Which gear ratio
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New User
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Utah
Which gear ratio
Hi everyone,
I am new here. Been a long time ford truck lover and finally made my first purchase. A 2013 F250 6.2 V8. Although I'm in love with the truck. The MPG is killing me. Currently I get barely over 10 MPG city driving. However, the truck I believe has a 3 inch lift. Could be a level lift, but haven't gone down to look yet. It does have 35x12.5xr20 TOYO open country tires and I am sure that has something to do with it. But my question for everyone is with those details, would a different gear ratio help me in the MPG area? If so, which ratio? I have been leaning towards the 4.88. But I am beginning to think that would make it worse not better. Any advice would be appreciated.
I am new here. Been a long time ford truck lover and finally made my first purchase. A 2013 F250 6.2 V8. Although I'm in love with the truck. The MPG is killing me. Currently I get barely over 10 MPG city driving. However, the truck I believe has a 3 inch lift. Could be a level lift, but haven't gone down to look yet. It does have 35x12.5xr20 TOYO open country tires and I am sure that has something to do with it. But my question for everyone is with those details, would a different gear ratio help me in the MPG area? If so, which ratio? I have been leaning towards the 4.88. But I am beginning to think that would make it worse not better. Any advice would be appreciated.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 764
Likes: 30
Honestly around town may not change much. There are lots of guys whom claim that their stock trucks with 4.30 gears get as good mileage as those with 3.73 gears. While I'm not able to confirm that claim, what I can deduce is that gearing really does not change efficiency when it comes to minor load differences. Gearing will alter the torque multiplication, but it cannot make up for a inefficient overall system. Gearing changes can bring back some parity to a "normal" sense of torque; it can compensate for tire radius. But what gearing cannot do is magically make a more efficient process when larger tires offer greater rolling resistance. Larger tires hit you in two areas:
- they make for more rolling resistance to overcome due to a larger footprint and sidewalls
- they have more mass to accelerate and decelerate; it takes more energy overcome their resistance to change of rotation
You want better MPG? get rid of the big tires.
- they make for more rolling resistance to overcome due to a larger footprint and sidewalls
- they have more mass to accelerate and decelerate; it takes more energy overcome their resistance to change of rotation
You want better MPG? get rid of the big tires.
Thread Starter
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New User
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Utah
Honestly around town may not change much. There are lots of guys whom claim that their stock trucks with 4.30 gears get as good mileage as those with 3.73 gears. While I'm not able to confirm that claim, what I can deduce is that gearing really does not change efficiency when it comes to minor load differences. Gearing will alter the torque multiplication, but it cannot make up for a inefficient overall system. Gearing changes can bring back some parity to a "normal" sense of torque; it can compensate for tire radius. But what gearing cannot do is magically make a more efficient process when larger tires offer greater rolling resistance. Larger tires hit you in two areas:
- they make for more rolling resistance to overcome due to a larger footprint and sidewalls
- they have more mass to accelerate and decelerate; it takes more energy overcome their resistance to change of rotation
You want better MPG? get rid of the big tires.
- they make for more rolling resistance to overcome due to a larger footprint and sidewalls
- they have more mass to accelerate and decelerate; it takes more energy overcome their resistance to change of rotation
You want better MPG? get rid of the big tires.
Tuned
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 376
Likes: 22
From: Ustoned
Griz
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 4,392
Likes: 22
From: very South Texas
lets look at this..
a 7,000 plus pound truck..
the aerodynamics of a Brick
385 horsepower ( gas ) MUST feed them ponies .
4x4 makes things worse
over stock tires/wheels make things worse....
want to save fuel ... Drive slower..
2-3 years ago.. a 300 mile trip.. very south Carolina to upper North Carolina.. heavy but steady traffic..... I got 21 miles per gallon
that was empty. .. stock wheels and tires.... 3.73 gears... tail winds both ways.. 50-55 mph... both ways...
if you question this... SEARCH back when I reported this... oh,, my 2012 F 250.. had about 140,000 miles on it at the time.
in the late 1960's .. my 1965 Impala SS 409,,, 4 speed, 4.11 gears.. got 8 miles per gallon on the highway..
and it was 3,600 pounds...and half the size of these trucks.
around town was 5 on a good day. and no,, fuel was not cheap.. adjusting for inflation.. 2.50 per gallon
want gas mileage... get a mid size motorcycle.. 60 plus is average... unless you do 70..mph..
my 1.8L motorcycle gets 40 mpg.. unless I go over 80.. then 35..... I am in Texas.. where it 75 all day..
it still amazes me.. how good the gas mileage IS on a Tank with wheels... and NO .. I do not spending $ 70.00 for a tank of fuel
hold a 1 gallon container of gas.. then think about moving 7,000 pounds 10 Miles on it..
that is a lot of work.. for little..
a 7,000 plus pound truck..
the aerodynamics of a Brick
385 horsepower ( gas ) MUST feed them ponies .
