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2500 Gas vs Diesel 4.10 vs 3.73 gear ratio

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psardac7

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Hello, it is getting time to buy/decide on a gas vs diesel and since I am not a mechanic need to decide on 4.1 vs 3.73 gear ratio.
With that , our TT is 6000# empty and we put another 1,000 lbs in it (water, food, gear) and up to 1,000 lbs in the bed.
We take the travel trailer out 5-10 trips a year. Colorado steep mountain passes, 5,000 - 10,000 ft mountain passes.
This truck will be for daily use + to tow.

6.4L Hemi V8 or get the diesel?. Can the Hemi V8 gas handle the elevation & grades?
Should I be a stickler on the 4.1 gear ratio for towing or will I notice the difference of the 3.73 .
Hmmm decision time.....
thanks....Pete
 
The 4.10 will help with towing, just means your daily MPG will take a slight hit when running in 8th gear with no load. If you don't do a lot of that (freeway driving), definitely get the 4.10.

The diesel will be better for the times when you're towing, the Hemi will be better as a daily driver. Since you're doing almost monthly towing, at high elevation, on mountains, I would go for a 2500 diesel.
 
With your load, you could go with a 2500 Hemi or a 3500 Cummins. A 2500 Cummins is only going to have around a 2000 lb payload rating and your bed payload and tongue weight is almost going to eat all that up.

If you get the 2500 Hemi, you may wish you had the 3500 Cummins whenever you take the trailer somewhere. If you get the 3500 Cummins, you may be wishing you had the 2500 Hemi on all your daily drives.

Tough dilemma. If you go with the Hemi, I'd get it with the 4.10 rear end. That's what I decided to do but I'm only towing 5-6k and not in the mountains.
 
I'll chime in. You don't say if your trailer is a 5th wheel, GN, or bumper pull. That does make a difference. I have an '04 2500 5.9 CTD, NV5600 and 4.10 rear. And I have a 2020 2500 Bighorn, 6.7 CTD, and auto with 3.73. I pull a variety of trailers, but no real "monsters". A large United enclosed race trailer (bumper pull) and a 3 horse slant w/small living quarters gooseneck horse trailer. Also have a dump trailer, an equipment hauler for the bobcat and excavator, etc - but those are smaller.

Given your description, first of all, I don't think you need to worry about payload with the 2500 diesel. I think you'll be fine personally. Also, for me it would really depend on your daily driving. 5-6 times a year, a cummins with 3.73 or 4.10 will be fine based on your description. A Cummins 2500 with 3.73 will feel like a vacation compared to the gasser with 4.10 IMHO. I went back and forth between the 3.73 and 4.10 - and I pull a bit more weight, with both GN and bumper pull trailers. The new trucks really comfortable with hills. Around here, we have different kinds of hills. Ours are shorter, but steeper. Some are still a few miles long (Summit, Rt 40, Uniontown PA).

If it were me, I'd probably go for sure with the diesel for four reasons. First, it's an effortless, easy, low stress pull. Second, the exhaust brake. Third, the exhaust brake. Fourth, the exhaust brake......

You have long descents and the smart exhaust brake will serve you really really well on those descents - save your brake rotors, and make you relax. I'll also differ on what is a better "daily driver". I strongly prefer the cummins with 3.73 as a daily driver (or whatever) to the Hemi. I find it a relaxing drive. When I was constantly rowing that NV5600 6 spd, it was completely different. But with the auto, I'm really happy.
 
If you "think" there is a possibility you may get a larger trailer some day; then, get the diesel. Don't ask me how I I know.
 
I’ve owned both, a 2017 Limited 2500 with the 6.7 Cummins/3.42 gears and currently own a 2019 Laramie with the 6.4 HEMI/3.73 gears. I live in the East and have towed a TT around the Blue Ridge mountains and East coast with both trucks. I have a 11k lb TT with an honest tongue weight of around 1300 lbs. The Blue Ridge mountains aren’t as tall as the Colorado Rockies but I think the grades are steeper in shorter runs. Either engine will tow just fine for the load you’ve described in my opinion but there are a couple guys on here that live on CO and will hopefully weigh in with their input. I would caution you against getting a 2500 Diesel, you’ll run out of cargo capability pretty quick because of the engine and tranny weight. My HEMI has more cargo cap than my diesel did by a 1000 lbs and only slightly less towing cap. If you go with a diesel I would advise you to get a 3500.

