Welcome marcjay11
Thread Starter
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 42,085
Likes: 6
From: Lakewood, Ca.
Welcome marcjay11
Another new member - this has been a busy week!
Looks from the zip code that marc is from the Westside of LA - Number Dummy's old stomping grounds.
Glad to have you on board, marc.
Looks from the zip code that marc is from the Westside of LA - Number Dummy's old stomping grounds.
Glad to have you on board, marc.
New User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: So Cal
I really appreciate the warm welcome!
I've been trolling around for a half hour now and I can see where this can become addicting.
Anyway - I've been researching towing with my 1999 4.6 (as Steve knows) and things don't look so good for old faithful. Most of what I read is simply to trade the thing for the 5.4. My truck has been a great workhorse, but is really a gutless tow vehicle.
I don't know if the warden (wife) is gonna be too happy about that.
Oh well...
I've been trolling around for a half hour now and I can see where this can become addicting.
Anyway - I've been researching towing with my 1999 4.6 (as Steve knows) and things don't look so good for old faithful. Most of what I read is simply to trade the thing for the 5.4. My truck has been a great workhorse, but is really a gutless tow vehicle.
I don't know if the warden (wife) is gonna be too happy about that.
Oh well...
Thread Starter
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 42,085
Likes: 6
From: Lakewood, Ca.
Addicting? Naw!
I seldom spend more than......well, never mind.
How much weight are you towing with your 99?
Edit: I remember from your intro post - 4000#, right?
Local, or long-distance?
I seldom spend more than......well, never mind.
How much weight are you towing with your 99?
Edit: I remember from your intro post - 4000#, right?
Local, or long-distance?
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 17,398
Likes: 317
From: Whittier, CA
On a gasser, I have never seen pipes or tuner pay for itself. Just not much bang for the buck.
But what can really make an *** kicking difference is gearing. You may well have 3:55 gears in the diff, and that's not too good for towing even with the bigger motor. You might want to consider going to 4:10 or even 4:30 gears. I guarantee you will notice the difference while towing. Maybe a modest loss of MPG when not towing, probably better MPG when you are towing.
Bill
But what can really make an *** kicking difference is gearing. You may well have 3:55 gears in the diff, and that's not too good for towing even with the bigger motor. You might want to consider going to 4:10 or even 4:30 gears. I guarantee you will notice the difference while towing. Maybe a modest loss of MPG when not towing, probably better MPG when you are towing.
Bill
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New User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: So Cal
I really appreciate the advise!
I'd very much like to get several more years out of this truck.
I'll check the manual and see what I have. I don't claim to know a whole bunch about gearing - wouuld 4:10 or 4:30 gears give a bit more low end torque?
For at lease the next year, our trips will be local (within 300 miles) but next year, we wanna hit the road!
The configuration as it is now is 60-65 mph on the flats no problem, but the hills, forget it! Also - I hit a head wind on I-15 through victorville and could hardly keep 45 mph.
I'd very much like to get several more years out of this truck.
I'll check the manual and see what I have. I don't claim to know a whole bunch about gearing - wouuld 4:10 or 4:30 gears give a bit more low end torque?
For at lease the next year, our trips will be local (within 300 miles) but next year, we wanna hit the road!
The configuration as it is now is 60-65 mph on the flats no problem, but the hills, forget it! Also - I hit a head wind on I-15 through victorville and could hardly keep 45 mph.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,221
Likes: 6
From: Cow Town, CA
welcome! a higher gear number will require a higher RPM to move the same speed, more RPM more power. i have 3.73 in my truck but then again i am running a 460CI motor and no overdrive so that helps me, but i even can tell when i tow up a hill that i wish i could get her moving a lil better...what i am trying to say is that 4.10s would be a good start...
New User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: So Cal
Thanks Brady,
I've gotten some extremely valuable info here in a very short time. This weekend, I'll price the differential and decide if I want to part with the $$ or just save for a different truck.
Problem with that is I know myself. I'll get a bigger truck, then need a bigger trailer. Then a bigger line of credit to pay for the gas.
Very cool community that has been set up here, guys! I really appreciate your help.
I've gotten some extremely valuable info here in a very short time. This weekend, I'll price the differential and decide if I want to part with the $$ or just save for a different truck.
Problem with that is I know myself. I'll get a bigger truck, then need a bigger trailer. Then a bigger line of credit to pay for the gas.
Very cool community that has been set up here, guys! I really appreciate your help.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 17,398
Likes: 317
From: Whittier, CA
I really appreciate the advise!
I'd very much like to get several more years out of this truck.
I'll check the manual and see what I have. I don't claim to know a whole bunch about gearing - wouuld 4:10 or 4:30 gears give a bit more low end torque?
For at lease the next year, our trips will be local (within 300 miles) but next year, we wanna hit the road!
The configuration as it is now is 60-65 mph on the flats no problem, but the hills, forget it! Also - I hit a head wind on I-15 through victorville and could hardly keep 45 mph.
I'd very much like to get several more years out of this truck.
I'll check the manual and see what I have. I don't claim to know a whole bunch about gearing - wouuld 4:10 or 4:30 gears give a bit more low end torque?
For at lease the next year, our trips will be local (within 300 miles) but next year, we wanna hit the road!
The configuration as it is now is 60-65 mph on the flats no problem, but the hills, forget it! Also - I hit a head wind on I-15 through victorville and could hardly keep 45 mph.
You can figure about $750 - $1,000 to regear. About double that if you have four wheel drive - you have to do both axles.
I predict you'll be wanting more truck eventually, so the question becomes whether it's worth it in the short term to regear. I was in much the same situation with an '04 F150. I had the 5.4 motor, pulling the same trailer I have now. It did the job okay. But I put more miles on the truck towing than not towing, so I took the plunge. Of course, if I had known diesel would be $5/gal a year later ... hopefully I would have still done it because it's worth it.
Bill
New User
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: So Cal
I think you're right. I'll need more truck to do any real traveling. More rpms will just burn out the engine faster. Looks like I'll have putt putt for a while and upgrade when I can.
What kind of trailer are you pulling?
What kind of trailer are you pulling?
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 17,398
Likes: 317
From: Whittier, CA
Yes, that's still the one. It's probably a similar floor plan to yours Marc. But it's a dry weight of 4,000# and I've had it on the scale so I know it's about 5,200. We have grand plans for a 5th wheel in about 2 years. But price of a barrel of crude may alter those plans. The plan played into the decision to buy my current truck, including the long bed version. We'll see.
It's the best time to buy a truck that I've seen, ever. But it ain't such a good time to sell one.
It's the best time to buy a truck that I've seen, ever. But it ain't such a good time to sell one.