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

[Ramroo]

All of these 1/2 ton trucks are are made to be comfortable, soft and responsive. For those that say the 3.92 is a good heavy tow vehicle... Fake news. If you want a good heavy tow vehicle you need to be driving a 1 ton.

Deception.

 

[HSKR R/T]

All of these 1/2 ton trucks are are made to be comfortable, soft and responsive. For those that say the 3.92 is a good heavy tow vehicle... Fake news. If you want a good heavy tow vehicle you need to be driving a 1 ton.

Deception.

For a good heavy tow vehicle, need to be driving a tractor trailer with your CDL license.

 

[Ramroo]

For a good heavy tow vehicle, need to be driving a tractor trailer with your CDL license.

Boom

Yep, I pay to get Dozers delivered… always a tractor trailer.

 

[RVTRKN]

All of these 1/2 ton trucks are are made to be comfortable, soft and responsive. For those that say the 3.92 is a good heavy tow vehicle... Fake news. If you want a good heavy tow vehicle you need to be driving a 1 ton.

Deception.

I sold my 2019 3500 SRW HO for my current 2020 1500. I didn't need the HD anymore, after I sold my 5th wheel. It costs alot to maintain and for the registration costs, at least in Kentucky. So my Pontoon and 12' cargo trailer (for my Harley) is easily pulled by my 1500, so I don't need the 3500, but it is heavy for the ability of the 1500 truck.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

Yeah and it sounds like you're talking about a 90's-2000's lincoln with a 4 speed, not a modern car with a modern 6, 7, 7 or 10 spd trans so not a valid comparison.
If you're driving a 4x4, stop crying about the mileage, you knew that when you bought it and your 4x4 is doing the same thing my 4x2 is 99% of the time

Touch a nerve there Half Truck? I'm not crying, 3.21ers justifying poor choices with hundreds of posts claiming a couple hundred rpm is costing soooo much.

But, rpms are rpms 2004 or 2024, still pistons going up and down.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

All of these 1/2 ton trucks are are made to be comfortable, soft and responsive. For those that say the 3.92 is a good heavy tow vehicle... Fake news. If you want a good heavy tow vehicle you need to be driving a 1 ton.

Deception.

Yep, 100%. It ain't about towing, it's about a decent running truck (complete truck ).

 

[Ramroo]

Yep, 100%. It ain't about towing, it's about a decent running truck (complete truck ).

Not so sure about descent running truck for 3.92 vs 3.21. Complete truck

Maybe have an argument for lifted big tire 1500 trucks. I have no experience there with the 1/2 tons. Many do it without complaint however.

I am new to the 1/2 ton world. Initially bought 3.92 and didn’t like it because of my perception of no true overdrive gear. I know both have 8 speeds….. blah blah blah.

So I ordered another 1500 and changed some of the things I didn’t like with the first truck:
3.21 vs 3.92
Long bed vs Baby bed
Non Etorque vs with Etorque
Non Rambox vs with

I do / have used both for everything from commuter, to hauling and towing. I found I like the 3.21 mo better. I know some disagree with my assessment, but the mileage claims are bigger than the hauling /towing claims IMO.

Owning either is still a good truck, not the end of the world. I just hate you have to wear tights, shave, and oil up drive a 3.92 truck. No, I will never forget and will always have that in my hip pocket.

I just like to argue with 3.92 peeps... Mostly very funny like yourself, others not so much.

I’m a self appointed BS monitor. 🫵

Cook on, my friend.

 

[E.Hands]

So the 3.21 really is The BEST gear for towing. Great!
Now that's settled.
End of thread...

I'll see y'all later, be careful on the way home...

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

I just like to argue with 3.92 peeps... Mostly very funny like yourself, others not so much.

Cook on, my friend.

Me too!

3.92 truck.


3.21 truck....


3.21 4x2 "truck".....

 

[BowDown]

Touch a nerve there Half Truck? I'm not crying, 3.21ers justifying poor choices with hundreds of posts claiming a couple hundred rpm is costing soooo much.

But, rpms are rpms 2004 or 2024, still pistons going up and down.

Lol, no and no need to justify my 3.21's. They do exactly as I ask, tow when I need to and get the best mpg possible when I need it to, they'll even pull your girlx4 out of a ditch when you get stuck

 

[BowDown]

Me too!

3.92 truck.
View attachment 181467

3.21 truck....
View attachment 181468

3.21 4x2 "truck".....

View attachment 181469

Lol, says the guy with the "lifted closest to pink color I could get" truck. You sassy!

 

[Rick3478]

Naw man, we need a D12 dozer for this

Could be fun. Push all the rubble into the hole and pave over it?

 

[Rick3478]

Lol, no and no need to justify my 3.21's. They do exactly as I ask, tow when I need to and get the best mpg possible when I need it to, they'll even pull your girlx4 out of a ditch when you get stuck

Thanks to the ZF transmission with 4 more gears than we needed, we can get away with either over or under gearing in the axles.

 

[theblet]

Me too!

3.92 truck.
View attachment 181467

3.21 truck....
View attachment 181468

3.21 4x2 "truck".....

View attachment 181469

With those tires, 3.92s are probably -4.11:1

 

[HSKR R/T]

Thanks to the ZF transmission with 4 more gears than we needed, we can get away with either over or under gearing in the axles.

You don't know how gear ratios work if you think there are more gears than needed

 

[2021EcoDiesel]

I should've checked the (3.55) box when ordering my truck. Potentially could've had the best of both worlds. Or the worst of both... Any 3.6 V6 guys in this thread wanna do an axle trade? we could swap 'em out in my driveway, I'll make sure there's plenty of beer in the cooler!

Sometimes I do miss my 4th gen. she was a CC 6'4" 4x4 HEMI *3.21* The exhaust definitely sounded a bit cooler than the 3.0 Diesel...

*Edited to add a photo of the old truck

 

[Ramroo]

Me too!

3.92 truck.
View attachment 181467

3.21 truck....
View attachment 181468

3.21 4x2 "truck".....

View attachment 181469

You know when you picture someone in your mind.

When you modeled the last truck, you ain’t fugly after all.

 

[Rick3478]

You don't know how gear ratios work if you think there are more gears than needed

So far I haven't found a real need for 1, 3, or 5, and could probably do without 7 though it's convenient around town. My old Dakota has a 5-speed and I don't use 1 all the time. Occasionally skip 3, too. My wish list said 5 to 6 gears when I bought the BH, and worry a bit about the extra complexity of the 8-speed FCA put in it. Couldn't believe Ford went to 10-speed, that's just crazy. Keep it simple.

 

[Mountain Whiskey]

So far I haven't found a real need for 1, 3, or 5, and could probably do without 7 though it's convenient around town. My old Dakota has a 5-speed and I don't use 1 all the time. Occasionally skip 3, too. My wish list said 5 to 6 gears when I bought the BH, and worry a bit about the extra complexity of the 8-speed FCA put in it. Couldn't believe Ford went to 10-speed, that's just crazy. Keep it simple.

Wow, I wish I had an 8 speed instead of 5 in my SRT.

 

[Rick3478]

Wow, I wish I had an 8 speed instead of 5 in my SRT.

I guess I'm aging myself. I remember when two speed PowerGlide was the hot thing for the strip and three on the tree was just normal. TorqueFlites and HydraMatics were just for cushy luxury rides, too slippy and unreliable for everyday work.

I could say more along those lines, but this is still theoretically an axle ratio thread, so I'll skip to: If you choose the right axle ratio for the job, maybe you don't need to compensate with so many gears in the transmission.