Thats some very good points Argo, I totally forgot about the leaf springs and shocks. Must've been anyways, I just got done installing rancho rsx shocks at all 4 corners on mine and I'm pretty pleased with them so far, it really made a difference to the original worn out motocraft ones that was on it. The ride is a little stiffer but then again it is a truck. Jcwitney has heavy duty leaf springs, that would be a really good upgrade also. When I was putting the shocks on mine I saw that I have 4 leafs instead of 5 so I do not have the tow package. That will be the next upgrade I'm gonna go with. Laurie you have the power to pull the weight but if you don't have the right suspension and brakes to go along with it then you shouldn't be doing a lot of heavy duty towing. My dad has 2 trucks, 1 is a 83 f100 stepside 2wd with 3 speed, 3.55 gears, and he has towed and hauled so much with that truck I thought it would've been wore out by now. I know he has moved thousands upon thousands of pounds with it. Then he just recently bought a 87 f150 w/ 300 2wd, 3.55 gears 3 speed w/ overdrive and he really loves this truck, has all the options, compared to the plain jane 83.

 

I have had three F100/F150s with 300 I6 engines over 26 years and total around 370,000 miles, most of which was running without a load. By far, the most fun I ever had was hauling a 2000 pound camping trailer through the rocky mountains on my current truck (3.08 gear). One thing I noticed with this engine is that it really likes hauling a load. Almost a shame to run em empty.

 

say i have the suspention, the brakes, and 3.55 gears, can i tow a decent load w/ a highway tranny?

 

By "highway transmission" I assume you mean an overdrive trans? If so, then yes. I use my 96 with a six, 3.55 gears, 31" tires to pull 6,200 lbs with an AOD. I put the selector in 3rd when towing that heavy of a load. The key to heavy loads and long life with OD trannies is heat management. Get the biggest tranny cooler you can find and install it in your truck. Use the factory cooler first, then run from the factory cooler to the aftermarket cooler, and then from there back to the trans. BTW, my truck was originally equipped with an M5OD, but it bit the dust a long time ago. My AOD has about 120,000 miles on it from when I retrofitted it, and has been nothing but reliable, but that has to do with the cooler, synthetic tranny fluid, and regular (40,000 mile interval) fluid and filter changes. The fluid always looks like fruit punch and there is never a significant amount of residue in the pan, but I think PM is cheaper than trying to save a few bucks on ATF.

 

BTW Guys, I don't know how to tell which rear gears I have, how can I find out? I do have the C-6 tranny; would a bigger tranny cooler/radiator make a big difference? And with a 300, C-6, I don't do much hauling or pulling and very little mud (since I have a stock 2WD). Given the above, which gears would best fit my application (looking for speed & fuel economy), thanks...!

 

Almost forgot... Yeah, and I run stock P235-75-R15 tires, all terrain style.

 

In addition, I notice that when going beyond 50MPH my truck feels like it needs a fourth gear as if something was holding it back from top speed (the engine is in good condition)...

 

thanks argo for the advice. ye it is OD, OD is the fourth gear. It is a stick. At the moment, i have 2.73 gears, that can stock w/ the truck, but i want to upgrade to 3.55's. with your truck, whats the rpms @70 in OD?(w/ out a load)

 

I have a 95, with 31x10/50 tires, a 5 speed, and 3.27(?) gears, and I towed a fullsize 4" lifted bronco on a car trailer for 500 miles with no problem. It doesnt like long upgrades on the highway, but it pulls like a dream otherwise.

 

1984 F-150: With my 3.55 gears and 31" Tires and .67:1 Overdrive with my AOD, I get a smidge under 2,000 RPM at 70... guess about 1,800-1,900, and around 1,500 at 60. At 60 MPH under load, I get about 2,200-2,300 RPM in 3rd. The AOD is fully locked in 3rd and 4th, so there is no torque converter slippage to consider. Your revs will be slightly higher because of your 235's, which are 28.9". Figure on about 2,500 in third at 60 and 2,000 in Overdrive at 70.

 

Hello im new to the boards but have a E150 van with the 4.9.
I pull an 18ft camper in the mountains and had poor pulling capability at first. A friend recomended i take my Vin number to my local Ford dealer and run the vin number and see what rear end i had. Turned out i had a 308. We switched it to a 355 and its much better
Im still looking to squeeze a bit more pull from it and looking into a bigger exhaust system. I have read that the 300's are lacking in the breathing department. I promty bought a K&N filter and its a little better but im still thinking of stepping up exhuast pipes and see what happens.

Just my two cents hop someof it helps.

If anyone has tried the bigger exhaust system i would like to know how it worked out? Thanks great board!

Sorry for any typos im new to the computer as well.

P.s I got my ring gear and pinion from Randys ring gear and pinion on the web, ford dealers also have them as well

 

Yeah, I looked at the door pillar tag where it says: rear axle code: 18, somebody told me that means 3.08, just like your old gears. It'd be nice to get more power, etc but I worry if I switch gears I might lose in terms of MPGs? Thanks...

 

That door swings both ways. If you have Overdrive then your milage may improve, since you won't be lugging the engine as much (what works on the EPA certification test and what works in the real world are often vastly different). Even if you don't have O/D, if you frequently haul heavy loads, the fact that you don't have to bury your foot in it as much to pull a load might improve your milage anyway. I know, it's only money but the ideal scenario is if you occasionally haul, and don't have O/D to switch to an O/D tranny and 3.55-3.73 gears. Not unreasonable, and all around better performance. You get a 3.55 or 3.73 ratio for pulling, and a 2.48-2.61 ratio for unloaded cruising. Not a bad proposition.

 

Well if you can't find the codes on your door or owners manual
You can always get the number off the rear end its self.

If you slide under the truck behind the back wheel at the rear end its self in the "center" of the rear end is the main gear housing on the back of the housing will be a little metal tag normally held on by one of the inspection plate cover bolts
That number stamped into that little tag is your information.

Please before doing "anything" under the truck or van set the emergency brake, put a scotch under the wheel to make double sure the truck doesn't move while under it and take a pen and paper with you to write the number down and give that to you local ford dealer.

Hope that helps.

 

Thank you Wheelbilly! When you're dealing with a 15-yr old vehicle, who KNOWS what's been changed during its lifetime. This is a great forum.... I'm learning losts of things from all the people who are answering my postings. I've decided for sure on a heavy-duty hitch and a tranny cooler (the cooler I'd never even heard of until I got on here!).

I've been told by one of the Ford mechanics here that if I don't tow over highway speed, that's all I'll need to do and my truck will be fine... even with the 2.73 gears (if that is indeed what's still in it). At least now I can find out. (And I do construction safety consulting for a living so I will hazard-assess, e-brake, chock, etc., etc -- all the stuff I spend my days preaching about! I'll be the safest person laying under a truck in this city today!)

Thanks all.... LaurieW