F250 3.73 to 4.30 axle ratio
I have a 2017 F250 4x4 crew cab, 160" wheel base, 6.2l gas, 3.73 gear ratio. I am trying to see if having 4.30 axle ratio gears installed will make much difference regarding 5th wheel towing. I noti...
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My opinion--yours will vary.
Many folks (including a son and a cousin) have commented that the Ford 6.2 gas engine with the 6 speed transmission spend most of their time in 5th gear at highway speed--6th gear only comes when going down hill. The problem is inadequate HP in the lower RPM range of this engine. running in fifth is equivalent to changing the rear ratio from 3.73 to 4.79 with a 28% increase in wheel torque along with a corresponding increase in HP. I would save the money of the gear change (don't forget that the computer needs reprogrammed as well) and use it for a diesel or 7.3 gas engine someday. This transmission is designed for heavy hauling and running continuously in lower gears won't hurt it a bit. Use Towing Mode when towing. Lock out 6th if shifting up and down happens too often.
Many folks (including a son and a cousin) have commented that the Ford 6.2 gas engine with the 6 speed transmission spend most of their time in 5th gear at highway speed--6th gear only comes when going down hill. The problem is inadequate HP in the lower RPM range of this engine. running in fifth is equivalent to changing the rear ratio from 3.73 to 4.79 with a 28% increase in wheel torque along with a corresponding increase in HP. I would save the money of the gear change (don't forget that the computer needs reprogrammed as well) and use it for a diesel or 7.3 gas engine someday. This transmission is designed for heavy hauling and running continuously in lower gears won't hurt it a bit. Use Towing Mode when towing. Lock out 6th if shifting up and down happens too often.
