Ford 7.3L 3.55 axle vs 6.2L 4.30 axle towing

[Explorer03]

Question,
Looking for advice/feedback/experience from anyone about these two engine and axle combinations.

The the two combinations are the Ford 7.3L with a 3.55 limited slip real axle vs a 6.2L with a 4.30 locking rear axle for towing? The truck will be an F250.

The trailer has a max gross weight of about 9500 lbs.

Thanks for any replies.

[TWP723]

You couldn't give me 7.3...not right now. In a year or so? Sure, but not now. Test it in the real world for a couple years then get back to me. I work at Ford and not everyone is on board. Not yet.

That being said. I've read about a lot of engineers talking it up and saying how good it'll be. They also said that about the new 4.0 in the 1991 Explorer. They also said that about the 6.0L...and the 6.4. That should tell ya somethinbg.

[crockettlarry]

Transmissions the same? If so, I'd take the 4.30 all day long.

[TCNashville]

The 10 speed transmission with the 7.3L and 3.55 rear end will be comparable to the 6.2L with the 6 speed transmission with the 4.30's. I have a 6.2L with the 3.73 rear end and it tows my 9200lb Eagle adequately.

[Jay2504]

Explorer03, I have no real world experience with either combination as I am a Chevy guy. I am however a total gear head,so maybe I can help. Assuming that both trucks are on a dealership lot and both trucks have the same size tires and wheels, if the 379 cubic inch truck (6.2L), has a 6 speed transmission, the top 3 gears, where you would tow on the freeway, are pretty close to gears 6,7&8 on the 445 cubic inch (7.3L) truck. Here is the breakdown:
6 speed/4.30 10 speed/3.55
4th gear=4.90 6th gear=4.54
5th gear=3.74 7th gear=3.55
6th gear=2.97 8th gear=3.01
As you can see they are close. In the real world, no one could tell the difference between 3.01 and 2.97 axle ratios with the same engine. Here is the breakdown if the 379 cubic inch (6.2L) truck has the same 10 speed, which is optional.
7th gear=4.30
8th gear=3.66
9th gear =2.97
Once again very close. The 379 has been out for years and is one of their proven engines even though it makes less power. The 445 is brand new but has more horsepower and torque.
Here is my experience with my new 2500 HD gas truck, which the engine falls between the 2 that you are considering in horsepower and torque. Our trailer weighs about 7,000+ loaded and sometimes we throw a 750 pound golf cart in the bed of the truck. I have a 3.73 axle and 275/70/R18 tires. My ratios are:
4th gear=4.29
5th gear=3.17
6th gear= 2.50. (Not used when towing).
At about 64-66 mph I go up most hills in 5th gear. Sometimes it will drop to 4th on the steeper grades using the cruise control. If I get a little run at a hill by helping the cruise control, it rarely downshifts. I can’t remember if I ever had to drop to 3rd on the freeway, but it might happen on something like the West Virginia turnpike which I have not towed on yet. Please give us the tire size for each truck and which transmission the 379 cubic inch truck has. I hope I have helped. Jay

[Explorer03]

Jay2504,
Both trucks have a tire size of LT275/65Rx18E. The 6.2L has the 6 speed tranny and the 7.3 has the 10 speed tranny. The 10 speed is only available on the 7.3L or 6.7L diesel.

Thanks for your feedback.

[67L48]

You'll get better responses if you post this Tow Vehicle question in the Tow Vehicle forum, rather than the Travel Trailer forum. You'll get the best answers for your Ford Truck question over at Ford Truck forum.

[Shokyle1]

Any time I see people ask about the 7.3 I reccomend they watch the video by tfl truck on you tube. The 7.3 is a beast for towing. The tested it pulling a trailer up to the Eisenhower tunnel. It demolished the other gas competition.

[TWP723]

Originally Posted by 67L48

You'll get better responses if you post this Tow Vehicle question in the Tow Vehicle forum, rather than the Travel Trailer forum. You'll get the best answers for your Ford Truck question over at Ford Truck forum.

I agree. Come on over, all are welcome!

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by 67L48

You'll get better responses if you post this Tow Vehicle question in the Tow Vehicle forum, rather than the Travel Trailer forum. You'll get the best answers for your Ford Truck question over at Ford Truck forum.

Moderator Note: I moved this to the Towing forum.

[curver900]

Originally Posted by TWP723

You couldn't give me 7.3...not right now. In a year or so? Sure, but not now. Test it in the real world for a couple years then get back to me. I work at Ford and not everyone is on board. Not yet.

That being said. I've read about a lot of engineers talking it up and saying how good it'll be. They also said that about the new 4.0 in the 1991 Explorer. They also said that about the 6.0L...and the 6.4. That should tell ya somethinbg.

the 6.0 and 6.4 were diesels I had a 6.4 and never had an issue in 90k miles... these are gas motors.. i suspect the 7.3 is just fine and will be a great motor... I'm no fan of furd....but the 7.3 isn't a diesel turd!

[TWP723]

Originally Posted by curver900

the 6.0 and 6.4 were diesels I had a 6.4 and never had an issue in 90k miles... these are gas motors.. i suspect the 7.3 is just fine and will be a great motor... I'm no fan of furd....but the 7.3 isn't a diesel turd!

I had a 7.3, 6.0, 6.4 and now the 6.7. The 6.7 is the better engine by a huge margin. The 7.3 was nice but it didn't have the torque. The 6.0 was...well...a 6.0.

[Jay2504]

Explorer03, thanks for the extra information. The tire size on those Fords are about 1 inch less in diameter than the size on my truck, which brings the effective axle ratio closer to the 3.17 that my truck has in 5th gear. That will make our towing experience a little closer except that you are pulling about 1800 to 2000 pounds more if you are at max gross weight. I guess it boils down to whether you want proven power train or try something new. Jay

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by TWP723

I had a 7.3, 6.0, 6.4 and now the 6.7. The 6.7 is the better engine by a huge margin. The 7.3 was nice but it didn't have the torque...

Ah, but you’ll still have that torque after 300k miles and longer! Doubt you can say that for the 6.7.

[Marcm157]

This is debated frequently on the Ford Truck Enthusiast forum. I recently traded my 250 with the 6.2 / 3.73 combo with the 6R140 trans for a 350 7.3 also with 3.73's but with the 10R140. . I am just under 9k loaded for camping and both trucks towed it with no issues. The 250 struggled just a little on steep hills whereas the 7.3 is much smoother and has little problem pulling up moderate grades. As of now, I am loving the 10 speed Tranny and 7.3 combo.

Full disclosure I only traded because the dealer I have been buying from for over 16 years offered me insane money for my truck.

[mass-hole]

The 10 speed in the 7.3 truck will even out the axle ratios

[Explorer03]

Thanks for all the feedback.

[crockettlarry]

Originally Posted by Shokyle1

Any time I see people ask about the 7.3 I reccomend they watch the video by tfl truck on you tube. The 7.3 is a beast for towing. The tested it pulling a trailer up to the Eisenhower tunnel. It demolished the other gas competition.

Just watched their Ford test.... Wow! (coming from a GM 8.1L owner)

Larry

[crockettlarry]

I just watched the Chevy portion of that test. That hurt to watch. It went up the ike in 11:53 while the Ford did it in 8:42. That's a 27% difference. The Chevy just wouldn't downshift until they were at around 25 miles an hour. That's unacceptable. Chevy needs to reprogram some Transmissions.

Larry

[Jay2504]

In those 2 videos, the Ford has 4.30 gears and the chevy had 3.73 gears. That alone will make a big difference. I would love to see the test with a Ford and 3.73 gears. Jay