Tough call, but i think if you have a choice i would go 4.30's. Both gears sets would handle your weight. I think most of your dealers lots are full of Sd trucks with 3.73 gears, so you may have to order to get the 4.30. Just my 2 cents.

 

With that much weight I would say go 4.30's.

 

I agree that by ordering I would get what I want and not what the dealer got stuck with. I don't know who decides what to put on the lots for inventory but in most dealerships you will not find a 2wd truck. I don't need a 4X4 so it makes it very difficult to find a truck on the lot, let alone with a 4.30 rear ratio.
Thanks for the 2 cents worth.

 

I'm thinking I'll get a 4.30......

Most of my driving is in-town, so the mpg difference shouldn't make a difference, and the truck should be snappier off the line (coming from a 6.4L with a tuner, this would be less of an adjustment for me, lol)......on the hwy, I can live with 1mpg worse than the 3.73.......

 

I drove about 45 miles this morning (getting stereo equipment installed, woot!) and while driving slower than my grandpa, I managed to pull 16mpg's on the turnpike (avg 65mph) and about 13mpg along rte 8 (avg 45mph with significant elevation changes) up to Butler (I have 4.30's mind you).

The pedal does make a difference!

 

Good to Know!

 

My 2 cents..... For what it is worth...

I got the 3.73 & I put 285 Goodrich m/t's on it - Plus heavier bumpers/tool box , etc... I truly feel like it lugs around town... Personally I probably should have gotten the 4.30's ---

Part of it is that Ford is trying to upshift very soon - by the time the truck rolls a few feet it shifts to 2nd.. Thus on slow/easy starts it lugs..

Lugging the engine is not economical either... Also remember that the trans has basically 2 overdrives - 5th & 6th are both over a 1:1 ratio..

I know there are some here that are completely happy with the 3.73 but if you're "flip flopping" - go lower (4.30) - you can alway replace the tires later with a larger size & effectively raise your gear ratio...

 

Thanks!!!!!!

 

I just went 3000 miles with my bumper pull trailer 8000 lbs, in the mountains I hit 3rd gear a few times, I was glad I got the 4.30 I wondered how it would pull a heavier trailer as I am planning on trading up. 4.30 would have to be the way to go, in your case I would think. Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for all the replies to this post, the more I read the more I am inclined to go with the 4.30. Now I just need to sell one 05 F-250 diesel and it would make my life a bit easier.

 

Don't fear the gear!

 

Go with the 4.30's and don't look back.. I pondered the same thing you are doing, with the same truck. When driving an on the lot Test Drive with 3.73's I thought it was pretty comparable EXCEPT the bottom end grunt. The 4.30's will definately help with bottom end, and then you can go up in Tire Size without losing alot of grunt, and maybe gain some milage!

 

My two cents. I'm in the middle of a two week camping trip from Minnesota to Durango. I have the 3.73 gears and pulling a 36ft 8600lb travel trailer. Climbing up these high altitude roadways has been a chore. I can't attest that the 4.33 would do a lot better, but a was in 1 at 15 mph just to keep going. Even driving on fairly flat roads I spend most of my time in 4, and occasionally 5. I wish I had higher gears. From what I've read on FTE, the mileage when not towing are very similar between the two ratios. Like I said, it's possible the 4.33's may not have done much better in the mountains.

 

My two cents. I'm in the middle of a two week camping trip from Minnesota to Durango. I have the 3.73 gears and pulling a 36ft 8600lb travel trailer. Climbing up these high altitude roadways has been a chore. I can't attest that the 4.30 would do a lot better, but a was in 1 at 15 mph just to keep going. Even driving on fairly flat roads I spend most of my time in 4, and occasionally 5. I wish I had higher gears. From what I've read on FTE, the mileage when not towing are very similar between the two ratios. Like I said, it's possible the 4.30's may not have done much better in the mountains.

 

I went from East Texas to M.D.via Ark and Ky TN, you get the point. I had very good luck with the lower gears, on flat roads and long slow inclines It drop out of 6th just a few times.Mountains were not bad at all .
F350 CC Full skirt flat bed 4.30 gears