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Gear recomendations???

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Old Jul 21, 2004 | 09:53 AM
  #1  
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From: Ormond Beach
Exclamation Gear recomendations???

Truck - 2004 Ford F250 4x4 SD

Engine - 5.4L automatic w/ Over drive

Stock gear ratio - 3.73

New tire size - 37 Super Swampers

Question. I am torn between going with 4.56's and 4.88's. 4.56's would put me back to almost stock and 4.88's would be like having a 4.10 stock rear end. I do more around town driving and pull a trailer 3 days a week. Occasionaly, about twice a month, I pull a 24 foot boat.

What gear ratio would you all use and why?

What about fuel consumption?

Thanks

Doug D
 
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Old Jul 21, 2004 | 11:22 AM
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If it were me, I'd go with the 4.88's. Fuel consumption probably won't be much different between the 2. Do you see any hills/mountains while towing? If so, definetely get the 4.88's.

Eric
 
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Old Jul 21, 2004 | 11:29 AM
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I live in Florida - so not many hills here but I am just thinking that the extra umph may be good and allow the engiing to work better...
 
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Old Jul 21, 2004 | 11:31 AM
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Go with the 4.88's. With that little girlie engine it should help a lot.. You will probably lose about 1-2 mpg, though.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2004 | 01:13 PM
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Ha, ha---

Well the way the engine lugs now the milage couldn't be much worse. I average about 9.4mpg I would think that the 4.88's or the 4.56's would improve the milage...

Just a thought.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2004 | 01:37 PM
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Wow, yeah. I can't see it getting too much worse. It should improve if anything.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2004 | 05:04 PM
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I agree, go with the 4.88's, unless you are in the habit of driving 80+mph on the freeway. Your mileage while towing will probably be better with the 4.88's, plus more power. Unloaded mileage may be worse unless you slow down some.
 
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Old Jul 21, 2004 | 08:54 PM
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Originally Posted by DougD
Truck - 2004 Ford F250 4x4 SD

Engine - 5.4L automatic w/ Over drive

Stock gear ratio - 3.73

New tire size - 37 Super Swampers

Question. I am torn between going with 4.56's and 4.88's. 4.56's would put me back to almost stock and 4.88's would be like having a 4.10 stock rear end. I do more around town driving and pull a trailer 3 days a week. Occasionaly, about twice a month, I pull a 24 foot boat.

What gear ratio would you all use and why?

What about fuel consumption?

Thanks

Doug D
if you have 265/75r16 tires stock. then 4.56's will get you to about 4.10's the 4.88's will be way low. i have 37's with 4.56's but i have the diesel engine. 4.88's would have been way to low.
jamie
 
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Old Jul 21, 2004 | 09:12 PM
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265/75-16's are approx. 31.5" tall.

Using the formula: -------- NewGearRatio = (NewTireDia / OldTireDia) X OldGearRatio ------,

We can find the effect of different gear ratios and tire sizes and how they compare performance-wise with the stock ratio and stock size tires.

37 / 31.5 x 3.73 = 4.38. So 4.30's will get the effective ratio back to the stock 3.73 ratio.

For a 4.10 effective ratio, just plug in 4.10 for 3.73 in the same equation: 37 / 31.5 x 4.10 = 4.82. So 4.88's would be similar to a 4.10 ratio with stock tires.

If we plug in 3.90 for 3.73 in the equation: 37 / 31.5 x 3.90 = 4.58. So 4.56's would be similar to stock tires with a 3.90 ratio.

By the way, I run 4.56's with 33's on my gas-powered F350, for an approx 4.30 effective ratio .
 

Last edited by SoCalDesertRider; Jul 21, 2004 at 09:22 PM.
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Old Jul 22, 2004 | 07:17 AM
  #10  
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Here is a sight with a gear ratio calculator
http://www.ring-pinion.com/calculato...latorsind.html

And true the 4.88's would be almost exactly like having a stock 4.10 rear end.

The end result will be about 200 rpm's more than what my stock 3.73 rear end produced.

Is 200 rpm that big a deal? I recently read an article in a truck mag that said that the factory ratios were generally to high and were for more general purpose. They recomended going lower if a person towed often or was mostly in town.

200 rpm higher than stock just doesn't seem like it will be that noticable.
 
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Old Jul 22, 2004 | 09:05 AM
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FWIW - I vote 4.88's

It's there if you need it.
 
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Old Jul 22, 2004 | 09:05 AM
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From: Tally-ho
i vote 4.88
 
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Old Jul 22, 2004 | 09:25 AM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by TOPFLOR
i vote 4.88
The 4.88's have it. They have been ordered from Precision Gear, I believe and will be installed next Friday...

I will let you know what I think after that...

Thanks
all..

Doug D
 
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Old Jul 22, 2004 | 05:29 PM
  #14  
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Sounds great! You made a good choice going with Precision too. Cost alot, but great stuff!
 
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Old Jul 23, 2004 | 01:04 PM
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that is gonna be bad..gears are on my wish list
Siyé
 
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