I am in the process of ordering a 2021 Ram 2500 6.4 litre, automatic, crew cab, 4x4. Trying to decide 3.73 gears or 4.10 gears? How do they tow?

I have been towing a 26' Haulmark trailer with my Dartsport, since 2004 . In 2004 and 2005, I towed with a 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, with 5.2 litre. Struggled, but got the job done. Trailer loaded weighs 9750 pounds. I have been towing since 2006, with a 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 Slt, diesel, automatic. The Diesel is the 1st new vehicle I ever bought. Tows great. Bought a 2008 Class A motorhome with a V10 Ford, in november of 2017. That tows the trailer great also.

The 2006 Diesel only has 52,750 miles, always garage kept. Very good shape, No rust. Never any problems. Thinking about selling and getting a 2021 Ram 2500 hemi. I know the newer hemi will get better gas mileage. Just wondering how it tows. Won't be towing with it much. If I am going to the races, it will be with the motorhome.

Which gear ratio should I get?? 3.73 or 4.10 ?? Thanks for any info, or opinions.

My engine builders brother got one with the 8speed trans and is getting 2mpg less.

I just ordered one last week. Looked around a little for feedback on the 4.10 v 3.73 but didn’t find much.
I live in the flatlands and will mostly tow in areas I’m not climbing a lot of hills so I don’t think I’ll have any issues with the 3.73.
BTW they told me 10-12 weeks for it to arrive, which would mean around Memorial Day. With all the supply line issues going in these days, I figure on not counting on it being here by then, and it may end up coming more like July. Ordered vehicles do get priority on the schedule, and automakers are shifting items in short supply like semiconductors to their high margin products like trucks, so maybe I’ll get lucky and it will be here when estimated. But keep that in mind if you need your new truck by a certain time!

I have a 2015 RAM 1500 5.7 hemi with the 8-speed auto and 3.21 gears.
It tows the load great. That 8-speed makes all the difference. It has a very low 1st gear, and so many choices in "overdrive" gears there is one for every load.
When empty (no trailer), it goes 70 mph around 1600 rpm and gets great gas mileage. When towing my 24ft enclosed trailer loaded to 8,000 lbs it works great.
On the highway it stays in 6th gear so there is enough RPM (~2,200) to have the right power.
I have towed 9,500 lbs a few times and in the flat east it does just fine.

So, based on that; get the 8-speed with 3.73 gears and you will be happy with both towing and driving without a trailer.

Now if you must tow 13,000 lbs, or mountainous areas; that might be another story.
I do find it odd you want to get rid of your diesel; unless you don't plan to tow with the pickup truck much anymore.

How would your set-up brake in a panic stop ?

each to their own, but if I had a 2006 dodge diesel, with only 52,000 miles, paid for, sitting in the garage, that does not need DEF, you could not pry it away from me for any amount of money. That truck is the best pulling diesel, with the least emissions, ever built in my opinion. As far as the 2021 truck, it will pull your trailer, not nearly as good as the diesel, and it will use a lot more fuel doing it. My old 1999 dodge diesel, had 4.11 gears when I bought it, and I put in 3.55's 60 miles an hour is 1,500 rpm, the old engine will pull a house so it just lumbers down the road a little off idle, and that is an 18,000 lb trailer loaded. . You gas truck will most likely need at least 3.73's The worst thing about all the gas trucks I have rode in pulling a trailer is that it seems to work the transmission a lot, they are always shifting gears.

I have a 2014 Ram 2500 with 6.4 Hemi that I bought new.I mostly tow with our diesel pusher motor home but to our local track I use the pickup. My trailer loaded weights around 9800 lbs.
I always use the "tow haul" button and the motor/trans does not go into complete lock up plus the motor stays at a higher rpm at highway speed aprox 65 mph rpm at around 2400rpm
My truck has 3.73 gears . It will downshift if when going up hills but has plenty of power. Fuel mileage is around 8 to 9 mpg. My son just bought a 2018 Ram 2500 with 6.4 Hemi but with 4.10 gears.
His trailer weight around 11000 lbs but he just got it so we have no info yet. I know the towing capacity is around 1800 lbs more with the lower gears but I believe you would have to be pulling around 14000 lbs to have the benefit of the 4.10 gears. The truck he found just happen to have the 4.10 gears. Saying all of that I agree with JWB123 that for towing you can't beat a truck like your diesel.

