Yes you can still get traction in the snow - just don't floor it take off easy - a more aggresive tire rather than a street tire will make the most difference in your situation.

HankL - I don't have 50K to put up against you but why when so many people go to 4.56's rave about increased mpg - are they dumb and/or liars? Our trucks are heavy and I beleive that with a lower gear like a 4.56 for my truck specifically(over 7K lbs with larger tires) would see an improvement in mpg.They would be reducing thestrain on the drivetrain- in essence lightening the work load of the motor and tranny.

 

Won't make a bit of difference... If you spin and lose traction in the snow now, you will with a different set of gears, if you don't now, you won't then...
If you drive like an *** and floor the gas, you'll spin out & lose control with any set of gears.

 

k thanks. good point

 

Why do people claim that 4.56 diff gears improve MPG ?
...keep in mind some owners only claim a city driving improvement MPG.

Here's some ideas:

1. These people told their wives they needed to spend $1200 changing gears
to improve their MPG.
They are not going to write the truth about it,
or even test out the truth,
because they trully want to believe their own lie and can it there is no proof,
and they don't want a look on their face that the female could see through instantly.
Women are uncanny at that.
Self deception is a huge part of being a human being.
90% of driver's will say they are 'better than average'

2. Gear noise and gear grind.
It is possible that these 4.56 people are driving
'by ear'
and the increased gear grind noises
and increased engine noise
are causing them to slow down slightly in city driving
even if they deny it becasue their 'butt dyno' tells them
they are now a top fuel dragster...at least sound wise.
Noise is a huge part of some people's desires about their trucks
...look at the thousands of posts about louder mufflers and CAI....
where the posters talk solely about how they feel about the noise
and never even ONCE measure an acceleration with the stopwatch
they already own inside their cell phone.

The basic idea is LOUDER NOISE = better MPG while driving slower
and it could be true for some.

The auto companies routinely test trucks with different differential gears
'convoy style' with one truck following another over the same roads at the same speeds
and the automakers don't find that 4.56 gears improve MPG...they find the opposite.

What should you do or believe?

Well now that Dodge makes a factory Ram Power Wagon with 4.56 diff gears
you can do your own 'convoy style' MPG test with two new Rams off the dealership lot
with a friend and using cell phones to pass back and forth overhead trip computer MPG in different conditions
....and have some fun doing it ! (ballast to keep weights about the same using extra passengers)

With the coming 2009 model year you will even be able to test a factory 3.21 against a 4.56
in a Ram

 

So should I get a 1500 mega cab 4x4 with 3.73 or go for the 4.10's? I plan to put bigger tires on(35). Currently only pull a 3k trailer full of dirt bikes...but I have 3 horses and may get a bigger dirt bike trailer.
I know, drop the 8k more and get the CTD

 

towing and bigger tires equals 4.10's.

and i dont give a **** what anyone says, lower gears DO keep the same mileage or improve IN TOWN. when i geared my jeep i got 2 mpg better in town, and lost 2-3 on higway. To me, it was a wash.

 

What is Dodge's official opinion on gearing?

Well, you can find out for yourself
by going on a test drive of a Caliber/Nitro
that has the CVT transmission.

This also allows you to find out Nissan's official opinion too,
because the Caliber/Nitro CVT
is made by the Jatco division of Nissan
and sold to Dodge.

When doing city driving with this CVT
at part throttle
does in go up to high rpms
like the 4.56 people are claiming is good
or does it stay low rpm whenever possible?

The engineer CEO of Nissan/Renault
is the highly respected (and feared)
Carlos Ghosn
a Lebanese who grew up in Brazil
who has successfully managed auto companies
in both France and Japan.

At the present moment
it looks like Carlos Ghosn might also take over Chrysler
if Cerberus' turn around team continues to falter.