rear axle ratio change better towing capacity
Hi, In great need of help. We have bought 2 years ago a 2007 silverado 1500 crew cab standard box 4.8l V8 with rear axle ratio of 3.23. Last year my parents gave us their dutchmen four winds trailer...
Forum Discussion
RCMAN46 wrote:Gearing is a torque multiplier. Lower ratio gearing (higher number, ie: 4.56) greatly increases torque available at the rear wheels, versus higher ratio gearing (ie: 3.55).
Changing the rear end ratio will not give the truck any more horsepower than it has now period!
If you have a newer truck with a six speed transmission changing the rear end ratio may change the gear you can climb a hill but most likely it will be at the same speed as before the change. Horsepower is what gets you up the hill and a different rear gear ratio will not change the horsepower an engine can produce.
400 lb-ft torque x 3.55 = 1420 lb-ft at the rear wheels
400 lb-ft torque x 4.56 = 1824 lb-ft at the rear wheels
Lower ratio gearing also increases the rpm of the engine, at the same wheel speed. Most gas engines produce more horsepower at higher rpms. So yes, lower ratio gearing does increase the amount of available horsepower and torque at the rear wheels, at the same wheel speed, compared to higher ratio gearing.
