need axle advice
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Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2005
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need axle advice
Fellas I'm looking to buy my first ford truck (unless you count my '55 f-100). This truck will be my shop truck and sometimes family hauler. I will do a decent amount of towing mostly of vintage cars on a trailer (will most likely buy an aluminum trailer) and at some distance. I'm looking at an '06 f-150 STX and I'll get the tow package etc. I'm going with the 4.6. My question is about the axle I'm thinking 3.73 limited slip. Since you guys drive these trucks what do you advise? 3.55 or 3.73 limited slip?
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: your town
I had a 4.6 with the 3.55 rear and it was 4x4. I used it to pull my 5,000lb boat on a tandem axel trailer. I pulled it up and down some good hill without any problem. It had a 6,200 lb tow rating. It got great gas milage when not towing around 19 on the hwy. When I bought my current boat I hade to get a bigger engine. Now I pulling about 6,500lbs. I did pull it a couple times before I bought a new truck. It pulled it ok, it just didn't like those hills.
If your only pulling around 5K get the 3.55 gears it'll save some gas money. Much more than that try the 3.73 or look at the 5.4 like I did. Man I can pass other cars pulling these hill now. What a difference between the two.
If your able to, pull the load on your test drive before you buy.
If your only pulling around 5K get the 3.55 gears it'll save some gas money. Much more than that try the 3.73 or look at the 5.4 like I did. Man I can pass other cars pulling these hill now. What a difference between the two.
If your able to, pull the load on your test drive before you buy.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 284
Likes: 6
From: Clover, SC
Mine has the 3.55 with the limited slip. It would't pull a sick ***** off the pot. If I were you, I'd go ahead and GET the 3.55 limited slip...(because you can't get limited slip with the 3.73, unless they've changed that) and then have 4.10s put in it, if you plan on towing anything with it. The increased RPMs on the highway won't hurt the 4.6 in the least little bit. Guaranteed. You may even notice INCREASED gas mileage locally.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
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From: BC, Canada
Personally if I was to do any towing I would go with the 5.4L with 3.73's.
The gas mileage is pretty much the same and there is quite a bit more towing power.
The gas mileage is pretty much the same and there is quite a bit more towing power.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: your town
Originally Posted by Racerguy
Personally if I was to do any towing I would go with the 5.4L with 3.73's.
The gas mileage is pretty much the same and there is quite a bit more towing power.
The gas mileage is pretty much the same and there is quite a bit more towing power.
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 284
Likes: 6
From: Clover, SC
The 4.6 becomes a LOT more useful when you go with a 4.10 gear. Will get better mileage than a 5.4 and 3.73s around town, and still be able to tow just as much...there may only be a very few circumstances where the 5.4 would out perform it under these conditions. Plus, the 4.10 takes a LOT of stress off of your transmission.
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Originally Posted by whitecrystal1
My last truck 4.6liter got 19 hwy most all the time and 16 around town. But yes there is a bigger difference in towing power, about 2600 more towing compacity.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: your town
Originally Posted by spiggy769
Well I have an 2005 SCAB 3.55LS 4x4 with a Loaded Tool box in the rear. With the Tuner I am lucky to hit 17MPG doing a 80/20 Highway(74MPH CC)/ City mix driving. The Old 4.6 seem to be better preformers on MPG's then the new ones with this body style. I mean this is a bigger truck then the ones in the past.
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Originally Posted by whitecrystal1
I forgot the new trucks do weigh more. My last one was an 02 supercab. But don't the new 4.6 engines have the three valves as well as the 5.4s If so that should boots the torque/hp for a higher tow rating?
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