Which Differential for Truck Camper

[gregchambers]

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. My question is which differential I should get, the 3:73 or the 4:10? I don't plan to haul anything, just the camper and gear along with water, fuel, etc. so combined it should not exceed 4,000 lbs. total payload. Anyone have experience with either combination? Any big milage penalty with th 4:10? I live in California where we have some prety big hills. The camper if turned into a trailer could be pulled by any mini-van, I just need the 3500 for the payload capacity, not towing ability. Any milage experience on late model gassers would be appreciated. Sorry oil burners, not interested!

[Sheriffdoug]

BradW wrote:
Gas motor, truck camper, 4,000 lb payload, high wind drag, hills (mtns), altitude hp loss, california highway speeds, 4.10 standard gearing, resale value .........

Unless 90% of your driving is highway miles with an empty truck bed, you want the 4.10 - you, your tranny and the folks behind you will apreciate it.

G'day,

Allways plan for that little extra.

You don't want to be that vehicle holding up traffic, the one with no stamina for those hills/mountains or the one with no extra grunt to safely pass.

I have had three diesels,

First, 2002 F250 4x4 Supercab Longbed 3.73 SRW, powerful, economical, but had
a Smaller Popup camper. Excellent.

Second, 2011 Chev Silverado DRW 2500hd Longbed supercab 3.73 with an
Adventurer 910fbs, heavy camper, would have been better with 4.10 and DRW.

Third, 2012 Ram 3500hd crew Longbed drw with 4.10 and 2013 Eagle Cap 1160,
extremely heavy camper, with sway bar, supersprings, Timbrens, despite extreme
weight, uses only 5-6% more fuel, but with 4.10 has incredible power at low & high
speeds with the added stability of dual rear wheel and other upgrades.


In summary, go with the 4.10 with either single or dual rear wheel, diesel or especially
with gas. Gas engines use revs for torque, therefore using more fuel. 4.10, less strain on gearbox & rear diff. Gas engines are cheaper to buy, with cheaper fuel.

Go 4.10, Diesel with DRW, please, you won't regret it.

[BradW]

smkettner wrote:
The only reason I would get 4.10 is because 4.30 or 4.56 was not offered.

Best answer. 🙂 🙂
If that was my rig, I would be looking for 4.30's.
Brad

[scottz]

I would go with 4.10 (and I did)
I think the milage difference is 3-4MPG.
If you plan on increasing wheel size from factory, I would certainly go with 4.10s.

[time2roll]

The only reason I would get 4.10 is because 4.30 or 4.56 was not offered.
Less that 4.10 is diesel gears IMO.

[MORSNOW]

Fishcamper wrote:
I drive a 6.0L 2011 extended cab 3500 with the 3.73 ratio. Here is a very specific example of what I experienced over a 6,611 mile trip last spring. I carry a Lance 920 (about 2700 lbs, so lighter than yours, but I'm probably not much under your 4000 lbs. when traveling cross-country). In any case, with holding tanks empty but everything else loaded (including 2 passengers) it weighed in at 11,160 lbs. I'm pretty much a speed limit plus 5-10 driver.

I found the 3.10 to provide more than adequate power for this rig. Note, however, for what it's worth, the trip was on relatively flat country with no climbing to speak of.

Gas mileage experience with the 3.73:
-Cape Cod to Sycamore, IL (slightly west of Chicago) - 11.8mpg
-Sycamore to Yellowstone - 8.9mpg (staggering headwinds)
-Within and around Yellowstone on the NP roads (1,020 miles at 45 mph but with numerous stops and starts) - 12.2mpg
-Yellowstone back to Sycamore - 8.9mpg (included some city driving in Montana and again forceful headwinds. Yes, headwinds coming west and going back east! Makes me think of my Dad who walked a mile to and from school, uphill both ways!
-Sycamore to Cape Cod - 11.7mpg

That's it for what it's worth; the good, the bad, and the ugly (699 gallons of gas).

I have a 6.0L 2012 Extended Cab 2500 with 3:73 ratio also. My mileage and performance has also been similar to yours and I live in Alaska where I'm almost always crossing a mountain pass or two. I am also towing a 16' snowmobile trailer with ATV's or snowmobiles depending on the season along with the my Wolf Creek camper. 4:10's will give you a larger load capability, but 3:73 will give a slightly better fuel mileage, even with a moderate load.

