Now im going to be honest. I have a very basic and limited knowledge of gears and the difference between say a 3.55 3.73 and a 4.10 other then it has something to do with the number of turns the tires make relative to the number of turns the driveshaft makes (please correct me if im wrong).

My question regards my truck. Here in the next year i want to get the work on my truck done. I already have plans for the exhaust (LT headers X crossover and borla mufflers) and yes i am going to contact PHP about a programmer. My truck is a 2000 5.4 extended cab with the 6 ft bed. Technically im the 2nd owner (my dad was the first) so ive been around the truck since it was new off the lot. Too my understand and according to the dealship sticker (which we still have) the truck has 3.73 gears in it (it was equipped witht the tow package which was the gears the electronics for the towing and a different radiator). I do not tow. I have no intentions of towing anything. And i am most like about to start a good 35 to 45 mile commute to my new job. I do live in colorado and yes the drive for about the first 1/3 of the trip is all hilly...nothing drastic but i know theres spots where the truck will downshift to make it up the hill.

Would changing my gears benefit me at all? I would like the truck to be...faster off the line i guess. Im not looking at a racing truck since this is my daily driver but if i could make it more fun (and if at all possible better gas milage) i would be all over that. I would like to do something other then the stock rims and i am strongly looking at the terra grappler tires.

I would appreciate input whether it is to stay with the stock gear or if i would have better luck with something else. Thanks everyone

 

If you already have 3.73's, a regear wouldn't be cost effective unless you go to 35 inch or larger tires. Even then, there wouldn't be much difference going to 4.10's. If you have a 2wd, you can get 4.30's, but if you have 4wd, the next step up from 4.10's is 4.56.

Note that a gear change is going to cost you about $800 per axle, parts and labor - and if you have 4wd you have to do BOTH axles or you won't have a usable 4wd.

ANY wheel/tire change to larger tires and *especially* heavy aggressive tread tires will lower your gas mileage, with no real way to get it back.

 

Sorry forgot to mention yes it is a 2wd truck...the terras i had looked at showed they were 33in (32.90) inches.

from my understanding 3.73 are a good inbetween for cruising and moderate towing (the truck did used to pull a 5th wheel) so would i notice much difference with the 4.30s?

 

and as a side note i am looking at doin 18s preferably 8.5 inches wide

 

With 33's, I think a 5.4 can pull 3.73's okay. Try it and see. However, you will notice a difference with 4.30's - your city gas mileage may be a bit better but your highway mileage won't.

 

i appreciate the input thanks man

 

When you're deciding what gear is "best" you have to assume a constant driving condition. That's never the case, of course. So you should go with the your "average" conditions when making a decision.

The axle ratio number (ex. 3.55, 3.73, 4.10) actually refers to the number of times the driveshaft has to turn to achieve 1 wheel revolution.

What excels torque/take-off/weight pulling/getting tall tires moving (both performance and MPG) will have lagging results on the top end/hwy (barring extreme weight). A ratio that has the best HWY MPG performance (3.55 w/no load) will have the worst MPG for start/stop driving, taller tires, and load-bearing performance.