Rear Axle Gear
Am looking for opinion/advice on choosing an adequate rear axle gear ratio. Will be pulling a Cruiser RV Fun Finder 214 (approaximately 5000 lbs. loaded) with a Ford F-150 Ecoboost (yet to be purchas...
Forum Discussion
Hi,
It really does not matter to much what the rear axle ratio is. You will rarely be in drive, and more often will be in overdrive while on the freeway. Your throttle position and the engine management system will determine what gear the transmission will be in, and what RPM the engine will run for a given throttle position.
Say that you are pushing really hard on the throttle, the engine will rev up, and it will stay in the lower gears a longer time, so that the engine can produce maximum power at that higher RPM! If towing, then it will run in a slightly lower gear and then run at a higher engine RPM going up the hills.
While driving solo, then the engine management will try to shift into the highest gear, to get the best mileage!.
What options I would be looking at would be more along the lines of maximum cargo rating, so that the trailer weight, and cargo that you want to bring along will not cause you to exceed it's GVWR capacity. Better to buy something a little higher capacity now, then need to trade in the truck in a couple of years when you want a heavier trailer!
You will be limited to almost any 10,000 pound travel trailer, but the F-150's limited 2,000 cargo rating, and the need to carry some passengers will limit the truck to a very few very lightweight fifth wheels. So a 8,000 pound fifth wheel might have a 2,000 pound loaded pin weight, and that would not leave capacity to carry any passengers without going way over the GVWR.
At least the aluminum body F-150 in 2015 will have a higher cargo rating just because the curb weight will be less. So mileage should be better too!
Fred.
It really does not matter to much what the rear axle ratio is. You will rarely be in drive, and more often will be in overdrive while on the freeway. Your throttle position and the engine management system will determine what gear the transmission will be in, and what RPM the engine will run for a given throttle position.
Say that you are pushing really hard on the throttle, the engine will rev up, and it will stay in the lower gears a longer time, so that the engine can produce maximum power at that higher RPM! If towing, then it will run in a slightly lower gear and then run at a higher engine RPM going up the hills.
While driving solo, then the engine management will try to shift into the highest gear, to get the best mileage!.
What options I would be looking at would be more along the lines of maximum cargo rating, so that the trailer weight, and cargo that you want to bring along will not cause you to exceed it's GVWR capacity. Better to buy something a little higher capacity now, then need to trade in the truck in a couple of years when you want a heavier trailer!
You will be limited to almost any 10,000 pound travel trailer, but the F-150's limited 2,000 cargo rating, and the need to carry some passengers will limit the truck to a very few very lightweight fifth wheels. So a 8,000 pound fifth wheel might have a 2,000 pound loaded pin weight, and that would not leave capacity to carry any passengers without going way over the GVWR.
At least the aluminum body F-150 in 2015 will have a higher cargo rating just because the curb weight will be less. So mileage should be better too!
Fred.
