I was thinking of ditching the 4.10's and go with 4.88's... or would I just be wasting lots of gas?

The power is ok... but I just want to turn my 1st into a really low gear... I mean really low for slow pulling of items, like trailers, and just use around the yard. Right now I can pull off idling with the clutch engaged at about 700 rpms and I'll be moving at about 5 mph, I want to be moving at about 3.5 mph. Which I think 4.88's would accomplish my task by increasing my crawl ratio. I just think 5 mph is just too fast for certain tasks, like I bought a huge solid cast iron drum roller that weighs about 2500 lbs and I want to use it to roll the lawn and field, but 5 mph is just too fast. If I had a 4x4 with 4lo or 2lo, it would be nice.... but I don't. :o

 

with 4.88's you will tach out bad on highway speeds...

 

I will be around 3100 rpms at 65 mph in 5th... no too bad.. but that's pretty high.

Maybe I should just can that idea... sounded good while it lasted... but I'm already paying enough for gas.

 

3100 rpms is freaking high man for only 65 mph.... not sure what size rear end but may be 4.30's?

 

What size tires do you have?

 

Do it and report back how it works out. If you still have the dakota, you can cruise the freeways with that.

If it becomes too impractical, you can always go back to the 4.10's.

 

If your serious about a low gear you have a couple of options.

(1) put in a transfer case and dont hook the front drive shaft. Will give you a 2.34 (I think for an F150) lower gear ratio in all gears.
(2) put in an aftermarket under/over drive unit. Electrically operated.

 

Can we ban you?

 

It's a Ford 8.8". But I don't see much of a jump with 4.30's. Maybe 4.56's... but even then, I'll be screaming on the highway with stock tires.

However (don't hold me to it so soon), but I might want to go with maybe 20's pushing 35"s... going with a black 20 inch rim (I just like the styling). So the gearing will compensate for the wheels and tires. I also might lift it... but I've yet to decide on that too.

I just want to have really low gears.

 

You need to figure out what you are going to do with your truck before you get gears. You dont want to waste your money on getting the wrong gears.

 

Yeah, no kidding. My mod money has been slowly building up... but I am wondering if I shouldn't just keep it the way it is, and just save up another $1k to do a turbo setup.

With 4.10's, a built 5 speed, and a nicely built 4.2l with turbo, should yield me happyness. I mean the truck will still look like it rolled off the dealer lot... but with some house ripping torque.

Do you think $3k is enough to do a custom turbo setup? I'm thinking it will only cover the power train, and not the drive train. I think if I saved up $4k I could probably do the drive train is well, as in a rebuild of the M5OD.

 

leave the gears as is and go FI.


go for an edge and intake/exhaust first! you might be pleasantly surprised....

 

What does the 4.2 loook like in the engine bay?

 

yeah I'm curious as well. As for 4.88's, I've ridden in Brian's F-150 with 4.88's, supercharged, and 31's at the time. He didn't have any complaints at the time, he liked the gear ratio. But you have to realize it can make or break the truck, you won't want to drive it much at all if the rpm's are always a concern.

 

Not mine... but close enough.