Please educate yourself!

[Diamondpilot]

There is a lot more ratios than just the final drive ratio's..

Very true. Tranny ratios and tire size matter just as much.

Chris

 

[JIGBUILDER]

Someone says put a 4.10 gears in it. Due to the 6L80E tranny gearing 4.10 isnt needed or is it available. This tranny doesn't have a 1:1 ratio like the old 4L60 E tranny. Its a different animal.

Saw some numbers someone posted on a pleasure/fishing boat trailering forum that shows the old 4L60E with a 3.73 axle at 2425 rpm at 60 mph vs 2800 RPM with the new 6L80E tranny in 4th gear.

Just about all of the new 6 speed autos are running a double overdrive gearing. The exception is the Dodge Aisin in the CC trucks. Doing a little math shows 5th gear would drop to about 2400 rpm and 6th would drop on down to approx 1600 rpm.

My bil has the new 6L80E tranny in his new 1500 GMC with 3.42 gears. We tow the same 10k flatdeck trailer moving haying equipment and I can tell you his truck out performs my wifes '06 1500 crew cab 3.73 axle with the old 4L60E tranny.

Without a doubt though the 3.08 gears even with the new 6L80E and its different DD gearing, would be a dog pulling close to max tow ratings.

 

[crashz]

I feel bad for the new owner, but have to call him out on this. Having at least some towing experience with a fairly big boat and travel trailer, he should have at least looked into the gear ratio.

 

[schmism]

My experience has been just the opposite. But then again I always ordered the 7 1/2 tons I have owned with what I wanted. I have never had less than 3.73 gears and 2 with 4.10 gears. I also make sure I have 4 wheel drive and either a limited slip rear end or a diff locker.

Chris

:thumbsup: All yours would be those examples that make up the "few" that dont fit. but my guess is your special ordered ones are far from the mass versions sold on the lot. (which is why you order them to your specs)

Im curious how your ordered 1/2 conpaire to a "stock" 3/4 ton in price. If i had to guess they were roughly the same. and "features" are roughly the same which then is just an issue of "badge'ing"

 

[buck12]

I'm sorry, but what do you expect? The first thing I hear on this board or other boards is people wanting 20+ miles to the gallon out of their gasoline powered pick-ups and they want to be able to tow 8000 lbs., and don't want to pay the premium for the diesel or get a 3/4 ton truck. If somebody wants to tow with their truck, buy something capable of doing the job and accept the lower mileage. If you are more concerned about mileage than the ability to do work, buy a Prius and stop the whining. If somebody buys a 1/2 ton truck to tow with, they get what they deserve. 1/2 ton trucks are cars with a bed in my opinion, not made to do real work. You might as well lower it and put big wheels and rubber band tires on it.

Sorry for the rant, just struck one of my pet peeves.

Brian

I will agree with you to a point - often people buy a truck without knowing what their needs are and then want to complain about the truck. I don't understand the statement "If somebody buys a 1/2 ton truck to tow with, they get what they deserve". If an individual buys a 1/2 ton to tow 6,000 lbs they get a truck that is capable of their towing needs and will work well as a daily driver. At least that has been my experience and likely many others. If I needed to tow 10,000 lbs regularly I would buy a truck that meets those needs.

 

[doall]

My 1/2 ton has towed my 3040 with bush hog, disc, and 400 lb. of fertilizer, 150 lbs of grass seed and various other pieces of equipment on a 22 ft. gooseneck.
may not have been real good for it, but it will.

 

[mojoinco]

Ah yes, buy the load, then spec the truck. A lesson this guy has definitely learned. GM, Ford, Dodge, etc, all have load books filled with all the specs you need to know about your loads so that you pick the correct truck (not that there isn't some wiggle room in the engineering specs). They even have wind loading for 5th wheels and slide in campers (max frontal area allowed). You can bet the really large front room 5th wheel manufacturers don't want you to read the books. You likely can't haul them with a 350/3500 class truck.

