What gears if go Gas full size truck...vs diesel

Skinhyfish

Observer
Hi guys love all your input on here over years. We just sold our 7.3 and miss the truck. We are looking at new truck for our slide in tool box camper combo. Looking at new Fords. We are debating going gas route for cost and less maintenance. Plus we live in cold half the year. We are going to put hallmark camper and run 37’s. I know I will need to regear. Curious what guys with the 6.2l have done for their lifted trucks. My only fear of buying a gas pickup is buying a turd. I feel with proper regear truck should handle fine. Diesel is king we all know, but looking for less maintenance this go around and $10,000 less cost on sticker. What gears have you all run or recommend 4.56? 4.88? 4.30? We will drive on highway but not 90mph. Will also tow light boat. Love to hear your thoughts?
 

IdaSHO

IDACAMPER
37's and plans for towing, Id go with the lower gears for certain.


We run 35's on our 3:73 geared 6.2, and it is a bit tall.
Gear for running empty, but feels lacking when loaded. Loaded, we are rolling at about 11k lbs.
It does it just fine, but in areas with lots of hills like North Idaho, 5th & 6th gear are rarely used.
I would love to regear to lower, but simply dont want to spend the $$ right now.
 

Watt maker

Active member
Hi guys love all your input on here over years. We just sold our 7.3 and miss the truck. We are looking at new truck for our slide in tool box camper combo. Looking at new Fords. We are debating going gas route for cost and less maintenance. Plus we live in cold half the year. We are going to put hallmark camper and run 37’s. I know I will need to regear. Curious what guys with the 6.2l have done for their lifted trucks. My only fear of buying a gas pickup is buying a turd. I feel with proper regear truck should handle fine. Diesel is king we all know, but looking for less maintenance this go around and $10,000 less cost on sticker. What gears have you all run or recommend 4.56? 4.88? 4.30? We will drive on highway but not 90mph. Will also tow light boat. Love to hear your thoughts?

Just shooting from the hip here,

Maybe find a super duty with the optional 4.30 gears and see how that feels with the 37's. If you still need more, I'd re-gear to 4.88's, maybe even 5.13's, depending on how much freeway travel you plan to do.
 

Skinhyfish

Observer
37's and plans for towing, Id go with the lower gears for certain.


We run 35's on our 3:73 geared 6.2, and it is a bit tall.
Gear for running empty, but feels lacking when loaded. Loaded, we are rolling at about 11k lbs.
It does it just fine, but in areas with lots of hills like North Idaho, 5th & 6th gear are rarely used.
I would love to regear to lower, but simply dont want to spend the $$ right now.

What kind of mileage you get now? You like the 6.2 and feel like you have power? This will be my first gas pick up in a Along time
 

Grassland

Well-known member
Just shooting from the hip here,

Maybe find a super duty with the optional 4.30 gears and see how that feels with the 37's. If you still need more, I'd re-gear to 4.88's, maybe even 5.13's, depending on how much freeway travel you plan to do.
This^^
Get 4.30 from factory and give it a try first.
 

IdaSHO

IDACAMPER
What kind of mileage you get now? You like the 6.2 and feel like you have power? This will be my first gas pick up in a Along time

Making the change from a 7.3PSD to a 6.2 myself, I can say the peak power is very similar.
Its no rocket ship like a 6.7PSD. And it doesnt have the low end grunt the 7.3PSD does either.

Many people report that the 6.2 feels slow. And I can see that, especially when compared to a diesel.
The 6.2 loves revs, so driving it is completely different then a diesel.

I miss the off idle grunt of the 7.3, but that's it.
The rest of this truck is simply light-years ahead of the old junk, and better in countless ways.
The engine included. The 6.2 is a fine motor, just not a big powerhouse.
It has a broad torque band, which is very linear. It also sounds fantastic....

Currently with the camper, and all North Idaho driving (nothing is flat) we are seeing 9-10MPG loaded.
I say North Idaho driving 'cause there really isnt any "highway" mileage to report around here.
Even if you are on the highway, Id consider the mileage more of a "combined" mileage, as the miles are far from flat and easy.
A good portion of our trail-head hunting (avid backpackers) is 15-20MPH travel off the blacktop.
And typical highway speeds are only 55-65. Another reason why 5th and 6th gear simply are not used as often.
The truck has the power, and I imagine if I dared to wind it up to 70+mph, it would be in a fatter part of the power band and do just fine in 5th and 6th gear.

48628221398_8bf0c3bd91_h.jpg
 

leelikesbikes

Adventurer
I've been running 37s on a hemi ram for years, I've got 4.56 and it's about right, maybe a little low for 85mph highway cruising here in Montana. This is with an nv4500 so I'm sure you have a taller overdrive.
 

glock7018

Member
Had a 08 V10 F250. Stock came with 4.10's. With 35's it wasn't terrible. With 37's, she became a turd. I put in 5.13 gears and it made a world of difference. If i was buying a new truck gas truck with either the 6.2 or the new 7.3 gas. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to put 5.13 gears in if I was running 37's. Newer trucks had a deeper OD so RPM's wouldnt be bad. Play around with a good gear ratio calculator to see where your RPMS would be at. Just remember you are going to get terrible fuel mileage regardless. so you might as well have as much power on hand as possible.
 

