Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Pullings
This is the truck I would buy right now if I had to. Except with the 3.21 rear end. No need for turbos or diesel to get a good efficient truck.
Out of curiosity did you happen to test the base v6 models from ford or GM? How did they compare?
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The 3:21 rear end dropped tow rating to 4000 lbs.
Not necessary with 8 gears. I know the logic for improved mileage, lower the rpm's of cruise on highway but in this case with the 8 spd and especially in the heavier crew cab 4x4 version i would worry the 3:21 would almost be too low on rpm at highway speeds and the transmission would hunt more!
Seriously, my rpm at 130 km/h is 2000. There's just enough power there to hold it on moderate up downs, either way all the extra gears of the 8 speed are nice on the downshifting for hills one at a time (not like gm, don't get me started with their pathetic ability to program throttle to gearing etc.).
Think of the 8 speed like a 6 speed with a way deeper first gear (for stout accelleration off the line) then regular 6 speed gearing in the middle and a way longer overdrive gear at the top for really low rpm on the highway.
I think the rpm at 100 km/h is about 1400 and 110 at 1600 and 120 at 1800...it's close to those figures...i forget but i checked all that out when new and curious. I never really drive that slow so i never forget the 2000 rpm at 130 km/h my truck does. I also chose the 17" wheels, bit shorter than the 20's so there may be a slight difference to those figures on the 20" models but not enough to matter much.
The magazines at the time tested all the v6 models, no comparison to the pentastar 8spd. It performs more like a v8 6 spd.