They are different trucks, the desel engine never strained and had torque like crazy but it took a long time for the turbo to spool and get it moving. That was a problem for me with daily driving in the commuter traffic of Northern VA. By contrast the HEMI is a rocket that hauls buggy when you mash the skinny pedal. Once the diesel did get going it was unstoppable. I got rid of mine because it had problems, normally trouble free but I have the luck of getting the one that isn’t. I take care of my stuff and maintain it better than recommended I just got a bad one.

The main difference between the two is price, the diesel is significantly more expensive in upfront cost and then more maintenance. If you plan to keep it long term it might be worth it but your tow requirements will be easily handled by either truck with either gear configuration. Obviously the lower gear ratio will give you more low end torque but 7 or 8k lbs isn‘t much of challenge for whatever you go with.

Good luck with your choice, you’ll be happy with either truck.
 
Thank you all, it is a bumper pull , we live in Grand Junction Colo, and there seem to be more of the Cummins diesels at the Ram Dealer for 2020 models.
2021 2500 Rams are not showing up here yet!. Hope to go down the last week of the month and make a run for a Ram 2500.
Good point on planning for the future if we get a bigger trailer. ....Pete
 
Just for some clarity as there seems to be a little murkiness in a few replies, the Cummins cannot be had with a 4.10 rear in the 2500/3500 SRW. Cummins SRW is 3.73 only.

Only the DRW Max Tow Cummins gets the 4.10

Obviously this applies to current MY trucks, not past offerings.
 
I’m in New Jersey pretty flat Compared to where you are. I only tow a few times a year so I went with the hemi. diesels are expensive. I used to drive for a living anything the regen sucks sorry I know they have got better but still it’s a crap shoot, also I had no interest in stand there dumping def in my truck and every def jug leaks not a big deal on a garbag truck but not something I wanted all over my truck or my self. All that and the extra $10000 just wasn’t worth it for towing a few times a year.
 
Kimo7 said:
I’ve owned both, a 2017 Limited 2500 with the 6.7 Cummins/3.42 gears and currently own a 2019 Laramie with the 6.4 HEMI/3.73 gears. I

They are different trucks, the desel engine never strained and had torque like crazy but it took a long time for the turbo to spool and get it moving. That was a problem for me with daily driving in the commuter traffic of Northern VA. By contrast the HEMI is a rocket that hauls buggy when you mash the skinny pedal.
Click to expand...

Kimo, one thing that I noticed was the 3.42 gears. I suspect that was a big difference in how the truck gets moving. My 6.7 with 3:73 gears doesn't have any sort of "lag". Honestly, having driven both the 6.4 and the 6.7 back to back, the 6.7 I chose to buy seems far more responsive from a traffic light, etc, than the 6.4 did. I have to worry a lot more about spinning the wheels than not accelerating. It just may be me - but that is my observation. What the lady noticed immediately upon driving the 6.7 (test drive, before buying it) was that it seemed as though it was just slowly and smoothly accelerating. Until you looked at the speedo and realized you were already at 60mph. For us, it's just so quietly and smoothly speeding up that it was deceiving. Just today, I had to drive the 6.7 into and around the city of Pittsburgh in lots of different traffic. Let be clear - this truck pulled out as quick or quicker than anything else on the road. It was so ridiculously easy. In this truck, you're at 80 in no time and it feels like 50. My old '04 5.9 with 4:10 and NV5600 was a kind of cumbersome in traffic. Great truck, 322k pulling miles on it, but it's crazy different.

Again, YMMV. However I drove the 6.4 and the 6.7 back to back, same day. Plus, I pulled with the 6.4 with the exact same route, etc within days of pulling with the diesel. I knew within 5 miles what was right for my needs - which obviously isn't the same for everyone.

Also, I've pulled across the country. Very familiar with the Rockies and Bighorns (try Highway 14a in WY sometime - NOT in the winter. Cause it's closed then). REAL familiar with Blue Ridge, VA, etc and live in SW PA. The exhaust brake alone is worth the extra money for me.
 
Brutal_HO said:
Just for some clarity as there seems to be a little murkiness in a few replies, the Cummins cannot be had with a 4.10 rear in the 2500/3500 SRW. Cummins SRW is 3.73 only.

Only the DRW Max Tow Cummins gets the 4.10

Obviously this applies to current MY trucks, not past offerings.
Click to expand...

Obviously, you are correct - that being said, it really surprised me!
 
I believe since we would only take 5-10 trips a year I may go gasser on the 2021 2500. I can save the $10k cost
and upgrade equipment groups/Accessories with that $$.

The big but is should I order 3.37 or 4.10 axle ratio. Our bumper pull TT is 5,500 empty. Would I really notice.. not sure?? thanks....Pete
We live in Grand Junction and would be traveling in the western U.S. most of the time.
 
psardac7 said:
I believe since we would only take 5-10 trips a year I may go gasser on the 2021 2500. I can save the $10k cost
and upgrade equipment groups/Accessories with that $$.

