An Engineer's Ultimate Guide To 3.21 VS 3.92 Axle Ratio

[Rick7812]

Always been reluctant with paddle shifters.
3 transmissions in my chrysler 200 hardtop convertable that I finally attributed to using paddle shifter.
Also how does one know what gear you are in? And I assume like all other things it resets every time you start the truck.

 

[spyder]

Yea, a guy I know with 3.21 gears just went from DC to Alaska for a fishing trip, down to see the redwoods in CA, swung down through Vegas to hit the slots, popped in on a friend in Atlanta and still had more gas in the tank than when he left.

I'm telling you those 3.21 gears just make gas as you go down the road! Just call them Mercle Gears, I'll tell you what, mercles is jus what they are.

Just goes to show, the 3.21 guys and gals are of an elevated intelligence over the 3.92 plebes!

 

[HSKR R/T]

Always been reluctant with paddle shifters.
3 transmissions in my chrysler 200 hardtop convertable that I finally attributed to using paddle shifter.
Also how does one know what gear you are in? And I assume like all other things it resets every time you start the truck.

The gear you are in is shown on the dash

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

Just goes to show, the 3.21 guys and gals are of an elevated intelligence over the 3.92 plebes!

Why yes love, the Howels have always been chauffeured in slow moving vehicles. It shows the extraordinary lack of sense that higher education will bring. On to the club Jeeves! Lovie and I will be late snubbing the help! You know we must leave early with the silly impotent 3.21 geared pickup. Why aren't we in the limo?

 

[Rick3478]

Always been reluctant with paddle shifters.
3 transmissions in my chrysler 200 hardtop convertable that I finally attributed to using paddle shifter.

Curious how you figure the paddles hurt the transmission?

On a side note, I test drove one of those, but didn't buy. It didn't have the paddles. Didn't like that the engine choices were either wimpy 2.5L four or oversize 3.6L six. Never understood Chrysler designing the PentaStar to be built in 3.0 to 4.0 range, but then actually built only a 3.6 that was too big for cars but too small for trucks. Hurt themselves in both markets IMO. Also noticed instead of the usual convertible seals, the windows would bump down about a quarter inch to let you open the doors, then back up after you close, and thought hell no they'll never get that idea to work and the first time it doesn't will bust the window. Bought a Mazda instead. Good move!

Also how does one know what gear you are in? And I assume like all other things it resets every time you start the truck.

Gear is displayed in the info center, look through the steering wheel. And yeah it defaults to auto every time you shift into "D". Minor irritation but workable. Don't like that the up/down buttons are on the steering wheel, and I'm sort of harboring an idea of relocating them, maybe to the console.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Curious how you figure the paddles hurt the transmission?

On a side note, I test drove one of those, but didn't buy. It didn't have the paddles. Didn't like that the engine choices were either wimpy 2.5L four or oversize 3.6L six. Never understood Chrysler designing the PentaStar to be built in 3.0 to 4.0 range, but then actually built only a 3.6 that was too big for cars but too small for trucks. Hurt themselves in both markets IMO. Also noticed instead of the usual convertible seals, the windows would bump down about a quarter inch to let you open the doors, then back up after you close, and thought hell no they'll never get that idea to work and the first time it doesn't will bust the window. Bought a Mazda instead. Good move!

That's how the Challenger windows have worked since they were released in 2009. Can't say I've ever heard of any issues with them

Gear is displayed in the info center, look through the steering wheel. And yeah it defaults to auto every time you shift into "D". Minor irritation but workable. Don't like that the up/down buttons are on the steering wheel, and I'm sort of harboring an idea of relocating them, maybe to the console.

 

[Rick3478]

Why yes love, the Howels have always been chauffeured in slow moving vehicles. It shows the extraordinary lack of sense that higher education will bring. On to the club Jeeves! Lovie and I will be late snubbing the help! You know we must leave early with the silly impotent 3.21 geared pickup. Why aren't we in the limo?

The limo is probably a 473 Caddy with 6.13 gears to haul that extra steel and bulletproof glass, and the chauffeur is having a blast. Can you drift a stretch? Hell yeah we can!

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

Curious how you figure the paddles hurt the transmission?

On a side note, I test drove one of those, but didn't buy. It didn't have the paddles. Didn't like that the engine choices were either wimpy 2.5L four or oversize 3.6L six. Never understood Chrysler designing the PentaStar to be built in 3.0 to 4.0 range, but then actually built only a 3.6 that was too big for cars but too small for trucks. Hurt themselves in both markets IMO. Also noticed instead of the usual convertible seals, the windows would bump down about a quarter inch to let you open the doors, then back up after you close, and thought hell no they'll never get that idea to work and the first time it doesn't will bust the window. Bought a Mazda instead. Good move!



Gear is displayed in the info center, look through the steering wheel. And yeah it defaults to auto every time you shift into "D". Minor irritation but workable. Don't like that the up/down buttons are on the steering wheel, and I'm sort of harboring an idea of relocating them, maybe to the console.

A Tazer can fix that. Mine displays the number all the time in my Ram.

I wish it would do the same in my 300. I don't know why you would think a 3.6 is to big for a car. Heck, I have a 6.4 and think it's a little light on the cubes.

 

[Rick3478]

That's how the Challenger windows have worked since they were released in 2009. Can't say I've ever heard of any issues with them

Didn't know that, just struck me as pretty stupid engineering. What happens if battery dies? Trapped inside?

