Can anyone give insight into the need for the 4.10 vs the 3.73? Our 99 has the 3.73 and we have no difficulties towing a 12,000 lb gooseneck on flat ground here in the southeast. What differences would we notice if there was a problem? We are looking into a new vehicle. Should we go for the 4.10? Is there a significant loss of fuel economy?
Re: 4.10 versus 3.73 ratio Towing vs. Fuel economy
You don't say if you have a duelly or single axle, but if it is a single, you can only get a 3.73. If you are looking at a duelly, then get the 4.10 as you won't tell the difference in mileage but it will tow a load much better. If a single axle, you won't have a choice except maybe a higher 3.55 rear, which is horrible. Unless Ford has changed, the 3.73 is the most common except on the duelly and depending on your needs, you can get even a 4.30 if you tow big. I would get a limited slip too.
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2002 F-350 SRW Lariat,4X4, PSD with too many goodies to list. 182k and a very strong 7.3. SOLD
2008 F-250, SC Lariat, 4X4,Shortbed, Pueblo Gold/black, V-10, 4.10, auto, Delivered on 9/7/07, great looking rig. South Texas bumpers front/rear, Air Raid Intake System, Diablosport Predator, Husky's, JJ's, Ford alarm/remote start, Marathon seat covers, Sirius, PIAA, Access cover, Weatherguard tool box, Rhino liner, Michelins, Duraflap mud flaps, Escort 9500i.
2007 Lincoln LT (wifer's grocery getter)
1996 Ford Bronco EB; almost stock
2007 Kubota 900 RTV diesel with goodies. pappy's truck
Re: 4.10 versus 3.73 ratio Towing vs. Fuel economy
My '96 PSD had a 4.10 rear end and my current truck (as with all '99-up SRW PSD) has a 3.73, I actually got better milage with the '96 w/4.10 rear end.
If given a choice for towing, I would opt. for the 4.10.
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'01 F350 Lariat PSD 4X4 CC SWR LB auto
Superchip 60hp, 4" cat back, A-pillar w/auto meter gages, Firestone Air bags, Bilsteins, Radio Speed Volume Mod, XM Roady Photos
Re: 4.10 versus 3.73 ratio Towing vs. Fuel economy
What Pappy said.
If you're going to buy a pickup with single rear wheels and a PSD engine, your only choice for a rear end ratio is 3.73. You can pay extra for limited slip, but not for a different gear ratio.
If you're going to buy a Dooley with a PSD engine, then you have 3 choices of rear end. 3.73 open axle is standard. 4.10 limited slip is optional on all but the TowBoss pkg. And if you get the TowBoss option, you get 4.30 rear axle ratio with limited slip along with 2,500 pounds increase in GCWR.
Which one to get? Depends on your GCW when towing. For up to about 18,000 pounds GCW, I'd get the 3.73 (provided I didn't really need the limited slip). For about 18,000 to 22,000 GCW, I'd get the 4.10. And for 22,000 to 26,000 I'd want the 4.30.
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My Sierra Blanca is a '99.5 PSD CrewCab hot-rod Towing Machine! BTS tranny; TurboRamAir intake and 4" stainless turbo-back exhaust; DP-Tuner tunes flashed into an Edge Evolution tuner; ISSPRO EV gauges and TTM; AIC; SP-Diesel exhaust brake and torque converter controller. I special-ordered it new and plan to drive it until it quits.
Re: 4.10 versus 3.73 ratio Towing vs. Fuel economy
Hi Pamela,
I'm from the other school of thought. If your like the typical puller, you will pull 10% of the time and will be empty 90% of the time so why waste fuel 90% of the time?
I boondock camp 6mths straight a year and I don't pull more than 30% of the time. Even at 30% pulling I save a huge chunk of fuel the other 70% of the time when I'm empty.
The PSD has so much torque to spare with the 3:73 ratio even pulling my 20k water trailer. I bought a truck with several gears in the transmission to USE for when I need more torque.
