Which Differential for Truck Camper
Looking to purchase a new 3500 Single rear wheel crew cab 4x4 standard bed truck and haul a Lance 855S (about 3,000 lbs) camper. Plan to get the 6.0L gas engine which comes with a 6 speed auto trans. ...
Forum Discussion
Greg,
Thanks for the additional info. It helps define your real needs vis-a-vis the rear axle.
IF....you do not travel at 75 mph and travel around 55 mph to 60 mph, then a higher numerical diff is the one. The other aspect is that modern gas engines do not make a lot of power down low in the rpm's. Pulling or carrying any kind of weight, you must have the rpms up compared to oil burners. This translates to a 4.10 with slightly bigger tires in my book.
In the old days, I would find out where the max torque rpm's were on whatever engine I was considering and try to make that match one of the gears, usually the highest gear. In the old days, a Chevy 454 put out a lot of torque lower in the rpm band than the newer, higher reviing 8.2L V-8.
Also, in the ever expanding chase to get better gas mileage and put out any kind of power, the V8 mfgrs. have given you the option of a lower numerical gear ratio (like 3.73, 3.55 or 3.42 or lower) to give you max mpg, but only with increased rpms do you get any real power. And with ANY kind of load, you WILL be up higher in the rpms.
I used to carpool with a percussionist who bought a 2004 Ford F150 w/small V8. On any kind of hill that engine was screaming. The only time it was not screaming was going back downhill.
regards, as always, jefe
Thanks for the additional info. It helps define your real needs vis-a-vis the rear axle.
IF....you do not travel at 75 mph and travel around 55 mph to 60 mph, then a higher numerical diff is the one. The other aspect is that modern gas engines do not make a lot of power down low in the rpm's. Pulling or carrying any kind of weight, you must have the rpms up compared to oil burners. This translates to a 4.10 with slightly bigger tires in my book.
In the old days, I would find out where the max torque rpm's were on whatever engine I was considering and try to make that match one of the gears, usually the highest gear. In the old days, a Chevy 454 put out a lot of torque lower in the rpm band than the newer, higher reviing 8.2L V-8.
Also, in the ever expanding chase to get better gas mileage and put out any kind of power, the V8 mfgrs. have given you the option of a lower numerical gear ratio (like 3.73, 3.55 or 3.42 or lower) to give you max mpg, but only with increased rpms do you get any real power. And with ANY kind of load, you WILL be up higher in the rpms.
I used to carpool with a percussionist who bought a 2004 Ford F150 w/small V8. On any kind of hill that engine was screaming. The only time it was not screaming was going back downhill.
regards, as always, jefe