 

[Rick3478]

I don't know why you would think a 3.6 is to big for a car. Heck, I have a 6.4 and think it's a little light on the cubes.

Was coming from a Concorde with a 2.7 that was pretty peppy and looking for similar or slight improvement. Had 3.0 targeted as max desired size, but would have been forced to go up or down. And in general I don't feel a need to ever go over about 90 or to get to that speed particularly quick. Had 4.7 to 5.3 targeted when I bought the Ram and again was forced to decide up or down. If Ram had a 4.0 version of the PentaStar available I might have gone for it, but I bit the bullet and went for the oversize 5.7. Figured the extra second overdrive in the 8-speed would keep efficiency reasonable, and so far the compromise seems acceptable. And I plan to do some towing, so the extra cubes will be happy with that.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

Was coming from a Concorde with a 2.7 that was pretty peppy and looking for similar or slight improvement. Had 3.0 targeted as max desired size, but would have been forced to go up or down. And in general I don't feel a need to ever go over about 90 or to get to that speed particularly quick. Had 4.7 to 5.3 targeted when I bought the Ram and again was forced to decide up or down. If Ram had a 4.0 version of the PentaStar available I might have gone for it, but I bit the bullet and went for the oversize 5.7. Figured the extra second overdrive in the 8-speed would keep efficiency reasonable, and so far the compromise seems acceptable. And I plan to do some towing, so the extra cubes will be happy with that.

I was quite surprised with the 300 ponies a PentaStar would put out when I had one in a Jeep. Compared to the 4.0 inline they had in my TJ the 3.6 paired with 8 speed and 4.10 rears was a monster. Of course the truck weighs a lot more but 3.6 with a tune actually does ok.

 

[BowDown]

I was quite surprised with the 300 ponies a PentaStar would put out when I had one in a Jeep. Compared to the 4.0 inline they had in my TJ the 3.6 paired with 8 speed and 4.10 rears was a monster. Of course the truck weighs a lot more but 3.6 with a tune actually does ok.

I had a 3.6 Ram 1500 rental (3.21's too) when I had the AC TSB and the cracked manifolds done on my truck; I was surprised at how well the V6 moved the truck. They left the windrow sticker in the glove box, I had to take a look and see if it indeed had the 3.6 because it drove so well. Not too big at all, hell, it may have out preformed the Gen 3 5.7 HEMI Ram

 

[Scap]

Didn't know that, just struck me as pretty stupid engineering. What happens if battery dies? Trapped inside?

Pretty much every frameless window on the market does this...

 

[Rick7812]

That's how the Challenger windows have worked since they were released in 2009. Can't say I've ever heard of any issues with them

Lots of power in that 3.6 285Hp.
Everytime I would start playing with the paddle down shifting or running thru the gears I ended up transmission failure. No problems in 4 years since I quit playing with the shifter.
BTW wife's car, but I liked playing in it when I was alone.

 

[HemiDude]

Was coming from a Concorde with a 2.7 that was pretty peppy and looking for similar or slight improvement. Had 3.0 targeted as max desired size, but would have been forced to go up or down. And in general I don't feel a need to ever go over about 90 or to get to that speed particularly quick. Had 4.7 to 5.3 targeted when I bought the Ram and again was forced to decide up or down. If Ram had a 4.0 version of the PentaStar available I might have gone for it, but I bit the bullet and went for the oversize 5.7. Figured the extra second overdrive in the 8-speed would keep efficiency reasonable, and so far the compromise seems acceptable. And I plan to do some towing, so the extra cubes will be happy with that.

Dodge put a 4.0L v6 in mini vans, Nitros and Journeys, what a that engine was. It never would have lasted in a Ram. The current v6 Ram has is a much better engine, just a little underpowered for a heavy truck imo.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Dodge put a 4.0L v6 in mini vans, Nitros and Journeys, what a that engine was. It never would have lasted in a Ram. The current v6 Ram has is a much better engine, just a little underpowered for a heavy truck imo.

I find it fun t when people say a 300hp V6 is underpowered for a full size truck. 80s through mid 2000s full size trucks would tend to disagree.

 

[HemiDude]

I find it fun t when people say a 300hp V6 is underpowered for a full size truck. 80s through mid 2000s full size trucks would tend to disagree.

I don’t know how much my 97 ram weighed off the top of my head, but I’m pretty sure it weighed a fair amount less than my ‘22 does. I’m not saying that a V-6 can’t move a full-size truck, obviously it can, just for my taste it isn’t enough.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I don’t know how much my 97 ram weighed off the top of my head, but I’m pretty sure it weighed a fair amount less than my ‘22 does. I’m not saying that a V-6 can’t move a full-size truck, obviously it can, just for my taste it isn’t enough.

I'd say a full size 97, club cab with 4x4 was over 5k lbs. My 2000 Dakota R/T club cab weighs 4300lbs.

 

[HemiDude]

I'd say a full size 97, club cab with 4x4 was over 5k lbs. My 2000 Dakota R/T club cab weighs 4300lbs.

I don’t think mine was 5k, I think I would remember that. If I had to guess I’d say it may have been 47-48-ish.

 

[Rick3478]

Pretty much every frameless window on the market does this...

I haven't owned a hardtop since my '65 Galaxie. It had the convertible-style seals that didn't need the glass to move. I had never seen a car bump the window down like that before the Chrysler 200, so it was totally new to me. Learned something. Maybe it's just me, but still seems like bad engineering.