WPurchased a f350 6.2 gas with 3.73 gears and found out I am over weight and need to switch the gears to 4.30 to haul my trailer legally. I need my GCWR to be under 21.000lbs which I am currently at 19,000lbs with 3.73. I have asked two ford dealers and they won't do the work and put a warranty on it. . I have contacted the one mechanic that works for ford at the dealership and said he would do the switch for $3200 with tuner but that will void my diffential and pinion warranty.

My question is, has anyone had gears changed and have they had any problems after? Will I have any issues? When I bought the truck, I purchased a 6 year extended warranty through ford that has bumper to bumper, but part of that will be voided if I do the gears.

Should I look for a new or used truck that has a 4.30 gears and have warranty under it or do the gear swap??!!

 

Changing the gears will technically increase your GCWR, but not legally. You are limited to what the sticker says on the driver side door jamb.

 

The GCWR is not listed on the side of the door?

 

and thus, not a legal limit...if you do some research.

 

Why wouldn't it be a legal limit?

Trailer weight 12580lbs

Truck weights 7440lbs

Total gross is 20,020lbs

That puts me over by 1020lba currently and if I get the gears switched that increases GCWR to 22000 with a 12500 at hitch?

I been doing research and please correct me where I am wrong or missing something?

 

Please help as if I am over weight it could save me $3,200. If I am wrong, just would like to know so I don't make another costly mistake and look into my next option. Diesel or even a dually, etc.

 

Are you using the trailer weight sticker? Most RV weight stickers a lot less than the actual weight when being used. Maybe by using the sticker you will be under the limit you want to be.

 

I actually took the boat and trailer to work and got the actual weight as we have a certified scale. I got 3 weights. One with just my truck, one with truck and boat and one with just trailer. I just want to make sure I am calculating correctly. I can't afford to make another error. The book says boat weighed 8500lbs empty. Add the trailer and I am up to 12,580lbs.

 

Ok, I didn't realize it was a boat. I don't understand what your concern is? Do you think a state trooper will pull you over and escort you to a weigh station which may lead to some sort of ticket?

 

Well yes or if god for bid a tire blows out going to lake Erie or to another body of water or if something happened and fails. I would be at fault. I have heard D.O.T. have really been watching due to all the accidents with bob cats, etc. knowing I am legal is half battle.

 

Who is at fault if you have 4.30 gears? Almost all the new campers with slides on SRW trucks will out weight the gvw but those rigs are everywhere. People add 19.5" tires so they can carry more, I see 3/4 trucks all over towing huge 5th wheel toyhaulers. My friends weighs over 16k and tows with a 3/4. IMO the door sticker is no "tell all end all", rather a way for a truck manufacturer to put a limit on a truck that they can honor a warranty to. There's no doubt your truck will tow better with the gears, other than that, I don't think the money needs to be spent. I would call more Ford dealers about the gear swap, my Ford dealer can do them and you don't need a tuner or sacrifice the warranty. Dealers vary greatly though.

 

I had the gears changed in a 81 F250 many years back, I had the rear end regeared out of my 79 that I had changed out a few years before and put it in the 81 that had a 3.73 semi float rear end. I never had one moment of trouble with it and I talked to the new owner of the truck 15 years later and it was still trouble free but you have to find the right person to do the work. I would not worry about having it done.

The 6.2 is a amazing motor with the right gears for pulling and 4.30 are the right gears.

Denny

 

I agree. There are trucks out there are over weight but I don't want to be one of them. With 4.30 gears I should be legal and that piece of mind would make my 100 mile trip easier. I may call a few other ford dealers and ask around. Two by my house don't do it in the Pgh area.

Has anyone had the gears changed and had any problems? Also the 12,500 towing that is rated, is that total that the truck can haul or is that all the hitch can put on it?

 

12500 would be the total weight rated to tow/haul.

 

Are you only planning on pulling 100 miles.

Denny