How critical is axle ratio?

ShinerBock wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

ShinerBock wrote:
The need for a low or high number rear gear ratio boils down to how the truck is being used and how often. If it is unloaded most of the time and you occasionally tow closer to its max ratings then it is probably best to get a lower number rear gear ratio and just select lower trans gears as needed when towing. If it is towing most of the time then it is probably best to get a higher rear gear ratio.

Getting a lower rear gear ratio to get better fuel economy on a truck that is towing 75% of the time makes no sense just as getting a higher gear ratio for a truck that is unloaded 75% of the time it is used.

Back in the days of 3 or 4 speed transmissions, you really had to choose what you wanted to optimize (towing or not towing) when selecting the rear end ratio.

This is the beauty of the 8/10 speed transmissions. Even up near the tow limits, the engine can stay in it's ideal RPM range by selecting an appropriate transmission gear.

Loaded or empty, if you stay within ratings, the overall gear ratio is good with the lower (numerical) gear ratio.

The only time you need to consider using a higher (numerical) gear ratio, is if you are over the tow rating of the lower gear ratio.

I have to disagree here. The more frequent you tow closer to your upper limits, the better you are in getting a higher numerical gear ratio to keep added driveline stresses low that a lower gear ratio brings.

It is similar to the half-ton versus HD debate. Towing close to a half-ton's 10k rating on a rare occasion does not warrant getting an HD, but if you do it on a regular basis then you are better off getting an HD because the added stress will cause premature wear on the half-ton as to where an HD is built to handle it.