Questions on new 15 Ram 3500 dual wheel

[Arcamper]

It looks like I am going to order a Ram 3500 dual wheel pickup here in the next two weeks and I wanted some input on a couple of items. First off it will be a Ram so no debate about how a Ford or Chevy would be better please. It will be the Cummins and Aisin drive train but I am stuck on 3:73 or 4:10 axles. The new camper will weigh about 18k lbs Also they have the rear air suspension as an option. Its not the same air ride the 2500 has since its a spring and air bag combo. My concern is it is a closed system using nitrogen and not easy to service short of a dealer doing it. I am sure it would work fine now but 8 years from now would good old leaf springs be a better choice? Does anyone have this system now. This adds over a grand to an already very expensive truck. I also know it is not adjustable other than a couple of settings inside the cab. Other than that I have it pretty well figured out. Long bed Laramie, leather, cherry red, most everything except moon roof. It will be overkill for our 10k lb 5th wheel we have now but a Mobil Suites 36' is in our future I hope. I am selling my 08 Ram and my trusty 03 Ford so this would be a daily driver most of the time. Hope driving a dual wheel with no trailer does not get old.

[Bedlam]

I'm fine cruising along 55-65 mph which puts my 4.44 gearing right in that engine sweet spot that requires few transmission shifts under load. If I used this truck to run around at higher speeds, I would have chosen the 4.10's. I have other vehicles that handle higher speeds better, so I would never have need for a truck with gears that would be taller.

Matching up an engine and gearing can be pretty daunting for a buyer. Many salesman don't have the experience towing, so they usually are not a good reference. I had trouble finding the chassis cab combination I wanted and had to visit multiple dealers with different trucks to extrapolate the data for my order. My desire was to run close to peak torque RPM at my comfortable driving speeds and I am pretty happy math I had learned in high school was still accessible in the back of head and actually worked.

[Grit_dog]

With 850 ft lbs on tap combined with the double OD trans, IMO I would drive both and see what the happy spot is with rpms and General speed you plan on towing.
Like mentioned above, the higher gears may actually out you in your desired rpm range at the speeds you intend to tow.
Harder to figure out on a newer stock truck, but my 07 with 60hp sticks and tuned likes 2000+rpms under heavy towing loads to keep the egts in check and even though peak torque is 1600rpms, feels like it's lugging until around 2k.
4.10s may be too wound up in 5th and lugging in 6th formthe speeds you want or the opposite for the 3.73s.
ive also found that within reason, rpms difference between 5 and 6th gear for the same speed in both gear ranges does not really affect fuel mileage. I'e my truck will get the same mpg at 2300 in 5th doing 60 as it will in 6th at 1700.
Without doing a bunch of analysis though, get the 4.10 so you have the baddest puller on the road since 6th is deep enough to haul @ss on the hiway with decent rpms.

[transamz9]

AH64ID wrote:

transamz9 wrote:


Why? I still have everything in my sig too

But it's not all you own that you pull with, is it???

Update doesn't mean you have to delete the old one, it just means update.

Better? Or should I put everything I tow with?;)

[cummins2014]

transamz9 wrote:
I'm going to agree with the 3:73 crowd. I pull 18,000# with my Cummins Aisin with 3:42 and have zero problems at all with power. I can run sixth 99% of the time with no problem cruising along at speed limit, drop to fifth on pretty decent hills and roll on. The 3:73's would be more than enough. FWIW I am getting 17-17.5 mixed driving unloaded.

Was hoping to hear from the die hard crowd with the 4:10. Of course they probably have never experienced higher gears with these newer trucks. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

[AH64ID]

transamz9 wrote:


Why? I still have everything in my sig too

But it's not all you own that you pull with, is it???

Update doesn't mean you have to delete the old one, it just means update.

[transamz9]

AH64ID wrote:

transamz9 wrote:
I'm going to agree with the 3:73 crowd. I pull 18,000# with my Cummins Aisin with 3:42 and have zero problems at all with power. I can run sixth 99% of the time with no problem cruising along at speed limit, drop to fifth on pretty decent hills and roll on. The 3:73's would be more than enough. FWIW I am getting 17-17.5 mixed driving unloaded.

Need to update your sig...

Why? I still have everything in my sig too

[Mopar_Mudder]

I found the thread I was thinking of.

http://ramforumz.com/showthread.php?t=181408&page=9

starting at post 82 he talks about draining all air from the tank and it pumps back up. That can't happen if it is nitrogen.

