Dave,
You already have a lift tool for big tires, It's called your feet. Put you feet under the tire and lift your toes off the ground. Good exercise. I do it with my 8 lug 16.5 rims with 36 inch swampers. If you want to see an arb airlocker in action I have two in the jeep.

 

The assembled wheel is about 160 pounds, I not so sure about that toe trick.

 

Question -

I take it differentials are ordered separately from ordering the pinon and gear?

So I could inexpensively re-gear my current differentials, and then later I can swap those gears to the locker?

 

Evening, all.

To my fellow 7.3 Powerstrokers reading this:

If you are on the fence about buying a DP Tuner for your truck. DO IT. I installed mine Monday and holy crap it drives like a different truck. And being able to roll a little coal is nice.

 

Hi Pete:

Glad you like it.

 

yes sir! what gears you going from/to?

also dave, we have that lifting tool at work, it makes quick easy work of lining up and installing the big boy tires. one word of advise is to keep the truck jacked as low as possible. the lower you can operate the tool the easier it is. if you jack the tires up 4" above the ground, the tool becomes more work to use than its worth.

yes! isnt it so much nicer to drive? my chip is in my friends garage, i need to get the money up (not much, but i keep spending it elsewhere) to have it re-burned for my injectors and for my auto tranny.

 

Hi Aaron:

The van has 4.10 in an open differential in the rear and I'm not sure what differential in the front.

As for what gearing am I aiming for, I'm still researching that.

I am leaning toward increasing my torque to the road which will cost me fuel economy with the intent of later installing an under-drive auxiliary transmission so that I'll get better gas milage that I get now.

Based on a gearing calculator:

Going from OEM to Michelin 285/70R/19.5 with the OEM 4.10 rear-end
produces an effctive 3.53:1 Ratio.
That equates to two rear-ends lower, i.e. 3.73 followed by 3.55.

At 65 MPH with the 30.5" diameter OEM tires and transmission in 5th gear, the engine is running at 2084.5 RPM.

At 65 MPH with the 35.4" diameter Michelin 285/70R/19.5 tires and the transmission in 5th gear, the engine is running at 1795.9 RPM (about 14% less RPMs).

__________________________________________________ _

To re-achieve the OEM torque to the road then would need a 4.76:1 rear-end.
Ford's next up rear-end is a 4.88.

For greater torque to the road then go with a 5:19:1 rear-end.
Ford's highest rear-end is 5.13.

A compromise between OEM torque to the road and the effective ratio would be a 4.33:1 rear-end.
Ford offers a 4.63 rear-end.

U.S. Gear Corp's 1.25:1 under-drive unit in UD would provide an effective 4.4125 rear-end
-AND-
Can handle Compression-Braking, i.e. an
exhaust back-pressure brake

Gear Vendors's 1.28:1 under-drive unit in UD would provide an effective 4.52 rear-end
-But-
Can NOT handle Compression-Braking, i.e. NO
exhaust back-pressure brake

 

dave you can look at your door tag, it will have an axle code, and you can google your "ford axle code __" and find ou t what you have.

later guys, im wiped after today's heat.

 

Aaron, what kind of injectors did you install on your truck?

I've got to send mine in for a re-burn once I get my valve body.

 

Evening to anyone still lurking

 

hi Matt

 

Hi dave how are ya tonight.

 

evening all.

 

Whats up brian

 

Hi Brian