3.55 vs 3.73
07-18-2012, 02:40 PM
#11
I feel confident saying its a proven fact.
TORQUE PEAK is 4250rpm. usually in trucks, your tq peak is in the 2000's.
rev it up and the 5.0 is an absolute screamer. but down low it really needs the torque multiplication that better (lower) gears provide
for comparison purposes, a 2012 econoline w/ 5.4 has a torque peak of 350lb/ft @ 2500 rpm.
TORQUE PEAK is 4250rpm. usually in trucks, your tq peak is in the 2000's.
rev it up and the 5.0 is an absolute screamer. but down low it really needs the torque multiplication that better (lower) gears provide
for comparison purposes, a 2012 econoline w/ 5.4 has a torque peak of 350lb/ft @ 2500 rpm.
Last edited by MPETE; 07-18-2012 at 02:53 PM.
07-18-2012, 02:43 PM
#12
What about the e-locking rear end? I got that in the 3.55 not sure if it was a choice in the other one. I am not a four wheel drive road vehicle person but that lock on a tractor sure is worth a lot. Watching folks plowing snow and four wheel drive really means two wheels spinning and going nowhere. Whether going down to third gear the way it does now is better than with the other ratio where it probably will stay in fourth more is better or not would take some experimentation to decide. With sixth turned off 65 mph is around 2200 rpms on the tack it seems.
07-18-2012, 03:03 PM
#13
if you are special ordering the truck ABSOLUTELY get the locker. for the low buy in price, the advantages it gives you are WELL WORTH the extra coin. it's a lot more expensive should find after the fact that you wish you had gotten it.
same as with the gears on my part. I was impatient and didnt want to wait on a special ordered truck, so I took what I could get. the meant I was stuck with a 3.31 open rear diff.
an E-lock rear diff is gonna cost 800-1000 to buy one after market, and that is just the price of the part, no installation.
same as with the gears on my part. I was impatient and didnt want to wait on a special ordered truck, so I took what I could get. the meant I was stuck with a 3.31 open rear diff.
an E-lock rear diff is gonna cost 800-1000 to buy one after market, and that is just the price of the part, no installation.
07-18-2012, 03:47 PM
#14
if you are special ordering the truck ABSOLUTELY get the locker. for the low buy in price, the advantages it gives you are WELL WORTH the extra coin. it's a lot more expensive should find after the fact that you wish you had gotten it.
same as with the gears on my part. I was impatient and didnt want to wait on a special ordered truck, so I took what I could get. the meant I was stuck with a 3.31 open rear diff.
an E-lock rear diff is gonna cost 800-1000 to buy one after market, and that is just the price of the part, no installation.
same as with the gears on my part. I was impatient and didnt want to wait on a special ordered truck, so I took what I could get. the meant I was stuck with a 3.31 open rear diff.
an E-lock rear diff is gonna cost 800-1000 to buy one after market, and that is just the price of the part, no installation.
07-18-2012, 04:05 PM
#16
Grumpy Old Man
The max tow pkg requires the EcoBoost engine and 3.73 e-Locker or limited slip axle. So it's not available with any of the 3.55 axles. If you order the 3.73 LS axle, you also get the HD payload pkg along with the max tow pkg. The max tow pkg includes the regular tow pkg plus the trailer tow mirrors and the integrated trailer brake controller (ITBC). You can order the ITBC as a stand-alone option, but the trailer tow mirrors are available only as part of the max tow pkg.
The regular trailer tow pkg is standard on almost all trim lines, and optional on XL base, STX base, and XLT base trim lines. It includes the 7-pin wiring harness, auxiliary tranny cooler, class IV trailer hitch receiver, upgraded radiator, and the select-shift tranny. And you can order any axle ratio Ford offers and still get the regular tow pkg. Mine is EcoBoost with 3.15 E-Locker axle, and the regular trailer tow pkg was standard. However, since I didn't want the 3.73 axle ratio, I couldn't get the trailer tow mirrors from the factory.
