Rear End Gears

[daveandlorri]

What is ya'lls opinion of a Silverado CC 4X4 6.2 6sp with the 3.73 gears instead of the 3.42. Will I get better towing with the 3.73 vs the other, is this a good combination?

[pennzoil29]

Welcome aboard I'd go with the 3.73's.

[zibzer]

373 will tow better than 342

[MarkD]

From what I've read, the 1st gear in the 6 speed is very low, making the FINAL drive ratio with 3.42s lower than a 4 speed with 3.73s. A lower gear always helps with towing though.

[Matt_]

if you tow a lot, the 3.73s are the way to go.

 

if you only tow occassionaly, and not much more than 6k lbs, the 3.42s are stout (when combined with the 6spd)

 

Last weekend i towed my buddys boat & trailer to get some gas. Boat itself is 6,000lbs.... i offered to do it cause i wanted to see what it would feel like. Accelerating was almost like the boat wasn't there... it wasn't until 3rd or 4th gear where i started to 'feel' the weight, and even then my truck really impressed me.

 

The 3.73s will help keep the RPMs up on the highway. So if you're hauling a heavy load (probably over 6k) you'll likely be in 4th gear with 3.42s and 5th gear with 3.73s... either way you'll be matching the RPMs; one of the great things about the new 6spd designs

[Ryan00TJ]

With the mechanical advantage of lower gearing you will have better towing capability, crisper throttle response, possibly less shifting in the trans, and a quicker truck.

 

Downsides will be that the engine is turning more rpms at any given speed compared to the 3.42 combo. This will use more fuel. Depending on the driving style it could be as little as .4-.8mpg vs 1-2mpg if you drive aggressively.

 

IMO it's worth it if you tow alot or want the utmost acceleration that a GM truck is capable of.

[Paul58]

the lower 1st gear in the 6 speed will get you rolling faster, but when you hit crusing speed your engine will be running at a lower rpm with the 3.42 gears and may cause it to work harder because it will be running at a lower torqe level. The 3.73 gears will lower your final drive ration allowing the engine to operate in a hight rpm band and further up the torque curve. The more torque the engine is generating, the easier it will pull the load with less stress placed on the engine components.