Thread: Ford or Dodge?
View Single Post
  #117  
Old 04-18-2018, 12:03 PM
Tom Pullings Tom Pullings is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Southwest
Posts: 532
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stinky Coyote View Post
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.


I see what you’re saying but I’m one of those people that drives 100 or less if I’m not pressed for time. I never pull more than a couple thousand pounds so to be honest a small truck like a Colorado would do fine for me but I like to have a half ton in case I wanna help someone move or something. I think either rear end would be fine and I wouldn’t turn down a good deal on a 3.55.
Reply With Quote