I am getting ready to order an xlt 2 wheel drive with the 5.4 engine. Whats a good size rear gearing to get? I will not be towing much, but i want to have it when i need it. The stock gearing is 355 Ford offers 373's and up. Another question limited slip is that a good option to get with say 373's for a decent towing setup?

 

The limited slip is a bargain. I personally won't buy a truck without it. I always get the lowest gears available (highest numerically). I have no need for top end speeds and will live with marginal highway mileage variances. I prefer quicker low speed driving and have seen no mileage difference at under highway speeds. It's just an opinion, but one with about 30 years of driving experience. In the muscle car era, we were driving gears ranging from 3.7Xs to 4.30s with only 3 gears in autos, 4 gears in manuals, and neither with overdrive. I installed 4.10s in my 2000 F-150 and it would pull until it buried the speedo. My new Lightning has 3.73s and I obtained 17mpg last week on a tank of gas on the highway. The window sticker only claims 16mpg. If I was interested in any serious towing, I'd get my ratio into the 4s.

 

mine has the 3.55 but now I am wishing I got the 3.73 for my towing and want to put a little bit bigger tires on it.. Assumed the payload package and tow package wold have the lower gears more suited for the weight included in with them. Anybody got an idea what it woudl cost to switch them out?

 

IMO, go with the 3.73's for the reasons cited above. If you plan on moving up to 35 inch tires, then you may want to consider the 4.10 gearing aftermarket. Ford's factory 4.10 pkg for the F150 includes heavier springs and the 7 lug wheels. I don't know of any 7 lug wheels being mass produced in the aftermarket though as has been suggested on this Forum, one of the custom wheel companies like Budnik, Colorado Custom or Boze Forged will make them to your specs.

That said, I think you'll be fine with the 3.73's for towing and, should you so choose, taller tires up to 34 inch diameter.

 

Thanks, you have any idea what a fair price I should pay to have this done it?

 

Thanks guys for info. I am going to go with 373's with limited slip. Now i have to just make the choice to either wait for 2005 or get a 2004 ??

 

Rmills8.....I have no clue as to what the price would be to swap out both gear sets. I've seen some figures posted by those who have done it here on the Forum. You may want to use the Search feature to dig those particular threads. I do remember one member pointing out that he had his gear swap done by his Ford dealer so it would not cause problems with any future warranty claims. This is a very valid point! The extra green you'll shell out for paying the dealer is akin to a insurance policy if warranty is ever questioned.

nutzfortrucks....I can't make up your mind for you, however, at the rate that China is gobbling up steel, fueling a worldwide shortage of same, it's a safe bet that the '05's will see a cost increase. It's anybodys guess as to who much that may be. Also, it's safe to assume that most known bugs in early production have been worked out and changes made on the assembly lines. For me, it's an '04.....