rear end ratio
OK so I feel I am stressing the truck to much in hilly conditions pulling my 5th wheel camper, seems fine out on open road but needs help near the lakes and camp grounds going up those sometimes large...
Forum Discussion
This is not an identical situation but is similar enough that you may find it useful.
We used to have a TT that went about #6000 loaded and ready to camp. Our truck then had a 5.2L V8 w/3.55 gears, 2WD. I towed with the OD (4th) off but still on every steep hill it would drop from 3rd to 2nd gear and scream up the hill. I would let the speed drop down to 50 mph to reduce the racket.
Living in Kentucky and surrounded by hills I got tired of the constant noise. I changed the ring and pinion to 3.92 and on the first trip out I noticed a huge difference. We got on I-75 around Lexington Kentucky, drove north through the hills of Kentucky and on into Ohio and the truck stayed in 3rd gear all the way.
I was impressed and DW was simply amazed. The RPM required to climb the hills was available in 3rd gear at moderate throttle when equipped with 3.92 gears, but, with the original gears, the throttle position required to maintain (or nearly maintain) speed required a downshift to 2nd gear.
Real world experience here.
We used to have a TT that went about #6000 loaded and ready to camp. Our truck then had a 5.2L V8 w/3.55 gears, 2WD. I towed with the OD (4th) off but still on every steep hill it would drop from 3rd to 2nd gear and scream up the hill. I would let the speed drop down to 50 mph to reduce the racket.
Living in Kentucky and surrounded by hills I got tired of the constant noise. I changed the ring and pinion to 3.92 and on the first trip out I noticed a huge difference. We got on I-75 around Lexington Kentucky, drove north through the hills of Kentucky and on into Ohio and the truck stayed in 3rd gear all the way.
I was impressed and DW was simply amazed. The RPM required to climb the hills was available in 3rd gear at moderate throttle when equipped with 3.92 gears, but, with the original gears, the throttle position required to maintain (or nearly maintain) speed required a downshift to 2nd gear.
Real world experience here.
