question for a rear end mechanic

[keakar]

im looking at the new chevy trucks and it comes with the 3.23 gears and they offer two other gear ratio as well so I have a choice of

3.08

3.23

3.42

for the 4.3 engines

my question is, what gear ratio will give me the best highway mileage because im not worried about losing low end torque since I don't tow anything heavier then a flatboat

so does a lower gear number mean more low end torque or higher highway gas mileage?

I wouldn't trust those idiots at the dealerships to tell me how to turn on a light switch because they don't know anything about what they sell, only the mechanics know stuff worth listening to

[BuckingFastard]

the lower the number the lower the rpms youll be at when at highway speeds

[keakar]

Originally Posted by BuckingFastard

the lower the number the lower the rpms youll be at when at highway speeds

thanks, so I guess my next question would be how much impact on city gas mileage would that be? in other words would the extra gas I burn in city driving offset any savings on highway miles?

just trying to get the most overall high gas mileage without considering torque loss and I don't know if im better off sticking with the standard 3.23 or going to the 3.08 to try and get better mileages.

I already drive like an old lady going to church so im very easy on the gas pedal since I don't need to get anywhere in a big hurry

[keakar]

Originally Posted by keakar

thanks, so I guess my next question would be how much impact on city gas mileage would that be? in other words would the extra gas I burn in city driving offset any savings on highway miles?

just trying to get the most overall high gas mileage without considering torque loss and I don't know if im better off sticking with the standard 3.23 or going to the 3.08 to try and get better mileages.

I already drive like an old lady going to church so im very easy on the gas pedal since I don't need to get anywhere in a big hurry

ok well I guess its all moot now since I found out you only get those choices with the 5.3 v8 engines so I have no choice what to get with the 4.3 v6 engine

[BuckingFastard]

Originally Posted by keakar

ok well I guess its all moot now since I found out you only get those choices with the 5.3 v8 engines so I have no choice what to get with the 4.3 v6 engine

dang... well theres always aftermarket gears

[keakar]

Originally Posted by BuckingFastard

dang... well theres always aftermarket gears

I suppose I could special order it with the 3.08 gears if I really wanted to but I doubt I would gain enough for it to be worth the trouble. its just not part of the "standard" packages

I was actually guessing that a lower gear ratio meant it would increase highway rpms so im glad I asked about it

[Goooh]

Originally Posted by keakar

thanks, so I guess my next question would be how much impact on city gas mileage would that be? in other words would the extra gas I burn in city driving offset any savings on highway miles?

just trying to get the most overall high gas mileage without considering torque loss and I don't know if im better off sticking with the standard 3.23 or going to the 3.08 to try and get better mileages.

I already drive like an old lady going to church so im very easy on the gas pedal since I don't need to get anywhere in a big hurry

Depends on how much you drive city and highway

[BuckingFastard]

i suppose youll really have to think about how much city vs hwy driving and pulling in city vs pulling on hwy driving you will do.

[BuckingFastard]

id honestly say 3.43 just because the 4.3L and i wouldnt go lower that 3.23 for sure. youll get worse mileage with the engine having to strain harder while pulling with anything lower. even if its just a tiny boat. my friends truck used to switch between gears on every overpass when pulling a small trailer because of that and that ate the fuel like crazy. itll be much worse if you ever plan to drive in some hills like toledo bend area

[mriguy]

The 5.3 in the new Chevy/GMC actually gets pretty decent gas mileage. Resale value would definitely be better I would think.

[keakar]

Originally Posted by mriguy

The 5.3 in the new Chevy/GMC actually gets pretty decent gas mileage. Resale value would definitely be better I would think.

well the 4.3L has more power and torque then my 1998 small block v8 350 5.7L engine in my old truck which is a powerful beast of an engine so I didn't see a reason to spend an extra $1100 for the v8 for power i'll never use.

if money wasn't an issue I wouldn't have to think about it but money is tight which is why im going with the stripped down WT version

[mriguy]

Originally Posted by keakar

well the 4.3L has more power and torque then my 1998 small block v8 350 5.7L engine in my old truck which is a powerful beast of an engine so I didn't see a reason to spend an extra $1100 for the v8 for power i'll never use.

if money wasn't an issue I wouldn't have to think about it but money is tight which is why im going with the stripped down WT version

Understood

[lil bubba]

I had the 6 cyl. in a 2010 regular cab short bed. Kept it for all of 11 months. No power pulling a 16 foot boat , Decent enough to run around town. Got worse milage than the 5.3 I got now in a 4x4 crew cab. Just my opinion from my experience.

[keakar]

Originally Posted by lil bubba

I had the 6 cyl. in a 2010 regular cab short bed. Kept it for all of 11 months. No power pulling a 16 foot boat , Decent enough to run around town. Got worse milage than the 5.3 I got now in a 4x4 crew cab. Just my opinion from my experience.

thanks, that's good info and will definitely be taken into consideration.

it is my understanding though that there were a lot of changes made in the new motors and they now produce a lot more power then those made just a few years ago.

I will be test driving both for sure before deciding on which engine to get but as for now im forming opinion based on the specs given in the engine details.

if I have to eat baloney for 6 months to get the v8 that's not a problem, just don't want to spend for extra power if im sure im not going to need it.

[duckman1911]

You'll get used to it. I went from an 89 toyota tacoma to a 07 crew cab 4x4 crew cab sierra. Now I wish the thing was bigger. I also got the w/t version. Only way I could get it non flexfuel and manual windows. The look on the salesmans face was funny when I told him I wouldn't but a truck with electric windows.

[kb7722]

I have a 2007 crew cab 4x4 sierra slt "new body style" and it doesn't have the flex fuel.

[duckman1911]

Originally Posted by kb7722

I have a 2007 crew cab 4x4 sierra slt "new body style" and it doesn't have the flex fuel.

Flexfuel sucks. When the ethonal ratio sensor goes out it turns your check engine light on. Its a pricey little thing too.

[keakar]

well I guess I don't have much choice but to het used to it lol.

I hate the look of it, its a clone copy of those ugly tundras, in fact if you took the emblems off you could tell which was which.

looks like I have a bad tire because it has a wiggle or shimmy at 70mph so I have to go have that checked.

the interior is huge and looks like a ford style so I would call it a tundra body with a ford interior and a chevy engine.

I would pay extra if I could just buy another brand new 1998 style truck, if it aint broke don't fix it and they ruined the hell out of these trucks looks

its a truck, you buy a truck to put stuff in it and some genius decided to make the sides so high you cant access, move, reach, or put anything into the truck from the sides, HOW STUPID IS THAT

if I wanted an inaccessible cargo area I would have bought a suburban