Gas or Diesel??

jeeptj99 · Aug 24, 2021

Bateman said:
Nice. My truck is on jackstands now actually. Axle swap getting rid of 4.10's. Built auto here with some billet parts and a triple disc converter.

OP, just get you a raggedy ole dodge haha

4:10's are horrible but damn it she will pull a building down.

Beerj · Aug 24, 2021

jeeptj99 said:
4:10's are horrible but damn it she will pull a building down.

I've honestly been considering swapping to 4.10's in my truck. I just want to keep the trans happy(ish). I'll probably go back to stock size tires first. Was looking for a 6 speed for a minute recently but nothing that really interested me out there right now.

jeeptj99 · Aug 24, 2021

Beerj said:
I've honestly been considering swapping to 4.10's in my truck. I just want to keep the trans happy(ish). I'll probably go back to stock size tires first. Was looking for a 6 speed for a minute recently but nothing that really interested me out there right now.

I dont like them in my truck. I'm running 35's and it twists the guts out of it at highway speed.

Beerj · Aug 24, 2021

jeeptj99 said:
I dont like them in my truck. I'm running 35's and it twists the guts out of it at highway speed.

From what I heard, limiting the downshifting from od to 6 and 6 to 5 helps the trans, so I've been running in 5th a lot of the time on the highway. So still running higher rpms but virtually no gear hunting. Sometimes I feel like my 2500 still isn't quite enough for what I haul. Last I checked I was at 24,400 gross, probably closer to 25k now.

muddinmetal · Aug 24, 2021

Most diesels don't have any "guts" unless you work them hard. It is just how turbochargers work. 3.55s and 35s are weak under 40% throttle.
4.10s and 33s are much stronger in that situation... but, at 75% throttle, the 3.55 truck is actually making more power (more resistance=more exhaust flow=more boost). Still though, 4.10s make for a much longer lasting powertrain all in all

TBItoy · Aug 24, 2021

I'd have to drive them all, but if buying NEW, it'd be hard to do anything but diesel.

Beerj · Aug 24, 2021

muddinmetal said:
Still though, 4.10s make for a much longer lasting powertrain all in all

That's my whole thing, I'd sooner sacrifice a little mpg than find myself stranded 8 hrs from home with a gooseneck full of rigs and a cooked trans. And then have to shell out more money for another stock trans, or pay 5k+ for something built.

muddinmetal · Aug 24, 2021

Beerj said:
That's my whole thing, I'd sooner sacrifice a little mpg than find myself stranded 8 hrs from home with a gooseneck full of rigs and a cooked trans. And then have to shell out more money for another stock trans, or pay 5k+ for something built.

Me personally, I will never drive an automatic truck with less than 3.73s (diesel) or 4.10s (gas) it's not worth the strain and heat. Especially as tires and wheels grow bigger and heavier

xjmarc · Aug 24, 2021

jeeptj99 said:
4:10's are horrible but damn it she will pull a building down.

I love the 4.10s in my 3rd gen 6.7 Cummins. While it doesn't get the mileage my 12 valve with 3.55s did, not towing of course, it does me just fine.
On that note when I decided I needed a tow rig I got a Chevy 1500 Z71 that averaged 4mpg towing my jeep, slightly better down hill. I replaced it with a 97 12Valve Dodge 2wd and got around 18 towing and my best unloaded was 23mpg but the 3.55s brought the suck taking off and crossing mountains. Briefly had an 04 2500 Cummins 4wd, no clue on gears but it got about 16 towing and was slightly better climbing. My current 07.5 2500 Cummins was getting about that till I deleted and tuned it. Now it gets around 18 towing and less unloaded because I drive it like a hot rod. All 4 were autos so with a manual I might be able to get a bit more but I have a fused ankle so manuals suck for me. Also my wife said I wasn't allowed to get a gas truck as long as I planned on towing anything.

Afarmer1062 · Aug 24, 2021

My 07.5 SRW 3500 Cummins with 4.10s gets around 18 towing and 23-24 unloaded. Deleted and tuned, auto and 4.10s. I haven't had any costly repairs to date with 225k on it. Knock on wood lol

I had a 2010 Chevy 2500HD with the 6.0 before this and it was decent but sucked the fuel. Really had to work hard climbing. I don't know that I would go back to a gas truck doing any kind of towing.

jeeptj99 · Aug 24, 2021

Beerj said:
From what I heard, limiting the downshifting from od to 6 and 6 to 5 helps the trans, so I've been running in 5th a lot of the time on the highway. So still running higher rpms but virtually no gear hunting. Sometimes I feel like my 2500 still isn't quite enough for what I haul. Last I checked I was at 24,400 gross, probably closer to 25k now.

i guess mine being a nv4500 helps with worrying about the trans. I got lucky. My truck was "camper package" it came with a Dana 80'rear 4:10's and a manual trans.

