4.30 gears for my F-250

[jackalope]

So, my truck is a little slow getting up the hills pulling my 14k pound 5th wheel. I know I shouldn't expect to race up the hills, but I keep seeing other trucks pulling bigger trailers going faster up the same hills. I have 3.73 gears right now and am wondering if 4.30 gears will be worth my investment. I'm not worried about the gas mileage. My truck is mainly used for pulling through the mountains and I want to take some strain off the engine and transmission. Am I heading in the right direction or will I just be going up the same hills at the same speeds at a higher RPM?

It's an '05 F-250 CC SB 6.0 Auto

Thanks!
Mike

[Evil Eye]

Hi Mike,
I am in the same boat as you. You will have noticeably more power because you will have more mechanical leverage. It will reduce the strain on the drivetrain as well (4.30's are in the dually's with the tow package). Now, you have to balance the cost of going to the new gears with the potential increase of maybe 10 mph up the hills. The other thing is that you may have a MPG INCREASE if you tow enough, since you may not need as much of the go pedal to maintain speed.

PS. You should also consider that you may have a performance problem depending on what is going on. If your engine oil temp (EOT) is greater than 253*, the engine will defuel to try to reduce the oil temps. Do you have a way to measure your EOT?

[jackalope]

I'm actually looking at buying an Edge Insight CS with EGT probe right now. I told my wife that I need it before the next trip....

I'm really considering going the 4.30 route. I think it will allow me to get a lot more miles out of my truck with the lower strain on the components. I'm hoping to hear from someone who has done it to see if they saw a big improvement on the hills.

Mike

[Evil Eye]

I have that exact setup (Insight CS with EGT probe) and it's great!

[Raul@Stealth Automotive]

I agree the CTS insight is the way to go....

what i would recommend is buy the CTS first and monitor your temps on the next trip... depending on what you see will determine if you have some other problem....

having to re gear your truck will be expensive... if you have 4wd you will have to do both axles at a cost of about 750.00 each axle with labor....

if your looking for a price on the insight let me know

-Raul

[smokersteve]

Tuning will aslo help with this a great deal.

4.30 will be good since you are not worried about mpg.

[jackalope]

Originally Posted by Raul@Stealth Automotive

I agree the CTS insight is the way to go....

what i would recommend is buy the CTS first and monitor your temps on the next trip... depending on what you see will determine if you have some other problem....

having to re gear your truck will be expensive... if you have 4wd you will have to do both axles at a cost of about 750.00 each axle with labor....

if your looking for a price on the insight let me know

-Raul

I am looking for a price. If you could send me a quote on the Insight CS as well as the Evolution CS, that would be great! I would also need the probe.

Thanks!

Also, found a guy in town here that does performance shop work (mainly off-road) that would do it for $1,200 for both axles, including the rear axle a rebuild on the rear axle (just gears on the front). I need to find out what brand of gears he'll use, though.

[sbarbee54]

1200 for just the gears? because you are looking another 700-900 in labor. I just had my beast geared from the factory 3:73 to 4:56's I do tow here and there but I am also lifted 10" with 40's. Let me tell you it has made a world of diffrnce. I bought my gears from Randys Ring and pinion with both overhual kits for 1100 shipped. That was Yukon ring and pinion front and rear. Then the local shop I used cut me a deal at 700 for both installed.... You can go with US gear who is good as well and will be a little less.

[Raul@Stealth Automotive]

Originally Posted by jackalope

I am looking for a price. If you could send me a quote on the Insight CS as well as the Evolution CS, that would be great! I would also need the probe.

Thanks!

i really do not recommend the Evo CS... SCT with custom tunes is the only way to go... something like this: Stealth Automotive Inc - Ford :: 2003 - 2007 6.0L :: Chips & Programmers :: SCT X3 W/ Edge Insight CS

[jackalope]

Originally Posted by sbarbee54

1200 for just the gears? because you are looking another 700-900 in labor. I just had my beast geared from the factory 3:73 to 4:56's I do tow here and there but I am also lifted 10" with 40's. Let me tell you it has made a world of diffrnce. I bought my gears from Randys Ring and pinion with both overhual kits for 1100 shipped. That was Yukon ring and pinion front and rear. Then the local shop I used cut me a deal at 700 for both installed.... You can go with US gear who is good as well and will be a little less.

He says out-the-door WITH gears and labor....which is why I'm a little leary. Probably cheapo gears. I would prefer to get Yukons.