Originally Posted by nstueve

I am very happy with the combo Thumper has! The F250 suspension allows me way more cargo capacity than a 1/2 ton. The 4.9L is a very very reliable engine and so I have taken plenty of trips to Colo, IL, MN, etc and never been worried about breaking down.

If I had it my way, (and had plenty of money to blow) I would probably go 3.73 gears instead of 3.55's. 4.10's are a little tall and any gas savings would be lost to higher RPMs when running down the interestate. There just isn't enough gain from 3.55's to 3.73's to justify the cost. If I had 3.08's they would be replaced with 3.73's the next week! Still 3.55's are a nice mid-range gear that have done just fine for me, and to be honest the 3.55's are probably the best mix of power and mpgs for the I6... I would just lean towards a little more power than gas b/c I use it for heavy loads and it would be easier to keep highway speed with 3.73's. I have hauled a bed and trailer full of wood several times and don't have any problems keeping 65 mph on the interstate in 4th gear.

The ZF transmission hasn't given me any problems since it's overhaul 3 years ago... Well except for the ability to down shift easily from 3rd to 2nd and 2nd to 1st but I should have replaced my syncros (so that's totally my fault). If you are hauling heavy make sure to get a HD clutch put in! And yes Granny Low on the ZF is AMAZING for getting heavy loads rolling... When not loaded down I just start off in 2nd...

Thumper has been invaluable so many times it's hard to count and she's never let me down... Heck! I was even surprized when she kept 60-65 mph on the hwy when towing ol' Girl home on a tandem axle trailer!

Oh and just FYI for any I6 owners out there... The 87-91 EFI I6's have more stock horse power and torque than the 92-96!

Originally Posted by jas88

This has not been my experience with any TTB or TIB truck I have ever owned, and I've had a bunch of 'em. If you like the solid axle better that is fine, you don't have to add a story about tire wear to justify your choice to me.

Originally Posted by RustyHighboy

This should make a pretty good truck then, since this is my daily driver maybe the 3.55s will suit me just fine, plus thats what I have laying around. Can't wait to get started, I just hope I can find a zf with a transfer case that won't cost me an arm and a leg!

Originally Posted by Pkupman82

Yep I can attest to pretty much everything nstueve said. I have pretty much the same truck accept it's a 96 1/2 ton. It's just a kick a$$ combo, it's the perfect balance of power and gearing. The 300 is the perfect workhorse/dd power plant, I'd have one over a 302 anyday. Not to mention they're stubbornly tough and reliable, they will stand up to a tremendous amount of abuse for a long time. My 84 F150 4wd would pull like a freight train. It has a warmed up 300 (cam, headers, 4bbl, Offy intake, etc) with the old granny 4 speed, 4.10s, lockers front and rear... that ol truck would pull some chit as long as you had traction! My carbed I6 will mop nearly any EFI I6, I love the EFIs but for building some serious power... carbed is where it's at! That thing has ridiculus amounts of torque down low... it will take off from a dead stop in 4th gear.