ok...
I use to have a 2002 f150 and traded for a pos car and realized how awsome my truck was, so i am in the market for a new truck.

I was wondering what gear ratio would give better gas mileage, the 3.55 or the 3.73?

thanks for the replys

scouts out!

 

With highway only, the 3.55s will get better mileage. In the city, the difference is negligible. If I had that choice, I would pick 3.73s 100% of the time. Avoid 3.08s and 3.31s like the plague.

 

you'll be unhappy with anything less than a 3.73. Im getting 15mpg in town with my 4x4 3.73. These trucks are way too heavy to cripple them with a 3.55. They should have offered a 4.11.

Dan

 

it depends on tire size if keeping it stock i agree with the other posts if not tell me and i will get a link for you

 

good call on the tire size, makes quite a difference if you plan to change.

Dan

 

You're always going to have those who have to have the biggest over the most useful and practical. I see it in guns. Shooting a caliber and missing-but at the highest speed possible and man is it BIG!

Get the 3.55. It's not at all "crippled" and the highway gas mileage adds up!

 

recurve, i do not understand the gun post, i think bigger is better, more powerfull is better, performance and towing capacity is better.

 

I have a 03 with 3:55 and it is just fine and i pull a tralier that is about 6500 and it does just fine but if i was to get a 04 i would go with the 3:73

 

I have a 03 Screw with the 5.4 and it has 3:55 and 275/75/17 and it is just fine and i pull a tralier that is about 6500 and it does just fine but if i was to get a 04 i would go with the 3:73

 

I think more efficient is better. Since the 3.55 will do everything I want it to do AND get better MPG, (with gas prices these days that is significant) then that is the smartest choice for me. Now if I REALLY NEED the "extra performance" then the 373 would be. If you need biggest, why not get a Hemi? I don't need to compensate by having the biggest...truck! Look at all the families with one kid driving Expeditions who never go off road-something else is going on here besides performance and need or the would have a minivan.

 

go with 3.73 you wont regret it, you will get .1111 miles less per gallon but if you want to tow you can do it easyer, you will be qiuker off the line and your truck will just feel quicker, if you want to move up a tire size it wont cause wear on your tranny, your tranny will be slightly cooler temps and in the long run less wear on the tranny, 3.73 all the way better

 

i have an excellent idea for you recon. Go to your dealership and drive both of them. If you can tolerate already sluggish off the line performance of the new 04 with a 3.55 vs a 3.73 then go for the 3.55. You will save gas money this is true. Im betting if your like 80% of the people that bought an 04 your going to be unhappy with its accelleration and want every advantage you can get. If you havent driven one yet go out and do it. Its nothing like the years previous.

In response to recurves thoughts. You shouldn't generalize just because people in your neighborhood buy things they dont need. There are many people on this board that tow cars, boats, etc. They need the 3.73 for getting off the line better. Others want more performance, so they need it for that. It has nothing to do with compensation. It has to do with paying 35-40k and getting what you want. You opted for efficiency but the majority of people do need the 3.73 either for business or pleasure. Either way they are still kick *** trucks.

PS - Expeditions look better than minivans. Thats why they buy SUVs over minivans.


Dan

 

Hi Dan,

As I said above, if you really need the 3.73 for those performance needs (towing etc.) then you SHOULD get it. I originally responded to the comment that (gist): "You really won't be happy if you cripple it with a 3.55." Some, like me, prefer the 3.55 and don't consider it at all "crippled" but an advantage over the 3.73 for the way we use a truck.

Even if it was an only 1.11 MPG gain over the 3.73 (and I believe it to be more), add that up over the life of the car! If you keep a car a long time like I do, that is a LOT of free miles VS the people I was generalizing about who never actually need the "extra towing" but have to have the biggest "just because." I'm betting that there are a lot more of those folks than those who actually would benefit from the 3.73. What is the FACTUAL, TESTED 0-60 difference between the 3.55 and the 3.73?

Nothing wrong with generalizing, actually. It's not a sin.

Steve

 

good post vvyk3d

 

I went from 3.31's to 4.10's in my 00 Expedition because I tow a Large Camper and only lost about 1.0 mpg when driving around town. I attribute it to better efficient use of the power. I use less peddle to get it going - less peddle, less gas. When driving on the highway, 60mph the rpms are 2000 w/ overdrive on. With the 3.31's the rpms were around 1500 and I really had to stomp on the peddle to pass. Now with the new gears, I have plenty of passing power without overly having to press the peddle. The higher gears equate to better power efficiency - only to a point though.

My one cent worth.

Jeff