Choice of Gears for V-10 owners
 

I am in the process of making a deal on a 2000 Excursion V-10 XLT 4x4. It is all stock... Except it has a Whipple Supercharger on top.:D

I am pretty sure that it has 3.73 gears. I am not new to Excursions or SuperDuties. This will be a family hauler and occasional trailer hauler. The trailers it will haul are a 3500lb Aluminum boat and trailer, a 7500 lb 30ft Travel trailer and a 16 car trailer with everything from cars to trucks to tractors to firewood hauled. I think you get the idea.

The EX has the stock 265-75-16's currently on it with stock Ex Springs. The plan is to swap out for F350 springs, blocks and leveling Kit to get it sitting level with my F350 and run the stock rims/tires in the winter, and a set of 35x12.50x16.5 tires in the summer. Towing will be primarily done while wearing the 35's. That all said, I am looking at re-gearing, and already have a recommendation and quote from a reputable gear shop here in Alaska for a set of 4.30's and a Detroit Tru-trac locker. It is a fairly substantial cost, but wanted to hear what the pick-up owners are doing for gears with their V-10's.

I think one of my biggest concerns with keeping the stock gears and running the 35's would be the factory 4R100, which is already a known weak link, and with the added horsepower of a supercharger, I want to minimize the chances of tearing up a transmission that is in good shape right now.

So let the comments begin... Good-Bad and ... Well you get the idea!:-X06

Get the 4.30s, plus do a preemptive strike and get a BTS 4R100 and a better cooler. You will need it.

My 2 cents, anyway.

I am already looking around for a 6.0 tranny cooler, as I hear they are pretty good at helping keep the 4R100 cool. I have also been asking about a mod Crazy001 did on his Excursion that controls TC lock-up. The TC can create an enormous amount of heat when not locked up, so that is on my list of to-do's too. I hope the Ex is as nice as the pics show when I fly over to see it Friday...:o

Garry in Kodiak

And, yes when the stock 4R100 goes, I hope to put in a BTS!

I ordered mine with the 4:30 rear and it is fabulous when towing, keeps you there instead of constant shifts.

Is it impolite to ask how much the quote was for the gears? :-X0A6

I believe mine were $300 or $350 from Ford, have heard of aftermarkets going for $1500 or so.

4:88's...or you'll regret not doing it later..

i wouldnt even consider anything lower then 4:56 if ur plan is to jump to 35" tires.

Alaska prices are spendy for anything... but three and a half large...:-roll but that was for everything installed, new seals, new bearings, new gears and a new locker. Actual gears were only $259 each set and the locker is 807. Bearings and seals were another 500... you get the idea... a little less than half was Labor.

Garry

You want 4:30's with stock tires. With 35" tires you want at least 4:56 or probably 4:88's.

I have 4.30's with a 5-speed manual trans and 305/70R16 tires (~33" tall). If I was going to a taller tire (like the 35's you are talking about) and planning on towing heavy (your TT, tractors and firewood) I would really look at steeper, deeper, lower gearing. As you know, the V10 loves to rev and makes it's best power from about 3K RPM on up. Not that the V10 is lacking HP/Torque, especially when supercharged, but it definitely has a sweet spot where you can take advantage of what it is.

Who knows, it may already have 4.30's in it. If so, you would only be looking at the locker. :-X22

Oh, and don't forget pics when you go look at it. :)

These are a few of the pics that he sent to me.:-X06
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d9...000Exfront.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d9...V10Whipple.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d9...xRightside.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d9...erfrtseats.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d9...00ExLftFrt.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d9...ExLeftRear.jpg

Looks pretty good for a 2000 EX, and only 70K miles!

Hopefully I will doing 4.30s with a truetrac on my truck in the spring.(285/75R16 tires)

For 35's I would be looking at 4.56s if it were me but the torque curve from the Whipple will pull 4.30s good but loaded the truck will appreciate the 4.56s.

With stock 235/85R16 or 265/75R16 tires with 3.73s gears the truck will run right at 2000rpm @ 70mph.(usually a hair under)

As for the trans there are a few options. Go all tuning with very firm shifts aggressive TQ lockup and try to keep slip for both down to minimum. Next is an option of tuning with a valve body upgrade, a line valve mod and etc. Or you can go all out and drop in a built 4R100 and beefed TQ. No matter what option you choose gauges to accurately monitor what is going on and a larger trans cooler (like a cooler from a 6.0l truck) are musts in my book. If it were me I would probably do option 1 or 2 I mentioned with the trans along the gauges and cooler upgrade and stick some money aside for a trans rebuild for when it has to have it.

That looks like it sits higher than a stock X. Is it the original owner?

He is the second owner, and says that there have been no suspension changes that he is aware of.
He also says that a shift kit was put in the trans, but wasn't sure of the type. It has and aftermarket intake and exhaust.

I'll be looking it over Friday. Just got my plane tickets, and will go over and back the same day. If I get it it will have to stay at a friends place till we can arrange ferry tickets and plane tickets to go pick it up...

Keep up the ideas!

Can anyone with 4.30's or higher give me some engine RPMs at speed to compare with these other numbers?

Thanks again!!
Garry

Garry,

I don't know how the final drive ratios compare with my 5-speed and the auto, but with 4.30 gears and 305/70R16 tires, my RPM is right at 2,000 at 55MPH (corrected for tire size). I seldom drive on the interstate at 65MPH, but if I recall correctly, the RPM is at about 2,300.

Oh, and thanks for sharing the pics here before over on the X forum. ;)