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RAM gearing

I_squared_r

I_squared_r

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
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2,302
Points
262
Location
Medellín, Colombia
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2019
Boat Model
242 Limited S E-Series
Boat Length
24
Anyone have experience towing a 24ft boat with the 2019+ RAM 1500? I see a few options of gearing: 3.29 or 3.92 The 3.29 has a tow rating about 8200lbs and 3.92 has tow rating around 11,000lbs. Are you happy with the 3.29 or wish you had 3.92? I think the downside of the 3.92 is mpg.

I'm looking to trade in my 2020 Tacoma TRD Offroad because I am looking to buy a AR240 this winter. KBB is showing $37k to $39.6k trade in with my Tacoma. I owe $27k on the loan and thinking that I can get 10k rolled into a used RAM and finance less than 35k, 3% at 72 months.. It would reduce my payment too. RAM also has an offer 6k cash, 0% apr for 72 months on a new RAM..
 
How much do you tow? How far do you tow?

I would say if you tow a lot (more than just the boat) and long distances go with the 3.92. If you only tow a few miles to the launch on the weekends go with the 3.29.
 
Babin Farms said:
How much do you tow? How far do you tow?

I would say if you tow a lot (more than just the boat) and long distances go with the 3.92. If you only tow a few miles to the launch on the weekends go with the 3.29.
Click to expand...

Only a boat and sometimes take trips.

I found the differences
3.29 -> 17/22mpg
3.92 -> 15/21mpg
 
I have a '20 with 3.92. The reason for getting them was because we had planned on a bumper pull camper and I wanted some headroom. Covid changed all that and we ended up with a boat.

We took our 195 to deep creek lake this year. Towed great. Managed to get just a hair below 14mpg avg pulling the boat and wayy too many things the admiral brought along. Prob could have gotten 15/16 but the last leg of the trip is mountains and 6-8% grade passes.
 
steveinmd said:
I have a '20 with 3.92. The reason for getting them was because we had planned on a bumper pull camper and I wanted some headroom. Covid changed all that and we ended up with a boat.

We took our 195 to deep creek lake this year. Towed great. Managed to get just a hair below 14mpg avg pulling the boat and wayy too many things the admiral brought along. Prob could have gotten 15/16 but the last leg of the trip is mountains and 6-8% grade passes.
Click to expand...

14mph is good. I pulled my ar192 with my Tacoma in the mountains and got 11mpg. Probably didn’t help that I did 70mph
 
We currently have 342's in our 2018 ram and the "Lie-o-meter" will read 14-21MPG but once you hand calculate then your down to 11-19 usually. If your only towing a boat I would suggest 329's for the fuel economy. Gas prices are declining but I am guessing its only going to stay that way until November then we will be right back where we were or higher. Either gear ratio will do fine pulling your boat or even a larger one. Good luck with the new truck, I have had 3 rams and all have been super reliable and pretty trouble free (just don't buy an ecodiesel=POS).
 
I have the 3.92s, bought because I wanted extra capacity and quicker acceleration. Neither of which I use lol. It tows the 252SE with ease. I would place priority on air suspension and 33gallon tank option than I would on gears. Gas mileage is garbage, but I pretty much only tow a few miles down the road in stop and go traffic. Truck has about 16,000 miles in almost 3 years.
 
I have a 2019 RAM (Hemi of course) with the 3.29 gear and have no problem with my SX240. I don't even put it in tow mode as it isn’t heavy enough to warrant it. I don’t tow as much as others or have done a variety of routes or distances. When I bought the truck, with the need for towing, the dealer even said that I didn’t need the Hemi for the load. I don’t disagree, but who wouldn’t get the Hemi!?
 
I have the 3.92 gearing in my RAM

At the time, I bought my truck I wanted a 1500 with high tow numbers as I had no idea what my retirement boat might be. One of the boats I was looking at weighed 9,000 lbs with the trailer. Turns out my next boat will be about half of that.

Anyways, my 2020 RAM is a 1500 Bighorn Quad cab 4X4 with a 5.7 Hemi engine. Factory tow options include: 8-speed 8HP75 transmission, 3.92 rear axle, trailer brake controller, class IV hitch, and a 33-gallon fuel tank. Mileage, of course, varies with how one drives, but I average 14 mpg around town and 18 - 18.5 on the highway (without towing). My estimates were that in the real world these was a loss of about 1 mph on the highway with the 3.92 gearing. I don't know if I would specifically seek out the 3,92 gearing if I was to buy a new one today, but I do like the heavy duty tranny, controller, class IV hitch and larger fuel tank that came with the truck.

I love my truck. (got a great deal in Sept 2020 when it was 30% off MSRP). With the ATV trailer full of flooring (about 5,200 lbs total weight including the trailer), I couldn't even tell it was back there.

Jim
 
I_squared_r said:
14mph is good. I pulled my ar192 with my Tacoma in the mountains and got 11mpg. Probably didn’t help that I did 70mph
Click to expand...

