Sam;
You are probably more right than you think, when I ordered my '91 EB
Explorer some years back, the Dealer told me I was nuts for getting a 5spd
and 3.73 ratio, he said I would hate the gas mileage. Well to make a long
story short there are a lot of Explorer Owners around here that are envious
of MY gas mileage and ability to pull away from them.
L. John Morris<ljohn@alltel.net>
!!!!! ... your local *HEMI* owner ...!!!!!
'97 SLT+ CC 4x4
5.2L, 3.92LS
----------
> From: Sam Parthemer <samp@cts.com>
> To: dakota@ait.fredonia.edu
> Subject: Re: Gear Ratios [was re: '97 wind whistle]
> Date: Sunday, March 16, 1997 10:16 AM
>
> L. J. Morris wrote:
> >
> > Alan;
> >
> > Don't get me wrong I like the 3.9, but for everyday driving the 3.55
would
> > be the more logical choice and it looks like a lot better for gas
mileage.
> > First is about useless for everyday stop and go. I also live in a very
> > hilly area (not much level driving) and I have always order the deepest
> > gears I could get on a vehicle for this reason (0-60 times are always
good
> > to). However with the new Dak being a 5.2L it would have compensated
for
> > the higher 3.55's.
>
> The mileage diff.s between the 3.55 and 3.90 aren't much (only 1-2
> mpg MAX. between the 2 dakotas I have had (3.55 on one, and 3.90 on my
> current
> truck). The one thing that you need to learn with the 5 spd and 3.90
> gearing
> is that you use 1st gear only if you are completely stopped. Use 2nd if
> you
> are even rolling... (it's a mind bender I know, I drive my wife's
> Corolla
> and try the same thing: RATTLE RATTLE..OOpps..) You'll LOVE 1st gear
> the
> first time you pull out a tree stump with ease, the first time you pull
> a fully loaded travel trailer up out of a STEEP driveway: Or for me,
> you
> pull a buddies 4000# jetboat out of a slippery boat ramp, at
> idle..*While
> the rest of people on the ramp are smoking their tires just to move!*
> First
> is actually really good in bumper-bumper traffic too... When it's real
> slow
> you can idle in 1st and never hit the clutch (if the traffic is moving
> slow
> , but you can do that in 2nd too).
> I also had the experience of driving on an icy road (yes, icy here
> in California!) where I need very slow wheel speed to get going, and
> keep
> it slow... 1st gear and I idled along at 2-5 mph... I tried 2nd but
> started spinning instantly...(Went back to 1st)...
>
> > ps. the 3.92's are sure fun though, the truck seems to scream and I
only
> > have 400 miles on it with no drive train mods.
> >
> > L. John Morris<ljohn@alltel.net>
> > !!!!! ... your local *HEMI* owner ...!!!!!
> > '97 SLT+ CC 4x4
> > 5.2L, 3.92LS
>
> You'll find more uses for your truck, and appreciate you choice more
> and more!
>
> ...Sam '95 SLT
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 20 2003 - 12:07:34 EDT