View Poll Results: Which gears?
3:55
4
9.76%
3:73
15
36.59%
4:10
22
53.66%
Voters: 41. You may not vote on this poll
Which gears would you choose?
#1
Which gears would you choose?
I have a 2005 F150 4X4 regular cab with a 4.6. I need to occasionally tow a two horse trailer. The 3:55 gears are awful. I have thoughts of putting 4:10 gears in the truck as this would be cheaper than buying a new truck. I love my truck. It has given me 68k trouble free miles.
I understand 4:10's will hurt mileage but how much? My other option would be 3:73 gears. Would I really be able to tell a difference if I go with 3:73's?
So here is the option.
Leave it alone and deal with the high 3:55 gears
Compromise and go with the 3:73's
Go with 4:10's and enjoy the extra grunt and take off?
I understand 4:10's will hurt mileage but how much? My other option would be 3:73 gears. Would I really be able to tell a difference if I go with 3:73's?
So here is the option.
Leave it alone and deal with the high 3:55 gears
Compromise and go with the 3:73's
Go with 4:10's and enjoy the extra grunt and take off?
#2
What is your typical driving other than the occasional trailer tow? If you do a lot of freeway driving at 80 mph, you probably won't like the 4.10's for very long with the engine being wound out. If you do mostly city driving, you would probably love the 4.10's and would't see any loss in mileage.
Has anyone sucessfully put 4.10's into these trucks yet? Seems like Ford only offered 4.56 above 3.73 and some people were not having real good luck with non-Ford gears in these axles.
Has anyone sucessfully put 4.10's into these trucks yet? Seems like Ford only offered 4.56 above 3.73 and some people were not having real good luck with non-Ford gears in these axles.
#5
4.10 at the least , I would say. As a performance upgrade, I have been recommending 4.56 gears to customers, even with stock size tires on lowered trucks. The mileage changes are negligible, but the performance and available torque are much improved, its a win win situation as far as i know.
Also keep in mind that on a 4x4 youll need to do the front and rear axles. Parts and labor on a change like this can quickly approach $2000, so I would take that into consideration.
Also keep in mind that on a 4x4 youll need to do the front and rear axles. Parts and labor on a change like this can quickly approach $2000, so I would take that into consideration.
#7
Has anyone sucessfully put 4.10's into these trucks yet? Seems like Ford only offered 4.56 above 3.73 and some people were not having real good luck with non-Ford gears in these axles.[/QUOTE]
That's a good question since that's the ratio I want, and I hadn't heard about non-Ford gear sets giving problems. If that's true, then does Ford carry a 4.10 set for our axles through the parts dept.?
That's a good question since that's the ratio I want, and I hadn't heard about non-Ford gear sets giving problems. If that's true, then does Ford carry a 4.10 set for our axles through the parts dept.?
Trending Topics
#8
Originally Posted by true blue
I have a 2005 F150 4X4 regular cab with a 4.6. I need to occasionally tow a two horse trailer. The 3:55 gears are awful. I have thoughts of putting 4:10 gears in the truck as this would be cheaper than buying a new truck. I love my truck. It has given me 68k trouble free miles.
I understand 4:10's will hurt mileage but how much? My other option would be 3:73 gears. Would I really be able to tell a difference if I go with 3:73's?
So here is the option.
Leave it alone and deal with the high 3:55 gears
Compromise and go with the 3:73's
Go with 4:10's and enjoy the extra grunt and take off?
I understand 4:10's will hurt mileage but how much? My other option would be 3:73 gears. Would I really be able to tell a difference if I go with 3:73's?
So here is the option.
Leave it alone and deal with the high 3:55 gears
Compromise and go with the 3:73's
Go with 4:10's and enjoy the extra grunt and take off?
I am still trying to find a Super Duty with factory 4.30 gears and a 5.4 to take for a drive, just to see what kind of rpm's you get running down the highway.
For the record I have had an 02 with 3.73's, an 04 with 3.55's, an 06 with 3.73's and now the 04 with 4.10's. I ran the 02 with stock size tires, the 04 with both stock and oversize tires, the 06 with stock size tires and the 04 HD has oversize tires. Notice that I am saying "stock size" since the only truck I even ran on OEM tires was the 06 and that was for about 1000 miles.
Unfortunately my truck is an XL version and therefore does not have a tach so I really have no idea what rpm's I am running down the highway. Guess one of these days I should look into an aftermarket tach.
Check around where you live for a reputable gear shops and go and talk to them. It is not just a matter of swapping in new gears, they must be properly set up as well. A gear shop owner where I live was very adamant about the fact that he has had mechanics over the years who were very good at setting up differentials and others who never got the hang of it.
Last edited by bigdavewilson; 12-26-2007 at 07:30 PM.
#9
Originally Posted by bigdavewilson
Check around where you live for a reputable gear shops and go and talk to them. It is not just a matter of swapping in new gears, they must be properly set up as well. A gear shop owner where I live was very adamant about the fact that he has had mechanics over the years who were very good at setting up differentials and others who never got the hang of it.
I guess I would certainly consider the 4:30 or 4:56 gears. My driving is mostly city with a few jaunts down the highway at 80 MPH. I take one 800 mile trip on the highway a year. If 4:56 or 4:30 gears wouldn't kill me I would take those. Will the front diff take those gears without modification?
It would be nice to have take off power so I could make guys with a bigger engine give me that confused German Sheppard look!
#10
jeez, True Blue, don't you know a 4.6 couldn't pull a greasy string out of a cat's...well...you know. jk
Regarding the gears, I would think the 4.10 would be the way to go...I am lucky in that I only have a 2WD and don't have the major issue with you needing two sets.
what type of diff does the fords use up front? And are they engine-dependant like the rear diff? (8.8 for the 4.6 etc etc)
Regarding the gears, I would think the 4.10 would be the way to go...I am lucky in that I only have a 2WD and don't have the major issue with you needing two sets.
what type of diff does the fords use up front? And are they engine-dependant like the rear diff? (8.8 for the 4.6 etc etc)
#11
LOL, I know the 4.6 is weak but at the time I got it I thought I would just be running back and forth to work in it.
The front end is a Dana 44. I believe it is the same no matter which engine you have.
Originally Posted by db_tanker
what type of diff does the fords use up front? And are they engine-dependant like the rear diff? (8.8 for the 4.6 etc etc)
#12
#13
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post