plan on ordering an 08 f250 cc shortbox lariat with the v10, 18 inch rims (king ranch), standard tires, automatic.

most miles will be to/from work and hunting/etc. tow 1-2 times per month trips up to 200 miles. pretty much flat, nothing over 3percent grade (wi). most trips under 100 miles. most weight will be 12,000lbs with a good twin axle trailer hauling my bobcat and 2 attachments. never over 12,000 lbs.

can i go with the 3.7 to save gas??? over 95% of the miles on this truck will be non-towing. also, i can't find a 08 v10 in the entire state of wi. how smooth is this engine? i will be switching from a toyota tundra dc with a very smooth 4.7l double overhead cam v8 that is excellent but the truck was doing some serious grunting just to get my trailer and 2 attachments (6800lbsd) home!

thx
ts

 

Im picky and i think the v10 is a damn smooth engine! I'd pile some champagne glasses on the hood of it like the old commercials anyday!

 

For what it's worth, here's my thoughts.

The brochure says the conventional trailer towing capacity of the V10 is 12,500 lb, with both the 4.10 and 4.30 rear end. No mention of the 3.73. The limiting factor here isn't the engine and rear-end but probably the frames hanging that mass off the hitch ball.

I didn't see that your trailer is a goose-neck, but check out the capacity for a 5'er; this is where you see the effect of rear end gear on heavier trailer capacities. The 4.10 rear end capacity is 13,900. The 4.30 rear end capacity is 15,500. A gain of 1600 lb, and that is certainly telling of what that 4.30 gives you over the 4.10. The brochure makes no mention of the V10 with 3.73 on the towing capacity table. Hmmm. I would guess even lower capacity, probably down to the ~12.5K-13K mark?

I bought (being built) the V20 with the 4.30. Given you're hauling 12,000 occasionally, maybe split the difference and go with the 4.10? Definitely more capable, not a significant mileage hit I would think.

My $0.02.

 

hmm, interesting. i did not look at the website that closely. i wonder if the v10 is available on the 08 with the 3.7 rear end???


ts

 

It is, but the default rear end for the V10 auto is the 4.10. 3.73 is a no-charge option.

 

i wonder if it was a typo to leave off the website specs page?

my typical wt will be 11,000lbs. i will not be a hard core tower as it is for recreational use vs work. the 3.73 should run about 10% lower rpms on the highway which would help with the gas millage. if they listed the 3.73 as ok up to 12500 i would get it unless someone here convinces me otherwise. maybe i wouldnt see much of a improvement in gas millage with the 3.7 vs 4.1??? i am sure i dont NEED the 4.3.

so really 2 questions - what is the 3.7 approved by ford to tow and how much better gas millage will a 3.7 get vs a 4.1. 10% reduced rpm at 70mph may not result in an equal gas use reduction???

 

No doubt the 3.73 is approved to tow, but reduced from the 4.10.

Interesting to note the 5.4 auto with 4.10 can tow 11,100. The 5.4 with 3.73 can tow only 9,100! 2000 lb difference! Perhaps the logic would follow you would take ~2000 lb off the towing capacity off the V10 4.10... down to 10,500 lb? Better check with the stealership... but I doubt you'll get a better answer than the brochure, which is no answer!

I'm note sure about the mileage difference.

 

I had the 3.73 and towed 7,800 TTand thats before the wife loaded it with EVERYTHING!!!!! The truck towed that load with no problem going up maybe 5% grades....We upgraded to a 5th that is rated at 9,200 dry. and I saw no difference in the towing ability on relative flat roads, but I hit a 10% 12 mile grade going up to Tahoe and the truck could bearly keep 40 mph.....& an F'n Dodge passed me.. of course he had a 20 foot TT behind him......I had 34 ft behind me..butI said to meself...that ain't happen again, so I switched to 4.30 and WOW what differance....Get the 4.30.

 

any real world experience on the 4.3 vs 3.7 in terms of gas mileage???

 

I have watched many threads on this subject and no one have ever answered the fuel mileage question and everyone says go to the 4.30 gears. I'd like to know the fule mileage difference in theri daily driving as well as towing mileage and effectiveness. The comments say "wow, what a difference". What does that really mean?

I have a longbed 03 v10 ,4x4 with 3:73's with stock rims/tires, and and very unhappy towing up grades. I pull a 21ft 11,000 lb TT (when loaded) and watch everything pass me on any darn incline. Even the shortest 3% grades slow me down and force me to crank the revs to 4k to move along. I can't tell you how many time while traveling up 8% grades the rev limiters bells have gone off then forcing me to backoff and go 15-20 mph. Getting back up to speed is only achieved by the next ride downhill. Will increaseing to 4:10 gears be enough to overcome this, hmmmmm?

The worse part is getting into the passing lane to go around an overloaded big rig, or risk being stuck there due to other traffic, and not being able to pass him because there is no torque to do it, now your stuck behind him forever. Fuel mileage is 8 mpg when towing, 12 around town.

Just like thoeshin, I am a daily driver and I'd like to tow and pass slower rigs with confidence, not with ball busting speed, but not bust the bank on gas mileage, it's back over $3 gal in San Diego. I can say, if you have the choice do not get the 3:73's!

 

hi, kanuck i want one of them v20's too!!!!!!!, i have a99' 250 v10auto , went from3.73 to 4.30. i was towing a 12000 excavator on a 20' gooseneck when i swicthed i think my mpg went up. since i bought a f450 4x4 v10 auto , pulls the about 20k better & stops great.barry

 

Don't think you can get an 08' V10 w/ 3:73's. Since they switched to the 5 speed auto in 2005 choices are the 4:10 or the 4:30. For a trailer that heavy with the 5 speed a 4:30 would work good. Remember though if you put on tires over 33" in diameter and pulling heavy even lower gears than 4:30 would be a good idea.


I have an 04' w/ 4spd with 3:73's and tow max 5000lbs, 3000lbs on a reg basis and I'm thinking of switching to 4:30 when I put a new diff in the rear.

 

what "WOW what difference" means more TQ for towing up steep grades. I don't need to get a running start (get going 70 mph) before hitting the steep grades. The 4.30 lets me hit the steep grades at 55mph and maintain that speed. The main mountain pass I go over is Donner Summit 7,200 ft and the grade varies from 5% to maybe 10% ? As for gas milage, I can't really tell any difference its still 7-9 mpg towing and 10-12 mpg empty. Ford stopped putting the 3.73's in a couple of years ago. Wise move by Ford.

 

thx for all the info
it is the 4.1 or 4.3

ts

 

Here is the thing with the Super Duty trucks, It doesnt really matter MPG wise if you have a 5.4L or a 6.8L, doesnt really matter if you have 4.30 or 3.73. Most of us get about same mpg, within .5-1 mpg. So you might as well get the most bang for the buck. Go with 4.30s the BSEGs alone are worth it.