Gears
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2007
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Gears
Just wondering, I have a 2003 F250 V-10 auto with 3.73 gears. Towing a #8000 fifth wheel in 3rd. gear my RPMs are around 2750, which is not bad, but it seems a little underpowered. How would a lower set of gears help, or hurt? I suppose I am used to the diesel power from Dodge and Ford, but I prefer after having those diesels, a gasoline engine. I probably will not get the power I am looking for out of the gasser.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,617
Likes: 4
From: Denver, Co
I would venture to say that you are in an odd middle ground. Moving up to 4.10's would be an incremental, but small, improvement. Many would say that if you are going to go through the expense of swapping gears that you should move up to 4.30's.
However...(yeah, there is always a 'but' attached to these things!!)
I think this should be weighed against how often & where you tow your fifth wheel. If you tow it around pretty regularly--retired and/or avid camper, hunter, fisher--this may be more worthwhile. If you hit a fair number of hills, mountain passes, etc., this may bias you towards some deeper gears.
While 8,000 lbs is a decent load, it isn't like towing 12K or better around all of the time. If it tows fine (may be just a little bit of missing giddy-up & go) and you only tow once in a while, the cost (roughly $1000 per axle for the ring & pinion, install kit, and labor to have a shop install) may not be worth the improvement in towing.
You might also think about asking this question down in the Towing forum. I'm sure some of those folks have been in your position & you can get some first hand feedback on how a move from 3.73's to 4.10's or 4.30's changed their truck's road manners & fuel economy.
However...(yeah, there is always a 'but' attached to these things!!)
I think this should be weighed against how often & where you tow your fifth wheel. If you tow it around pretty regularly--retired and/or avid camper, hunter, fisher--this may be more worthwhile. If you hit a fair number of hills, mountain passes, etc., this may bias you towards some deeper gears.
While 8,000 lbs is a decent load, it isn't like towing 12K or better around all of the time. If it tows fine (may be just a little bit of missing giddy-up & go) and you only tow once in a while, the cost (roughly $1000 per axle for the ring & pinion, install kit, and labor to have a shop install) may not be worth the improvement in towing.
You might also think about asking this question down in the Towing forum. I'm sure some of those folks have been in your position & you can get some first hand feedback on how a move from 3.73's to 4.10's or 4.30's changed their truck's road manners & fuel economy.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,191
Likes: 4
From: Blairsville,Ga
I think would come under same a diesel,depends on how offen and where you tow
if you use it also for daily driver and it does a pretty good job towing leave it
they cost of change over and the extra fuel it would burn empty may not be worth a little more ump
if you use it also for daily driver and it does a pretty good job towing leave it
they cost of change over and the extra fuel it would burn empty may not be worth a little more ump
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 0
From: New York
I have the same year and engine you have and I swapped the 3.73's for 4.30's. A vast improvement in low end torque. As deluxe05 said, going to 4.10's might not give you enough of a difference to make the cost justifiable. With the 4.30's I am going about 2300 RPM's at 65 MPH on the highway, up from about 2700-2800 RPM's with the 3.73's with only a slight difference in fuel drop. I would go with the 4.30's no questions asked. You will be happy with them.
