Gear Ratio

I've been driving diesels since the early 80's (VW). These new ones are amazing. I started mine up yesterday and immediately walked back to stand by the exhaust pipe. There was no smoke and no odor. Zip. Nada. Zero. Just crazy amazing. And mine is super quiet. In fact I'll bet my diesel is quieter pulling my 14,000 pound trailer at 60 MPH and about 1700 RPMs (3.73 gears) then a gasser doing the same - especially up any kind of hill. I don't ever want to own another gasser vehicle.

Has Consumers reports ever reported on trucks in the HD DOT class 2 relm. ie 8400-10000 lbs gvwr, or class 3 from 10001-13500? or what most of us will call 3/4 or 1 tons?!?!?! Not sure where that post came from, I have seen half ton or cars, trucks with gvwr's under 8400 lbs tested......nothing I would call of significant size.

As far as RA's go.....get one that puts you as low as possible at the speed you will drive at for best mpg. AND with the DOD gears in the trannies today, it is possible to be geared TOO TALL! as it was in the past. I would need a heck of a lot of torque to keep a trailer moving at 60 mph and 1300-1400 rpms with a 3.42 geared rig with a dod at say 15-20K lbs or more with the typical 31-32" tire diam trucks have today.

marty

PartyMarty wrote:
Regarding Consumer Reports:
I have used them for 40 plus years .
I use them as a source to get educated about every product they test .
I have followed their articles for cars and trucks and have had good results .
Why would I disregard Consumer Reports in favor of some person on the internet that has way less actual experience in comparing two or more vehicles ?
For those that have the combination of duramax / Allison with a 3.73 or lower ratio , they still have a grin on their face after coming from any gasser including all the Big Blocks that I have owned for the last several decades .

Don't recollect anyone stating that YOU need to get rid of Consumers Report. Several of us think it's nothing more than a rag....life and a little research helps me know what is worth buying or not. I was a member and got the magazine for years, never helped me make up my mind about any vehicle, nor appliances, stereo equipment, computers, well you get the gist..it was interesting, but they seem to miss the mark enough times for me to question their authenticity....They've been wrong on so many different things that I canned them...

I agree with you on the D/A combo, I owned three of them....Don't know what big blocks you owned and had in trucks, but I did like the 8.1/A I had in 01'...just never met a filling station it didn't like, other than that, IT WAS A TOWING ANIMULE!:)

Regarding Consumer Reports:
I have used them for 40 plus years .
I use them as a source to get educated about every product they test .
I have followed their articles for cars and trucks and have had good results .
Why would I disregard Consumer Reports in favor of some person on the internet that has way less actual experience in comparing two or more vehicles ?
For those that have the combination of duramax / Allison with a 3.73 or lower ratio , they still have a grin on their face after coming from any gasser including all the Big Blocks that I have owned for the last several decades .

Typically, the more gears/speeds in your transmission, the less critical/significant your rear end gear ratio becomes. A three or four speed transmission probably has a top gear ratio of 1 to 1. A 5 or 6 speed transmission probably has at least one overdrive gear. The same is true for the low/1st gear ratio. The more speeds in the transmission, the lower the 1st gear ratio is going to be. Low 1st gear ratios and high top gear ratioes effectively change the overall ratio to the rear wheels, eliminating the significance of the rear axel ratio.

EDIT. Look at the chart in the thread "I did it", submitted by APT

Cost of diesel fuel vs gas is a huge reason you don't see more diesels in America. And the scarcity of gas stations offering diesel.

None of the 5 stations near my home offer diesel. I would have to drive a long way to find diesel. That puts a damper on buying one for sure.

cts

KD4UPL wrote:
For towing with a gas engine I would get the 4.10 (which is the lower gearing). If you get a diesel your only option will be the 3.73 which will do just fine.
Please don't judge a diesel engine by a 1984 Mercedes. Try comparing anything else from 1984 to today's technology: computers, cell phones, televisions, etc.
Diesel engines have come a long long way. Unfortunately a lot of Americans still seem to make those comparisons to long past diesel technology. I think that's why we don't have as many diesel vehicle options in this country.

IMO the biggest reason that we don't see more diesels is the fuel price; at a station near my home in Phoenix 87oct is $3.19 and #2 diesel is $3.62.

Though we on this forum realize that diesel inherently gets better MPG and some basic math can determine which is more economical, the "average" consumer will just look at fuel prices and think "no way I'm spending $0.40 more per gallon" even if that basic math might mean the diesel is still cheaper per mile.

If diesel was $3.19 and 87oct was $3.62, I'm confident a WHOLE BUNCH of folks would make the switch, particular now that diesels are quiet and virtually odor-free.

If you can afford it, get a 2010+ diesel. No smell, quiet once moving, 700+ lb-ft of torque for reserve. If you stick with gas, get the 4.10. 6th gear is tall!

dougsee3 wrote:
Axle Ratios

Knew I was right on that one....just didn't want to get into the math formula's that would have proven all that out....:)