" 3.21s have at highway speeds because of lower RPM means the 3.92s also have better engine braking at those same speeds (really, across the board).

Again, the engine braking is the same. Lock out 8th gear and all of the gear ratios are the same (actually slightly better on the 3.21, until you get to 1st).

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

So buy a 3500, what's stopping you? If you need to pull 4,000lbs *A LOT* then you definitely need a 3500. I mean, nothing else will handle that kind of load without you tying up traffic.

I thought I already covered that...

"If the 3500 was the same size with the same interior, I'd have a 3500."

Oh yeah...I did.

You're rejecting the idea that the 3.21 is JUST AS GUD, because you have absolutely no idea about mechanics, you're simply accepting the fact that IF YOU GOTTA TOE, U GOTTA NEED DAT 3.92 OR YOU LOOK LIKE DIS:

What kind of engineer are you?

But like I said, the 3.21 is a very small change on an otherwise identical ~10k-pulling truck. You're so quick to recommend that ANYONE with a trailer goes out and gets the 3.92, without much logic. The 3.92 is really only going to shine in a small number of situations.

I made no such proclamation. I've just said that the 3.92s will tow better than the 3.21s. If less capability is fine with you, it's your truck. Drive what you want.

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

Again, the engine braking is the same. Lock out 8th gear and all of the gear ratios are the same (actually slightly better on the 3.21, until you get to 1st).

Ah.

So again you're falling back to "change the conditions until they're favorable for the 3.21s and they're not so bad after all."

 

[theblet]

For a tired old topic, this thread blew up to 5 pages since my last reply 15 hours ago.

I've said all I can say as an Engineer. The 3.92's advantage disappears at 24mph, pulling or not. Highway speeds will see absolutely no difference with a 10,000lb trailer on your caboose.

What is towing a lot? A Jet Ski? A Camper? A Horse Trailer?

Get the 3.92 if you plan on towing near the 1500's max towing capacity....on a regular basis or more.
Get the 3.92 if your driveway doubles as a ski slope.
Get the 3.92 if you off-road or overland and you need a super low gear.

I plan to tow a good amount, but mostly light, like cars or enclosed utility trailers. Only a few times in the truck's life will I ever reach or exceed my tow capacity, and even if I do, I know my truck will still pull fine and stop fine because I have 500ft.lbs of torque and the same brakes as any other 1500.

To each their own, but ya'll really put too much faith in the capabilities of the 3.92.

Here's a rule of thumb, if your camper is so light that you could tow it with a 4Runner, you don't need a 3.92.

The 3.92 might pull it better, but so would a 3500.

Depends on your situation. If i cut lawns for a living and pulled mowers around all week, I would rather the 3.92. Since I only tow a tandem axle trailer once a year to dump trash, 3.21 is just fine and pulls it fine as well.

 

[djevox]

 

[SnowBlaZR2]

View attachment 129727

I haven't seen any posts about your grenaded rear end, so I know you didn't actually tow that.

 

[AngelPhoenix]

Ahhhh, these threads are always comedy goldmines.

"The Last Word" oh you poor child...

 

[Zrxpilot]

Have 2022 4x4 with 3:92 gears ( my 2nd one). Now in a near identical truck ( 2 wheel drive rental) driving across Texas with 3:21. Performance loss across the board is noticable. This thing feels like a pooch in comparison to my truck. It's currently getting 18.8 mpg freeway. No better than i get with my truck. This must be why i read so many posts of persons wishing they had 3:92's than the other way around.

 

[Idahoktm]

I haven't seen any posts about your grenaded rear end, so I know you didn't actually tow that.

He folded in his mirrors, otherwise the wind resistance would have made that tow impossible.

 

[morrpar]

Greetings,
I am amazed that something as small as a difference in gear ratio can divide people to this degree and cause such disrespect.
But it is the times in which we live...

I'm not an engineer or a guru or anything important like that, but I can read:


On the left you have the 3.21 ratio and on the right, you have the 3.92 ratio. Seems pretty clear which one tows more.
Whether that means "better" that is up to you.


From what I have read, the MPG difference is not that great; maybe 3100 pounds is not either.