I have a friend that wouldn't listen to me about 12 years ago. Bought an extended cab sb GMC 1500. 350 v8. Can you say 'dog' over the continental divide when pulling his medium sized 5th wheel?

 

[Toyboy]

I think a lot of the problem/confusion comes from buyers (of used, not new) seeing the truck factory fitted w/tow package thinking it is geared for towing and don't give a second thought about it, myself included. I was more concerned about having a posi traction than the gear ratio.

Heres an example of things not being what they seem. A couple years ago I found what I was looking for used, '05 Silverado Z 71 ext. cab w/5.3 and towing pkg in like new condition w/low miles and was real happy w/it.

My friend needing to replace his '94 GMC come across a '04 Silverado ext. cab w/5.3 4x4 w/tow pkg. in nice shape a couple months later and got it, knowing how much I liked mine. After a while he was complaining about not getting the mileage I was getting (17 to my 18-19 on highway) and we passed it off as difference in engine tuning.

Somewhere on here there was a thread about gearing for GM trucks so I checked it out. Low and behold my truck had a GU6 or 3:42 screw and his had a GT4 or 3:73. Mystry solved! Now neither one of us tow anything over 3K, just fishing boats and snowmobiles so were not even close to pushing the tow limit so it's not an issue. But if we were doing campers, it would come into play. I'll pay more attention next time.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I feel bad for the new owner, but have to call him out on this. Having at least some towing experience with a fairly big boat and travel trailer, he should have at least looked into the gear ratio.

I agree 100%. If you look at the chart the 3.42 gear would have been the right fit for his needs. He did not do his research and ask the right questions and now he is stuck with a 1 month old truck that will not do what he needs it to do. I offered him my Powerstroke F-250 for him to go get his camper with but he is reluctant. He is very upset with himself and now does not know what to do.

He was the one who came up with the whole "I should have educated myself" line.

Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

:thumbsup: All yours would be those examples that make up the "few" that dont fit. but my guess is your special ordered ones are far from the mass versions sold on the lot. (which is why you order them to your specs)

Im curious how your ordered 1/2 conpaire to a "stock" 3/4 ton in price. If i had to guess they were roughly the same. and "features" are roughly the same which then is just an issue of "badge'ing"

Actually I only ordered 2 of the Fords. My dealer knows how to build them and that is what he stocks. My Nissan was also on a dealers lot like that. I have ordered 3 1/2 tons special but it was more for color and options rather than gearing or axle type.

For example I bought a new 1999 F-150 short bed step side regular cab 4x4 on the lot with the 5.4 and 4.10 gears. Loved that truck and should have never sold it. Got 14mpg no matter what you were doing, how fast you were going, or what you were pulling. It was a little brute but was not the best at highway speed pulling a longer 25' and up trailer so I sold it and got a Super Crew for the longer wheel base.

Chris

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

I think a lot of the problem/confusion comes from buyers (of used, not new) seeing the truck factory fitted w/tow package thinking it is geared for towing and don't give a second thought about it, myself included. I was more concerned about having a posi traction than the gear ratio.

With GM product (don't know about the others) take the VIN to the Parts Dept and they can print a Build Sheet showing every standard and optional code - with English description - that is on the truck.

 

[Patches]

I don't want to start a "my truck can beat your truck" post, but do want to respond to (brain55's) post as it refers to 1/2 ton trucks. I bought a 1/2 ton because it's my daily driver, I'm not a full time tower, and I want (reasonable) fuel mileage. I bought an '07 Toyota Tundra, 4X4, 5.7, 6 speed, 4:30 gear ratio with a tow package. Transmission ratio's are 1st-3.333 2nd-1.960 3rd-1.353 4th-1.00 5th-.728 and 6th-.588. This summer I towed a couple tractors to pulling events for a friend; 1, a 200 Farmall weighing 3500# and 2,a 960 Ford with pie weights and 1,000# of suitcase weights, weighing a little over 5,500# on a 16ft flat bed Bri-Mar tandem axle trailer. I'm estimating the trailer weighs somewhere around 3,500#. That's somewhere around 12,500# and the truck towed it easily. I wouldn't want to tow it cross-country, but I was totally surprised how easily the truck towed it, and yes, I kept it out of 6th gear. I routinely get 18+ mpg unloaded(in summer). So yes, in my opinion, and in opposition to "brain55", there is a place in the towing ranks for a 1/2 ton truck

