ratio change
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Stafford Springs,Ct
ratio change
I have been thinking about a ratio change in my E350 15 passenger van. It has 373's in it now. I pull a 32ft travel trailer loaded it weighs about 9200lbs. The van with the V10 pulls good but I was wondering if I went to 410's could it give me better mileage ? My thinking is it might becouse I would be able to use O/D more.Also the engine would work less. I'm not looking for a huge gane in mileage just a little to increase. I can't find a bigger fuel tank for the van so if I can increase my mpg a little more than 7 mpg while towing I would do it. A little more on the hills so it would't drop down to 2nd. Is my thinking wrong or hoping for to much? Any thoughts from any one? 
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If you are pulling a load you don't want to use o/d to much. It will make to go out. If you have to go into 2nd on a hill with a V10 something is wrong. Randy's ring and pinion has a conversion calculator on there web sit so you can see the rpm's you will be running. It sounds like it could help you when you are pulling. You need to conceder how often you pull your trailer and how often you aren't when making a gear change. It will change your fuel consumption when you aren't pulling your trailer for the worse.
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From: Stafford Springs,Ct
Ratio Change
If you shouldn't tow in O/D answer this my friends have a 34ft motor home and tow there Cherokee in O/D. They have done it since they owned it about 10 years. When I'm comming to a hill I always drop it out of O/D. That same motor home w/ a 460 gets better mileage than me. The mileage isn't a huge factor to me I'm just trying to get farther on the same amount of fuel since I can't get a larger fuel tank. We camp all summer long basicly from April to November, short trips to long trips. The van sits for a lot of the winter ( the wife does't want someone to hit it plus she does't like the back end sliding around so she drives the Bronco.) She does most of the everday driving close to home and when she goes to town. If I do the Ratio change I'm also going to put Limited slip in also
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: philly pa
Originally Posted by cubman61
If you shouldn't tow in O/D answer this my friends have a 34ft motor home and tow there Cherokee in O/D. They have done it since they owned it about 10 years. When I'm comming to a hill I always drop it out of O/D. That same motor home w/ a 460 gets better mileage than me. The mileage isn't a huge factor to me I'm just trying to get farther on the same amount of fuel since I can't get a larger fuel tank. We camp all summer long basicly from April to November, short trips to long trips. The van sits for a lot of the winter ( the wife does't want someone to hit it plus she does't like the back end sliding around so she drives the Bronco.) She does most of the everday driving close to home and when she goes to town. If I do the Ratio change I'm also going to put Limited slip in also
thats because the jeep doesn't make a huge difference. the rig is geared so that the motor can pull itself. a 34ft motorhome has alot of weight. adding a jeep to the back wont change much. now if it was a pickup truck towing a jeep it would be a whole different story.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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From: USA
Cubman, on the pickup trucks with the V10, the max tow rating is reached with the 4.30 axle. Since your trailer is heavy and probably not too far below the max towing of the van, and you stated that you don't use the van for much other than camping, I would think you would want to go with the 4.30 ratio. 3.73 to 4.10 really isn't that big a jump, and gear changes are not cheap. 4.30 would help jjustify the cost and see a noticeable difference in power (and likely some positive difference in mileage as well, when loaded). The V10, to my understanding is a revvy motor, so it needs low gearing to get it up in it's powerband, which should save some gas since you won't be putting your foot so far into the pedal when climbing hills. The Ford towing guide for your van should have the tow ratings with various axle ratios and your engine/trans combination.
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Northern California
Yeah, I agree with SoCal on the change to the 4.30 for your towing capability. You should be more in your power band with the V10.
On the mileage vs the 460, I have the V10 in my 36 foot Motorhome and a neighbor has the 460 in his coach and he typically gets 1-2 MPG better than I do too.
On the mileage vs the 460, I have the V10 in my 36 foot Motorhome and a neighbor has the 460 in his coach and he typically gets 1-2 MPG better than I do too.
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From: Stafford Springs,Ct
Ratio change
Thanks for the advice I'm checking on different ratio's that is avalable for the diff. It's a Dana 60 HD. My cost shouldn't be too bad becouse of where I work. I'll let you guys what I decide 
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