Axle help?
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New User
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Louisiana
Axle help?
WHile reading one of the posts, I became curious as to what gear ratio me rear end was. I went and looked on my door sticker and the axle code was 27. I have a 2003 F-150 4x4. The door sticker decoder said that i have a 3.31 non-LS and it also said that this ratio was only found in the F-250's. Is this a mistake? a misprint? I thought for sure that I would at least have 3.55's.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,038
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From: South Kitsap County, WA
The decoder is generic from '97 -'99, sometimes it doesn't seem to make sense with its explanations but it works for most '97-'03s F150s. Go ahead and look at your diff tag as krunker suggested, this is nearly fool proof as long as somebody hasn't swapped gears.
I'm fairly confident you have a 3.31 open rear with the code you have given because the factory did not change that code from '97-'03. The axle code also does not vary due to ring gear size, which is another reason to check the tag. Ex: you could have a 3.31 in either an 8.8 or a 9.75 rear. If you ever need a replacement part, you'd end up checking that tag anyhow. Key is the second row, the first "3" is usually burried under the bolt, it will then look like this: "31 8 8" or "31 9 75".
-Kerry
I'm fairly confident you have a 3.31 open rear with the code you have given because the factory did not change that code from '97-'03. The axle code also does not vary due to ring gear size, which is another reason to check the tag. Ex: you could have a 3.31 in either an 8.8 or a 9.75 rear. If you ever need a replacement part, you'd end up checking that tag anyhow. Key is the second row, the first "3" is usually burried under the bolt, it will then look like this: "31 8 8" or "31 9 75".
-Kerry
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New User
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Louisiana
Kinda high geared eh?
It's been awhile since i've mesed around with gears and such (used to tinker in drag racing a lil') but, isn't a 3.31 gear ratio kinda high for a 4wd? I always thought that 3.55's or 3.73's came standard on 4wd's. Would love 4.11's though. I'll check the diff tag in the a.m. Thanks for your help!
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
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From: BC, Canada
Hi 03Ford4by4 and welcome to the forum 
The shop manual does show a code 27 to be 3.31, non-limited slip in an F-150.
What engine do you have in your truck? Does the truck have many options?
Usually the trucks I see with gears like that are very basic and were ordered to be as cheap as possible.
The shop manual does show a code 27 to be 3.31, non-limited slip in an F-150.
What engine do you have in your truck? Does the truck have many options?
Usually the trucks I see with gears like that are very basic and were ordered to be as cheap as possible.
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New User
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Louisiana
Loaded
I have the 5.4L V8, leather interior, fog lights, CD changer, power everything (seats too), and a few other things. The truck is a 2003 which I bought used in May of this year (had 20k miles). If someone special ordered the truck.....what idiot would get such a high geared diff?
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
Likes: 15
From: BC, Canada
Yeah that is pretty strange.
I guess that whoever ordered it was more into looks than performance.
I guess that whoever ordered it was more into looks than performance.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,038
Likes: 3
From: South Kitsap County, WA
Perhaps the person knew about a pending gas price increase
? 3.31s would only give a slight increase in mileage in theory.
-Kerry
? 3.31s would only give a slight increase in mileage in theory.-Kerry
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