View Poll Results: What rear axle ratio with 5.0 V8?
3.31
25
17.36%
3.55
45
31.25%
3.73
74
51.39%
Voters: 144. You may not vote on this poll
What rear axle ratio to pair with the 5.0 motor...opinions
03-21-2017, 08:00 AM
#31
All depends on what you will be doing with the truck. I have 3.55 and tow up to 6k with stock wheels through mountains with no problems.
03-21-2017, 08:10 AM
#32
Senior Member
I am looking at a 2016 with the 5.0 and 3.31 gears also. Pull a small 19 foot bayliner 20 miles round trip about 20 times a year. I expect no problems with this setup if I purchase this truck.
03-21-2017, 08:21 AM
#33
2015 F150 Guy
What gas mileage are you getting? I'm curious, I'm running 3.73s.
TomJV
03-21-2017, 09:16 AM
#34
2015 F150 Guy
I've had my 5.0 w/ 3.31's for a year now. The truck is perfect with no issues, and is a great highway cruiser. However, if I could go back in time and change one thing about this truck, I'd get the 3.73 gears. The 5.0 needs to rev to make power, and the 3.31 gears along with Fords super-conservative transmission mapping keeps that from happening. Sport mode really livens things up, but there are negatives with Sport mode that make it less-than-ideal as a constant replacement for in-town driving.
I have a 2015 5.0 SCrew with 3.73s. I like them and glad I got them.
I quoted this guy because I wanted to underscore three things:
First, "it's a great highway cruiser". His 3.31 has the least "power" and best gas mileage. If you drive over the road and don't tow, it may be for you.
Setting up the truck depends on YOUR driving style and use. How do you drive? Do you like to keep up with or even overtake other cars around you? Or, are you constantly worrying about fuel economy and drive like a turtle? There's nothing wrong with either, just be honest and you'll be closer to knowing which setup suits you. Do you tow? Carry heavy loads?
Second, "Fords super-conservative transmission mapping". I've had my 2015 F150 3.73 truck for about a year now. Frankly, I'm not thrilled with it. I've even been considering the Roush system. There's two things going on there.
First, I think the Coyote is not particularly well suited to a pickup truck motor. It seems to make most of it's power over 3K.
Second, Ford's mapping is terrible. It upshifts WAY too soon for my taste and every time I look at the tach, it's less than 2K. Then, if I need a tiny bit more power, I find I have to really step on it to get it to wake up, which I don't like to do. Fact is, the Coyote hates being less than 3K.
So, lately I've been driving the rig in M mode and liking it much more. I usually upshift around 3K(except for 1st to 2nd, which is about 1.5 seconds) which makes it feel more peppy without killing it. While cruising, I can gently downshift(say 2K) without adjusting the throttle to get more power when I need it. It's much more satisfying to drive now.
I can engine break on downgrades to save brakes and gas. Occasionally, I can rev it out to 4 or 4.5K and she takes off like a shot. A re-map MAY be in my future.
Third, "Sport mode that make it less-than-ideal as a constant replacement for in-town driving". I agree here too. I like the upshifting, but the downshifting just sucks because it hangs forever, even after you're back on throttle and the it's reving like crazy. Ditto, tow mode.
Anyway, those are my opinions. Others will disagree, but that's what the forum is for.
I'm always surprised to read other's gas mileage claims. 20? 22? OMG! My gas mileage is 17.5 overall. I don't know what you guys are burning (smoking? LOL), but I never saw 20! I feel like I drive this truck a bit slower than average. I take my time around town and I generally cruise on the highway at 70 while others a zipping by me. Go figure. Maybe it's the gas blend? First off, I've been burning 87 exclusively. Second, I'm in the North East. I know we have 10% ethanol here. I tow a 6x12 box and 18' AL boat from time to time, mostly in the summer tho.
TomJV
Last edited by tomjv; 03-21-2017 at 09:19 AM.
03-21-2017, 09:21 AM
#35
Senior Member
03-21-2017, 09:29 AM
#36
Senior Member
I have 3.31's and 35" BFG tires. I never tow, so it's fine for me. I never even looked at what gears my truck had when I bought it because it didn't matter to me, as long as it was the 5.0. Yes, sometimes I need to press the gas a little more to get it to downshift a gear so I can speed up, but it's not that bad. Now having said that, I will most likely get 3.73's next time I buy. It would be nice to have that little extra pep, especially with 35" tires, but since I never tow it's not a big deal. I love my truck!
Last edited by speeddemon0712; 03-21-2017 at 09:45 AM.
03-21-2017, 09:30 AM
#37
Senior Member
I have a 2015 5.0 SCrew with 3.73s. I like them and glad I got them.
I quoted this guy because I wanted to underscore three things:
First, "it's a great highway cruiser". His 3.31 has the least "power" and best gas mileage. If you drive over the road and don't tow, it may be for you.
Setting up the truck depends on YOUR driving style and use. How do you drive? Do you like to keep up with or even overtake other cars around you? Or, are you constantly worrying about fuel economy and drive like a turtle? There's nothing wrong with either, just be honest and you'll be closer to knowing which setup suits you. Do you tow? Carry heavy loads?
Second, "Fords super-conservative transmission mapping". I've had my 2015 F150 3.73 truck for about a year now. Frankly, I'm not thrilled with it. I've even been considering the Roush system. There's two things going on there.
First, I think the Coyote is not particularly well suited to a pickup truck motor. It seems to make most of it's power over 3K.
