could anyone give me some good solid info about whats good and bad about the sterling 10.25 full float rear end with 3:55, i was thinking about having 3:73s put in but wasnt sure,

 

Pros: Tough, full floating axle

Cons: not a large aftermarket

 

better than the dana 60?

 

Yes, better than D60 rear

 

yes it is better than the 60 rear. Weak point is the rear cover ( thin stamped steel ). If your not offraoding then thats not an issue. As far as aftermarket there is enough. Detroits, Arb, Eaton, gears to 5.38, axles, disc conversion.

 

well how good are the 3:55 gears, i dont do any towing but the grunt of the 3:73s would be nice

 

that's alot of coin for such a slight increase. Why not find a Sterling with 4:10's. Most you'll pay is $150-200 and just swap axles

 

i only have a c6 though and alot of there area around me is highway or higher speeds, and i know 4::10s only top out at like 60

 

I have never had the issue but some say the Pinion nut comes loose due to the sterling has a crush coller

 

This has happened to me... once... in 350K.

 

thts good to know

 

What engine do you have? My F250 with a 460 and 3.55 gears has done fine all its life. Would I like different gears: yes, but do I think it's poorly geared like the 3.08 gears on the 5.0: absolutely not.

My dad used the truck for 14 years as a farm truck, and the 3.55 worked perfectly fine for him pulling wagons and trailers without any complaints. Seeing as you have a C6 with no OD, I'd venture you'll be fine with 3.55 gearing to balance power vs fuel mileage.

 

take a look at these
Ford Sterling 10.5" Axle Rebuild - Four Wheeler Magazine
1989 Ford F-250 Disc Brake Installation - Four Wheeler Magazine
1986 Ford F-250 HD Towing Axle - Four Wheeler Magazine

 

i only have a 302 but i didnt come with the truck, it was dropped in

 

The most common down side of the 10.25 that i have heard of is that when you go over 4.10 gears you start to sacrifice the strength of the gear set. But i dont think that would be an issue unless your running a diesel with 1000ft/lbs of torque.

Also, other consideration are weight and ground clearance, which can be a factor when building an off road rig.