Bateman · Aug 25, 2021

As long as that 5 gear nut doesn't decide to throw a party haha

I will have a srw 4.10 Dana 80 with a locker available soon. Matching 60 front too but a hub locked up on it and I had to get to work so I drug the bitch 3 miles or so. It got toasty.

onetoncrawler · Aug 25, 2021

alrider said:
What was your gear ratio? I'm considering ordering a new F350 single wheel but want the 4.30 ratio I heard that the F250-350's with 3.73 are always shifting down to pull hills and when passing on freeway. I sold a Cummins 6spd manual trans 4x4 dually not long ago and it would pull a house but I want something new and can't afford a new diesel,what was thoughts on the 7.3 gas? I've driven several 6.2 gas Ford's and I'm not really impressed enough to buy one of those.

I had the 4.30. The 7.3 is strong, but not in the same ballpark as a diesel

lt99ls1 · Aug 25, 2021

For what it's worth, I tow around twice a month or more pulling around 8k. I have had three 6.6 Duramax trucks (2003,2008 and a 2012)and one 2017 5.0 Cummins Titan XD. I traded my XD in on a 3.0 Duramax 1500 a year ago and love it. I get 14-15 mpg towing 8k and 23.5 mpg (hand calculated city mileage) empty around town. I do use a weight-distribution hitch when towing over 4k to level the truck out. The maintenance schedule is much closer to a gas burner than a 6.6 diesel. The truck pulls, stops, and handles the weight perfectly. This was 11450 lbs of wood, block and trailer. Truck handled it perfectly.

jeeptj99 · Aug 25, 2021

Bateman said:
As long as that 5 gear nut doesn't decide to throw a party haha

I will have a srw 4.10 Dana 80 with a locker available soon. Matching 60 front too but a hub locked up on it and I had to get to work so I drug the bitch 3 miles or so. It got toasty.

Yeah i've been down the road of the nut backing off when i got the truck.

ridered3 · Aug 26, 2021

lt99ls1 said:
For what it's worth, I tow around twice a month or more pulling around 8k. I have had three 6.6 Duramax trucks (2003,2008 and a 2012)and one 2017 5.0 Cummins Titan XD. I traded my XD in on a 3.0 Duramax 1500 a year ago and love it. I get 14-15 mpg towing 8k and 23.5 mpg (hand calculated city mileage) empty around town. I do use a weight-distribution hitch when towing over 4k to level the truck out. The maintenance schedule is much closer to a gas burner than a 6.6 diesel. The truck pulls, stops, and handles the weight perfectly. This was 11450 lbs of wood, block and trailer. Truck handled it perfectly.

Purely out of curiosity, why did you switch from a diesel 5/8's ton Titan XD to a diesel 1/2 ton?

Bateman · Aug 26, 2021

Them 5.0 Cummins were snapping crank snouts like it was a day job from what I was reading on the diesel forum. They run a thin oil if I remember right.

Jduck · Aug 26, 2021

I recently sold my 05 2500 Cummins and got a new f150 configured for 13,900 tow capacity. So far towing the Jeep it is hands down better in take off and braking than that dodge was. The diesel was nice for mpg and the low rpm grunt on the highway. But now this just down shifts 4 gears and keeps up no problem. It was a trade off since I daily drive the truck also. I'm willing to sacrifice towing mpg's for the 8-10 weekends a year I pull the Jeep to be comfortable everyday.

Sawzall · Aug 27, 2021

Jduck said:
I recently sold my 05 2500 Cummins and got a new f150 configured for 13,900 tow capacity. So far towing the Jeep it is hands down better in take off and braking than that dodge was. The diesel was nice for mpg and the low rpm grunt on the highway. But now this just down shifts 4 gears and keeps up no problem. It was a trade off since I daily drive the truck also. I'm willing to sacrifice towing mpg's for the 8-10 weekends a year I pull the Jeep to be comfortable everyday.

I saw one of the new F150s towing around a 20' trailer with a late model Mega Cab dually on I840. It wasn't squatting.

Sawzall · Aug 27, 2021

Towing packages make a huge difference on some trucks. A guy came to buy my 38' enclosed gooseneck and had a 3rd gen Ram 2500 with a Cummins and no factory tow package. We made a deal on the price but he wanted to see how his truck would handle it first. The trailer squatted that truck severely so he left without buying it. The guy who bought it had a SRW 3500 3rd gen and it didn't squat it much at all.