F350: 4.30 or 3.73 Gears

very big upside and little downside, get the 4.30....from someone who wishes they had ordered their truck with 4.30 :)

I'm with the others, the 4.30 gears will make your pulling experience more favorable. Empty around town should be about the same mileage. Empty on the highway will get slightly worse mileage with the 4.30 gears. Towing, that lower rear end will give you more grunt from a stop and have you cruising at lower RPM's.

You have some hills in the eastern part of your state, so if you go over there you will be very happy to have the shorter gears. Then again if you tow to the beaches or south and don't plan to encounter those hills, the 3.73 gears will be fine.

On the size truck you are talking about, I'd get the 4.30. I have no problem towing slightly heavier than you, with 3.73.

The 6-speed transmission makes either work well. I normally tow in 5th, about same as 6th if 4.30. My first gear is super low, so no problem, even starting on an incline. I doubt you'd notice much mpg difference, again due to the 6-speed.

Jerry

I would like the 4:30...


2 wheel drive 3:73.. very towable..

the 4:30 would allow a higher gear going up hill.. less rpms
engine is fine at 4,000 rpm's.. but body, sound, vibrations..

my opinion

4.30

Agreed. My F350 SRW with the 6.2 and 3.73 used to pull the Work & Play in my signature. Around town isn't too bad. You're not going fast. Once you hit highway speeds, it was not a happy camper. Nothing like doing around 60 mph and when you hit a decent incline, it would drop down to third gear screaming.

That's why I bought the diesel.

Yes.

gas engine? 4.30