1st gear waaaay too tall?
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Joined: Dec 2012
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Lets face the music....you don't like much of anything about this truck. You didn't buy what you really needed from the get-go and now it's Dodges fault. Just suck it up and either go get a hemi truck or live with it, but don't come on here and start making unrealistic claims about 65 mph in first with 3.92 gears. We are the guys that actually have 3.92 gears and know how they rev on these trucks. Sry you hate the truck but you bought it...we didnt
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Joined: Jun 2012
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From: Woodbury Tn
I agree somewhat about first gear being too tall but Dodge is just playing the fuel mileage game. They are trying to keep the RPMs down to get the better economy but in so doing they are hurting the towing somewhat. This compromise is something we need to recognize and accept. Unfortunately some people get the 4.7 engine and they are really disappointed with the capability of that combo. The 4.7 with more torque, a manual trans, better gearing or wider spacing of the gearing of the auto trans would be a much better truck but it is what it is. Personally I would never get the 4.7 in any truck except a reg cab that I did not plan to tow or haul heavy with. JMO
Last edited by Old Man with a hemi; Aug 31, 2014 at 11:03 PM.
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Nova Scotia
towing
The 3.92 gears and first gear aren't too tall, that puny 4.7 is too short. 3.92 is a performance ratio and has been forever, so they aren't tall at all, and behind an engine with some power, will tow whatever you want to tow within your vehicle limits and do it easily. People who buy vehicles with small engines to tow with, are just looking for problems when approaching the vehicle towing limits. Always buy more engine than you will need if you tow a lot or tow weights near your vehicles limits
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From: Woodbury Tn
I've also had no problems towing anything I've tried to tow with my Hemi Express and 3.92 gears. It's not his trans or gears.....it's too small of a motor for what he is trying to do.....and possibly the LACK of 3.92 gears. I'm not sure 1st gear would go to 65 mph even with 3.21 gears......mine at 6000 rpm in first is right on 50 mph....that's with the stock 275-60-20 tires. 32 inches tall. His tires are shorter than that which would make him have to rev to the moon to get 65 in first
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Joined: Jul 2012
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Hey all, I appreciate the input, the education, and the humor.
Ok, I unintentionally exaggerated since I thought the redline was higher. I went out and tried it; so 1st gear will go to around 53, I apologize for my error. And perhaps the tires were a dealer option, and I realize they don't help. My speed would be more like what, 50mph on 275s?
On to the 4.7 discussion: I hear you, and in retrospect yes, the 5.7 would have been a better choice. But I want to give perspective: the 4.7 in 2010 makes 310hp/ 330ftlbs. This is not a small or weak engine by any means. This is not the 4.7 of earlier generations. This is one of the reasons I went for it.
As recently as 2007 the 5.7 made 345hp and the 4.7 made only 235. I can understand, if that's your view of what the 4.7 is capable of, that you would feel it's not enough. But just a few years ago in 2002 the 5.9L only made 245hp /335ftlbs. So my "small" engine choice is actually "bigger" than the "big" engine choice just 8 years prior. (though I'd agree that that torque was probably more "useable" but also likely didn't go 50 in 1st.)
I'm just saying, power is relative, and don't forget where we came from and act like 330ftlbs in 2010 is not the same as 330ftlbs in 2002.
I'm not looking to start a flame war here. The 5.7 is amazing and I agree I should have gone with that, but again, 1st gear is still, too damn tall for a towing vehicle rated to just under 7000lbs as mine is outfitted. What speed does a 5.7 redline in 1st gear?
And as a final note, I love my truck. It just has one major flaw that is this gearing.
Ok, I unintentionally exaggerated since I thought the redline was higher. I went out and tried it; so 1st gear will go to around 53, I apologize for my error. And perhaps the tires were a dealer option, and I realize they don't help. My speed would be more like what, 50mph on 275s?
On to the 4.7 discussion: I hear you, and in retrospect yes, the 5.7 would have been a better choice. But I want to give perspective: the 4.7 in 2010 makes 310hp/ 330ftlbs. This is not a small or weak engine by any means. This is not the 4.7 of earlier generations. This is one of the reasons I went for it.
As recently as 2007 the 5.7 made 345hp and the 4.7 made only 235. I can understand, if that's your view of what the 4.7 is capable of, that you would feel it's not enough. But just a few years ago in 2002 the 5.9L only made 245hp /335ftlbs. So my "small" engine choice is actually "bigger" than the "big" engine choice just 8 years prior. (though I'd agree that that torque was probably more "useable" but also likely didn't go 50 in 1st.)
I'm just saying, power is relative, and don't forget where we came from and act like 330ftlbs in 2010 is not the same as 330ftlbs in 2002.
I'm not looking to start a flame war here. The 5.7 is amazing and I agree I should have gone with that, but again, 1st gear is still, too damn tall for a towing vehicle rated to just under 7000lbs as mine is outfitted. What speed does a 5.7 redline in 1st gear?
And as a final note, I love my truck. It just has one major flaw that is this gearing.
