# 3.73 Or 4.10



## The Teke's (Oct 11, 2009)

I've decided it's time to upgrade TV and sell the 1/2 for a 3/4 ton truck. I'm getting a Chevy 2500hd, crew cab, SRW, 6.5ft bed, 6.0l gas engine. I just can't decide on the gears. We used to have a 3/4 ton back in 2000. That truck had a 350ci with 3.73's and was a real dog, but it only had the 4 speed tranny. I'm wondering with more hp and more torque, and the 6 speed tranny in the new one, will 3.73's be plenty for my setup. Yes I realize I'm only pulling a 210rs that only weighs somewhere around 6500lbs. But I am tired of hills eating me up and semis blowing me around. Who knows, we get a bigger truck, we may just have to have a bigger camper.lol Just wondering what your own experience has been with either setup?

Thanks


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## GO WEST (May 25, 2009)

Scoutr2 on the Glacier Park thread has an 07 Chevy 6.0L and he has the 4.10. He tows an Outback 29 with it. He'd be one to ask or maybe he will comment. I'd say 3.73 is plenty. What year model 2500 are you talking about?


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## Jim B (Mar 26, 2010)

I'm not very knowledgeable on these things, but I can share from my experience.

I had a Silverado 1/2 ton with the 5.3l engine and 3.73 rear end. It worked hard to maintain speed on even the smallest of hills here in NH. I traded that in for a Tundra packaged with a 5.8l engine and 4.30 rear end. The difference is amazing. Even on our summer trip down to PA & VA the Tundra never broke a sweat pulling the 210RS up and through Skyline Drive and the surrounding hills.

My guess is that the gearing has a much bigger impact on pulling performance than the size of the engine. Of course when not towing, the overall mpg will be lower with the higher ratio.

Good luck and congrats on your new TV.


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## Going Outback (Oct 27, 2010)

I have a Suburban 2500 with the 454 and 4.10's.I pull my 25Rss over hills and steep grades without any problems.


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## swanny (Oct 31, 2007)

I think you gas milage will suffer with 4.10. although not a lot, but with the price of gas...................


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## Traveling Tek (Oct 15, 2010)

I will have to see what gears I have. I have a Chevy Van 3500 with 6.0l in it. I tow decent, but I do miss my diesel. Most of the time I can run 65-70 with traffic without a problem. Some big hills if I don't have a run for them and don't keep the rpms high then I bog way down. The result of higher rpms is I have to sometimes turn on all the heaters to keep my engine temp down. I only 12mpg empty and 6 towing so it is what it is. I miss my diesel.


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## marker (Aug 14, 2009)

Everything is a compormise.

I have 3.53 gear ratio on my Hemi, and do OK for a heavily loaded trailer, but I have learned to put it in O/D (overdrive) Off for towing. This puts me higher in the engine rpm band where there is more power, which effectively compensates for the low ratio gears. Since I use the truck maybee 30% of the time towing, I am OK with that.

If I bought a larger trailer, I would definitely need a larger truck though.


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## willingtonpaul (Apr 16, 2010)

3.73's are far better overall street gears then the 4.10's. if all you did was tow, 4.10's would be the choice. but for a mixed use vehicle that tows less than 50% of the time, i would stick with the 3.73's.


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## Piecemaker (Nov 15, 2007)

If I can throw in my $.02.

I have a 2010 Chevy 6.0 with the 3.73 gear(4000 miles). I had a 2007 5.3 also with 3.73 gears. The '07 wouldn't do hills properly even though I dualled it out and put a K&N cold air intake on it.

I went for a 6.0 with the 3.73 gears and pulling is like night and day. This past year we went to the same campground as the year before with the 2 different trucks doing the same hills. The first trip the tv had trouble getting up the hills, the second year with the 6.0 3.73 it did excellent even though I had full tanks. We didn't know the tt was there.

Gas mileage is less but not all that bad. As an uncle once said to me "if you have to worry about the gas mileage you shouldn't be driving the vehicle"


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

I have a 2008 21RS. When I first bought it I was towing with a 1999 Silverado 1500 Extended Cab 4X4 with 5.3L and 3.73 rear end. It would take the 21RS anywhere I needed to go without problem. I recently traded up to a 2009 Silverado 1500 LT Crew Cab 4X4 with 5.3L and 3.42 rear end. The new truck has a six speed transmission with heavy duty tranny cooler that the first truck didn't. Those features increase the ball towing capacity from 6500 lbs to 9500 lbs. At the time I bought my new Chevy, 1500 crew cabs were not offered with any other rear end than the 3.42 unless you got the max trailering package and 6.0L or 6.2L engine. Unless you are looking at a much bigger trailer, the 3.73 rear end will be easily do what you need.


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## Blackjack (Jan 8, 2010)

I had a 2001 2500HD 6.0 with 4.10 which would have been the standard on an HD. I think the 4.10 would be better suited for towing and worth more when time to trade or sell since it's HD. In the overall picture, the gears won't make or break your fuel budget so get it for towing.


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

At work we have 2500 suburbans with the 6.0 and 3:73 gears. It can tow our 9k air trailer but its not breaking any records getting up to speed. Since you have a lighter camper I would go with the 3:73 gears and if its going to be a daily driver, 3:73 would be the way to go.


