2003 Dodge Ram 2500 QC 4x4 with 5.7L and 3.73's stock, what gears should I run with new tires and rims?

295/65R18 with 4.10's

295/65R18 with 4.56's

 

I am sorry but I am unable to answer your poll question at this time. A 295/65/18 tire is just a hair over 33" and I think 33s are right at the border between the two gears you have chosen for your poll.

Therefor it would be necessary to know what conditions you primarily drive your truck and what you use your truck for...

 

I wanted a little bigger tire look on the truck so thats why I went with the bigger rims and tires, but I use the truck mostly for hauling trailers or at min a load of material in the box. I just wanted to know what the best opion was before I started to throw parts at it. Like the Power Wagon comes factory with 33's and 4.56's so that's what got me thinking to run that option vs the 4.10's. So thats why Im asking to see what others have to say.

 

If you're pulling or hauling a good bit and ain't living constantly on the Interstate, then 4.56s, no doubt.

 

Well most of my hauling is done on the interstate. I rarelly drive it on short distances.

 

4.56's will only raise your rpm about 200rpm in 5th gear at 70mph from what I have read over 3.92's. What gears do you have now? If you have 3.92's, you won't even notice a difference with 4.10's. Wouldn't be worth the money to change from 3.92's to 4.10's.

 

I can't vouch for standard size tires, but with my 35s, my stock 3.92 gears were WAY down, at 70 I was taching down around 1500 maybe 1550, the move to 4.56s brought me up to right at 2000, maybe just a smidge over. So with my size tires the change was more like 400-450.

I'm gonna guess that with 33s he'll be taching a bit higher, like 2150-2200 but still well low enough to not effect fuel economy much.

I'd still say 4.56s and I agree with LX - if you got 3.92s now, the money spent to go to 4.10s is NOT worth it...

 

I have 3.73's stock.

 

Duh 2500! It would help if I read the vehicle specs...

 

With your tire size increase you have decreased your GCWR by about 1000lbs. If you mainly pulling a cargo trailer the 4.10 ratio would probably be fine but a camper trailer then I would recommend 4.56. I have the 4.10 with stock 265s and I am fine with pulling a cargo trailer. With the 295/65r18 tires you should see 1918 RPM at 60 MPH with a 4.56 gear and 1724 RPM with a 4.10 gear. Right now with the 3.73 it would be 1569 RPM. If you are going to pay for a gear change then I would go ahead with 4.56. With 4.56 you might be able to tow without tow/haul mode and ride in 5th gear. With the 4.10 you would probably be in 4th all the time and you acceleration will be quite a bit better with the 4.56 gear.