I'm upgrading from my 1995 Dodge Ram 4X4,1500 club cab(5.9-L)to 2008 Silverado 2500HD,4X4,crew cab,6.0-L gas engine. I mainly use the truck for recreation purposes and average 7,000 miles a year. I trailer my 220 Chaparral(6,000lbs.w/trailer)about 5 times a year. My Dodge would tow the boat fine until I would get into the Ozark hills in Missouri,then I was disappointed in the performance. I can't afford the 6.6-L diesel so I have to settle for the gas engine. Should I be concern if the truck has 3.73 or 4.10 gear in it.

3.73 is plenty for 6k. The new 6 speed auto makes a big difference.

You should be fine with the 3.73s.

You can afford the diesel. You can get a 2007 Classic Crew Cab 4wd for around 30K or less in the midwest. We paid 31K for ours with 12K miles. Out here gas prices are catching diesel prices which further builds the case for diesel. The classic and the new style 2500HD use the same chassis. Only the 1500 got the GMT900 chassis.

I'd go with the 4.10's. I have them and they're a good match with a 6.0L and hills. You will lose only 1 mpg.

You think they're still necessary with the new 6-speed auto and VVT engine?

A worthwhile read:

http://trailerboats.com/output.cfm?id=1255645&sectionid=318

Necessary, no. Better at pulling a grade, yes.

I'm hearing that the GMT900 will be going to the 2500HD in 09 or 2010 and a new platform a few years after that. Magazines could be wrong, especially if they are simply reading and retyping the press releases which happens on occasion.

One of the reasons I went to the Classic is because I don't have the soot scrubber which is one more thing to go wrong.

Either one is going to be capable and the P.O. can get an 07 diesel for the same price as an 08 gasser.

Thanks for the read D-Rod. I have several trucks to chose from and only one of them have the 4.10 gears. It looks like I will be fine with either setup.

I thought the 3.73 was the only available ratio for the new 6-speed ???

I know that we opted for the 4.10 in our Suburban, but that's the older 4 speed setup

Pacesetter, as with all gas engines, to get the most out of it while towing you should go with the "deeper" gear.
If she's gonna be used to tow stuff and not as a daily commuter the 4.10 makes more sense to me. You'll find, again while towing, that the fuel mileage difference between the two is negligible.
Occasional towing with lots of "regular" miles....go the other way and get the 3.73.

Conventional thinking went out the door with the new 6-speeds.

Don't buy the 4.10's until you have driven the 3.73's. Power is not going to be an issue.

For the record, pushing O/D off (5th gear) has the same net effect on the highway as what 4.10's would have had with the old 4-speed tranny. And with 3.73's, one still has better gearing to accelerate from the stop light or throughout any of the RPM range. On top of those advantages, the 08's use a VVT engine which provides considerably more grunt than the 6.0's of the past.

Power is not going to be the problem.

IMO, if you're in the position to buy new and get exactly what you want, and you're gonna use the truck for mainly towing and not commuting, why give up anything with the gearing....

I don't think you're giving up anything. Infact, I think you might be gaining some. With 4.10's, you going to be be doing a TON of shifting.