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
At least 4.88. 4.56 is only decent for 35's.

Don't fear the gear. And the 6.2 has excess power for a lil camper, or anything ''overland''. Bds has decent lifts. For a 4" lift, you'll need to cut the y pipe slightly and rotate it, or have it custom shaped a little to clear the front drive shaft. It's no big deal.
 

Regcabguy

Oil eater.
Making the change from a 7.3PSD to a 6.2 myself, I can say the peak power is very similar.
Its no rocket ship like a 6.7PSD. And it doesnt have the low end grunt the 7.3PSD does either.

Many people report that the 6.2 feels slow. And I can see that, especially when compared to a diesel.
The 6.2 loves revs, so driving it is completely different then a diesel.

I miss the off idle grunt of the 7.3, but that's it.
The rest of this truck is simply light-years ahead of the old junk, and better in countless ways.
The engine included. The 6.2 is a fine motor, just not a big powerhouse.
It has a broad torque band, which is very linear. It also sounds fantastic....

Currently with the camper, and all North Idaho driving (nothing is flat) we are seeing 9-10MPG loaded.
I say North Idaho driving 'cause there really isnt any "highway" mileage to report around here.
Even if you are on the highway, Id consider the mileage more of a "combined" mileage, as the miles are far from flat and easy.
A good portion of our trail-head hunting (avid backpackers) is 15-20MPH travel off the blacktop.
And typical highway speeds are only 55-65. Another reason why 5th and 6th gear simply are not used as often.
The truck has the power, and I imagine if I dared to wind it up to 70+mph, it would be in a fatter part of the power band and do just fine in 5th and 6th gear.

48628221398_8bf0c3bd91_h.jpg
Great looking rig. You're pushing a lot of air with the bumper and camper so your mileage is decent.
 

Regcabguy

Oil eater.
At least 4.88. 4.56 is only decent for 35's.

Don't fear the gear. And the 6.2 has excess power for a lil camper, or anything ''overland''. Bds has decent lifts. For a 4" lift, you'll need to cut the y pipe slightly and rotate it, or have it custom shaped a little to clear the front drive shaft. It's no big deal.
I've got 4.10's with 35's. I'm at 2000 rpm's at 65 mph. I wouldn't want anything lower without 37's.
 

IdaSHO

IDACAMPER
Pretty impossible to compare rig with completely different transmissions, let alone motors.

The 6.2 is no slouch, and the 6R140 is a fantastic trans in so many ways.
At the end of the day though it is technically a double overdrive trans.
Its a 4-speed, with two overdrives. It also has a nice deep first gear.

When I remind myself of this, I'm pretty amazed that we use 5th or 6th gear at all with our setup.
They are simply "gas" gears for running empty. Yet, with this motor, we use 'em all. Just not too often.

48767146367_81d4023224_o.jpg


Great looking rig. You're pushing a lot of air with the bumper and camper so your mileage is decent.

Thanks. And yes, not exactly all that aerodynamic :ROFLMAO:
 

Skinhyfish

Observer
Making the change from a 7.3PSD to a 6.2 myself, I can say the peak power is very similar.
Its no rocket ship like a 6.7PSD. And it doesnt have the low end grunt the 7.3PSD does either.

Many people report that the 6.2 feels slow. And I can see that, especially when compared to a diesel.
The 6.2 loves revs, so driving it is completely different then a diesel.

I miss the off idle grunt of the 7.3, but that's it.
The rest of this truck is simply light-years ahead of the old junk, and better in countless ways.
The engine included. The 6.2 is a fine motor, just not a big powerhouse.
It has a broad torque band, which is very linear. It also sounds fantastic....

Currently with the camper, and all North Idaho driving (nothing is flat) we are seeing 9-10MPG loaded.
I say North Idaho driving 'cause there really isnt any "highway" mileage to report around here.
Even if you are on the highway, Id consider the mileage more of a "combined" mileage, as the miles are far from flat and easy.
A good portion of our trail-head hunting (avid backpackers) is 15-20MPH travel off the blacktop.
And typical highway speeds are only 55-65. Another reason why 5th and 6th gear simply are not used as often.
The truck has the power, and I imagine if I dared to wind it up to 70+mph, it would be in a fatter part of the power band and do just fine in 5th and 6th gear.

48628221398_8bf0c3bd91_h.jpg
Did you regear or have 3.73
 

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
I've got 4.10's with 35's. I'm at 2000 rpm's at 65 mph. I wouldn't want anything lower without 37's.


You'll want 3000 rpm somewhere for towing. Gear accordingly to get it. Don't forget that the 6r100g has a tall double overdrive.

And the new trucks have a fridge sized muffler, 4 cats, and a resonator thing. You won't notice higher rpm's. I've spent hours towing at 3500 with no issues. Always err towards more rpm with the 6.2 for optimum performance, never lug it like an olde long stroke engine.

I think I usually, lock out 6th gear, it's for flat ground only. Have 5th gear set nicely to cruise in. Then 4th is that 3000ish rpm gear. 3rd for hills. I'll don't recall ever struggling down to 2nd gear anywhere with 10,000# of cargo and trailer.

If comparing to an older Ford or the new diesel. Account for first gear. It's 0.2 lower than before. 3.73 is nearly like 4.10 from a dig. 5th is a hair lower as well.
 
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