I'm looking to buy a 2011 F250 crew cab short box with the 6.2L gas engine. I have a 10,000lb 5ver that I will be pulling 4,000 miles a year. Most towing will be around Minnesota but plan on taking one trip a year out to and through the Rockies. The remainder of the driving will be around 'town' and freeway empty. I wanted to get thoughts on whether I should get the 4.3 or 3.73 axle. I would like to get the mpg for most of my driving but I also want to get the 5ver through the mountains.

Thanks

 

I dont tow to much,a boat,pontoon,atv's and a 5th wheel so I went with 3.73 but if I was towing more then 50% of the time I would of went 4.3............My last trip empty I got 16.0 mpg........

 

Hi fw2500
First Welcome to FTE! Thanks for posting up.

I suggest getting the 4.30 gear set with these 6.2L. With the new 6 speed trans with the extra gear (6th) rpms will be low enough to get some good economy out of the 6.2L.

Also be sure to check Fords 5ver specs between the 3.73 and 4.30 as i think there is a good amount of difference in weight capacity.
3.73 is around 12,000 lbs and the 4.30 is around 15,000 lbs

 

Thanks for the reply's. Fordmdb, I've seen that you've reported getting 16-18hwy and 12-14city with your 4.3 axle (even with the heavy foot you seem to have [I've seen the video] ). Ford56528, I believe you have the 3.73 and have seen 12-14 in town. What have you seen hwy? I saw someone reported 15-16city and 16-18hwy with the 3.73. If these numbers are more widely seen, seems with the size of camper I have, I just as well go with the 4.3 given mileage doesn't seem to be impacted much.

 

i cant report mpg. but i can say i've driven both in a super cab 4x4 and the differance is vey noticable.

the 3:73s will still roast the tires off a stop light if you arent careful, but the 4:30s are downright awsome! throws you back in the seat pretty good. i'd say if it was me i'd go with the 4:30s just for the fun factor. but the fact you will tow i'd say go with them.

 

just go for the 4:30's now..

you'll kick yourself later if you dont...

 

+1. Go with the 4.30s. I have a 14k 5er on standby that I'll eventually be pulling with the new 6.2. Will probably only pull 5-10 times a year but I know I'll appreciate the gearing on those tows. Not to mention I like mash the throttle at times, which will make that 6.2 feel even more powerful.

 

This is what I got on my last trip running 3.73 and empty....

 

Mine is a 3.73 and tows a 30ft travel trailer just fine.

 

I've got 3.73 & Pull some - My weights vary but I pulled a heavy gooseneck @ 17K last month for about 1000 miles & the 6.2/6speed even with the 3.73 did great. That being said - with the 6 speed having 5 & 6th over the 1:1 ratio I think that 4.30's would be just as good for economy. Maybe even better in city driving. If you drive highway primarily & less city the 3.73 might edge out the 4.30s but as soon as you hit the city streets the 3.73 will lug just a bit eating your economy..

Just my opinion....

 

I find myself locking out 6th gear when I'm in the city just to keep the engine from lugging, and changing gears.

 

So from others experience, would you agree that the difference in fuel economy between the 3.73 and 4.3 is only 1mpg? In searching around, this seems to be what people are saying. I'm not sure I've seen any definitive answer to that (nor do I expect to see a definitive answer given the variables that go into it). With a 10K 5th wheel, would I generally get better fuel economy towing with the 4.3(assuming similar conditions)? I'm inclined to go the 4.3 if the mpg is typically only a 1 mile or 2 off the 3.73.

 

My area has lots of foothills (Central Texas) also since I got the truck the A/C has been blowing full blast... My city /hwy average has been about 12.. Most of the post that I have seen here are more than that and most of them were running 4.30's.. Also I have a slightly larger than stock tire which would lower my 3.73's maybe to the 3.55 range (just a guess)..

Also my truck odometer loses about 1 mile per 17 according to a GPS... (that would make for a little worse milage as per the computer..

For example - real world... I reset the Ave Miles Last week - Straight highway showed 15 miles a gal after 43 miles - turn on the county road about 4 miles later the computer read 14.3 - then idles while I open gate about 2 minutes - it said 14.1 - eased up 1/2 mile ranch/caliche road - the computer read 13.4 mpg..

I would think that the 4.30's would have help out the slower speed stuff..

 

How do you lock out 6th gear, put it into tow/haul mode ? I have a 7.3L right not but ordered a 2011, on my 2000 I can shut off overdrive, wondering how to do it on the new truck, I know you can also run it in manual but if I can lock out 6th gear in auto that would be nice.. Thanks for any info on this..

 

Yea, When you are in Drive there is a rocker with a "+" &"-" if you hit them once it displays the 6 gears (1,2,3,4,5,6) if then you hit the minus sign it takes out 6th hit minus again it takes out 5th etc all the way to 1st --