Pulling the Colorado Rockies, I use 5th gear pulling 16k GCW while climbing 8% grades with tons of torque to spare and average 14.1mpg pulling by maximum torque rpm, 1600rpm. Thats 3800 miles in several trips from 1800ft to 11,000ft.
Empty I average 19.2mpg each and every tank. Empty as I get as I'm always pulling a trailer a short distance.
My 15k mile life time fuel mileage is 17.1mpg with pulling 16k GCW for 6k miles. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]
You can't do that with a 4:10 ratio [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]
Now if I was going to pull 20k plus GCW 90% of the time, I would change ratios.
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T_Bone
02 F350, 4X6, Crew, DRW, LWB, PSD, 6spd, 3:73, Island Blue, Stock, AEB2, Phoenix Az
Buy UNION work UNION. It pays off in the long run Define Union: A labor Union is nothing more than united workers with a common goal for better working conditions.
We all are in some sort of labor Union, some are just larger than others with better working conditions!
Re: 4.10 versus 3.73 ratio Towing vs. Fuel economy
Way back in 00 when I ordered mine I could get either 3.73 or 4.10 in single axal, but could get limited slip on in the 3.73 not 4.10 so I option for the 3.73
LeRoy
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Y2K F-350 Lariat SRW SC LB PSD 4X4 Man Hubs, Auto, Leather, Harvest Gold. 50 gal in the bed xfer-flow fuel tank. Banks exhaust and stinger kit. AIS cold air intake
Far and away, the best all-around gear ratio is 3.73. Contrary to popular opinion around here, I don't believe the 4.10s negatively affect fuel economy...as long as you don't want to go fast all the time.
My '85 Chevy 6.2L with 4.10s gets 19mpg hwy empty (at no faster than 64-65mph).
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2003 F-350 SRW XLT 7.3L 4R100 PSD 4x4 Supercab SB 3.73
1985 Chevy K20 6.2L Turbo-400 3spd auto 4x4 4.10
2003 Ford Explorer XLT 4.0L V-6 5-spd auto 4wd 3.55
16' American Hauler tandem axle cargo trailer
NRA Life member
3.73's will work fine in any case, I've towed up to a GCW of 31K with 3.73's LS and the truck had no trouble. Towing an empty 24' Tandem Dually GN trailer I got 11.6MPG, about the last 40 miles of that had another 6K on it. '05 SC 4x4 SRW 6.0L with 5500 miles, I also have the 18" wheels. Forgot to mention the trailer empty is about 7Klbs. I wouldn't expect good mileage no matter what gears you get, seems more trucks are getting poor mileage than good, empty I get 13 maybe 14. My uncles '04 CC gets 18mpg, I was hoping for something close to that but nothing yet.
Re: 4.10 versus 3.73 ratio Towing vs. Fuel economy
[ QUOTE ]
Empty I average 19.2mpg each and every tank. Empty as I get as I'm always pulling a trailer a short distance.
My 15k mile life time fuel mileage is 17.1mpg with pulling 16k GCW for 6k miles. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]
[/ QUOTE ]
Wow!!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] Those are some impressive numbers!!
All I get, empty is 13.5 around town, towing - 8.5 to 9.5 avg. I have tried to set the cruise at 65 mph and drive to pheonix empty, I did get 17.8. (this is down hill and with a tail wind)
I do have a friend thinks his PSD gets 30 + MPG. Too many strech the truth a little. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] Or maybe, they honestly belive there rigs get this impressive MPG to justify paying the $5000 PSD option over a gas motor. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
As for compairing 2WD vs. 4WD and SRW vs DRW, sure I think that a 2WD SRW short bed might get slightly better than a DRW crew cab long bed 4X4, but if it is a vehical you are going to be spending alot of time in traveling, I would get the cab style that fits your needs (for me a crew cab), and even if I didn't go off road, I would get a 4X4 just to get the lower gear range to use to back a trailer into a tight spot (very handy [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]). I bet the MPG is only one or so different so get the one that fits the bill
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'01 F350 Lariat PSD 4X4 CC SWR LB auto
Superchip 60hp, 4" cat back, A-pillar w/auto meter gages, Firestone Air bags, Bilsteins, Radio Speed Volume Mod, XM Roady Photos
[ QUOTE ]
I don't believe the 4.10s negatively affect fuel economy...as long as you don't want to go fast all the time.