Second, Ford's mapping is terrible. It upshifts WAY too soon for my taste and every time I look at the tach, it's less than 2K. Then, if I need a tiny bit more power, I find I have to really step on it to get it to wake up, which I don't like to do. Fact is, the Coyote hates being less than 3K.
So, lately I've been driving the rig in M mode and liking it much more. I usually upshift around 3K(except for 1st to 2nd, which is about 1.5 seconds) which makes it feel more peppy without killing it. While cruising, I can gently downshift(say 2K) without adjusting the throttle to get more power when I need it. It's much more satisfying to drive now.
I can engine break on downgrades to save brakes and gas. Occasionally, I can rev it out to 4 or 4.5K and she takes off like a shot. A re-map MAY be in my future.
Third, "Sport mode that make it less-than-ideal as a constant replacement for in-town driving". I agree here too. I like the upshifting, but the downshifting just sucks because it hangs forever, even after you're back on throttle and the it's reving like crazy. Ditto, tow mode.
Anyway, those are my opinions. Others will disagree, but that's what the forum is for.
I'm always surprised to read other's gas mileage claims. 20? 22? OMG! My gas mileage is 17.5 overall. I don't know what you guys are burning (smoking? LOL), but I never saw 20! I feel like I drive this truck a bit slower than average. I take my time around town and I generally cruise on the highway at 70 while others a zipping by me. Go figure. Maybe it's the gas blend? First off, I've been burning 87 exclusively. Second, I'm in the North East. I know we have 10% ethanol here. I tow a 6x12 box and 18' AL boat from time to time, mostly in the summer tho.
TomJV
I quoted this guy because I wanted to underscore three things:
First, "it's a great highway cruiser". His 3.31 has the least "power" and best gas mileage. If you drive over the road and don't tow, it may be for you.
Setting up the truck depends on YOUR driving style and use. How do you drive? Do you like to keep up with or even overtake other cars around you? Or, are you constantly worrying about fuel economy and drive like a turtle? There's nothing wrong with either, just be honest and you'll be closer to knowing which setup suits you. Do you tow? Carry heavy loads?
Second, "Fords super-conservative transmission mapping". I've had my 2015 F150 3.73 truck for about a year now. Frankly, I'm not thrilled with it. I've even been considering the Roush system. There's two things going on there.
First, I think the Coyote is not particularly well suited to a pickup truck motor. It seems to make most of it's power over 3K.
Second, Ford's mapping is terrible. It upshifts WAY too soon for my taste and every time I look at the tach, it's less than 2K. Then, if I need a tiny bit more power, I find I have to really step on it to get it to wake up, which I don't like to do. Fact is, the Coyote hates being less than 3K.
So, lately I've been driving the rig in M mode and liking it much more. I usually upshift around 3K(except for 1st to 2nd, which is about 1.5 seconds) which makes it feel more peppy without killing it. While cruising, I can gently downshift(say 2K) without adjusting the throttle to get more power when I need it. It's much more satisfying to drive now.
I can engine break on downgrades to save brakes and gas. Occasionally, I can rev it out to 4 or 4.5K and she takes off like a shot. A re-map MAY be in my future.
Third, "Sport mode that make it less-than-ideal as a constant replacement for in-town driving". I agree here too. I like the upshifting, but the downshifting just sucks because it hangs forever, even after you're back on throttle and the it's reving like crazy. Ditto, tow mode.
Anyway, those are my opinions. Others will disagree, but that's what the forum is for.
I'm always surprised to read other's gas mileage claims. 20? 22? OMG! My gas mileage is 17.5 overall. I don't know what you guys are burning (smoking? LOL), but I never saw 20! I feel like I drive this truck a bit slower than average. I take my time around town and I generally cruise on the highway at 70 while others a zipping by me. Go figure. Maybe it's the gas blend? First off, I've been burning 87 exclusively. Second, I'm in the North East. I know we have 10% ethanol here. I tow a 6x12 box and 18' AL boat from time to time, mostly in the summer tho.
TomJV
Theres a big difference between 3.73 and 3.31. Ive had both. Last summer on a 2 hr trip I saw just shy of 24 mpg on the lie o meter doing 70mph on I86. That was summer gas,stock tires,maybe 700 lbs of gear and persons. No I did not reset the computer going down hill. Lol
If I was to do it again id get 3.55 for my 1 inch taller tires. Right now i think im like 3.16 ratio with my Bfg K02 tires.
03-21-2017, 09:45 AM
#38
I'm always surprised to read other's gas mileage claims. 20? 22? OMG! My gas mileage is 17.5 overall. I don't know what you guys are burning (smoking? LOL), but I never saw 20! I feel like I drive this truck a bit slower than average. I take my time around town and I generally cruise on the highway at 70 while others a zipping by me. Go figure. Maybe it's the gas blend? First off, I've been burning 87 exclusively. Second, I'm in the North East. I know we have 10% ethanol here. I tow a 6x12 box and 18' AL boat from time to time, mostly in the summer tho.
I've alway's wondered how anyone with a 5.0/3:73 could get 20MPG. I've seen these same type of #s being dropped as gospel on the BOSS 302 boards, mine never averaged above 15MPH...But, I'm a Lead-Footer!
I burn & smoke 91 W/O Ethanol-->
03-21-2017, 10:00 AM
#39
2015 F150 Guy
03-21-2017, 10:05 AM
#40
Senior Member
I've considered this as well (Roush CAI and tune), but only because the Roush tune comes with a warranty. Frankly for half the money an 87 performance/tow tune from a reputable company is a better bargain, but comes with no warranty. Transmission shift points and throttle response that is 75% of Sport Mode with no engine braking would be perfect for my daily driving...