Which transmission?

you can skip gears you know.....

 

Can't talk gear ratios, but I'd want an 18 speed, hands down.

 

heck i had no idea.thanks for enlightening me.yeah you can skip gears but if you want to not shift so often,run a ten speed.otherwise my preference is a 13.i still stand by my assertion that a 13 would be great in new england.

 

Speaking of enlightening... could you enlighten us as to why you'd NEED to shift more often with an 18? All it does is give you more options... and at 100,000, options are a good thing to have.

 

Ya, I'd like to know that myself.

There is no difference between the 13 speed he is recommending and a 18 speed when skipping the lower 5 splits.

 

13 or 18, with a minimum 3.70 rear ratio. Low 3's are fine if you're at 80k but you can't run low ratios if you want to go heavy. Fuel Economy =/ Heavy weight. You're not so heavy that you'll need to get into the 4's but do not listen to anyone that says less than 3.7 MAYBE 3.55. If you want your fuel economy up, get a high HP engine so you can pull the grades and accelerate a little quicker so the engine doesn't work too hard. If the gear ratio is too slow for you go up to 24.5's to get some speed back

 

the only issue I have with this advice is that he said mostly highway... I run 3.08s with an 18, still pulls hills just as well as any other truck, but I have legs to cruise at 1400rpm at 75 mph. I average a solid 6.5 mpg.

 

18 spd with either 3.55 or 3.70 if you are going with cat under the hood.

 

he will be hauling in New England I.E. lots of hills and heavy, that's way too much gear for that application. depending on motor i'd be looking at 3.73