I haven't towed with one but I have heard they do very well. If I were a hobby racer that didn't pull through the mountains I would go gas motor. The diesel stuff has gotten so expensive for out of warranty repairs I just couldn't risk it on my dime. Say at 200,000 miles you kick the rods out of a 6.4(unlikely). Then say at 200,000 miles your common rail diesel needs injectors(likely). I bet the long block for the 6.4 cost less than the injector job in the diesel.

You do have a good truck sitting there with your 06, but everyone gets the itch for a new truck! You should be able to sell it at a premium cost.

I am considering a 6.4 2500 also. The $11,000 price difference buys a LOT of gas!

I had a 2006 2500 Cummins with a 6 speed and 3.73s. I hauled everything with that truck, including excavation equipment. When I sold my drag car, I sold the truck. A few years back, I started camping and bought a large camper. I now have a 2015 Chevy HD gasser with 4.10 gears. One of my best friends has a 2020 Ram 2500 with a 6.4 and 4.10s. Neither of those gassers will pull anywhere near as well as the '06 did. Pulling a lightweight hauler with a UTV in it, his 6.4 gets about 10mpg and isn't a fan of hills. My diesel with the drag car behind it got high teens.
I've said for years, I should have kept my '06 Cummins. Just saying.....

2020 3500 gas hemi truck for me.
Too many issues with the diesel trucks. DEF emissions, Not sensors, always a problem.

Better than your junk....

And the rear gear ratio question of the original poster does not affect braking.

I just placed on order Friday for a new Ram Classic 1500 6.4 bed ( similar to 440Jims only mines 4WD ) to replace my 08 H.Q.C. I Really don't need a crew or quad cab anymore and have always liked the regular cab / short beds as I have had two others. I was under the impression they stopped making reg cab. / short beds , according to the salesman they did stop but due to popular demand they started making them again but only in the Classic series. It will be here in 8-12 weeks but maybe sooner. I looked at the 2500s I liked them but its kind of over kill and a lot more money for what I need. They had the one in the picture it had pretty much everything I need , tow pkg, Hemi, sure grip, etc. except it only had 3.21 gears. I have found in my old Durango and other trucks I have had that 3.92 gears worked best for towing so that's what I ordered. I drove the one in the picture and was really impressed by how it ran and how much more room the interior had compared to my 92 I ordered the same color also it had an electronics package that I don't even know what half the stuff is so I ordered a simpler version. There are so many options and packages to choose from for instance I would have liked the 20 inch chrome wheels but you have to order a package that includes fog lights and dual exhaust and the cost would have been another $3500 nice but the regular chrome pkg. ( bumpers and 17 inch aluminum wheels , regular single exhaust ) will be fine for me. I thought I read somewhere that you shouldn't have rear exiting exhaust while towing an enclosed trailer , I don't know if that's true. The Ram tow package is nice it includes towing ( extended ) mirrors with lights , hitch and the trailer brake controller comes already installed , I am pretty sure I will have to add air bags as it seems the 1500s sag if not installed and the factory air bag setup isn't available on the 1500 Classic. My 08 H.Q.C. 5.7 towed great and got 10.5 mpg towing after I added a CAI and cat back system it would buzz right along at 70 plus no problem even here where there's a few hills to get to my local track. It only has 58,000 miles but is showing its age I hardly use it yet its developing the rust bubbles over the rear wheels even after I tried to seal the inner panels they gave a good price on it on trade but I might sell it on my own to see if I can get over what they offered. I am sure it is especially with only 58,000 miles. anybody interested send me a p.m.

