Towing my new 38RSSA

NC, your wife must not like pretty rocks like mine does! I am at 27K with my RV empty! With our 36SB3 we were 28-29K.

Vett Racer I would take truck in to dealer and have it flashed if you think it is dropping a gear before it should. I hold 6th on hills towing 33-35K combined but it does down shifts as needed. I will drop a gear before it needs if I see I am coming to a grade that will require the gear drop it just makes it seamless as the computer can't know what's coming.

You guys would have both been just as happy with 3.42's with your loads towing in 5th.

Vette Racer wrote:
I have the Aisin and 4:10 pulling 27K gross and you will need every bit of it, I'd hate to pull much more weight than I am now with it as it will not hold sixth gear in the small hills, does get up to speed very well and will pull any grade as long as it downshifts to the desired gear. Also have the air ride rear and like it.

I think I have the same set up, as far as truck goes. 2016 Ram 3500 CC, LB, 4X4 with Aisin, 4.10 and rear air assist, and my experience hadn’t been like yours. My 5er is a 36 RSSB3 And has a GVW of 19K. My Cat scale GCWR is 26,250#. Only750# lighter than yours. I’ve towed in the mountains of WV, TN, VA and NC, some Interstate at 7% grades and secondary mountainous curvey secondary roads with 9-10% grades. I’ve not had an issue pulling 7% grades on the interstate, nor have I experienced the truck dropping out of 6th on “hills”. When I pull a steep grade, I’ll manually put the truck in 5th or even 4th if need be. I will say something I never thought I’d say.. When towing on “flat land”, heading to TX, in TX, I don’t even know it’s back there. Yeah, I know, I used to be critical about people saying that, but having now towed on flat land, I’ve experienced it. We’re fulltiming so we’re loaded up, but under all our weights. I’d tow heavier, but have no reason to. With wife and two boxers, this unit is perfect for us.

I have the Aisin and 4:10 pulling 27K gross and you will need every bit of it, I'd hate to pull much more weight than I am now with it as it will not hold sixth gear in the small hills, does get up to speed very well and will pull any grade as long as it downshifts to the desired gear. Also have the air ride rear and like it.

ACZL wrote:
4.10 gears and factory air susp. Towing that heavy, the gears will allow the engine to not work as hard to get things moving. Yes you may not get as good of hiway mpg's, but I'd sacrifice the hiway mpg's with the amount of weight you have/will be towing. Ford has used air susp for many years in their Lincoln Town Cars w/o a problem. Semis have air susp as std equp nowadays. I wish other OEM's would offer it as an option on their pick-ups. While I don't agree w/ pick-ups towing 30-40K (IMO that's MD truck territory), you have to remember that all that weight has to be stopped. Yes, brakes are on both truck & trailer, just an awlful lot of weight to be stopped by an electric brake system (just my $.02 here).

My DRV has a GVW of 19K, easily handled by my truck. My 5er has IS and disc brakes... not electric brakes. These 1 ton Duallys, no matter the manufacturer aren't the same truck they were from 2012 back. From 2013 and up, they are FAR more capable to tow heavier. I don’t need a MDT or a HDH to tow my 5er with. Plenty of braking power, not only from the vehicle and 5ers braking system, but also from the exhaust brake and the tranny in tow/haul.

Jim

Cheetah053 wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:
The OEM rear suspension air assist keeps my load level at all times, automatically adjust and in almost a year and a half, no air leaks. Truck automatically lowers a little over 1” to help with hitching. GVWR is same with or without it at 14K. My pin weight is 4250# , 4.10 gives you a GCWR of 39,100#.

Thanks NC. I'm curious about your pin weight. Do you have a generator, washer/dryer? Sounds like you really like the air suspension.

I do have a washer and a dryer and have the Oman 5.5K propane generator. Also have Direct TV auto satellite on the roof.. My weight last check was 18,250#.

Jim

I will bet I would get better "TOWING" mileage with the 4.10's than 3.73's with my combined 33-35K. Solo the 3.73 would be a bit better. Truck is for TOWING and it is what it is solo.

28K and under no question 3.42 with AISIN can't be beat!

When I posted my specs on the TDR in 2012 with my 11 HO towing a combined 27-29K with 3.42's you would have thought the sky was falling! But it performed GREAT with one exception, I had to take it easy on grades starting out. The AISIN cures that problem with it's lower starting gears. I have towed with my Son's 15 3500SRW AISIN 3.42's combined about 27-28K and it took off on some good grades with ZERO issue.

4.10 gears and factory air susp. Towing that heavy, the gears will allow the engine to not work as hard to get things moving. Yes you may not get as good of hiway mpg's, but I'd sacrifice the hiway mpg's with the amount of weight you have/will be towing. Ford has used air susp for many years in their Lincoln Town Cars w/o a problem. Semis have air susp as std equp nowadays. I wish other OEM's would offer it as an option on their pick-ups. While I don't agree w/ pick-ups towing 30-40K (IMO that's MD truck territory), you have to remember that all that weight has to be stopped. Yes, brakes are on both truck & trailer, just an awlful lot of weight to be stopped by an electric brake system (just my $.02 here).

dapperdan wrote:
I have the Aisin with 3:73s, I will admit 4:10 would be better but we're not fulltimers and our unit isn't nearly as heavy as Cummins' is or Hauler's. Our '06 had 3:73s in it and we towed the Suites for over a year with it, didn't have problems pulling grades with it. When we bought the '15 I figured 3:73s would be ok for us. There have been times when I have locked out 6th gear but most of our travels are here in the midwest and grades around here aren't much of an issue.

If in doubt get the 4:10s but I will say the 3:73s with the HO Cummins and Aisin trans will serve you well. Oh, get the factory rear air! LOVE IT!! :B

Dan

Thanks Dan! Seems like everyone is sold on the air suspension. I'm going to order the end of this week. Looks like Aisin, air suspension and 4.10. We live in 'Mississippi but we travel to Colorado a good bit up above 10,000 ft.

Jim

I have the Aisin with 3:73s, I will admit 4:10 would be better but we're not fulltimers and our unit isn't nearly as heavy as Cummins' is or Hauler's. Our '06 had 3:73s in it and we towed the Suites for over a year with it, didn't have problems pulling grades with it. When we bought the '15 I figured 3:73s would be ok for us. There have been times when I have locked out 6th gear but most of our travels are here in the midwest and grades around here aren't much of an issue.

If in doubt get the 4:10s but I will say the 3:73s with the HO Cummins and Aisin trans will serve you well. Oh, get the factory rear air! LOVE IT!! :B

Dan

Another thing to consider is the exhaust brake. These are not Jake's. The more RPM the better the exhaust brake works. I never considered 3:42 as I always hated the 3:54 I had in a 2001 until I swapped them for 4:10. I debated on the 3:73 until I went to a dealer with a trailer in tow(bumper with a skid steer on it) and test drove a 3:73 and a 4:10. Both had same transmission. Get up to 60 let off the fuel and let truck work it down. You will be amazed at how much quicker it will stop with the 4:10. If Ram would not have de-rated the engine and got rid of the dual mass flywheel I would have got a manual as every auto I have ever had has been rebuilt(truck wise). Hope the Aisin will last.