(But I had to have the trailer tow mirrors to safely tow my TT, so I ordered them from Ford Accessories and installed them myself. The photo below shows my rig with the tow mirrors installed. The fancy Lariat regular power-fold mirrors with memory are in the barn.)
One of the changes for 2013 model year is you can now order towing mirrors with power telescoping and power fold. But only with the EcoBoost engine and 3.73 axle ratio.
With the EcoBoost engine, if you order the 3.73 limited slip axle, you'll get both the max tow and HD payload packages. If you order the 3.73 E-Locker axle, you'll get max tow but not HD payload. And the HD payload pkg is necessary if you plan to tow a trailer anywhere near the 11,300 pounds tow rating, else you'll probably be overloaded over the GVWR of the tow vehicle.
With my 5,000 pound TT, I'm overloaded over the GVWR of my F-150. My GVWR is 7,100, the max tow GVWR would be 7,700, and the HD Payload pkg GVWR would be 8,200. My estimates told me that I'd have no problem with a 5,600 pound TT, but that was assuming a 12% hitch weight. My TT has a hair over 15% hitch weight, so that results in me being slightly overloaded. So lesson learned: I should have ordered the max tow pkg with the 3.73 E-Locker diff - not because of trailer weight but because of hitch weight.
07-18-2012, 04:12 PM
#17
Senior Member
You were either told wrong, or else you were talking about the MAXIMUM tow pkg.
The max tow pkg requires the EcoBoost engine and 3.73 e-Locker or limited slip axle. So it's not available with any of the 3.55 axles. If you order the 3.73 LS axle, you also get the HD payload pkg along with the max tow pkg. The max tow pkg includes the regular tow pkg plus the trailer tow mirrors and the integrated trailer brake controller (ITBC). You can order the ITBC as a stand-alone option, but the trailer tow mirrors are available only as part of the max tow pkg.
The regular trailer tow pkg is standard on almost all trim lines, and optional on XL base, STX base, and XLT base trim lines. It includes the 7-pin wiring harness, auxiliary tranny cooler, class IV trailer hitch receiver, upgraded radiator, and the select-shift tranny. And you can order any axle ratio Ford offers and still get the regular tow pkg. Mine is EcoBoost with 3.15 E-Locker axle, and the regular trailer tow pkg was standard. However, since I didn't want the 3.73 axle ratio, I couldn't get the trailer tow mirrors from the factory.
(But I had to have the trailer tow mirrors to safely tow my TT, so I ordered them from Ford Accessories and installed them myself. The photo below shows my rig with the tow mirrors installed. The fancy Lariat regular power-fold mirrors with memory are in the barn.)
One of the changes for 2013 model year is you can now order towing mirrors with power telescoping and power fold. But only with the EcoBoost engine and 3.73 axle ratio.
With the EcoBoost engine, if you order the 3.73 limited slip axle, you'll get both the max tow and HD payload packages. If you order the 3.73 E-Locker axle, you'll get max tow but not HD payload. And the HD payload pkg is necessary if you plan to tow a trailer anywhere near the 11,300 pounds tow rating, else you'll probably be overloaded over the GVWR of the tow vehicle.
With my 5,000 pound TT, I'm overloaded over the GVWR of my F-150. My GVWR is 7,100, the max tow GVWR would be 7,700, and the HD Payload pkg GVWR would be 8,200. My estimates told me that I'd have no problem with a 5,600 pound TT, but that was assuming a 12% hitch weight. My TT has a hair over 15% hitch weight, so that results in me being slightly overloaded. So lesson learned: I should have ordered the max tow pkg with the 3.73 E-Locker diff - not because of trailer weight but because of hitch weight.