I had a 2007 quad cab 5.7 hemi 2500 with 3.73s (I think) that I used for a good many years. I towed a 24' box trailer with my car (3000 lbs, 4 wheeler, and tools). It got the job done, but you had to work it. I have 3 inclines on my way to the track, by most standards they are just small bumps, but they let you know how well your tow rigged does on a hill. I got 8 mpg towing with that truck and 14 mpg everyday driving. My dad has a 2005 single cab 5.7 with 4.10s and he gets 10 mpg doesn't matter if he's towing or everyday driving. My 07 was my daily driver, but than I bought a beater for everyday driving so I bought a 2017 6.4 Hemi with 4.10s (Still has the 6 speed trans) for towing and such. I went with the 4.10s since I wanted more power when towing and from research I did it seemed the 4.10's got MAYBE 1-2 mpg worse than the 3.73s. With the 2017 truck I get 10mpg towing and 14-15 mpg everyday driving. It has WAY more power and tows so much better than my 07. I bought the truck in March 2018 and only have 11,000 miles on it so I haven't really broken it in yet. I wouldn't hestiate getting the 4.10s esp since they have I think an 8 speed trans now, that should help with gas mileage.

3.73's

I have 4.10's in a gas and when it goes into direct (1:1) while towing, the rpm is too high. I know if I had the 3.55's the truck would settle to 2700 rpm at 60mph which is more tolerable than 3300 rpm. This is based on towing at almost 14,000 pound combined weight (26 foot holiday trailer, QuadCab 1500 Ram). My normal towing scenario is an open car hauler and that combined weight is 10,500 pounds and the truck easily tows in overdrive (360 Magnum). With 3.55's I would be able to use 3rd gear on the hills more to maintain speed without screaming the piss out of it.

You're getting the 8 speed LCV transmission which is a big advantage and it can work it's way around the 3.73's. Also, the 6.4 has almost 100 lb/ft on my 360 so that engine will just play with 3.73's. You will thank yourself when empty with the 3.73's which is about 90% of the time in a pickup truck.

You have answered your own question with the V10 in your Class A: I have the same setup and am impressed with the Ford V10 (about 19,500 pounds).

Your diesel is worth a lot of money. If you are getting rid of it because of the PIA they are to own, I get it. I would never go back to diesel. The big bills are coming on your Cummins (injection pump, injectors, lift pump), so now is a good time to get rid of it.

I have a question I didn't notice when ordering: my 08 has a button on the shift lever for tow mode / OD off for towing . Does the new 8 speed with a shifter knob on the dash have the same capability?

The 6.4 with the 8sped is really good. I have a buddy who tows a big sleeper/horse-trailer with the 6.4/8spd and loves it.

I have the 6.4 with the old 6spd in a '17 Power Wagon and towed a 32' Haulmark to Tampa and back with Duster in it. It was alright, but the 8spd would have been much nicer to have.

Well my junk is the same truck as your junk,, except I have better ratio, 3.55. It pulls great, but fully loaded, it will drive right thru someone in a hard stop. I was asking to see how your braking works since you decided to get off topic

My 2006 and trailer weighs around 17,800. Gets around 8 to 10 while towing. Usually get around 14 to 16.5 empty. Got 19 a few times , when I was driving it, trying to get good mileage. Pulls and stops great. I just think I should get something New, while I can still get good money for it. Just listed it on Marketplace earlier today.

My 2008 Hurricane 33' class A motorhome. With a Ford F43 Chassis, V10. 17,800 miles. Pulls great stops good. Fuel mileage is 5.4 to 6.1 towing trailer. Weighs 26,000 lbs. with trailer. Gets 6.2 to 7.1 without trailer.

I would like to order 2021 Ram 2500. I was at dealer on saturday and priced 1 out with what I want. I think I will stay with 3.73 gears. Local track is only 12 miles from home. Any farther , and I will take motorhome.