I need help please, take a look at what I have below. The question is just below that and it pertains the 3 vehicles below...

I have a 1995 Ford F-350 Crew Cab 4x4 (7.5 460 V8)
5-speed Stick
4:10 Gears
35" Tires
3" Body Lift
97,000 Miles

I have a 2001 Jeep Wrangler 4x4 (4.0 6 cyl)
5-speed Stick
3:76
33" Tires
4" Suspension Lift
27,000 Miles

2001 21' Pontoon Boat
Weighs 1,800 lbs (total with boat, motor and trailer)
Tongue weight is about 200 lbs.

Ok, now for the question...
When I tow the boat with my Jeep, it tows just fine, but I do have to down shift on hills to 4th gear and average 50 to 55 mph.

When I tow the boat with my Ford truck, I have NO power at all and I can not even go up small hills without down shifting to 4th and I loose all my speed too.

The truck has large tires, but the gears are still on the low side. I do not even use 1st gear unless on a steep hill and takling off so this should not be the problem.

You would think that such a large engine would give my more power, especially on an 1,800 lbs pulling load.

Any suggestions here???


Thanks,
Scott Moore

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Most of the magazines and Ford truck Bible say that going just a little larger in tire size can drastically affect towability of our trucks. The gearing is just close enough in OD that the truck can tow a good size trailer at freeway speed and get "decent" mileage. If the tires are bigger than stock it puts you enough down the powerband that the engine can't handle the load so it downshifts. My 94 F250 4x4 E4OD 4.10 STOCK TIRES supercab long bed with shell and a full load easily hauls my 8,000 pound dry trailer with a full load and water through nasty desert heat and hilly country. At 60mph and above it only downshifts if we hit a long steep hill. If I let it drop to 55 or less(with big tires and going 60 the engine might think it was going 55 for example), it will hunt gears and downshift because it got out of the powerband.

The Jeep probably has less weight to haul around so it can do more with it's power. It may also have different gearing inside the tranny that lets it tow better. In anycase a 2,000 pound trailer is pretty light.

On the other hand a 2,000 pound trailer should be a snack for your 460. With as many miles on it as you have, is it running upto snuff? Might need plugs, O2 sensors, EGR, throttle body clean, other tuneup stuff.

BTW the trailer mags recommend longer wheel base trucks for towing over short wheelbase trucks(Jeeps), they are more stable and safer to tow with.

Good Luck,

Jim henderson

 

Thanks... I am a truck driver so I know all about the short wheel base and long wheel base, but due to my experience, I know what to do and how to handle the Jeep when needed. I do have brakes on the trailer of the boat so braking is no problem.

I will get a tune-up and see what that does.

Thanks,
Scott Moore

 

This is an easy one. There is something wrong with your 460. I test drove an F-250 w/460 automatic and my truck is the only truck I have ever driven with more power and mine is no where near stock. And it wasn't upper RPM power it was as soon as you hit the gas. I have also driven a 4.0L jeep and while they have pretty good low end torque there is no comparison even though your truck may have upwards of 3,000 lbs on it.

 

-I agree, somthin's wrong with the 460. That trailer should be nothing to that truck. Friend's 460 will peak hills with a 30' camper at 60mph.

-Dan

 

I'll 2nd that. A 460 not having enough power :-X23 ?

Something is amiss. Those motors with that gear ratio could pull a stump out. Even with the 35's.

 

I read somewhere on this forum about recalibrating your computor for larger tires but am not sure if this only applies to automatic transmitions. Perhaps your cat converter is plugged? I would love to have a 460 in my 93 except for the even worse fuel milage it would get. I currently have a 150 clubcab 4x4 5.0 5spd with 31in tires. I can't remember my gear ratio is, 3.55 or so, anyway it is not the torqiest truck on the road and I would love being able to go up long hills without having to go down into third gear. Seem like the gear ratio between 3rd and 4th is a way off. it screams in third and lugs in fourth. Poor design? There is only a 200rpm difference between od and fourth but 800 between 3rd and 4th. I could use another gear in there somewhere! Perhaps the oversize tires are reaking havoc with the power of this truck but I would rather have manly tires than wimpy stock ones.

 

If you havn't had your speedometer calibrated correctly after putting on larger tires, it will have an effect on shift points on an automatic tranny. Do a search on website for "speedo calibration" you will find all the info you need.