The max tow pkg requires the EcoBoost engine and 3.73 e-Locker or limited slip axle. So it's not available with any of the 3.55 axles. If you order the 3.73 LS axle, you also get the HD payload pkg along with the max tow pkg. The max tow pkg includes the regular tow pkg plus the trailer tow mirrors and the integrated trailer brake controller (ITBC). You can order the ITBC as a stand-alone option, but the trailer tow mirrors are available only as part of the max tow pkg.
The regular trailer tow pkg is standard on almost all trim lines, and optional on XL base, STX base, and XLT base trim lines. It includes the 7-pin wiring harness, auxiliary tranny cooler, class IV trailer hitch receiver, upgraded radiator, and the select-shift tranny. And you can order any axle ratio Ford offers and still get the regular tow pkg. Mine is EcoBoost with 3.15 E-Locker axle, and the regular trailer tow pkg was standard. However, since I didn't want the 3.73 axle ratio, I couldn't get the trailer tow mirrors from the factory.
(But I had to have the trailer tow mirrors to safely tow my TT, so I ordered them from Ford Accessories and installed them myself. The photo below shows my rig with the tow mirrors installed. The fancy Lariat regular power-fold mirrors with memory are in the barn.)
One of the changes for 2013 model year is you can now order towing mirrors with power telescoping and power fold. But only with the EcoBoost engine and 3.73 axle ratio.
With the EcoBoost engine, if you order the 3.73 limited slip axle, you'll get both the max tow and HD payload packages. If you order the 3.73 E-Locker axle, you'll get max tow but not HD payload. And the HD payload pkg is necessary if you plan to tow a trailer anywhere near the 11,300 pounds tow rating, else you'll probably be overloaded over the GVWR of the tow vehicle.
With my 5,000 pound TT, I'm overloaded over the GVWR of my F-150. My GVWR is 7,100, the max tow GVWR would be 7,700, and the HD Payload pkg GVWR would be 8,200. My estimates told me that I'd have no problem with a 5,600 pound TT, but that was assuming a 12% hitch weight. My TT has a hair over 15% hitch weight, so that results in me being slightly overloaded. So lesson learned: I should have ordered the max tow pkg with the 3.73 E-Locker diff - not because of trailer weight but because of hitch weight.
07-18-2012, 05:23 PM
#18
Senior Member
3.73 w/ELocker is the only way to go! SuperCruzin is right. I would've went with 4.10's also if they offered them.
You wouldn't believe the places you can go with the 3.73 ELocker combo and 4x4.
The Raptor for 2013 comes with the Torsen front differential. Will the Off Road model have it next? I'm looking into myself as an addition. I have the 2011 Off Road model then month later my buddy bought the 2012 Off Road model because these trucks pull like a beast.
You wouldn't believe the places you can go with the 3.73 ELocker combo and 4x4.
The Raptor for 2013 comes with the Torsen front differential. Will the Off Road model have it next? I'm looking into myself as an addition. I have the 2011 Off Road model then month later my buddy bought the 2012 Off Road model because these trucks pull like a beast.
07-18-2012, 06:21 PM
#19
Senior Member
Highly recommend 3.73 if you go 5.0 and live anywhere there are hills. I would love to have 4.30's! Anyway, my best so far is 22.9 mpg on a 200 mile trip all back roads and interstate. Daily driving right now is in upper 17's. Some interstate hills have it right on the verge of downshifting. I would think 3.55's where I live would make it very pronounced. But, kick it at 80 and it drops down several gears and the nose picks up and at the speed limiter in no time. The 5.0 is a Jekyll and Hyde motor I think.
If going Eco, 3.55's should suit. . Drove one before I bought mine and it pulled interstate hills fine.
But, don't fear the gear. I have 4.56's in my 91 GT and with the 5 speed runs 3000rpm's at 70.
If going Eco, 3.55's should suit. . Drove one before I bought mine and it pulled interstate hills fine.
But, don't fear the gear. I have 4.56's in my 91 GT and with the 5 speed runs 3000rpm's at 70.
