[kdubinwa]

Is there enough grunt with the 3.73 to stay in overdrive on the flats and smaller grades when towing?

I've got a 12K (loaded) 5th wheel to pull and I'm starting to get nervous with reports that folks can't keep this weight moving 60-70 mph on relatively flat ground in over drive with 3.73 gears. I can't even order the 4.10 gears with a 6.4 SRW so tell me it ain't so! Any body with first hand experience out there to put my mind to rest, or will I be forever bouncing back and forth between over drive unless I stick with a lower gear in tow haul mode?

Thanks
Kurt

 

[CV67Cheng]

I had an 04, with T/S tranny pulling a 12,500 LB 32 foot Carriage fifth wheel. Absolutely no problems between FL and NJ on 95, and when in western VA, the trans behaved just like it should have Topped aften MT at 64 MPH in 3rd gear. Just my .02 worth

 

[6SPDMANUAL]

i had an 05, and it sucked badly!!!! i pulled much heavier wieght and it down shifted when the wind blew. i also used the same truck for work from time to time and towed many different 5th wheels, and boats. the tranny will down shift very quickly with any type of load (5 or 6k and up) especially if you want to use the cruise control. if you do the driving you can make it not down shift by adjusting the pedal or speeding up when you see a hill coming, but for me i found it MUCH MORE taxing than just letting the stupid thing jump gears and scream up the rpms. and i live in florida by the way, but have towed all the up to sturgis and several trips into carolins and georgia.

 

[2002ex]

You will probably be bouncing with that weight. Mine with 7000lbs does ok on the flats, but will downshift on most hills. It's like the programming will not let the truck lug below 2000rpms (about 70mph). The last trip with 20-30mph headwinds had it downshifting even going 65. Get a DRW with the 4:10's and be much happier. They still ride and maneuver very nicely.

 

[Armypilot]

And this is the exact reason I did not like my 6.0, torque curve too high in the RPM range. A big reason I was turned off of the 6.4. Same 15.5 5ver on my GMC D/A rarely shifts down except steeper grades. Same route from Waco to San Antonio on I-35 cruise at 65mph with my ford, same 5ver, F350 would shift down and up 3 to 5 times per mile, 07 GMC same 3.73 gears, might shift down 4 times in the whole 200 miles along same road with the same trailer.

 

[Duane_Miller]

I have the truck listed in my sig. w/the 3.73 gears. I pull a 39' 5'er that weighs between 12K and 12.5K. I pulled the camper last weekend on both flat and in the mountains of NC. I had absolutely no complaints with the way the truck pulled, it did not hunt between gears. The majority of the time, I just set the cruise on 70 and off we went.

I too had worries like you before I pulled the trigger and bought this truck. I just did'nt want to have to bother with the dual wheels.
I am thorougly satisfied.

 

[wolfe14785]

I posted the same basic question but got it sent to the towing forum, not many views or replies there. I wish 4.10s was an option, on srw, I don't want to spend the money on gear changes. My truck shifted like someone else said, a couple times a mile, my 99 never did that, I hope the towing gets better with more miles or a reflash, there is lots of power available not to downshift. When you want to pass pulling a trailer I got up to speed easily with the 3.73s so maybee its just the program?

 

[skippydoo]

My 6.0 weights 10500lbs all the time and it will go up just about any hill in od. Most of the time it will increase speed in od unless a big hill. I have a 6.4 getting a body on it and it will be here june 5th. I gotta believe with 12k trailer it might not be to bad, but it will shift down up hills. Flat land will be fine. Remember the transmission's gears are spaced close together. I love my trans. Better than my allison in my gmc.

 

[kehale]

[ QUOTE ]
Is there enough grunt with the 3.73 to stay in overdrive on the flats and smaller grades when towing?

I've got a 12K (loaded) 5th wheel to pull and I'm starting to get nervous with reports that folks can't keep this weight moving 60-70 mph on relatively flat ground in over drive with 3.73 gears. I can't even order the 4.10 gears with a 6.4 SRW so tell me it ain't so! Any body with first hand experience out there to put my mind to rest, or will I be forever bouncing back and forth between over drive unless I stick with a lower gear in tow haul mode?

Thanks
Kurt

[/ QUOTE ]

IMHO, I find it hard to believe that a truck with 3.73 gears is going to pull 12k lbs up any hill in overdrive.

