HO with 3.73 vs 4.1

[timelinex]

I'm about to buy a DRW HO ram 3500 to replace my SRW SO 3500. I've finally found a 22 that mostly fits the bill, but then I realized the seller ordered it with 3.73 gearing and not 4.1.

I have trouble getting about 50 when pulling my 20k 5th wheel up our steeeeep hills. I was hoping the HO would help with that. Is the 3
73 gonna make it an issue or should I have no problem atleast reaching 65 with the HO, even with 3.73 gearing?

What's the disadvantages of 4.1, why doesn't everyone get them?

 

[silver billet]

This is the wrong forum for 2500/3500's.

Try "Ram Heavy Duty Forum" instead.

Disadvantage of higher gears is higher fuel mileage and possibly a twitchy first gear. Depends on your preference and what you want most from your truck or what it spends most of its time doing.

I doubt the higher gear ratio will do much to improve your specific problem, 50 mph is long past the point where a deeper first gear would solve any issue. When you need more torque the transmission adjusts your gears accordingly, you don't need the higher rear axle ratio to do that.

Edit: as for the HO vs SO, my bet is that makes 10 times more difference vs the gearing. The HO is significantly stronger and comes with a way better transmission (aisin in the HO vs chrsyler in the SO) but I have not owned either one so again, I'd double check with the HDrams guys.

 

[timelinex]

This is the wrong forum for 2500/3500's.

Try "Ram Heavy Duty Forum" instead.

Disadvantage of higher gears is higher fuel mileage and possibly a twitchy first gear. Depends on your preference and what you want most from your truck or what it spends most of its time doing.

I doubt the higher gear ratio will do much to improve your specific problem, 50 mph is long past the point where a deeper first gear would solve any issue. When you need more torque the transmission adjusts your gears accordingly, you don't need the higher rear axle ratio to do that.

Edit: as for the HO vs SO, my bet is that makes 10 times more difference vs the gearing. The HO is significantly stronger and comes with a way better transmission (aisin in the HO vs chrsyler in the SO) but I have not owned either one so again, I'd double check with the HDrams guys.

Dang it, I was on my phone and picked the 1500 forum, sorry guys. Hopefully a mod can move it (or should I delete and repost?)

I didnt realize the gearing benefit was mostly in the starting gears. I never have issues at the start, even with the SO. It's only at 45+ on 6+ grade hills

 

[silver billet]

Dang it, I was on my phone and picked the 1500 forum, sorry guys. Hopefully a mod can move it (or should I delete and repost?)

I didnt realize the gearing benefit was mostly in the starting gears. I never have issues at the start, even with the SO. It's only at 45+ on 6+ grade hills

Best way to think about gearing is that the rear axle ratio is only half the equation. The other equally important half is the transmission.

Torque at the wheels is a result of multiplying engine torque by all the gears in the drivetrain: engine * transmission gear * rear axle gear.

Yes you can increase torque by jumping your rear axle from 3.73 to 4.10, but you can also get the same (or better) increase by downshifting one gear in the transmission.

The only time the transmission cannot do this, is when its in first gear (can't downshift before first, so rear axle plays the entire role here) or when the transmission is in its final gear (which for you is 6th) because then it can't upshift any further (to decrease rpms and save fuel).

The other forum will be able to give you much better advice on the difference between HO/SO. I'm sure the mods here won't care about this thread, some of them are mods on the other forum too. No harm done, you just won't get much advice on this forum due to us being only 1500s.