Gear Recommendation
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Chesapeake, VA
Gear Recommendation
I have a 89 F350 dually 7.3 with 4.10 gears in it. I dont tow, and i do a lot of highway driving. At 55 mph i am at 2200 rpms. I am looking for some recommendations for which size gears i should put in the truck and what brand. I was thinking of some 3.08 but i cant find them online.
Thanks for any help,
Kevin
Thanks for any help,
Kevin
Posting Guru
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From: KY
308's would be fine but not all rearends that will hold 410's will also hold 308's. A Dana 60 will not hold 308's. That is why the Dana 61 was designed.
As far as the Sterlings. I don't know if a 410 rearend will take a 308 but there are other options also. There may a gear in the 320's or 330' that will work though.
As far as the Sterlings. I don't know if a 410 rearend will take a 308 but there are other options also. There may a gear in the 320's or 330' that will work though.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,900
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From: Campbell River, B.C.
My truck had a C6/4.10 gears combo when I bought it, and it sucked, literally. The sterling 10.25" can accept 3.08 gears, but that ratio was never offered from the factory. These are what I am running: http://www.drivetrainspecialists.com...duct-1019.html
I have about 35K on them with no problems so far.
You can also google R&P sets, sterling, 3.08, to find other suppliers. I have heard that yukon gear also makes a 3.08 set for the sterling.
Make sure you know what rear end you have before ordering. If you pull the tag info off, the gear supplier should be able to identify if its a sterling 10.25 or the larger 10.5. I'm not sure if the Dana 70 was available in 1989, or if it hav accepy 3.08s, but I doubt you have a dana 60.
I have about 35K on them with no problems so far.
You can also google R&P sets, sterling, 3.08, to find other suppliers. I have heard that yukon gear also makes a 3.08 set for the sterling.
Make sure you know what rear end you have before ordering. If you pull the tag info off, the gear supplier should be able to identify if its a sterling 10.25 or the larger 10.5. I'm not sure if the Dana 70 was available in 1989, or if it hav accepy 3.08s, but I doubt you have a dana 60.
Senior User
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I wanted to step up in gearing to salvage MPG on the highway. But I am limited because I have 4x4s. I have a D60 rear and was considering a D60 front if they were making 3.33s for them, but I checked locally and they tell me they have been discontinued and am not sure if they were ever available for the front ends...? 3.54 seems to be my limit if I go with the D60 front... When I talked to the guy at the auto wrecker he said he would sell me the D60 monobeam with either 4.10 or 3.54 for the same price, and said he would make me a deal if I bought both front and rear as a set... he strongly recommended the Ford rear end over the Dana. Everyone agree with that? Any disagree I suppose would be a better question. It would have to be the 10.25" because the 10.5" is only available up to 3.73, right?
I should have known... just look at Dave S. truck for the best 4x4 setup. lol
I could buy the r&p for the sterling rear that I have but just the r&p alone would cost more than buying the whole rear end (used) with 3.55 and LS... drained cleaned and inspected. (no core)
I should have known... just look at Dave S. truck for the best 4x4 setup. lol
I could buy the r&p for the sterling rear that I have but just the r&p alone would cost more than buying the whole rear end (used) with 3.55 and LS... drained cleaned and inspected. (no core)
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
Many loads with 6 7 8 9 or just shy of 10 thousand in the bed.
I think my heaviest load so far was 9800 pounds.
My lite weight is 8000 pounds.
So that puts my gross at 17,800 on a Sterling 10.25" rear axle.
The only time I ever hurt anything in the axle was running a Lock Rite locker, which exploded.
Trashed everything in the axle housing.
That took a complete rebuild at 250,000 miles to fix.
I am over 410,000 total miles now.
The Sterling axle is about as bullet proof as you will find.
I think my heaviest load so far was 9800 pounds.
My lite weight is 8000 pounds.
So that puts my gross at 17,800 on a Sterling 10.25" rear axle.
The only time I ever hurt anything in the axle was running a Lock Rite locker, which exploded.
Trashed everything in the axle housing.
That took a complete rebuild at 250,000 miles to fix.
I am over 410,000 total miles now.
The Sterling axle is about as bullet proof as you will find.
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From: KY
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Clarksburg WV
Out of curiosity- would a gear swap on a F250 be a little easier than most vehicles?
Thinking this, because on the Sterling rear, you don't actuyally have to pull the axles completely or even take the wheels off the remove the axles enough to pull the gears....and on the TTB Dana 50, it looks like you just disconnect the front axleshafts and unbolt the case, and the whole case comes out much like a Ford 9".
I dunno, I'm just wondering if it'd be cheaper since there's a little less labor involved.
Thinking this, because on the Sterling rear, you don't actuyally have to pull the axles completely or even take the wheels off the remove the axles enough to pull the gears....and on the TTB Dana 50, it looks like you just disconnect the front axleshafts and unbolt the case, and the whole case comes out much like a Ford 9".