The big but is should I order 3.37 or 4.10 axle ratio. Our bumper pull TT is 5,500 empty. Would I really notice.. not sure?? thanks....Pete
We live in Grand Junction and would be traveling in the western U.S. most of the time.
Click to expand...
Get the 4.10, I wish I had, the mpg difference is not big.
 
We had the same question before we ordered our Truck. Did a lot of research and based on that we ordered a 2020 Ram 2500 MegaCab with the 6.4 Hemi and 4.10 limited slip rear end. Our TT is 30' and just under 9k. If you are towing 10k or less then the gasser is a good alternative. We have towed over grades and flats with no problem. The Hemi is thirsty and uses 89 octane but has plenty of power. Now if you are going to tow heavy then Cummings is the way to go. I would note that with the diesel you lose carrying capacity and I would recommend considering a 3500 instead. The other consideration was frequency of use. Ours is not a daily driver and diesels do not do well sitting around. That was another reason we went with a gasser. Lastly, when driving without a load or towing, the Hemi with 4.10 is very peppy! While it's no Dodge Challenger, the 6.4 has great acceleration. For as large and heavy the truck is, it really goes!
 
I have the gasser with 4.10s. I full time in a 30’ Airstream with a GVWR of 8800#. Last time I hit the scale the trailer was 8400# and I had 800# in the bed. We’ve put 26k miles on since March, with 14k of that towing.

We spent the entire summer in the mountains of Colorado, and I had no problem climbing mountian passes (including the big ones on I-70) at 75mph if I felt like it.
 
The one thing I’d bring up is tire size. If you plan on installing larger tires I’d stick with 4.10. Otherwise your final drive ratio might not be ideal. Not as bad with 8 speed trans as with 4 or six speeds mind you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thank you everyone, I am going through their online system and getting a MSRP price for the options I am looking for.
Ouch on $67,160 but can get that down to invoice price and some deductions for dealer discount, HD engine bonus cash etc.
The dealer plays this selling game everyday where I do it once in 10 years but if I order a 2021 now, I can get what I want and
hopefully they will/need to barter!......Pete.....there goes a wad of my retirement nest egg, but as they say you cannot take it with you.
 
psardac7 said:
I believe since we would only take 5-10 trips a year I may go gasser on the 2021 2500. I can save the $10k cost
and upgrade equipment groups/Accessories with that $$.

The big but is should I order 3.37 or 4.10 axle ratio. Our bumper pull TT is 5,500 empty. Would I really notice.. not sure?? thanks....Pete
We live in Grand Junction and would be traveling in the western U.S. most of the time.
Click to expand...
I know that area well, I would go with a Diesel for those climbs. Unless you go to the Green River area or Montrose, your only choice is to climb out of Grand Junction. Gas engines live in high RPM ranges while climbing, trying to keep the torque and HP up to help, also you'll know where all your filling stations are. I pass up the stations I once had to fill up before travelling through the desert, to make sure I had enough fuel. The Diesel will climb at a steady RPM, I like to climb @ 22-2500 RPM to help keep the EGT down, which we can't see without after market gauges. When I lived in SoCal, I had to climb out on either the Cajon Pass, or the Grapevine and I appreciated every moment with the 5.9 and 6.7 CTD.
 
I have opted not to invest in my own TT, but instead to rent them, as it is more economical for us. Those TTs we have rented have ranged from ~4700 - ~8500 dry).

That said, with my 2016 (6.4 + 3.73 + 37" tires + 5" lift), I never had an issue up and down I-70, 285, 50, 550, etc...

I didn't hesitate a bit when ordering my 2020 to stick with the 6.4, though I did opt for 4.10s this time around.
 
With a 2500 Diesel, depending on options, your payload will be around 2,000lbs (one bighorn I looked at was about 1,900lbs). If your trailer is 7,000lbs when loaded, then your tongue weight should be in the 700-1,000lb range.
Add that to the 1,000lbs you said you would have in the bed and the weight of passengers, and you are at your payload limit.

While a diesel will do better at altitude, Based on the fact it will be your daily driver and you are only pulling 5-10 times a year, I personally think your best bet is a 6.4 Hemi with the 4.10. The 6.4 will give you plenty of payload if you ever decide to get a bigger trailer and while the 3.73 should work fine for the trailer you have, if you decide to go bigger, the 4.10 may help you out more pulling in the mountains.

If you do go with a diesel, I would get a 3500 for the extra payload.
 
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