Towing Gears?
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Towing Gears?
I have a 79 ford f-100 with a 302 ,c-4 automatic, 2.73 gears, 255/70r15 tires, big tranny cooler, new radiator, 4 barrell carburetor, headers,& dual exhaust. I use it to tow my 24 foot enclosed car trailer loaded with my race car & golf cart.I live in southern VA. and we have a lot of mountains to climb when we go racing. The speed limit around here is 65.The problem i've got is when i start to climb any hill at all it allmost dies. The truck is only used to tow my race car so whatever gear i put in it doesn't matter because i won't be worried about the gas mileage driving it everyday. Also when i make the gear change should i put a posi unit in there also? The question I'm asking is what gear should I put in it?
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From: McNairy county, TN.
Post Fiend
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From: Bonita Springs FL
The problem with 4.10's and that tranny is that the RPMs are going to be really up there on the highway at a cruising speed of 65. The problem with 3.55's is that they may not give you enough power. Maybe 3.73's would be a good compromise.
Personally, I don't like running a truck engine at 3k down the highway.
Personally, I don't like running a truck engine at 3k down the highway.
Post Fiend
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From: Western Central NV
Again you can advance the cam a few degrees beyond TDC and gain a fair amount of torque, which is what you want. I have a 460 C-6 with 3;55 gears I tow a 10,000# trailer and many said go with 4:10s, well advancing the cam 4 degrees past TDC had I of gone with 4:10s I would of been sorry. If I do ever change gears 3:73s would be the most I would want.
Fleet Owner
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From: Rio Rico, AZ.
Kermmydog you have to change your thinking when it comes to diesels. Cam timing does play a part, but not as much as with a gasser.
Plus I just got back from vacation pulling my 14,000 lb 5th wheel and was having a lot of fun going past a few gassers pulling smaller trailers up the hill.
The only trucks that could get around me were empty semi's.
Plus I just got back from vacation pulling my 14,000 lb 5th wheel and was having a lot of fun going past a few gassers pulling smaller trailers up the hill.
The only trucks that could get around me were empty semi's.
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I agree with andym i'm not much on running a motor at 3 grand all day long, but when it comes to climbing all the mountains all day long going to the track i'm debaiting on what the trade off would be. The chart that westtntrucker showed me says to use 4.10 with 29 inch tires. I guess it will be a decission that i'm going to have to make! the other question that I asked has never been discussed and that is should I also put some sort of posi unit in there when I make this gear change?
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Originally Posted by MUSKRATT2
I agree with andym i'm not much on running a motor at 3 grand all day long, but when it comes to climbing all the mountains all day long going to the track i'm debaiting on what the trade off would be. The chart that westtntrucker showed me says to use 4.10 with 29 inch tires. I guess it will be a decission that i'm going to have to make! the other question that I asked has never been discussed and that is should I also put some sort of posi unit in there when I make this gear change?
Your truck is set up for crusing and not pulling with the gear that is in there now. It probably will take at least a 3.75 for your truck to be happy with the trailer.
Put an AOD in it, with the 4.10 and you could realise some cruse and have the ability to tow. IMHO
John
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