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I don't consider myself part of any gear crowd. If I'm owning a Ford gasser, it will only be with 4.30s, because that's what my application calls for. But I couldn't care less what anyone else runs.
I also want to make sure I understand correctly, you think the 4.30 will induce more wear and tear vs a 3.xx geared truck that has to run lower transmission gears and possibly higher RPMs to do the same work at the same speeds? I'm not seeing that. Not to mention that the 10-speed will shift more with 3.xx, than 4.30. That seems like more wear and tear to me. All that for 1 mpg. Doesn't make much sense to me.
Bottom line is to run whatever you want, but folks cannot change the laws of physics and engineering. The 4.30 puts more torque to the ground in any gear and any situation than a 3.xx truck does in like-situations. It is also impossible for a 3.xx geared truck to get a load moving easier than the 4.30 gear set despite having the savior 10-speed tranny. 1st gear is first gear (10R140 vs 10R140).
I have nothing against any 3.xx gears and have owned many of them. But pound for pound, it's not going to do what the 4.30 will do easier. If they would, if performance was all the same gear set to gear set, we wouldn't have the options we do. Ford produces the 4.30s for a reason.
The 4.30 does cause more wear and tear than a 3.xx gear. You admitted it when you said the 4.30 puts more torque to the ground in every gear. The 4.30 does shift a lot more in stop and go traffic or just urban driving in general. I'm constantly going 1-3-4-3-1. With 3.73s I could go faster in 1st and 3rd so it wouldn't shift as much into 4th and back to 3rd before 1st. My 10spd/4.30 is worse from 1st-4th and back.
The 4.30 does cause more wear and tear than a 3.xx gear. You admitted it when you said the 4.30 puts more torque to the ground in every gear.The 4.30 does shift a lot more in stop and go traffic or just urban driving in general. I'm constantly going 1-3-4-3-1. With 3.73s I could go faster in 1st and 3rd so it wouldn't shift as much into 4th and back to 3rd before 1st. My 10spd/4.30 is worse from 1st-4th and back.
Actually, that is precisely why the 4.30's create less wear and tear. They can do more work with the same power. Therefore, they can do the same work with less power.
Lower gears increase leverage and total rotational mass. Both things help put more power to the ground. Lower gears also reduce the stress on driveshafts, u-joints, differentials, etc. With a ten speed transmission, the differences get pretty small, but there are still differences.
Actually, that is precisely why the 4.30's create less wear and tear. They can do more work with the same power. Therefore, they can do the same work with less power.
Lower gears increase leverage and total rotational mass. Both things help put more power to the ground. Lower gears also reduce the stress on driveshafts, u-joints, differentials, etc. With a ten speed transmission, the differences get pretty small, but there are still differences.
More power to the ground translates to more stress. If you put 6.17 gears in it you could break parts easier than if you put 2.38 gears in it.
More power to the ground translates to more stress. If you put 6.17 gears in it you could break parts easier than if you put 2.38 gears in it.
Everybody is right. torque generated from the engine is the same along the drive line until you get to the pinion gear on the differential, then the torque transmitted is multiplied from the differential out to the tire.
It seems like we're all arguing instead of just appreciating the discussion. Taller gears are wonderful, shorter gears are wonderful. The goal is to select the gear ratio that Best works for your application. The vast majority of automobiles do not allow a choice. on dirtbikes and Bicycles and snowmobiles and things that are chain driven. It is really easy to change gearing by change into a larger or smaller set of sprockets. and in our trucks we get to select from a variety of differential ratios. Life is good. i'm gonna personally turn off notifications from this text chain. Y'all have fun.
More power to the ground translates to more stress. If you put 6.17 gears in it you could break parts easier than if you put 2.38 gears in it.
I don't agree... the "only" place there would be more stress is on the diff and the axels and the tires with the 4.30 compared to a 3.73 with a fully loaded truck... JMO. The rest of the drive train would behave just like normal.. IMO Empty, yes there would be more stress on the drivetrain/engine because of the higher RPMS when not really "needing" the torque , if lets say you are doing 85MPH +, instead of a sensible 65MPH or so...
