Rear end ratios

Sticking my neck out a bit as I'm going from memory, but a 3.55 geared vehicle will have less pulling power than a 4.10. But good luck finding, let's say a new one ton vehicle, with more than 3.73 gearing. The reason is the newer vehicles compensate with up to 10-speed transmissions. Back in the day, a 4-speed tranny might have 4.10 gearing in a one ton. Bottom line is any of the newer one tons can handle most, if not all, truck campers sold today, especially if DRW.

X2, Kayteg. My new Silverado with the eight speed transmission and 3.24 rear end pulls better than my 2015 Tahoe with the six speed and 3.42.

Final gear ratio is always a balance between engine torque and differential gearing.
For years I drive European vehicles, who I love for high differential ratio as they take most of the grades without downshifting.
My family members on other hand drive Toyotas, who I get to drive occasionally.
It gets really annoying when Toyota needs to downshift with each wind gust or freeway overpass. But then Toyotas get better mpg.
Same with trucks, but here, on this forum you will find "conservative" members who drove trucks with high differential ratios for decades and can't comprehend changes combustion engines made in last years.
Most of the members will advise you to get high differential ratio for camper.
I educated myself and for my 440 HP dually - have chosen the lowest differential ratio Ford would install, yet still the truck takes all those 15-17 miles grades we have with 6000 lb camper never dropping from overdrive at 1600 rpm.
Frankly I wish I could get even lower than 3.55 differential ratio for fuel economy. It doesn't make sense to gear truck for hauling 20,000lb rigs without downshifting.
Transmissions have gears for a reason.

time2roll wrote:
Generally the modern 6 to 10 speed transmissions have made changing rear gears obsolete.
Now if you have an old 3 or 4 speed and you feel like you are often in the wrong gear then consider a change.

With 10 speeds perhaps but at least some 6 speeds aren’t that different than older 4 speeds when it comes to towing heavy. Our 6 speed Yukon will top 60 in 2nd gear so it would definitely need lower gears in the rear if I wanted to tow anything substantial with it. The 2 added gears allow for lower RPM when cruising in the 40-70mph range for better mileage.

Generally the modern 6 to 10 speed transmissions have made changing rear gears obsolete.
Now if you have an old 3 or 4 speed and you feel like you are often in the wrong gear then consider a change.

The higher the gear ratio numerically (3.55, 3.73, 4.10, 4.30, 4.44, 4.56) the more revolutions your driveshaft has to turn to make the tires go 1 Revolution. This increase in gear numerical gear ratio decrease effort required to turn the tires thus making it easier for a vehicle accelerate and pull a load. If you have a light vehicle that does not pull heavy loads you can use a numerically lower gear like 3.08 which decreases the rpm of an engine at speed and thereby increase fuel economy. On the other hand, if you have a heavy vehicle that frequently pulls heavy loads you’d want a higher numeric gear ratio to make it easier to accelerate and pull heavy loads.