Ford F-250 7.3 Gas Engine Axle Ratios
Is there much difference in towing milage, and around town/highway mileage with the new F-250 7.3 gas engine with rear gear options? Considering 3.55 or 4.30 axles ratios. Any input is helpful.
Forum Discussion
lenr wrote:
My opinion--yours will vary: Ford reference only.
Back in the days of the 4R100 transmission with its first gear ratio of 2.71 launch was a problem. When Ford came out with the 5R110 they split the old 1st into 2 ratios with the top 3 gears staying the same ratio. With a new 1st gear of 3.09 launch was improved. The 6R140 went to 3.97; more improvement. The 10R140 uses a 4.615 ratio. It is hard for me to believe that launch would be a problem with any axle ratio.
It is not a problem. But the point is, while 10 gear ratios can make up for a lot in final drive ratio difference, it is still easier on the drivetrain, more efficient and less stress with the gear reduction happening in the finals.
Will the new drivetrains handle it with taller gears? Appears so. GM doesn’t even offer anything deeper than a 3.42 on any diesels now. But that doesn’t change physics and to each their own how they choose to spend their money.
If I’m buying an expensive new gasser truck that doesn’t get good fuel mileage empty (comparatively) anyways, I’d skip and buy a diesel, but short of that, I’d get the deep gears and get my money’s worth in performance out of the truck.
