Do you guys think a '05 2500HD (ext-cab shortbed 2wd 6.0L) could push itself down the road with a set of 3.42 gears in it? And make better gas mileage?

Does anyone make 3.55 gears for the 10.5" 14-bolt?

 

i think it could with the 3.42's. it wouldn't be usefull for any of it's HD functions though.

 

Well...yes and no. If you want to tow something you could just put the shifter in 3rd gear and it would be equivalent to having 4.10's with the shifter in 4th gear. Sure it will take alot more throttle to get a load moving from a dead stop, but at highway speeds it would basically be the same.

This truck will mostly be a highway runner on flat open roads with occassional (once or twice a month?) towing of livestock/farm trailers.

 

with a 2.48 first gear that's going to keep the truck into the stall of the converter for quite a ways before smoothing out to lock the converter in. on the highway you'd end up with constant 3-2 shifting. with a 3.42 gear in an HD i wouldn't recomend any more than about 5500lbs towing.