I do know some people pull in 4th gear (tow/haul on) and don't actually realize they are not in 5th. Thus, they are not dropping ANOTHER gear when they hit a small incline.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[wolfe14785]

[ QUOTE ]
IMHO, I find it hard to believe that a truck with 3.73 gears is going to pull 12k lbs up any hill in overdrive.

I do know some people pull in 4th gear (tow/haul on) and don't actually realize they are not in 5th. Thus, they are not dropping ANOTHER gear when they hit a small incline.

[/ QUOTE ]

My 99 7.3L would make the Zilwalke bridge in MI. in OD if you hit the base at about 75 you would make the top at 70.

Back to the 6.4L, When the cruise is set at 70 and the rpms are 2600 or so then your not in overdrive, with 3.73's this happens on flat ground, not on just hills, while loaded. You should be able to hold OD on level ground, the power is there.

 

[Luke05]

This was always my gripe with the '05 I had. The auto was nice to drive but would not hold pulling grades and I got sick of listening to the thing screaming all the time. My 6spds were awesome, I shifted out of OD on steep hills with them to be kind to the tranny but on small grades I'd let it alone. The auto is programmed to be kind to itself, if you want it to "stick" going up a hill you better by a "stick tranny". Or do what I did, double OD in the Alli is sweet.

 

[bogg]

I ran my 03 all over the west pulling a 12k 5er with 3.73's and I can tell you that keeping it at speed was not an issue. I do believe that the 4.10's are better to handle the pull, but I miss those highway 3.73 gears. It pulled well up the mountains, as long as you watch your egt's and run smart. I would be sure to ease it thru the gears when loaded. Dont push it. Not sure what else can help, but that seemed to be the weak link...

 

[F350Guy]

Purchase a truck with a manual transmission.

 

[Brad777]

For the sake of towing and maybe even fuel consumption, what does everyone think of the 6-speed manual trans. With all the shifting going on with the automatic, a 4$-$5k trans replacement could be in the works within a short period of time.

 

[skippydoo]

177000 miles running at 10500lbs all the time and not one trans problem. 04 6.0 automatic. My 99 would eat a trans no later than 105k max. Love my auto trans even better than my allison.

 

[guardrail22]

My F250 pulls 9000# no problem

 

[jhughd]

My 03, 6.0 pulled my 12k trailer all over the Colorado Rockies and the Canadian Rockies with no problem with 3.73 diff. Never had a problem with it down shifting. It only down shifted when it was necessary. I would have down shifted with a manual at about the same time the auto did. There may be a power problem with these trucks that are doing all the down shifting on small hills. My 6.0 could not have performed better. Best truck I have had. Hope my 6.4 is as good.

JD

 

[KingB]

I've got the ZF 6 speed, with 3.73's... pulled around 10,000 (on a flatbed) Tuesday. No problems going uphill around 5% for a mile (as opposed to what one had to say here). Stayed in overdrive (6th) and never needed to drop down at all. Of course, I should say that you can go through all 6 gears before hitting 45 mph if you don't wind it out. I mention that because it seems that the gearing is short across the board, including 6th. But, even at that it is still running only around 2200 rpm at 65.

oh yeah - got around 14.5 towing - could have done better, but I was in a hurry.

 

[CaptSkup]

My '04 F-250 PSD with 3.73's Torqueshift towing 12k has no trouble at all with Tow/Haul selected and the selector left in drive. We vacation all over Northern New England, up and down the hills. Transmission may downshift on occasion to 4th on big hills, big deal. I set the cruise on 60-65 and away we go. Screaming, I have never had my engine screaming climbing a hill, unless you call 2200-2500RPM screaming. The 6.0(stock) has plenty of power, the new 6.4 even more. Unless I was towing more than 13-14k, I would option the truck with 3.73's, more go dually and 4.10's. I would not trade a Torqueshift for a manual for nothing. While the 6-speed is a great transmission, I just don't feel like bothering with it. Plus for my needs, it is not rated high enough.

 

[frobozz]

[ QUOTE ]
For the sake of towing and maybe even fuel consumption, what does everyone think of the 6-speed manual trans. With all the shifting going on with the automatic, a 4$-$5k trans replacement could be in the works within a short period of time.

[/ QUOTE ]

Uh, shifting all the time is what an automatic is supposed to do! OK, sure, the E4OD and 4R100 transmissions had some issues... but the Torqshift was done right! I don't see why one of those won't last a couple of hundred thousand miles at least. (Imagine an alternate universe, where the 6.0 design was nailed as well as the Torqshift design.... there would be no other 3/4 and 1-ton truck manufacturer besides Ford any more!)

Duncan