I tow a 28 foot pull trailer that weighs about 7500# ready to go. I'm considering a new Ford SC 3.73 V10 to tow it. I know the mileage won't be as good as a diesel (I'm guessing about 8 mpg towing) but want to be sure it will have adquate performance with the 3.73 rear end. Does anyone have experience with a similar setup and can you tell me whether it will tow okay in OD at about 65 mph and how it handles a 6-7% grade at 7,000 feet or so. Will appreciate any advice - Thanks, Jim

 

First off I should change my name
to dk red 00 PSD
IMHO if your going to do alot of towing especialy up hills buy the PSD
it will out perform the V-10 hands down and will also return better mileage empty and loaded
My 99 v-10 had a 5 speed 4x4 with 4.30 gears..
I have an 8' slide in camper along with a 22' box trailer with a car in it this = approx 6000# on most all hills I ended up in 4th or 3rd gear to keep any speed
I could only imagine what the 373 would be I also only got 8 mpg with this setup and a best of 13 empty
so far my PSD is averaging 13 empty

I have not gotten to tow with it but just going up hill that I went up in the V-10 I see the difference

 

I would say that you should check the weight of the trailer, 7500# for a 28' seems light compared to what I've seen. If you are going to be pulling in the mountains you probably would be happier with the 4.30 gears. I have them in my truck and still get about 13 1/2 empty and if I can stay out of the wind I get between 7 and 8 pulling a 32' 5er weighing 12,950 plus a 2500# boat behind that.



99 Ford Super Duty CC V-10 4.30 gears
96 Ford Bronco 351

 

Whoa! hang on there Red99 PSD, let's not get carried away. The V10 with 4.30 gears is rated to pull more than than the PSD with 4.10 gears. I realize that engine weight does contribute to this spec but do remember, "power" is a combination of both Hp and Torque. Moreover, Truck Trend Magazine tested both the PSD with a 9000 lbs trailer 0-60 mph and the V10 a few months earlier with 10 000 lbs and only 3.73 gears. Guess what the V10 accelerated to 60 mph faster than the PSD which was towing a 1000 lbs less.
Furthermore, Trailer Life magazine did a head to head test of both the PSD 3.73 gears (rated 13,700 lbs towing a 5th wheel) and a V10 with 4.30 gears (rated 13,800 lbs towing a 5th wheel)towing a 6800 lbs travel trailer and guess what they were essentially a dead heat. The V10 accelerated to 60 mph faster than the PSD with the load or without. Acceleration up a 6% grade was again a dead heat!
Granted both engines have their place. The PSD is a lugging motor; it gets a heavy load moving and as long as the rpm's are up, will pull a load extremely well. The V10 uses more fuel, is quieter, less maintenance, but has less torque but more horsepower. The choice should be based on personal preferences not opinions. I, agree that the PSD is a wonderful engine but the V10 is a great motor as well and you do not have to plug it in every time the weather gets cold.
Now, to answer your question, the V10 with 4.30 gears is the better choice rather than 3.73 gears. People, let's remember, when a person asks a question, we do not need to be opinionated which engine is best. Either engine will do the job and quite well.

 

Jim,

I tow a 30' travel trailer with a 1999 Super Duty v-10, 3.73,gears, 2WD, shortbed supercab. Loaded tariler weight is around 6500#. I have plenty of power.I avearge 9mpg towing - 12-13 empty.
I tow in OD on flat roads easliy, but use 3rd on hills of any size. It does well in the mountains on the way to Myrtle Beach in 3rd except when I get bogged down behind slow traffic. A newer V-1o would have even more torgue and HP.

 