[Fishcamper]

I drive a 6.0L 2011 extended cab 3500 with the 3.73 ratio. Here is a very specific example of what I experienced over a 6,611 mile trip last spring. I carry a Lance 920 (about 2700 lbs, so lighter than yours, but I'm probably not much under your 4000 lbs. when traveling cross-country). In any case, with holding tanks empty but everything else loaded (including 2 passengers) it weighed in at 11,160 lbs. I'm pretty much a speed limit plus 5-10 driver.

I found the 3.10 to provide more than adequate power for this rig. Note, however, for what it's worth, the trip was on relatively flat country with no climbing to speak of.

Gas mileage experience with the 3.73:
-Cape Cod to Sycamore, IL (slightly west of Chicago) - 11.8mpg
-Sycamore to Yellowstone - 8.9mpg (staggering headwinds)
-Within and around Yellowstone on the NP roads (1,020 miles at 45 mph but with numerous stops and starts) - 12.2mpg
-Yellowstone back to Sycamore - 8.9mpg (included some city driving in Montana and again forceful headwinds. Yes, headwinds coming west and going back east! Makes me think of my Dad who walked a mile to and from school, uphill both ways!
-Sycamore to Cape Cod - 11.7mpg

That's it for what it's worth; the good, the bad, and the ugly (699 gallons of gas).

[jefe_4x4]

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

[brholt]

We went with the 4.3 with our Ford 6.2 gas engine. Very happy. While I can not compare directly with the 3.7 I suspect it holds 6th gear much better than the 3.7 would.

[gregchambers]

Thanks for all of the input. I should add some color commentary that my wife and I are in our early 60's and plan to keep this rig through our golden years. We don't change RV's often having recently sold a tent trailer that we had for over 32 years. The last 20 years or so we have camped out of both a truck camper shell and a cargo van taking the tent trailer only for long weekends and longer vacations. This rig will be a major move up for us amenity wise. Back to more topic related information, the truck will be dedicated 95% of the time to the camper for at least another five or six years as I have a company vehicle for daily driving. After retirement, it may see more around town use. The 4:10 sounds like the better way to go given that most trips involve the Cascades and Sierras. My need to pass everyone else on the road faded years ago, one of the factors leading me to gas over diesel and with a camper, wind resistance will be the MPG killer more than gears I suspect. I enjoy the input!

[egarant]

4.10's all the way!

[BradW]

Gas motor, truck camper, 4,000 lb payload, high wind drag, hills (mtns), altitude hp loss, california highway speeds, 4.10 standard gearing, resale value .........

Unless 90% of your driving is highway miles with an empty truck bed, you want the 4.10 - you, your tranny and the folks behind you will apreciate it.

[zman-az]

As far as gears go, the auto industry picks the right size to match the engine and tranny to get the best fuel mileage. So you cannot compare 4.10 gears in a gasser to a diesel, or a jeep or a corvette.

If you live in the plains and rarely tow the 3.73 would be a better choice. Also I am willing to bet most trucks purchased rarely carry any loads for more than 25% 0f their life.

The reason for the lower gear choice is for those that tow a lot and need the extra power at the pavement. If you live in the mountains/hills you may want the lower gears as well. Then their are those that want to put larger tires on their trucks, the lower gear choice is a must.

A 3,000 lb camper and then probably another 500-1000lbs of stuff you probably will want the lower gears. You also have the mountains and hills in your area so just go with the 4.10's. Then again if its mostly freeway driving and you only use the camper a couple times a year 3.73 may be the way to go.

[campingken]

Just checked the Chevy build your own truck website. For a 3500 SRW 6.0 V-8 the 4:10 rear end is now standard. The 3.73 is an option and an extra cost.

[Bigfoot_affair]

I have had both, 4.10's are the way to go. When your in the hills you will know you made the right choice! I also got better mpg with the 4.10's due to the engine not shifting out of overdrive as often..

[KD4UPL]

The 3.73 will be just fine for your use.
However, I would get the 4.10. The mileage won't make much difference and it will be that much better going up hills. If you ever upgrade to a bigger camper or decide to tow something you'll appreciate the 4.10.