I don't consider myself part of any gear crowd. If I'm owning a Ford gasser, it will only be with 4.30s, because that's what my application calls for. But I couldn't care less what anyone else runs.
I also want to make sure I understand correctly, you think the 4.30 will induce more wear and tear vs a 3.xx geared truck that has to run lower transmission gears and possibly higher RPMs to do the same work at the same speeds? I'm not seeing that. Not to mention that the 10-speed will shift more with 3.xx, than 4.30. That seems like more wear and tear to me. All that for 1 mpg. Doesn't make much sense to me.
Bottom line is to run whatever you want, but folks cannot change the laws of physics and engineering. The 4.30 puts more torque to the ground in any gear and any situation than a 3.xx truck does in like-situations. It is also impossible for a 3.xx geared truck to get a load moving easier than the 4.30 gear set despite having the savior 10-speed tranny. 1st gear is first gear (10R140 vs 10R140).
it is a two way street. You can downshift on a 3.73 to match gearing of that on a 4.30, with the exception of 1st gear on 4.30 that is too low the moment you start moving, but on a 4.30 you can never upshift further once you are topped out. If the situation doesn't require the motor to spin at 2.5k+ RPM, the motor is spinning unnecessarily fast just to not be a rolling road block on highways.
The first gear on the 10 speed is so low, a 3.73 with 10 speed has first gear very similar to that of a 6 speed with 4.30. I don't recall people complaining the 6.2 with 6 speed and 4.30 ever complaining it can't get a load(within reason) going.
More power to the ground translates to more stress. If you put 6.17 gears in it you could break parts easier than if you put 2.38 gears in it.
What you are not seeing, is that it takes less throttle input for the 4.30 truck to do the same work as a 3.xx truck to do at more throttle input. So yes, less stress. At the same throttle input, yes the 4.30 truck will put more power to the ground.
Thinking gears is a factor in “wearing a truck out” is laughable. A 3.xx truck will work harder to move a load, which I argue will “wear it out” quicker
Gears are leverage. Lower gears are more leverage. More leverage is less work. Less work is less wear and tear. Yes, leverage means more force AFTER the gears. So things like axle shafts, wheels, and tires endure more abuse. But these components have incredibly low failure rates from additional force. Everything in front of the gears endures less force for the same work.
Take a u-joint, for example. If one u-joint makes seven revolutions to lift a 10,000lb weight one foot, it will be stressed less than another u-joint that tries to lift the same weight the same distance in a half a revolution.
Then there is rotational mass. The drive shaft and u-joints on a lower geared vehicle will always be spinning faster at any given speed vs a higher geared vehicle at the same speed. And that is irrespective of what gear either vehicle is in. The higher speed of the revolving mass adds force.
Work trucks like 450 CC and 550 CC have lower gears not just because they provide good loaded performance, but also to reduce the stress on the drivelines and add longevity.
And again, these differences aren't profound with a ten speed transmission and big, powerful motor, but they are there. Big tires, heavier loads, etc. make the differences more noticeable.
Seems that was has been determined here (and the million other threads on this subject) is that there are no negatives in getting the 4.30 gear, in fact, it's all positive. Why not get the best performance you can when ordering the truck? But, to each their own.
@GAZZILLA thanks for sharing that tire.com link. I agree with others that actual tire OD might vary some from one 20" tire to the next, but those calculators do easily give you an educated guess. I never actually calculated what my 20" tires did to my 4.30, but their calculator suggests I have a 4.18 if I plugged the right numbers in.
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The rest of the drive train would behave just like normal.. IMO Empty, yes there would be more stress on the drivetrain/engine because of the higher RPMS when not really "needing" the torque , if lets say you are doing 85MPH +, instead of a sensible 65MPH or so... 
