Help with buying decision

[Pahunter]

Hello, I am looking to get into my second Ram, the first one being a Bighorn NE with the 3.92 gears with the anti spin diff. I've found a truck (Laramie) that has all the options plus more than I need but with 3.21 gear and it does have anti spin.

I've read almost every post on the gear debate and I'm not trying to stir the pot. I read one post with a guy that put the pedal commander in his 3.21 truck and said it was greatly improved. I tow a small boat <4000 lbs maybe 5 times a year a very short distance. I really enjoyed the 3.92 truck and I don't want to make a mistake buying something I won't like. I did drive one with 3.21 and thought t was "adequate" But not the 3.92 experience.

My main question here is will a pedal commander or some other throttle controller help give a 3.21 truck a more 3.92 like experience?

 

[Jupiter58]

I can’t speak to those but I would hold out for the 392s. That was the dealbreaker in my months of searching. I ended up having to get a rebel. Surprised at the lack of 392s out there.
Found some nice trucks in 321s but with the price and difficulty of upgrading the gears I couldn’t pull the trigger. I couldn’t see buying a big v8 and have such low towing capacity like a Toyota. Plus the penalty for adding any weight of heavier or taller tires.

 

[ikreider]

For the very limited amount of towing and little weight I wouldn’t be too worried about gear choice. Both will perform just fine. I pull a 7k lb travel trailer with my 3.21 geared ram and it does perfectly fine.

 

[Pahunter]

I can’t speak to those but I would hold out for the 392s. That was the dealbreaker in my months of searching. I ended up having to get a rebel. Surprised at the lack of 392s out there.
Found some nice trucks in 321s but with the price and difficulty of upgrading the gears I couldn’t pull the trigger. I couldn’t see buying a big v8 and have such low towing capacity like a Toyota. Plus the penalty for adding any weight of heavier or taller tires.

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll should also mention I am buying used (2021-2022) and the used market with 3.92 and anti spin diff are hard to find

 

[Pahunter]

Jupiter58, do you have the anti spin diff? I hear it's tough to get traction in wet/snow without it. I'm in northwestern PA and get get plenty of both from November to March.

 

[Jupiter58]

Jupiter58, do you have the anti spin diff? I hear it's tough to get traction in wet/snow without it. I'm in northwestern PA and get get plenty of both from November to March.

I have a rebel so I have a rear locker. I use 4 auto if the roads are wet at all, even a light sprinkle, or the wheels just spin.

 

[Jupiter58]

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll should also mention I am buying used (2021-2022) and the used market with 3.92 and anti spin diff are hard to fined

Yeah, I went used also and like you said, very hard to find. Oddly enough almost all the non ORP 392s I found had antispin.
I looked at 100s and only found a handful within 100 miles of me. That included Miami and lauderdale south of me. It was a pain as I had to pull up the original window sticker on everyone to ensure it had the options I wanted. I actually had an excel sheet with the ones I would settle for, about 6 of them from Miami to Orlando.
The rebel was optioned with everything possible, more than I wanted to spend and they weren’t willing to deal.
More options than I would ever consider!
After attempting a few other deals I almost ended up with a brand new BH SO hurricane. They made an incredible offer, 11000 off msrp and full trade in on my ford, but I had the thought that if I could get the 22 low mile loaded rebel for the same price I would be happier. So I took a minute in the middle of the new truck purchase (in lauderdale) and called the dealer with the rebel, which is only 20 minutes from my house. I asked about the rebel and gave them my crazy out the door price which was 5k less than their last deal 2 weeks earlier and they said yes. I was shocked but I walked out on the new one and into the rebel on my way home.
It was a stressful several moths after my last bcm debacle on my f150 on a road trip which pissed off the wife almost as much as me.

She is in England with the little grand babies til December and she got sick and tired of me going on about my search and finally said just buy a damn truck but it has to have the panoramic sunroof which made the list even shorter.

I had a little buyers remorse because the ford was paid off and didn’t want another truck payment, but damn this thing is growing on me. It’s likely my last big vehicle purchase and it’s our roadtrip vehicle so I just went for it.

It only has the 23 gallon tank but I will be upgrading to a 33 in a month. Can’t even get out of Florida on a 23 gallon tank!

Sorry for the long rant but if you can, hold out for what you want and the best deal you can get.

 

[Pahunter]

Great story. I'm right where you were, literally looking at every window sticker, it's definitely a process. I'm not afraid to to travel to get what I want, even still the combo of 2021-2022, 3.92, anti spin, with at least a few nice options, and priced right are like 4 leaf clovers. I recently sold my GMC Canyon (not a great experience) and have until the end of October to find something as I am driving my daughters car, she will get her license then and I will turn over the VW to her.

 

[Jupiter58]

Great story. I'm right where you were, literally looking at every window sticker, it's definitely a process. I'm not afraid to to travel to get what I want, even still the combo of 2021-2022, 3.92, anti spin, with at least a few nice options, and priced right are like 4 leaf clovers. I recently sold my GMC Canyon (not a great experience) and have until the end of October to find something as I am driving my daughters car, she will get her license then and I will turn over the VW to her.

Keep looking! Best of luck and I hope you find what you want. There are such good deals on the remaining 25s that someone must be trading in the one you want!!!
Have you got a dealer(s) looking for you??
And another aside, because I bought a certified pre owned I got a 5 or 6 year 100,00 mile powertrain warranty free, which is better than the normal new warranty.

 

[millerbjm]

I have had hemi 1500's with and without the anti-spin and couldn't tell the difference even in MN winters. The traction control system is sophisticated enough to handle almost all situations and especially with Auto 4WD. I also had all three of my hemi trucks (19,21, and 23) with 3 21 gears and towed 7,500lb travel trailer fairly often without issue. My current truck is a 15 with the SO Hurricane and 3.92 and while it is fast and does pull the trailer better it isn't life-changing and the mpg is noticeably worse than the 3.21 hemi on 87 octane. If I use 91 and am conservative on the gas pedal I can get similar mpg to the hemi though.

 

[Pahunter]

I have had hemi 1500's with and without the anti-spin and couldn't tell the difference even in MN winters. The traction control system is sophisticated enough to handle almost all situations and especially with Auto 4WD. I also had all three of my hemi trucks (19,21, and 23) with 3 21 gears and towed 7,500lb travel trailer fairly often without issue. My current truck is a 15 with the SO Hurricane and 3.92 and while it is fast and does pull the trailer better it isn't life-changing and the mpg is noticeably worse than the 3.21 hemi on 87 octane. If I use 91 and am conservative on the gas pedal I can get similar mpg to the hemi though.

Thanks for this info, I've been hearing similar things, and the 3.21 truck I drove was by no means lacking, I may be a victim of having the 3.92's stuck in my head.