Axle Ratio and tow rating
I was looking at a 2014 Ram 2500 with 6.4 Hemi the other day as a possible tow vehicle for my 5th wheel (9100lbs dry) so I looked up the tow ratings. With the standard axle ratio (3.73) the truck is ...
Forum Discussion
Bedlam wrote:TomG2 wrote:wilber1 wrote:
Using a lower gear puts less stress on the rest of the driveline and allows components like the transmission to handle more weight.
At full throttle and maximum rpm, the drivetrain is subjected to all the power the engine can produce regardless of the rear axle ratio. There might be a slight reduction when cruising empty in overdrive.
My experience with off-road toys proves otherwise. When I ran too tall or aggressive tires (like towing a heavy load), the CVT would complain by shredding my drive belt. Luckily, the final drive to the wheels was chain driven and I was able change sprockets (kind of like changing your differential ratios) and was able to keep the CVT happy. Before doing this sprocket swap, I had to run shorter tires or tires that would slip more so the transmission would not stress.
I am sure you have a point, but I think there are different factors involved when off roading than in towing a trailer down the highway at sixty mph. Modern six speed transmissions have low enough first gears that they will not stall out at take-off speeds.
