cwmoser wrote:
Not sure why the 4.3:1 axle makes it a good tow vehicle but I like.
A numerically higher axle ratio allows the engine to spin at a higher speed which is particularly important when that engine is under heavy load from a travel trailer being dragged back by significant wind resistance. Japanese engines in particular are
designed to spin, unlike those from the North American Big 3 which are designed to develop torque at lower engine speeds. You
need that engine to spin and with a 4.3 axle it will ... in comparison my Chevy Avalanche with the older, less capable, wide ratio 4-spd transmission is running GM's ubiquitous 3.42 axle - great for fuel mileage returns but not so great for towing. That's why I always tow in 3rd with Tow / Haul engaged and manually downshift to 2nd on significant upgrades - it's the
only way I can keep that engine revving quickly enough to deal with the load imposed by our trailer. I mentioned much earlier in this thread how good friends of ours replaced their GM Acadia with a GM Sierra - a 5.3L V8 with the newer, narrow ratio 6-spd transmission but when I asked about his axle ratio he replied he had no idea even though he specifically bought this truck for towing their trailer! :S Turns out he's running a non-tow friendly 3.23 axle - dumb, dumb, dumb - the only reason it works as well as it does towing his trailer is because that V8 5.3L engine is coupled to a much more flexible narrow range 6-spd transmission and his trailer isn't particularly heavy, just a couple hundreds pounds more than my 192RBS. Nonetheless, he'd have been MUCH better off selecting a model with a 3.73 tow friendly axle ratio, particularly if they ever decide to upgrade to a larger trailer. His problem, not mine, but as I've said several times throughout this discussion the devil is in the details. ;)