 

[Wis Bang]

With GM product (don't know about the others) take the VIN to the Parts Dept and they can print a Build Sheet showing every standard and optional code - with English description - that is on the truck.

It the sticker is intact on the inside of the glove box door, you can write down the 3 character 'RPO' codes and there are listings online that will translate what you have [one poster above referenced then w/ GT4 = 3:72 ratio] and you would be surprised what they do tell you.

I bought a used 2005 Silverado 1500 'worktruck' w/ the 4.3L V6 and 4x4. It is a single cab longbed w/ crank windows and a floorshift 4x4.

It shows I have the 3:72 and the G80 [positraction] differential. It also tells me F75 = final transaxle drive ratio 3:18 which doesn't make any sense so it may not be 100% correct but I did learn alot about the truck.

Since all I tow is a small aluminum jonboat and a small snowmobile trailer w/ the odd sub 1000# load, I got just what I wanted.

Anyone who does not research what the are buying shouldn't be griping about what they were sold; the 6 speed auto wasn't made for the consumer, GM did it to improve the CAFE rating same as switching to 5W 30 oil...thinner oil improves mileage, they are looking for every little bit they can get.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Are you sure that it says F75? That wouldn't even be for a truck. Any chance you have a red truck?

That highlights the problem with the glove box codes. First you have to be able to read them (worn and / or poor lighting) there could be 50 - 60 codes, so you have to figure out which ones are important to whatever you're trying to find and third, hope the info found on the Internet is correct and applies to your year.

That's why with the GM I suggested taking the VIN to the dealer and have him print out the build sheet.

Here are some of the GM RPO Codes that could be important for towing:

GT4 Rear Axle 3:73
K47 High Capacity Air Cleaner
G80 Locking Rear Differential
KNP Transmission Fluid Cooler
Z82 H.D. Trailering Equipment
VR4 Weight Dist Platform Trailer Hitch

 

[rback33]

I asked a salesman what rear end was in a F250 once and he looked back at me with a dear in the headlights stare... he had no CLUE what I was asking..... we made an offer contingent on the answer since no one was around to check into it. It was a 3:55.. we didn't buy.

 

[Soundguy]

wow.. 3.08 and I thought the 3.73 in my f250 were a bit too tall to tow with. Makes me not feel so bad about the f450 with 4.88 rear and a max speed of 70mph

soundguy

 

[Renze]

Remember, it's the transmission that has to make up the difference. That equals more heat and less durability.

The only component in an automatic driveline that generates heat, is the converter. Not the planetary gears or clutch packs (unless they are slipping)
Actually its useless to debate this if people dont even understand the basics...

 

[Wis Bang]

Are you sure that it says F75? That wouldn't even be for a truck. Any chance you have a red truck?

It is white. The F75 is out of position as there are several F codes b/4 the two G codes for the axle & posi...I was interested to see there were codes showing this truck was ordered b/4 it was built...

 

[Soundguy]

Are you sure that it says F75? That wouldn't even be for a truck. Any chance you have a red truck?

red truck? explain?

soundguy

 

[crbr]

.....He also stated he just got back from a trip to Dale Hollow Lake which is in the western part of the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee.

Chris

The Smokey Mountains are in extreme eastern Tennessee, of which border and define North Carolina, as entity of the Smokey Mountain National Park, being a part of the Appalachian Mountain chain.

Dale Hollow Lake is in northeastern middle Tennessee, roughly 150 miles away.

Just sayin'.......