I was just wondering if anyone has any rough ideas as to typically how many miles you can do (towing about 60% of the time) before the tubo, tranny and engine would need rebuilds.

I have a 2002 7.3 psd 250 and im starting a buisness that I want to use the truck for, and I just want to get a rough idea about this information, my truck has 169000 kilometers on it (about 105000 miles), 35" tyres, a 4" lift, a dp tuner, wastgate diconnected and wound up producing about 26psi and guages, trany usually runs at 170 empty and 180-210 towing, egts usually 700 empty 900 towing, I never let it get beyond 1200.

My turbo also has a low pitched whistle between 1 and 4 psi, Im not sure if I just havnt noticed it before or if its new but im paranoid about new sounds, I have had the truck 3 years.

Thank for any help

 

In a stock truck the trans should be good for about 250k miles, or 410,000 kilometers.

Those will reduce the life of the transmission. I don't know by how much, but watching the temperatures isn't going to help. The added stress from higher torque will take it's toll.

 

I've still got all 3 stock pieces on my truck at 324k miles. Of course I've got a standard.

If you're serious about starting a company and doing a lot of towing, I'd consider getting rid of the lift and going back to stock tires.

 

Unless I missed it, you did not specify which transmission you have. I would not consider an automatic in a Ford for commercial towing. Then again, I am prejudiced when it comes to automatic transmissions in light trucks. If you want the truck to last- return to OEM engine specs (I have this notion that the engineers at International know more than me about diesel engine life spans), drop the 35 inch tires to stock 265/75R16 E rated (I use 285/75R16s with up to 3,800 pound loads on the truck and tow up to 12,000- but not together), drop the lift, add some rear leaf springs.

I do not know your diff ratio. If it is 3.73, the upgearing of the oversized tires (the 35s) is going to reduce your towing service life, espcially if you are using an automatic transmission.If you are equipped with a 4.10/4.11, 4.56, 4.88 diff ratios the upgearing of the tires is less of an issue. How frequently will you encounter steep highway grades? If you are towing mostly on flat lands it matter less.

Anyway, that is my opinion, for what it is worth. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the info guys.

My tranny is the 4R100, I dont know what the gear ratios are just that they are standard, I would like to change them at some point to bring the gearing back to normal with the bigger tyres as I do wish to keep the tyres on it.

Im also thinking of getting or upgrading my transmision with the uprated stuff, like the one that bd performance do.

I also made myself a TC lockup switch so that the gearbox isnt coocking itself up steep climbs.

I hardly ever tow more than 6500 pounds and here in australia the legal limit for the f250 is 9900 pounds. Most of my towing is 5500 pounds.

Is there anyone with a dp tuner that could give me an idea how long their trannys etc lasted, its just that there is nowhere here in australia to get the parts so im planning when I should look at getting stuff.

I must say I fully appreciate what you all say about the lift, tyres and tuner but I really want to keep them, i have an inabillity to leave a vehicle stock and I love this truck, these things are a bit special over here.

Thanks