Why 4.1 axle?
I tow an 8000 pound trailer with a GMC 2500 with 6.0l engine, 4 speed transmission, and 4.1 axle ratio. I rarely need 3rd gear on the highway; only on steep hills. For my next truck, why not get si...
Forum Discussion
mich800 wrote:time2roll wrote:
With more overdrive that is all the MORE reason to have 4.10
Gear 6 and 9 is virtually the same. So the gear 10 allows for lower rpm with the 4.10 ratio.
3.xx is grocery gears. 4.xx is towing gears.
The only reason I say 4.10 is that most would call 4.56 or 4.88 absolute bonkers. Anything 4.xx is reasonable with those overdrive ratios.
If you want to run 3.20 gears... that is fine with me also.
Than you defeat the purpose of the highway gearing unloaded. 1-5 are all deeper so you can get the same performance towing with a higher rear gear and extra economy when not. Remember, the reason for these transmissions is for cafe.
But the CAFE test doesn't really reflect the real world.
I did not by my truck to run high speed empty. I bought it to tow. If you run 60+ most of the time the high speed gear is fine. If however you rarely drive over 45 mph then the low gear will get you better city mileage. And I've yet to see more than 1 reverse gear. I've seen a lot of people that did not have a low enough reverse gearing. But I don't live in flat country either.
