ccoles

I have a '13 screw xtr 4x4 5.0 v8 3.55 locking rear with 157Wb.


I was looking at the towing guide and the 3.55 max capacity is 7500 with gcwr at 13500.


the 3.73 tops out at 9100 tow and 15100 gcwr.


What gives? How and or why does that 373 ratio make such a difference???

rdhall28n38

In a word.... leverage. A lower-geared truck has the mechanical advantage to move a larger payload through the use of lower gear ratios.

zx12-iowa

And your engine. The 5.0 has less ow end torque than the ecoboost or 6.2. It needs gears to pull better because of the lack or low end torque.

Wannafbody

My Silverado with 5.3 is rated for 9700 with 3.42 gears. That seems light for the F150.

zx12-iowa

And we all know Chevy over rates the 5.3 towing ability. It is easily the weakest of the mid sized v8s.

Boulevard

There is no difference between the 3.55 and the 3.73 gear set. Or should I say 100 rpm difference at all speeds, in all gears, at all RPM. So why the difference? FORD is upselling the 3.73 gear set ($350) and pocketing the money as pure profit. Look at it this way. If you went into a family camp ground and went from site to site saying that you could increase their towing capacity by 1700 lbs for 350 bucks you would have a line up of people a mile deep wanting to buy your product and another line up of people saying that you were full of s**t.

missionman

bingo, not to mention with the 6speed and select shift you can just drop a gear if needed. the tow chart is bogus.

custm2500

Winner of the most retarded comment of the year. Just because your ford can't keep up doesn't mean you need to hate. I have had many heavy loads behind my 5.3 Tahoe and never had an issue.

ccoles

haha...I would have to agree with that. Like I said I find it hard to believe that with these two gear sets that the gcwr and max tow capacity are that far off from each other. Really Seems out to lunch to me....

NASCAR9

I think when you order the "Max Tow Package" it includes a different axel housing along with a heavy duty 3.73. This may be why the rating is so much higher.


If I was going to be towing at the max of a F150, I would step up to a F250. Bigger everything.