4x4 makes things worse
over stock tires/wheels make things worse....
want to save fuel ... Drive slower..
2-3 years ago.. a 300 mile trip.. very south Carolina to upper North Carolina.. heavy but steady traffic..... I got 21 miles per gallon
that was empty. .. stock wheels and tires.... 3.73 gears... tail winds both ways.. 50-55 mph... both ways...
if you question this... SEARCH back when I reported this... oh,, my 2012 F 250.. had about 140,000 miles on it at the time.
in the late 1960's .. my 1965 Impala SS 409,,, 4 speed, 4.11 gears.. got 8 miles per gallon on the highway..
and it was 3,600 pounds...and half the size of these trucks.
around town was 5 on a good day. and no,, fuel was not cheap.. adjusting for inflation.. 2.50 per gallon
want gas mileage... get a mid size motorcycle.. 60 plus is average... unless you do 70..mph..
my 1.8L motorcycle gets 40 mpg.. unless I go over 80.. then 35..... I am in Texas.. where it 75 all day..
it still amazes me.. how good the gas mileage IS on a Tank with wheels... and NO .. I do not spending $ 70.00 for a tank of fuel
hold a 1 gallon container of gas.. then think about moving 7,000 pounds 10 Miles on it..
that is a lot of work.. for little..
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,169
Likes: 29
From: Bismarck, ND
About the best way to improve your mileage is to change your driving habits. You need to be eeeaaaasssyyy on that gas pedal. It's not a binary switch, either full on, or full off. Drive it like there's a raw egg on the gas pedal, and you don't want to crack it. Speed kills (your mileage). Let the transmission upshift as soon as it wants to. And put stock sized tires with a less aggressive tread on them. Get rid of that lift and go to stock height. You'll get much better mileage at 65 than you will at 75. This thing is a barn door going down the road sideways, and the wind resistance is cumulative to how fast you drive.
All these things will help your mileage. Driver habits are the hardest to change, the cheapest to do, and give you the biggest gain in mpg.
I'm hovering around 11 mpg right now. This is mostly short trip in town driving right now (winter), I have *tons* of idle time due to warming up the truck and defrosting the windshield each day (mine sits outside all the time), and I run around all winter with 1300 pounds of sandbags in the bed for ballast.
In the summer time, with no idle time, and no ballast in the bed, I'm averaging 13.5 in town. All this is "unloaded miles", not pulling or hauling anything.
All these things will help your mileage. Driver habits are the hardest to change, the cheapest to do, and give you the biggest gain in mpg.
I'm hovering around 11 mpg right now. This is mostly short trip in town driving right now (winter), I have *tons* of idle time due to warming up the truck and defrosting the windshield each day (mine sits outside all the time), and I run around all winter with 1300 pounds of sandbags in the bed for ballast.
In the summer time, with no idle time, and no ballast in the bed, I'm averaging 13.5 in town. All this is "unloaded miles", not pulling or hauling anything.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 4,392
Likes: 22
From: very South Texas
.
some time ago.. was a paper Book...
something like ... old truck driver ways...
tricks from the 1950;s-60;s independent over the road truck drivers and HOW they got the best possible fuel mileage.. still works today.
its all about the driving style... and control of the controls...
cruise control is NOT your friend for fuel mileage..
proof.. when the truck approaches a UP hill.. cruise increases the pressure on the fuel petal.. that is BAD..
you need to have a plan.. use the last down hill to gain speed... or slowly increase speed on the level before the up hill
then slowly allow the truck to slow going up the hill and top at 5mph below posted speed...
yes I am old... yes I trucked in the late 1960''s.. so what..
when the fuel money came out of your pocket. .. you did what you could to save fuel... and money.
its Called Truck Driving.
some time ago.. was a paper Book...
something like ... old truck driver ways...
tricks from the 1950;s-60;s independent over the road truck drivers and HOW they got the best possible fuel mileage.. still works today.
its all about the driving style... and control of the controls...
cruise control is NOT your friend for fuel mileage..
proof.. when the truck approaches a UP hill.. cruise increases the pressure on the fuel petal.. that is BAD..
you need to have a plan.. use the last down hill to gain speed... or slowly increase speed on the level before the up hill
then slowly allow the truck to slow going up the hill and top at 5mph below posted speed...
yes I am old... yes I trucked in the late 1960''s.. so what..
when the fuel money came out of your pocket. .. you did what you could to save fuel... and money.
its Called Truck Driving.
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 3,523
Likes: 483
From: Southern OH
About the best way to improve your mileage is to change your driving habits. You need to be eeeaaaasssyyy on that gas pedal. It's not a binary switch, either full on, or full off. Drive it like there's a raw egg on the gas pedal, and you don't want to crack it. Speed kills (your mileage). Let the transmission upshift as soon as it wants to. And put stock sized tires with a less aggressive tread on them. Get rid of that lift and go to stock height. You'll get much better mileage at 65 than you will at 75. This thing is a barn door going down the road sideways, and the wind resistance is cumulative to how fast you drive.