[/ QUOTE ]
This statement nails it right on the head. It all depends on how you use your truck. You could not give me a set of 4.10's because I spend 90% of my time on the big roads running 70mph loaded or empty. The 3.73's run right in the sweet spot of the engine on both the 7.3L and the 6.0L. When I do run on the secondary roads loeaded at 45-55mph, the 3.73 are a PITA. The trucks shifting, short of power no fun at all. And I find the 6.0L worse them the 7.3L in this situation (varying low speed and low RPM). So base your decision on how you use your truck. There is no correct universal answer.
Re: 4.10 versus 3.73 ratio Towing vs. Fuel economy
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Empty I average 19.2mpg each and every tank. Empty as I get as I'm always pulling a trailer a short distance.
My 15k mile life time fuel mileage is 17.1mpg with pulling 16k GCW for 6k miles. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]
[/ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
...Wow!!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] Those are some impressive numbers!!
All I get, empty is 13.5, towing - 8.5 to 9.5.
[/ QUOTE ]
<font color="red"> Wow!!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] Those numbers suck!! </font>
[/ QUOTE ]I do have a friend thinks his PSD gets 30 + MPG. To many strech the truth a little. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] Or maybe, they honestly belive there rigs get this impressive MPG to justify paying the $5000 PSD option over a gas motor. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
[/ QUOTE ]
I do have a friend that drives like there's no tomorrow and gets those same numbers. He's never taken the time to drive for maximum fuel mileage and he could care less how heavy of foot pedal he uses with that 60hp chip and never lets anyone pass him empty or pulling but he's always the first one too complain when the fuel milage discussion comes up, that his fuel mileage just sucks. After all it must be a Ford problem and not the nut behind the fuel pedal! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]
__________________
T_Bone
02 F350, 4X6, Crew, DRW, LWB, PSD, 6spd, 3:73, Island Blue, Stock, AEB2, Phoenix Az
Buy UNION work UNION. It pays off in the long run Define Union: A labor Union is nothing more than united workers with a common goal for better working conditions.
We all are in some sort of labor Union, some are just larger than others with better working conditions!
Re: 4.10 versus 3.73 ratio Towing vs. Fuel economy
A few months ago Trailer Boats Magazine did an article with a road test on this question, and concluded that axle ratio makes a huge difference in towing performance, but little difference in mileage, everything else being equal. In other words, you have to drive them both the same way to get a valid comparison.
To me, the bottom line is deciding what RPM and speed you want to run at, and finding out which ratio puts you the closest to that ideal.
Ron
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2001 PSD Excursion XLT 2WD, Medium Steel Blue, Comfort and Convenience Group, Limited Slip, Aluminum Wheels, Power Heated Trailer Tow Mirrors EBM2
Reputation is what others see, Character is what you do when no one sees.
My 4.10 DRW gets 15-16 unloaded, 10-11 towing. My towing hours are on smaller (slower) highways and in the hills, so the 4.10 works great for me. Around the 2000+ RPM "sweet spot" a 3.73 will be doing 65-70 mph where the 4.10 will be doing more like 60-65.
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2004 F-350 4X4 DRW CC LB, 6.0 Torqshift 4.10 LT235/85R16, OxWht/AzBg KR FX4 moonroof. Built 2004-04-29 from 2004-04-22 6.0L and 2004-04-22 5R110, bought 2004-06-30. C-Betrs, Prodigy, B&W Turnover to tow Logan 4-horse LQ (GVWR 11180). 2005-04 14K: 04B24 and reman turbo. 2008-05 67K: EGR cooler.
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