We were getting 16 before we hit the mountains. That was conservative speed also. I removed the bimini and made a stand to hold the tower down below the windshield. My thoughts were better aero should lead to better mpg. I was happy with how it did. I dont use the tow mode, just the manual gear hold so it isnt hunting. Had to use 5th gear a couple times due to grade. 3500rpm and it held the speed. No issues with power.
 
With the 8 speeds gearing isn't as important as it used to be with the 3 speeds. You just won't get to the higher gears if you have high ratio rear ends. No big deal. Just use the tow/hall button.
 
adrianp89 said:
I have the 3.92s, bought because I wanted extra capacity and quicker acceleration. Neither of which I use lol. It tows the 252SE with ease. I would place priority on air suspension and 33gallon tank option than I would on gears. Gas mileage is garbage, but I pretty much only tow a few miles down the road in stop and go traffic. Truck has about 16,000 miles in almost 3 years.
Click to expand...

16k is nothing. I somehow put 20k since oct 2020. I work from home and wasn't living here for 7 months. Idk where I went

TimW451 said:
I have a 2019 RAM (Hemi of course) with the 3.29 gear and have no problem with my SX240. I don't even put it in tow mode as it isn’t heavy enough to warrant it. I don’t tow as much as others or have done a variety of routes or distances. When I bought the truck, with the need for towing, the dealer even said that I didn’t need the Hemi for the load. I don’t disagree, but who wouldn’t get the Hemi!?
Click to expand...

Thanks. It sounds like the 3.29 gear will be fine and I can save money on gas.

Jim_in_Delaware said:
I have the 3.92 gearing in my RAM

At the time, I bought my truck I wanted a 1500 with high tow numbers as I had no idea what my retirement boat might be. One of the boats I was looking at weighed 9,000 lbs with the trailer. Turns out my next boat will be about half of that.

Anyways, my 2020 RAM is a 1500 Bighorn Quad cab 4X4 with a 5.7 Hemi engine. Factory tow options include: 8-speed 8HP75 transmission, 3.92 rear axle, trailer brake controller, class IV hitch, and a 33-gallon fuel tank. Mileage, of course, varies with how one drives, but I average 14 mpg around town and 18 - 18.5 on the highway (without towing). My estimates were that in the real world these was a loss of about 1 mph on the highway with the 3.92 gearing. I don't know if I would specifically seek out the 3,92 gearing if I was to buy a new one today, but I do like the heavy duty tranny, controller, class IV hitch and larger fuel tank that came with the truck.

I love my truck. (got a great deal in Sept 2020 when it was 30% off MSRP). With the ATV trailer full of flooring (about 5,200 lbs total weight including the trailer), I couldn't even tell it was back there.

Jim
Click to expand...

30%? I should've bought the RAM in 2020. Instead I paid 42k OTD on my tacoma and that was a great deal. Tacomas are too expensive for whatever reason. But my suggested trade in is 39k so thats kind of crazy
 
I_squared_r said:
Thanks. It sounds like the 3.29 gear will be fine and I can save money on gas.
Click to expand...

At your usage (20k in 2.5yrs or so) gas mileage isn't going to amount to any appreciable increase in your balance sheet. Especially when comparing 21mpg to 22mpg highway. I do about 21k/yr in milage. Moving from a fullsize pickup that got ~18 in mixed driving to an SUV that gets ~21 in mixed driving has bought me only a single days worth a drive time between fillups. I can sometimes make it a full work week, where before it was fillup on Thursdays on the way in.

Just a sanity check on "fuel savings" from a friend :D
 
I_squared_r said:
16k is nothing. I somehow put 20k since oct 2020. I work from home and wasn't living here for 7 months. Idk where I went

30%? I should've bought the RAM in 2020. Instead I paid 42k OTD on my tacoma and that was a great deal. Tacomas are too expensive for whatever reason. But my suggested trade in is 39k so thats kind of crazy
Click to expand...

LOL, I understand the mileage. I have 22,000 on my RAM purchased in September 2020 and I also work at home and we haven't taken any long trips anywhere!

When I bought my truck, I was browsing the internet as my 2012 needed some new tires and brakes. When I saw the sales price 35K (marked down from a 51K sticker price) I bought the new truck. Wish I would have also bought a boat at the same time!

Jim
 
adrianp89 said:
I have the 3.92s, bought because I wanted extra capacity and quicker acceleration. Neither of which I use lol. It tows the 252SE with ease. I would place priority on air suspension and 33gallon tank option than I would on gears. Gas mileage is garbage, but I pretty much only tow a few miles down the road in stop and go traffic. Truck has about 16,000 miles in almost 3 years.
Click to expand...

I'm going to see this truck on saturday and get an appraisal on my tacoma. 3.29 gears and 33 gallon tank. I'll end up moving my on board air to the new truck and buy firestone air bags like my tacoma has.

 
I_squared_r said:
I'm going to see this truck on saturday and get an appraisal on my tacoma. 3.29 gears and 33 gallon tank. I'll end up moving my on board air to the new truck and buy firestone air bags like my tacoma has.

Click to expand...

I just can't get over current prices. 2-3 years ago you could have gotten that truck for 38k brand new.
 
If you ever plan to lift and do bigger tires get the lower gears.
 
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