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## Jewellfamily (Sep 25, 2010)

The Teke said:


> I've decided it's time to upgrade TV and sell the 1/2 for a 3/4 ton truck. I'm getting a Chevy 2500hd, crew cab, SRW, 6.5ft bed, 6.0l gas engine. I just can't decide on the gears. We used to have a 3/4 ton back in 2000. That truck had a 350ci with 3.73's and was a real dog, but it only had the 4 speed tranny. I'm wondering with more hp and more torque, and the 6 speed tranny in the new one, will 3.73's be plenty for my setup. Yes I realize I'm only pulling a 210rs that only weighs somewhere around 6500lbs. But I am tired of hills eating me up and semis blowing me around. Who knows, we get a bigger truck, we may just have to have a bigger camper.lol Just wondering what your own experience has been with either setup?
> 
> Thanks


Its going to depend some on the 6.0L engine. I have the 365hp MAX motor in my 1/2 ton with 3.73's and it pulls pretty good. My last truck was a 5.3L with 3.42's and its night and day difference. Some of the new 6.0L engines are over 400hp according to the commercials. The 350 you were talking about in your 2000 truck probably wasn't pushing anywhere near this kind of horsepower. It takes up a lot of the horsepower/torque just pushing the truck around. Its the horsepower above the 300 mark that really seems to make a difference in your towing (and corresponding increased torque curve). If you are getting an engine in the high 300's low 400' for horsepower, 3.73's will probably be great, if the horsepower is going to be in the low 300's, you may want to gear down to 4.10's.


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## WYOCAMPER (Mar 28, 2007)

I'm going to go against the grain here and say to go with the 4.10's. First, the difference in gas mileage between 3.73's and 4.10's will be minimal, but the difference in towing will be noticeable. I've never heard anyone complain that they just have too much towing gear or towing power. Next, the amount you will pay for the 4.10's right now will be much less than what it will cost you down the road if you want to upgrade gears in the future. Finally, although you have a 21rs right now, sooner or later, most folks move up to a bigger trailer. Why not set up your truck for the most towing power when you initially purchase it? You are getting the gas motor, do yourself a favor and get as much gear as you can right now.


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## AK or Bust (Nov 22, 2010)

I have a 2010 GMC 2500 HD 6.0l with the 3.73 w/ 4wd and it pulls our outback with no strain whatsoever.

It easily keeps up with city traffic and ... I almost don't even feel it back there. Haven't towed it out of Florida so no mountains yet. I upgraded from a 2004 GMC 1500 and just love driving this new 2500 hd truck.


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## The Teke's (Oct 11, 2009)

Thanks for the advice everyone. The truck we are looking at would be a 2011. HP rating is 360 and torque is 380. That should be plenty of power. I just keep remembering my old 2000 that had the 373's. Wow that truck was disappointing when hooked to a 14ft enclosed trailer. My current truck has the 5.3L and 3.42 gears, and although it will do the job, it's not a fun pull. I remember someone (cant remember who) just got a 2011 2500 with 4.10's. They were having some problems with a shimmy. I was hoping that they would chime in and give a report.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

With a gas engine, I've always wished I had the nest set of gears..... Heck, even with the Diesel, it would have felt better getting it rolling... I'd get the 4.10's.


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## rsm7 (Aug 8, 2009)

WYOCAMPER said:


> I'm going to go against the grain here and say to go with the 4.10's. First, the difference in gas mileage between 3.73's and 4.10's will be minimal, but the difference in towing will be noticeable. I've never heard anyone complain that they just have too much towing gear or towing power. Next, the amount you will pay for the 4.10's right now will be much less than what it will cost you down the road if you want to upgrade gears in the future. Finally, although you have a 21rs right now, sooner or later, most folks move up to a bigger trailer. Why not set up your truck for the most towing power when you initially purchase it? You are getting the gas motor, do yourself a favor and get as much gear as you can right now.


X2 here. I dont like being sorry later when I spend that kind of money. If you can choose then get the 4.10. A 21 RS is nothing for that truck in either gears but what about the future?


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## RWRiley (Oct 21, 2009)

Agree with WYOCAMPER. I went for the 4.10 gears (3/4 Chevy) and believe it was the right thing to do. Take a look at the Chevy HD specs. For 2011 the 4.10 will pull up to 13,000lbs TT and over 14,000lbs 5'ver, which is a lot more than the 3.73. I don't pull that much now - but who knows what the future will bring.

I also think the difference in MPG is minimal. My 1/2 ton 350 Tahoe (3.73 gears) gets about 16-17 solo, my 3/4 Siverado (4.10 gears) get about 15 (both are highway MPGs). Towing MPG is pretty close to the same for both trucks (on the same trailer).


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## clarkely (Sep 15, 2008)

I would be inclined to go 4.10, most of my friends who have them say they see a very minimal difference in mileage.....

My Previous tow vehicles; 2008 2500 3.73 6.0 ltr Suburban, 1500 2004 5.3 3.73 Suburban - they both seemed to hunt a lot between 60mph-70mph. You either had to drive at 50 or 73 for it to settle in....... and i always felt there was way more top end then i would ever need.......


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