I have a 97 F150 2WD Flareside 4.6L truck. The truck has a 3in catback exhaust with a flowmaster 50 series, Superchip, and K&N FIPK unit. She also has a 3.5 inch suspension lift and 33 inch tires on her. I am unhappy with her performance. I feel as if she is a dog! I want to make the B!@#$ch haul **** while still maintaining a somewhat acceptable freeway app. What can I do?

Silver

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1997 F150 4.6L, Flare side,American Racing Baja 16X8's, Goodyear Wrangler's LT305/70/16's ATS, Flowmaster 50 series, 3" cat,3.5 Suspension Lift kit, Tinted Windows, Superchip, Rancho 5000's

 

Gears gears gears-----------410 or 430

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2000 F-150, XLT, SC, 5.4, 4X4, 355 LS, ORP, Black/Silver, class III, single CD, sliding glass, med. gray, keyless, elect. shift, engine date 8-18-99, Superchip. '93 Harley Fatboy Black & tons of chrome

 

In order of ease of installation and price:

1. Gears
2. Blower

[This message has been edited by Dennis (edited 02-15-2001).]

 

Tires may be hurting you a little. For each inch above what was stock on your truck you lessen your effective gear ratio by approx .15 - .3 (depends on who you talk to, I think it is closer to the .15)

ex - stock tires w/3.55 gears would effectively approx be 3.40 - 3.25 with tires 1 inch taller.

Not sure what the stock tire height is, but you probably know, so you can do the math.

 

This is just my .02. Is you at also 3"? If it is you dont have enough back pressure and you loose bottom end torque. But if you have a stock cat id agree wiht every body else gears.

 

Since Silverback asked the question, what should a person expect to pay for a gear change from 3:55 to 4:10 (professionally done)? Has ayone been through this? And really, how much more at the bottom end is one going to see? Obviously there will be a reduction of gas mileage. Does anyone have some stats after their change?

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2000 Flareside SCab 4x4, 5.4 w/3:55, Oxford w/gray leather captain's, upgraded Lariat pkg, Class III towing pkg, all power, monogramed dash cover, fog+high beam mod, expy console, billet third brake light cover, K&N, custom exhaust (single in-dual out) with Flowmaster 40, Superchipped. Hellwig bar is next.

 

Vacherie Boys has the same truck as I do. the only difference is it's older so his 5.4L has 25 less HP and 15 less torque.

He has a better 1/4 mile time than me because he lowered it a couple of inches.

I didn't lift but, his lowering has the same effect.

You lift, you lose.

 

I dont know about your truck, but if it was mine - I'd swap out the stock fan for an electric. They say you get about 15 extra HP and about 2-3mpg. Pretty cheap hp boost if you ask me.

jason

 

I don't mean to bash the previos post, but I see alot of people that have that misconception. Losing the fan in favor of an electric my give you 3-5 HP, but know where near 15. I have tried this route as well as many other mustang guys over at the Corral.net and the dyno numbers aren't that supportive of some of the claims. One other drawback is that most of the electric fans don't pull enough CFM and/or cover enough of the A/C drier to make the A/C as effective in traffic at idle, as the stock fan.

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2001 F-140 SuperCrew 4X4 Lariot
5.4, 3.55 LS, Wimpy stock 17" tires
-MB Quart Reference, 2 JL-8W0

 

silverback,

I would go with the gears. I went from 30.6 inch OEM to 33 inch BFG MTs. My truck is a dog now. The equivalent ratio is now 3.25. With this tire size I would need 3.88s to get me back to the OEM 3.55. I would like 4.10 gears with the OEM tires so I would need 4.56 gears to give me an equivalent 4.17 gear. Figure about $500.00 per differential.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

Go for the gears!!!thats what i would do after tire changes. Good luck!!!!!

(((((old username was vacherie boys)))))

hope everyone has a great year!!!!!!

 

OK cajunfiref150, I'll make a note of it but, I liked 'vacherie boys' better. It sounded like a racing team and I could take solace in the fact I was outnumbered.

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1999 Ford F150 Lariat RegCab shortbed 5.4L 3.55LS Towpkg Line-X
15.714@85.21

 

Silverback,

I just change my 3.55 for 4.10. Cost just ove $600 but included bearing and seal changes. Worth every dime.

WarEagle

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98 F150 Lariat extended cab, Pacific Green/Silver Frost,
Grey Leather Capt chairs, AM/FM/Cass/6-cd changer,
full tint, color matched bug deflector, vent shades,
A.R.E. hard bed cover, Ultra type 50 polished wheels,
BF Goodrich 315 55R x 16 Sport Truck Radial T/As, 4.6L,
AT, Towing Package, Airaid, Superchip, JBA headers,Flowmaster dual
exhaust, Flowmaster 50 series muffler, 4.10 gears