thinking gear change
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thinking gear change
I am driving a 2010 f150 2wd with a 4.6 2v engine.
This truck has a 3.73 rear end and I pull a 6x12 trailer that weights about
3000lbs fully loaded. Would 4.10 or 4.30 gears pull any better around town with speeds at 0-50 mph? Also would it be a big difference on the highway rpm wise?
Any input or thoughts would be appreciated.
This truck has a 3.73 rear end and I pull a 6x12 trailer that weights about
3000lbs fully loaded. Would 4.10 or 4.30 gears pull any better around town with speeds at 0-50 mph? Also would it be a big difference on the highway rpm wise?
Any input or thoughts would be appreciated.
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From: Sioux Falls Area
if you are going to change, go big or go home. so i'd say 4.30's or don't bother.
surprised that you feel the need to change gears with only 3000lbs behind you.
i occasionally got to pull our 3500lbs message boards at work with my old 99 f150 with the same engine/trans combo, only my truck had 3.55's. other than dropping out of overdrive on the hills, it pulled at 65mph with the cruise on without much effort. (i woulda just locked out OD but the button didn't work by the time i got the truck in 2007). i wouldn't have called it a speed demon with a load on, but it pulled the hills surprisingly well, i thought.
leaves me to wonder what your truck is not doing for you that you wish it would.
as for the gears, you would be adding roughly 15% more gear. so take whatever RPMs you run at speed and multiply by 1.15. my best guess, depending on tire size, would put you just a tick over 3000 rpm at 65mph in 3rd gear, and about 2200 rpm in OD with the 4.30's.
surprised that you feel the need to change gears with only 3000lbs behind you.
i occasionally got to pull our 3500lbs message boards at work with my old 99 f150 with the same engine/trans combo, only my truck had 3.55's. other than dropping out of overdrive on the hills, it pulled at 65mph with the cruise on without much effort. (i woulda just locked out OD but the button didn't work by the time i got the truck in 2007). i wouldn't have called it a speed demon with a load on, but it pulled the hills surprisingly well, i thought.
leaves me to wonder what your truck is not doing for you that you wish it would.
as for the gears, you would be adding roughly 15% more gear. so take whatever RPMs you run at speed and multiply by 1.15. my best guess, depending on tire size, would put you just a tick over 3000 rpm at 65mph in 3rd gear, and about 2200 rpm in OD with the 4.30's.
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From: Portland, OR
It would pull better, especially at the low end, but you'll pay the price in mileage for the rest of the time you're not towing. 3000# is well within the limits for a 4.6L with 3.55 rear end. I'd save the considerable cash this is going to cost unless you're contemplating getting something pretty heavy in the future.
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From: Maine, Virginia
My '04 Expy is a 4x2 with the 4.6L and 3.73 axle. I think it's a great combo. The 4.6L feels great with that stout of a gear out back and yet it gets great MPG's travelling empty, 19-20 hwy.
I'm not convinced that regearing will net all the results that are being sought here. There will be trade-offs for the extra power.
The 4.6L 2V is a bullet proof engine, it just lacks the pulling power. I do believe that the engine will out last anything that Ford is currently building.
I'm not convinced that regearing will net all the results that are being sought here. There will be trade-offs for the extra power.
The 4.6L 2V is a bullet proof engine, it just lacks the pulling power. I do believe that the engine will out last anything that Ford is currently building.
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From: Oaks,PA
The 02 F150 XCab I currently have for a work truck has 225k on it and still runs surprisingly well, in spite of the fact our shop runs 15/40 diesel oil in the pickups after the warranty is done. I just had it @ Jiffy ***** for a service and they probably put the correct 5w20 in it
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From: Sioux Falls Area
to steal a quote from the 385 series forum:
"it won't be the first to the top of the hill, but it will get you there every time."
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Well I am guessing all those F250 diesels I've owned must have spoiled me.
The driving is almost all city and for the extra stopping power there is a break on the trailer axle. Stop and go most of the time,but when I get the lights right we are hauling butt at 48 mph in a 45mph. I do get on the freeway about 6 times a year. Thanks for your thoughts and advice. If I do make a change it will be big, as advised.
The driving is almost all city and for the extra stopping power there is a break on the trailer axle. Stop and go most of the time,but when I get the lights right we are hauling butt at 48 mph in a 45mph. I do get on the freeway about 6 times a year. Thanks for your thoughts and advice. If I do make a change it will be big, as advised.
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Posting Guru
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You're towing a trailer, not driving a racecar. You're going to drop a grand in the gear change (easily) and then pay a constant gas mileage penalty... for what?
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Cargo Master
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From: ME
You may be better off getting an aftermarket tuner. It would be cheaper than a gear swap, give you a little more low end and top end grunt and not affect your highway MPGs as much as a gear swap. If you were running bigger tires a gear swap may be worth it.
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Yes I like this truck. I put some vinyl trim with leather inserts seating in it,black wheels and tow mirrors. Black roll up bed cover soon to be removed for a cap. I was going to get an 2011 but the drive trains were all new. The dealer was supposed to put a 4.10 and e-locker in my truck. Turns out the OEM stuff does not fit in my rear axle. I am still on the fence with the gear change because the cap I'm looking at is quite expensive.
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4.30 is in
Did the change and now the speedometer seems off.
Does the speedometer need to be re calibrated?
It seems to read 5-6 mph faster than what I am travailing.
What I do like though, is the truck still shifts into OD at 40 when I'm only going 35.
Does the speedometer need to be re calibrated?
It seems to read 5-6 mph faster than what I am travailing.
What I do like though, is the truck still shifts into OD at 40 when I'm only going 35.
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From: Sioux Falls Area
you will probably have to recalibrate the speedometer. IIRC, the 4r75w still has the speedometer gear in the tailshaft so a gear change will affect your speedometer.
you added 15% gear so at 35mph your speedometer would read:
35 x 1.15 = 40.25, which jives with what you posted above.
it gets worse as you go faster:
65 x 1.15 = 74mph
so when your speedo reads 75, you are only going about 66mph.
it's probably worth fixing.
i didn't mention this before because i wasn't sure if the f150 took the speedometer reading from the tailshaft or if it is like the Super Duty's where it takes the reading from the ring gear. when taken from the ring gear, the only thing that affects the speedometer reading is a change in tire size.
i'm surprised that the guys that changed your gears didn't just go ahead and fix it, they should have know for sure that it would have been off. Most shops just do it and include it in their quote, or absorb the cost into other incidentals.
i'd start at the shop that did the gears, failing that, the dealer should be able to help you get it straightened out.
good luck with your truck! i'd love to drive an f150 with 4.30's!
you added 15% gear so at 35mph your speedometer would read:
35 x 1.15 = 40.25, which jives with what you posted above.
it gets worse as you go faster:
65 x 1.15 = 74mph
so when your speedo reads 75, you are only going about 66mph.
it's probably worth fixing.
i didn't mention this before because i wasn't sure if the f150 took the speedometer reading from the tailshaft or if it is like the Super Duty's where it takes the reading from the ring gear. when taken from the ring gear, the only thing that affects the speedometer reading is a change in tire size.
i'm surprised that the guys that changed your gears didn't just go ahead and fix it, they should have know for sure that it would have been off. Most shops just do it and include it in their quote, or absorb the cost into other incidentals.
i'd start at the shop that did the gears, failing that, the dealer should be able to help you get it straightened out.
good luck with your truck! i'd love to drive an f150 with 4.30's!