All these things will help your mileage. Driver habits are the hardest to change, the cheapest to do, and give you the biggest gain in mpg.
All these things will help your mileage. Driver habits are the hardest to change, the cheapest to do, and give you the biggest gain in mpg.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 4,392
Likes: 22
From: very South Texas
I do pull over on the back roads... when possible.. to allow the rush people around.
if you are always in a RUSH... get up earlier... or get a motorcycle.. I ride so I know.
110 hp.. 700 pounds..... so its fairly FAST.. Passing is Easy. and fun.
my F 250.. 385hp.. 6,600 pounds.. not so much. with trailer... its 19,000 pounds. and NEVER fast.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,169
Likes: 29
From: Bismarck, ND
Go around.
We're talking IN TOWN driving. I don't know of a single town in the U.S. with surface street speed limits above 65 mph. Again, we're talking IN TOWN. On surface streets. Nothing was mentioned about driving on the highway, bypass loops or freeways.
I have no problem at all keeping up with in town traffic, while only using the top 1 inch of my gas pedal. If you're romping on it from stop light to stop light, that's your problem. Sounds like behavioral modification may be in order. Perhaps have a grown up ride along with you and taze the crap out of you every time you drive like an idiot. Or maybe your folks should just take your keys away for a month.
The OP was asking about how to increase mpg in his truck. Not how to be the first one off the line at every traffic light.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 4,334
Likes: 306
From: Mills River
Hi everyone,
I am new here. Been a long time ford truck lover and finally made my first purchase. A 2013 F250 6.2 V8. Although I'm in love with the truck. The MPG is killing me. Currently I get barely over 10 MPG city driving. However, the truck I believe has a 3 inch lift. Could be a level lift, but haven't gone down to look yet. It does have 35x12.5xr20 TOYO open country tires and I am sure that has something to do with it. But my question for everyone is with those details, would a different gear ratio help me in the MPG area? If so, which ratio? I have been leaning towards the 4.88. But I am beginning to think that would make it worse not better. Any advice would be appreciated.
I am new here. Been a long time ford truck lover and finally made my first purchase. A 2013 F250 6.2 V8. Although I'm in love with the truck. The MPG is killing me. Currently I get barely over 10 MPG city driving. However, the truck I believe has a 3 inch lift. Could be a level lift, but haven't gone down to look yet. It does have 35x12.5xr20 TOYO open country tires and I am sure that has something to do with it. But my question for everyone is with those details, would a different gear ratio help me in the MPG area? If so, which ratio? I have been leaning towards the 4.88. But I am beginning to think that would make it worse not better. Any advice would be appreciated.
The original tire size should be identified on the “Tire and Loading Information” label on the driver-side B pillar.
Regards,
Jim / crewzer
Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 3,523
Likes: 483
From: Southern OH
I do not see WHERE he is hogging the Left lane... he is driving like most Professional truck drivers....
I do pull over on the back roads... when possible.. to allow the rush people around.
if you are always in a RUSH... get up earlier... or get a motorcycle.. I ride so I know.
110 hp.. 700 pounds..... so its fairly FAST.. Passing is Easy. and fun.
my F 250.. 385hp.. 6,600 pounds.. not so much. with trailer... its 19,000 pounds. and NEVER fast.
I do pull over on the back roads... when possible.. to allow the rush people around.
if you are always in a RUSH... get up earlier... or get a motorcycle.. I ride so I know.
110 hp.. 700 pounds..... so its fairly FAST.. Passing is Easy. and fun.
my F 250.. 385hp.. 6,600 pounds.. not so much. with trailer... its 19,000 pounds. and NEVER fast.
B. S.
Go around.
We're talking IN TOWN driving. I don't know of a single town in the U.S. with surface street speed limits above 65 mph. Again, we're talking IN TOWN. On surface streets. Nothing was mentioned about driving on the highway, bypass loops or freeways.
I have no problem at all keeping up with in town traffic, while only using the top 1 inch of my gas pedal. If you're romping on it from stop light to stop light, that's your problem. Sounds like behavioral modification may be in order. Perhaps have a grown up ride along with you and taze the crap out of you every time you drive like an idiot. Or maybe your folks should just take your keys away for a month.
The OP was asking about how to increase mpg in his truck. Not how to be the first one off the line at every traffic light.
Go around.
We're talking IN TOWN driving. I don't know of a single town in the U.S. with surface street speed limits above 65 mph. Again, we're talking IN TOWN. On surface streets. Nothing was mentioned about driving on the highway, bypass loops or freeways.
I have no problem at all keeping up with in town traffic, while only using the top 1 inch of my gas pedal. If you're romping on it from stop light to stop light, that's your problem. Sounds like behavioral modification may be in order. Perhaps have a grown up ride along with you and taze the crap out of you every time you drive like an idiot. Or maybe your folks should just take your keys away for a month.
The OP was asking about how to increase mpg in his truck. Not how to be the first one off the line at every traffic light.