[AH64ID]

transamz9 wrote:
I'm going to agree with the 3:73 crowd. I pull 18,000# with my Cummins Aisin with 3:42 and have zero problems at all with power. I can run sixth 99% of the time with no problem cruising along at speed limit, drop to fifth on pretty decent hills and roll on. The 3:73's would be more than enough. FWIW I am getting 17-17.5 mixed driving unloaded.

Need to update your sig...

[transamz9]

I'm going to agree with the 3:73 crowd. I pull 18,000# with my Cummins Aisin with 3:42 and have zero problems at all with power. I can run sixth 99% of the time with no problem cruising along at speed limit, drop to fifth on pretty decent hills and roll on. The 3:73's would be more than enough. FWIW I am getting 17-17.5 mixed driving unloaded.

[cummins2014]

rskeans wrote:
When I was looking for my RAM I wanted a 3.73. Non to be found. I ended up with a 4.10 with zero regrets. My solo mpg is about 16. I would order a 4.10 if I needed a replacement. You won't regret the 4.10 and you know you have the optimum tow vehicle.

Heres the difference for what it is worth with SRW, and 3:42 gears, I get 15-16 around town, I easily get 12 towing, but my weight towing is usually between 13000-13500. Many tow much heavier withe DWR. Here is the nice thing about 3:42, 19-21.5 highway. Average nearly 20 on the highway. Matter of fact Ram only offers the 3:42 in the Cummins SRW. That should be a pretty good indication of what that Cummins can do.

My point , or answer to the OP ,have never towed with anything lower then 3:73 in a Ford Superduty. Now towing with 3:42 in this new Ram I can't imagine that ANYTHING that I can hook up to within weight ratings I would need lower gears. With that being said I can't imagine needing anything lower then 3:73 with a Ram 3500 DRW.

Maybe someone can point out some advantages to 4:10 gears. I would have to say weight is probably the most deciding factor, but seeing how well 3:42 gets a fair amount of weight moving it seems like 4:10 is not that critical with the power these new trucks have.

[Mopar_Mudder]

I have a new Mega Dually Longhorn on the way, in shipping right now. Ordered it with the air and 3.73. It is replacing the truck in my sig which also has 3.73. Before that I had a 2003 with 4.10 (all duallys) I really would have to get trucks with both 3.73 and 4.10 to do a side by side comparison and see how they perform, but I think it would be closer then you think. One nice thing about the 3.73's is that I can drop it back to 5th gear and run 65 mph no problem, which is geared lower then 4.10's in 6th gear.

As far as the air ride goes, I have been waiting year for it. I really wish it was all out air with no springs, maybe the next time. I have heard the nitrogen talk but I have not heard it verified. I know that I read on a forum that one of the first people to get one opened the shrader valve on the tank to empty the bags and see how far it dropped. If it is a closed system he would not beable to pump it back up again. Now I can't remember where I saw that post at.

[rskeans]

When I was looking for my RAM I wanted a 3.73. Non to be found. I ended up with a 4.10 with zero regrets. My solo mpg is about 16. I would order a 4.10 if I needed a replacement. You won't regret the 4.10 and you know you have the optimum tow vehicle.

[Cummins12V98]

I will receive my 15 LongHorn in a couple weeks. It's replacing rig in sig. Fully loaded with Aisin rear air 4:10's the list goes on!

We are going to a 39TKSB3 in a couple months. No use short changing your self. Get the 4:10's!

Mileage won't be worth considering.

[AH64ID]

eHoefler wrote:
I wish the air was available when I bought my truck, I would have got it, no question. As to the ratio, I had 4.10s in my 2010, pulled well no complaints. On the 21014, I reluctantly went with the 3.73s because that is what I could get with all the other bells & whistles I wanted. I do not regret the decision. I towed the same Landmark fifth wheel as I have with the 2010 and on the same trip on the same roads to Orlando, the 2014 is very impressive with the Aisin and the 3.73s. Actually climbs the same grade better than the 2010, maintains speed better on the highway, and gets better fuel mileage. While not even broke in yet. Don't sweat the 3.73s, you will be fine.

Since there is a decent difference in torque (33% more for 2014) I wonder how the 2014 would tow it with 4.10's.

[eHoefler]

I wish the air was available when I bought my truck, I would have got it, no question. As to the ratio, I had 4.10s in my 2010, pulled well no complaints. On the 21014, I reluctantly went with the 3.73s because that is what I could get with all the other bells & whistles I wanted. I do not regret the decision. I towed the same Landmark fifth wheel as I have with the 2010 and on the same trip on the same roads to Orlando, the 2014 is very impressive with the Aisin and the 3.73s. Actually climbs the same grade better than the 2010, maintains speed better on the highway, and gets better fuel mileage. While not even broke in yet. Don't sweat the 3.73s, you will be fine.