I dunno, I'm just wondering if it'd be cheaper since there's a little less labor involved.
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Senior User
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Originally Posted by Dave Sponaugle
Many loads with 6 7 8 9 or just shy of 10 thousand in the bed.
I think my heaviest load so far was 9800 pounds.
The only time I ever hurt anything in the axle was running a Lock Rite locker, which exploded.
Trashed everything in the axle housing.
That took a complete rebuild at 250,000 miles to fix.
I am over 410,000 total miles now.
The Sterling axle is about as bullet proof as you will find.
I think my heaviest load so far was 9800 pounds.
The only time I ever hurt anything in the axle was running a Lock Rite locker, which exploded.
Trashed everything in the axle housing.
That took a complete rebuild at 250,000 miles to fix.
I am over 410,000 total miles now.
The Sterling axle is about as bullet proof as you will find.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 559
Likes: 4
From: On a farm.
Just a correction to David85 above: The 10.25 Sterling is listed as coming from the factory with 3.08s, but only in the semi float version used in the F-250LD 4x2. Mostly it was used in E-250 vans. It's listed in my '85, '86 and '87 Data Books that way, anyway. I don't believe I've ever seen an F-250LD with 3.08s, but the fact that the gears exist indicate there must have been some.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 21,285
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
I used a Spicer product in both ends, TracLok was their name if I remember right.
Yes, I have an extra clutch disc in each of mine to tighten them up, that means I do not normally drive with the front hubs locked in and I do my best to match the rear tires when I buy new ones.
You can definitly feel the front pull when you drive on a surface with good traction if the hubs are locked.
From my experience, lockers are fine if you do not carry weight on the truck.
A limited slip with clutches is the only way to go if you haul weight in the truck.
The only other option I think may be better is an air locker, but they are rather pricey and do have issues like broken air lines and compressor failure.
I also have to say most people will never carry the kind of weight I carry with mine, so that statement above may not apply to you.
Yes, I have an extra clutch disc in each of mine to tighten them up, that means I do not normally drive with the front hubs locked in and I do my best to match the rear tires when I buy new ones.
You can definitly feel the front pull when you drive on a surface with good traction if the hubs are locked.
From my experience, lockers are fine if you do not carry weight on the truck.
A limited slip with clutches is the only way to go if you haul weight in the truck.
The only other option I think may be better is an air locker, but they are rather pricey and do have issues like broken air lines and compressor failure.
I also have to say most people will never carry the kind of weight I carry with mine, so that statement above may not apply to you.
Last edited by Dave Sponaugle; Feb 8, 2008 at 08:24 AM.
Lead Driver
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From: Campbell River, B.C.
Originally Posted by Jim Allen
Just a correction to David85 above: The 10.25 Sterling is listed as coming from the factory with 3.08s, but only in the semi float version used in the F-250LD 4x2. Mostly it was used in E-250 vans. It's listed in my '85, '86 and '87 Data Books that way, anyway. I don't believe I've ever seen an F-250LD with 3.08s, but the fact that the gears exist indicate there must have been some.
(thought I was crazy when I asked about 3.08s for F250) The D61 semifloater is the only factory option 3.08s I ever heard of.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 559
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From: On a farm.
The '85-93 Semi-float is fairly common knowledge and I have seen them. The 3.08s in them, I only know from my books. They are listed as starting in '85 and are a c-clip type axle, with no non-factory limited slips available (there might be one). I have such an axle in my newest truck, an '05 F-150HD, which uses a 10.25 semi-float rear, the only real differece being 7-lug wheel flanges.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,900
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From: Campbell River, B.C.
Originally Posted by Jim Allen
The '85-93 Semi-float is fairly common knowledge and I have seen them. The 3.08s in them, I only know from my books. They are listed as starting in '85 and are a c-clip type axle, with no non-factory limited slips available (there might be one). I have such an axle in my newest truck, an '05 F-150HD, which uses a 10.25 semi-float rear, the only real differece being 7-lug wheel flanges.
Posting Guru
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From: KY
Ford offered a semi-floating rearend in a 250????? What model was it. I have two Dana 61's and they are full floaters with inboard drums. In-board drums I don't like.!!!....
I havent's ever heard of a Dana 60 or 61 semi-floater. I can't say about the Sterling though.
I know Chevy used semis in their 3/4 tons.
I don't like semi floaters myself.
Hold up. I think I did see a semi-floater in an 80's 250. It had a gas motor in it. What rear was it though?????
Learn something everyday.
I havent's ever heard of a Dana 60 or 61 semi-floater. I can't say about the Sterling though.
I know Chevy used semis in their 3/4 tons.
I don't like semi floaters myself.
Hold up. I think I did see a semi-floater in an 80's 250. It had a gas motor in it. What rear was it though?????
Learn something everyday.