I am looking at getting new gears and a new differential. I am not looking to do this for anything specific reason like off roading or racing, I just want to get some more power to the wheels. I have a 06 Ram 1500 4x4. It currently has the stock 275/60r20 tires, 3.92 gears, and open diff. First, I am unsure as to what gears to get. I do know I want lower gears but I don’t know as to how low of a gear to get. I’m not getting different size tires. Secondly, I want to get a new diff, but I’m not sure if I should get an LSD or a locking diff. I am just wondering as to what gears are out there for the Ram, where I can get information and prices, and any recommendations or opinions about what I should get.

 

Don't get a "locking diff" for the street unless it's a user selectable type, ie electric/air.
Permanently "locked" LSD's, will cause all kinds of wheel hop and tyre scrubbing and be unusable on the street.
What everyone seems to buy as an upgrade for the crappy stock LSD with the Grenade about to happen at any time clutch retaining clips, are either the Detroit TruTrac, which I am about to install, or the Auburn LSD.
The detroit uses gears to torque manage drive, where as the Auburn unit uses cones and clutches.
Both are very reliable I'm told and work as a "peg leg", until traction is needed due to a spinning wheel etc, when they will then "lock up" both wheels.
Ideal for street use as you can turn corners well due to the LSD usually being in "peg leg" mode.

As for gears, most people use 4:56's and this should really give your heavy (like mine) QC, some pep!
Also, it will give better mpg in the town/city cycle stop start traffic etc, as it has a greater mechanical advantage to get your heavy truck rolling from a stop. It's also not too bad if you don't go over 70 on the freeway.
Hope this helps?
Al.

 

I'd go with the 4.56 gears, with your existing 3.92's you won't see enough difference with 4.10's to justify the cost.
Brand of gears is nowhere near as critical as finding a place with experience in setting gears in a Dodge axle to do the job. Setting gears is not easy, and in the Dodge axles it seems to be even more difficult.
As far as the LSD goes, agreed, a "true locker" is a thing for the guy who hits the mud pits every weekend. It would prove more of a nuisance on a daily driver as they really ratchet on turns and will wear tires and suspension components relatively quickly on you. Either the TruTrac or Auburn will do a good job for you. I think the friction plate design on the Auburn "locks up" a little quicker, but the Detroit unit has no plates to wear out (although I've had an Auburn in a truck for almost 70,000 miles before I traded the truck in and it worked as good at the end as day one). Not only will a good LSD help you from getting stuck, but it will "lock up" when you hit the gas on the street to get you "off the line" much faster.
You'd need gear sets for front & rear, a master install kit and the lsd unit if you plan to do it too (it's much cheaper, labor wise, to do the LSD at the same time as the rear gears). The parts are not expensive at all, it's the labor that makes this a relatively expensive mod...

 

if you are not doing this for
off-roading or racing
give us more info on what you want the truck to behave like
after the change

the primary thing 4.56 gears will do
is to make tire smoke with 'burn outs'
more easily on dry pavement

if you are trying to improve acceleration from a stop on the highway
pick the mph you are trying to optimize ( like zero to 60 mph)
and pick a gear/tire diameter
that puts the rpm at this mph about 8-12% below your redline
in 2nd gear

If you are trying to improve acceleration at highway speeds
(like from 50 mph to 80 mph for quick & safe passing of slow vehicles)
do this for 3rd gear

clutch style limited slip diffs (Auburn)
or torque sensing diffs (Torsen )
will allow you to get a very heavy trailer rolling
in slippery conditions
like a boat launch ramp
or on snow/ice

 

Hank, your mellowing in your old age, buddy!
Used to was a time I can remember you would be on the anti-regearing band wagon and got on your soap box and ranted that re-gearing was just plain bad, for anybody.
Now you are conceding that they are an advantage for some of us, like me who does (or did, before I had to move) actually use his truck off-road.

Now if I can just get you to admit that there are certain situations where a CAI is beneficial (like when combined with other mods such as headers and certain cams) or a lower T-Stat may be beneficial for some (although I have to agree that many go to one that shouldn't) like to get the A/R ratio a little richer when necessary, for instance, I'd be having a good day...


BTW: It actually hurt to write this post...

 

^^^lol

 

bull $h!t LMAO

 

if you want to go fast on the street
nothing beats a motorcycle

if you are not brave enough
to face the consequences
of a wreck on a motorcycle
then drive another vehicle

I know 3 friends who have ended up like
Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_Straits
and that could have easily happened to me too

If you are illegally street racing a heavy truck
{to reduce the chances to your getting hurt}
and won't face up to what that truck would do out of control
to a mom and 3 kids in a mini-van
you are a coward
and if the law catches you
puts you in jail
and auctions off your vehicle
... you deserved it all
and got off lucky by not killing anyone

if your hobby is running your pickup
at the drag strip/Salt Flats/county fair pulling/off road
that is fine & dandy & very American,
so keep learning and having fun