Looking at ordering a 2013 Outdoorsman but am not crazy about the 3.92 gears .Dealer said he can not get the order to go through with the 3.55 they list as a option,he's not sure why.The only towing would be my snowmobile trailer and 75-25 hwy to city driving.Also was just going to go with the 17" tires.How much would the 3.92 gears affect the mpg vs. the 3.55?And would there be any difference with a 20" tire?

 

Outside Diameter should be very near the same. 3.92 would be a few more hundred rpm at highway speed

 

If you read the archived threads here, you will find far more examples of owners trying to change 3.55's to 3.92's than the other way around.

 

My Outdoorsman is 3:92 and I am very Happy

 

I believe this is the first time I have seen someone wanting higher gearing since going to the overdrive transmissions. I know I would get the 3.92s minimum and probably go with the 4.10s if I was ordering a truck rather than buying from inventory.

 

I'm in a rural area where I am on the highway no matter where I go,I also don't trailer much other than occasional snowmobile trailer when we see snow.So would I not see better mpg with the 3.55 rear gears and 17" wheels?Gas being[1.28litre] 5.85 imp gal 4.87u.s. gal. right now.

 

I live in SW PA and travel to WV to see family so I am on the highway a good bit but still have hills to contend with. My thoughts are to gear it so you use your higher trans gears to the fullest with as little down shifting as you can while still keeping the RPMs Low. This is a complicated compromise but one you need to look at and decide. I have a 2012 1500 Express with the 20s and 3.55s and find it downshifting too much to suit me so I would like to go to 3.92s and maybe even slightly shorter tires but the expense to swap gears is way too high for a 4X4 and tires that short would look ridiculous so I make do. I drive kind of conservative so I am thinking a tuner to get more torque might help "if I can resist temptation" but doubt it would pay so I'll probably not so I won't hot rod it as much. Either way you will love everything about it except the fuel mileage but it is a TRUCK with plenty of power so what the heck.

 

20" wheels and 3.92 gears, I only turn 2000rpm @ 70mph. The 3.55's will make it a pig.

 

I read a long while back that he 3.92 gear and 20s made the effective gear ratio I believe 3.71. With 17s it was 3.92.

 

If all your towing is a snowmobile trailer 3.55's will do great. I have a 2012 Express with 3.55's and tow a 3500 lb boat and a 4000 lb enclosed trailer off and on. It's like it's not even back there so I wouldn't worry. If you look at acceleration times, rpms, etc.. they aren't that different. But if you can get the 3.92's I would in case you ever want to tow something really heavy. Sorry to tell you but fuel mileage sucks on these trucks whether you get 3.55 or 3.92's. The only time the hemi pulls any type of respectable numbers is a long all hwy trip. So you may see ok numbers because you drive a lot of hwy. I averaged 14 towing my boat all hwy, not to bad I guess, but any city driving totally kills mpgs