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Axle ratio

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Old Jul 11, 2014 | 03:01 PM
  #1  
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Axle ratio

How can I determine axle ratio on my F350 4x4 7.3l 6 speed diesel truck?
The label on door frame is blank under the axle code.
 
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Old Jul 11, 2014 | 03:42 PM
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Firmly set parking brake.
Jack up one side only of the rear axle.
Install jack stand.
Put transmission in neutral - do not start engine.
Mark driveline with light colored marker so you can see the mark from the rear wheel that is jacked up
Mark the tire of the rear wheel at a convenient spot.
Turn that tire until the driveline makes one complete revolution while counting the number of times you turn the tire.
The # of turns will be the axle ratio. Larry
 
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Old Jul 11, 2014 | 05:43 PM
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You might be able to find it on the rear pumpkin. Should be a metal tag with numbers on it. Others will be along with the codes for you. This is the easiest way to tell - Mine was stamped 373L- L for limited slip diff
 
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Old Jul 11, 2014 | 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by retiredsparky
Firmly set parking brake.
Jack up one side only of the rear axle.
Install jack stand.
Put transmission in neutral - do not start engine.
Mark driveline with light colored marker so you can see the mark from the rear wheel that is jacked up
Mark the tire of the rear wheel at a convenient spot.
Turn that tire until the driveline makes one complete revolution while counting the number of times you turn the tire.
The # of turns will be the axle ratio. Larry
If you don't know if it is a limited slip, Block both front wheels, Jack up both rear wheels ( use jack stands ) and release the emergency brake.
 
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Old Jul 11, 2014 | 08:38 PM
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Dually or SRW?
 
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Old Jul 11, 2014 | 09:15 PM
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I think a simpler way would be to tell us what RPM you're running at 70mph. With that info, we can answer your question unless you're running really big tires or something
 
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Old Jul 11, 2014 | 09:19 PM
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Originally Posted by retiredsparky
Jack up one side only of the rear axle.
This will NOT give you the gear ratio.

Any time the tires on a "differential-ed" axle are turned at different speeds (in the aforementioned case, one completely stopped) the ratio of driveshaft:tire will be different than the actual ring and pinion ratio due to the side and spider gears rotating around one another. In some instances, the gear ratio from driveshaft to tire can be as high as 2:1 using the "one tire spinning" method.
 
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Old Jul 11, 2014 | 09:54 PM
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I say just check the axle... Its usually on a tag.
 
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Old Jul 12, 2014 | 01:07 PM
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Cleatus, I accept your reality and stand humbly corrected! Larry
 
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Old Jul 12, 2014 | 07:40 PM
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Cleatus, I was thinking the same thing.

You can do this as long as both tires are off the ground and you spin the tires together while counting driveshaft rotations.
 
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Old Jul 12, 2014 | 07:47 PM
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Or just mark the drive shaft and one tire and have someone watch from the side while you roll the truck forward.
 
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Old Jul 13, 2014 | 11:13 AM
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Pikachu, you are the master! That is the easy way to do it. Plus you can easily crush those ************ computers that keep locking up. Larry
 
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Old Jul 13, 2014 | 07:35 PM
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Yea, the computer or your or your buddy's head as you lay there trying to count revolutions. Maybe you can get an ex-wife or girlfriend to count for you.
 
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Old Jul 15, 2014 | 08:04 AM
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SRW, 70 mph running 2100 RPM 285/75/16 tires. I'll check the rear chunk. I am guessing 4.10 due to speed and RPM. I was thinking RPM's would not be that high with 3.73.
 
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Old Jul 15, 2014 | 08:05 AM
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PS
thanks for the feedback
 
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