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Hi, new to the forum. I just bought a 2003 single cab, 4.6L 2V Triton Engine, automatic 4 speed, 8’ bed. I’m trying to find the truck’s towing capacity. I think the axle has a 3.08 ratio. Can you help me verify that from this picture of the differential tag?
The door sticker shows an axle code 18.
18 is the 308 ratio, open differential. Basically highway/fuel economy gears. Towing will be poor, but fuel economy is fairly good You also have a 4R70W, possibly a 4R75E transmission.. You may not have an external trans cooler on that particular truck configuration.. I'd check by the radiator under panel and see before I would consider towing any really heavy loads.
I forgot. That is also an 8.8 rear end in your truck.
Last edited by akdoggie; Jul 12, 2023 at 07:26 PM.
18 is the 308 ratio, open differential. Basically highway/fuel economy gears. Towing will be poor, but fuel economy is fairly good You also have a 4R70W, possibly a 4R75E transmission.. You may not have an external trans cooler on that particular truck configuration.. I'd check by the radiator under panel and see before I would consider towing any really heavy loads.
I forgot. That is also an 8.8 rear end in your truck.
If you notice, even with a change to 3.31 gears, the tow cap jumps to 6,100# and 7,100# with 3.55 gears.
I wouldn’t try every bit of that weight as a 4.6 will struggle and the tow rating standards were way different back the. Plus, you don’t have the aux trans cooler and heavier shocks. Yet.
That 4.6 probably doesn’t tip the tach at much more than idle with 3.08 gears on the highway, so towing isn’t its thing, as mentioned.
Get lower gears and go to town. I doubt the 8.8” rear had some heavier duty version back then that limited the rating.
Axle Tag
