I have a 89 bronco with a 302 that is just a dog. Has no pulling power. I have the chance to get a 96 bronco with a 351w. Is there a big differance between the 351 and 302 or should I start looking for a bigger truck? I plan on pulling a 25' camping trailer. Thanks guys Dan

 

Personally, I would look for a vehicle with a longer wheelbase. The biggest problem with the Bronco is the short wheelbase which makes for an unstable towing combination. If you didn't get a Bronco, what are you considering, pickup or SUV?

 

probable pickup

 

I second that about getting a pickup instead of another Bronco. An F250 longbox truck is usually a capable enough truck for most bumper pull trailers. A long heavy trailer on a light/short wheelbase tow vehicle makes for a squirrely ride...

When looking at pulling power, it's not just the engine size you need to pay attention to. Look at the axle ratio. Ford has a nasty habit of spec'ing trucks with terribly high (numerically low) axle ratios to increase fuel economy, and those high ratios mean not much power for towing, and decreased fuel mileage when towing because of having to put your right foot to the floor so much to overcome the high axle ratio. A 3.08 ratio is high for a half ton truck. 3.55 is usually sufficient for a half ton, but for a 3/4ton or one ton truck, 3.55 is too high a ratio. 4.10 is much better there.

I say this because I made the mistake of buying an F350 CrewCab 4x4 with a 351 engine (which is too small for a truck this big) that also had a 3.55 axle ratio in it. The thought of a 3.55 ratio in a truck this big never crossed my mind, I figured it would naturally have 4.10's in it. Well... I found out how gutless it was first time I went up a steep hill with it . Towing was pathetic too.

Long story short, an $1800 gear change to 4.56's and now the truck finally drives like a truck this big should drive! Now if only it had a 460 or diesel engine and an overdrive trans in it, my truck would be complete...

Don't make the same mistake I did...

 

Glen, What kind of gas milage do you get with a W and 4.56 gears? What rpms is it turning at 60 mph? That thing ought to pull a train.

John

 

I get 12-15 mpg empty or lightly loaded on mountainous highways, as long as I keep the speeds below 60mph. Over 60mph, the mileage goes way down, as I have no overdrive and my torque converter doesn't lock. My rpms at 60mph are about 3000 (C6 & 33" tires).

I wish it would pull a train.... maybe a model train LOL. It really needs a 460 or a diesel, but the 4.56's were a MAJOR improvement in power compared to the pathetic 3.55's it came with. I actually like driving it now and don't cringe whenever I see a big hill looming ahead of me on the road . It's still nothing like my old Chevy 454 dually was, but I can live with it. That being said, 351's really should be in half-tons, not one-tons...

 

Amazing, that you can get 12 at 3000 rpms. That says something about EFI. I had a W in a 79 E250 C6. I think the best milage I ever got on a trip with it was 13.2 with a light load inside.

When I had the 2.75 gears in my 66 it used all of the numbers on the speedo at 3800, and I haven't tried it since I swapped in the 3.00, but I can tell a difference in the pulling.

I now have the correct speedo gear in and if I get luck on Ebay may have to take a run to SC to get a truck next week. I will be able to check some mpgs too.

John