Also keep in mind that the PSD is a $4600 option, deisel fuel is 30 cents more a gallon, plus the extra cost of taking care of a deisel over a gas burner. I opted for the gas, I just could'nt justify the added cost of purchase and maint. costs. In the end I bet it comes out pretty even.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 11-Feb-01 AT 12:19 PM (EST)[/font][p]I didnt meen to start a war over which motor is better BUT this is my opinion which I am entitled to
I made a $22k mistatke by not buying the PSD in the first place I was unhapy with the v-10
In my neck of the woods there is no need to plug in unless the temp is below 0f
also the v-10 3.37 gears i rated for less than 3.73 gears for the psd
the differnce between th 4.30 v-10 ad the 3.73 psdis only 500 pds
yes it is a matter of preference I prefer the diesel
I have a tendancy to not believe magazines I would rather test my self or listen to peoples opinions that have tested different combinations under the same conditions (I have the psd wins)
I think it was pop mechanics just did a test pulling 10k across america one v-8 gmc ,1v-10 ford 1 duramax chevy was this test fair?? NO
as far as the price of fuel reg unl is 1.39 to 1.43 diesel is usually 1.62 idid get it for 1.56 last week in md
as of my fillup yesterday I got 14.5mpg mixed highway and city
I have figured it out on paper the difference in fuel cost with my psd at 13.5 mpg/1.65 gal and my v-10 10mpg/1.43 gal
with the total miles on my truck I have save around $20 so far the truck is 3 weeks old
I know this is not alot and I will never recoup the initioa 4700 sticker I am much happerier with the diesel
there is no such thing as to much truck but there is a such thing as too little truck
and one big pet peeve I have Is most people put down $25-49kK for a truck them want to b*tch about fuel mileage whats up with that???????????
a geo gets like 40mpg so wahy dont we all drive one of them???
I know It would look awfully funny with my camper on top and a 22'box trailer behind

 

>I have a F250SD, V10,4.30 shortbed and pull a 12,ooo plus gvw, 28 foot, 3 horse gooseneck (steel) with living quarters and a 27 foot 5th wheel camper. I am pulling one of the trailers ever week spring through fall. The truck will pass anything on the road even in the mountains. With the 5th wheel we got a steady 10.5 and with the horse trailer 11.5 to 12.5 depending on how many horses (1 or 3). The horse trailer does better because it pushes less air. I run 14 mixed and 15.6 highway not towing. The V10 is quiet and smooth but does run higher rpm. The psd is very loud and expensive. Most people tow less than I do and the psd cost isn't worth the status. The psd is mainly for fulltime pros.

 

Yes I would agree the PSD is a engine for full time pros. I have seen it on the interstate pulling 5 cars on a trailer as much as the big eighteen wheelers. My brother inlaw has it in his F350 SD CC Long Bed Maxed out. I have the gas job in my 250SD EC Long bed. Does fine for what I use it for. I do recommend lower gearing for any pulling and it helps on the downside too.

 

Also please don't get mad at me for my opinion

 

>>I have a F250SD, V10,4.30 shortbed and pull a 12,ooo plus gvw, 28 foot, 3 horse gooseneck (steel) with living quarters and a 27 foot 5th wheel camper. I am pulling one of the trailers ever week spring through fall. The truck will pass anything on the road even in the mountains. With the 5th wheel we got a steady 10.5 and with the horse trailer 11.5 to 12.5 depending on how many horses (1 or 3). The horse trailer does better because it pushes less air. I run 14 mixed and 15.6 highway not towing. The V10 is quiet and smooth but does run higher rpm. The psd is very loud and expensive. Most people tow less than I do and the psd cost isn't worth the status. The psd is mainly for fulltime pros.

Well I am not a full timer or even close to it or a pro but every day I enjoy the benefit of the PSD
quite frankly I don tknow how you come up with these numbers there is no one else around getting numbers like that
And I sure as the hell didnt get them with my v-10 now my PSD will get those noumbers if not better

like I said I am not here to get mad at any one or start a war just trying to give information based upon personal experiance and maybe help someone make the right choice
has any one else pulled the same load over the same terrain or even just ran empty over the same roads With a v-10 and a PSD????

I have.

 

I am not here to get mad at anyone for "speaking their minds".I am trying to point out that there is 'spec-manship' and then there is reality. On that point, I must agree with Red99 that my F250 V10 4.30 geared auto does not get better than 13 mpg at the best of times. Towing, I get around 10.3 mpg with a heavy foot. However, I have compared both the PSD and the V10 with loads and without. I found that the V10 will crest a hill at a faster speed than the PSD with the same load. Yes, overall, the PSD does seem to have an easier time accelerating with the load in comparison but it should as it has more torque. Maybe Red's 99 had problems---who knows. I was not insulting anyones choice but rather put information on comparisons that were published but also from my own personal experience.
As for the real question, I suggested 4.30 gears because you will be able to accelerate faster as well as climb hills better. The 3.73 gears may give a little better gas milage but you will lose the advantage once a load is placed on the truck.
I love my V10 4.30 auto. It has poor gas milage but I knew that when I bought it.
I hope that no one is offended by this but that was my 2 cents.