Big horn & f-350

I am looking at a bighorn 36re (16000 lbs) & a f-350, 6.7 diesel, which rear end will i need, the 3.73 or 3.55, any help will be appreciated.

We've got a 3.73 rear end on our GMC 3500 diesel. It tows our 16000 lb Rushmore very nicely, including through the mountains and gets pretty good mileage. My guess is that a 3.55 rear end would be a problem with 16000 lbs.

Definitely the 3.73.

Depends on how much empty driving. I have 3:73 with the 6.4l and have pulled with a 6.4l and 3:55 and yes it was a little laking but made up for it in fuel mileage empty. I would think the 6.7l would more than make up for the 3:55.

It all depends on what truck your looking at, unless things have changed for 2012 the F-350 SRW has either 3.31 or 3.55 gears and a DRW has either 3.55 or 3.73 and maybe 4.10 gears.

Unless Ford has changed things, you don't have any choice of a rear gear.
If you get an F350 Dually Crew Cab Diesel you get 3:73.
If you get an F350 Crew Cab Diesel with Single Rear Wheels you Get 3:55
If you get the F450 Crew Cab Diesel, You will get the 4:30 gears.
Check with your dealer and read your brochure.
When I ordered by F350 Crew Cab Dually FX4 Diesel. I received the 3:73 gears, which is what I would have ordered any way. I was thinking of the 4:10 set, but that is not offered at all.
Like I say, check with the dealer, things may have changed since last October.
Another thing you don't have an option on is the limited slip rear axle.
It's only available on the F350 Dually/F450.
The rest are Electronic-locking.
The following rating are taken from my brochure from last year.
Everything I'm listing are Diesels.
If you go with F350 Crew 4x4 with SRW you have a tow rating of 15,800#
If you go with an F350 Crew 4x2 with SRW you have a tow rating of 16,000#
If you go with an F350 Crew 4X4 with Duals you have 20,300#
If you go with an F350 Crew 4x2 with Duals you have a 20,800# rating.
Make sure of your trailer rating before you buy your truck.
Like I said earlier, I have the F350 FX4 Crew Diesel Dually, and I'm more than happy.
I love this truck, it pulls like a locomotive.

Hockster

currituck0209 said:

I am looking at a bighorn 36re (16000 lbs) & a f-350, 6.7 diesel, which rear end will i need, the 3.73 or 3.55, any help will be appreciated.

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We have the 3:55 and it is a perfect fit for towing and driving around.

In the words of Ronald Reagan "trust but verify" The dealers are only as good as the time and effort they put in to learning their product. Here is a link to Fords Spec page. Best of luck to you.

http://www.ford.com/trucks/superduty/specifications/towing/

If you get a single rear wheel F350 you will most likely end up with a 3.55 with electronic locker.
If you get a dual rear wheel you will get the 3.73, no locker.

My suggestion, someone coming from a SRW F350 towing a big trailer going to a dually, If the dually is even an option for you. Get it.

Now my older 2007 F350 SRW came with 3.73s but starting with the '11's SRW's don't get it.

My Road Warrior is a 16K GVW and my truck with 3.55s flies with it. I blew over Monument Pass last weekend at 75 mph. Only time it slows down is going up I-70, which any truck will do at 10K feet. I typically tow between 70-80 with it and really don't have any trouble at all.

80? Yikes. I'll be the guy in the right lane going 65. I remember reading somewhere that this is what the trailer tires are speed rated for (65). That, and I don't feel stable going any faster (and the mpg's start getting really bad).

Anybody that towes a 16K 5er at 80 MPH is either very new at this or has never seen the outcome of such a rediculous stunt! Blow a tire at 80 and it is all over. You aren't from UTAH are you?

6.7powerstroke said:

I typically tow between 70-80 with it and really don't have any trouble at all.

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You will.

Peace
Dave

As explained by a tire safety guy at the national rally:

The tire is compressed as it contacts the pavement.
The compression causes the internal steel belts to flex.
The flexing generates heat.
Higher speed generates more rapid flexing and higher temperatures.
At higher speeds, the heat will not dissipate fast enough.
The rapid flexing and higher temperatures will damage the tire.
Heat-damaged tires are prone to blowouts.

Any truck at 70-80 will tow like a dream and have lots of power as I have observed. Its towing at 55 - 60 that realy helps to have a 3.73. I have great power at 1700RPM and up and at lower speed its in that range. Going 80 is around 2000 and the truck eats fuel very fast and has lots power. But for fuel economy I keep it at 60 and feel very safe on all the highways. I have driven the 70-80 on the highways and was realy tired of fighting traffic all the time, but at 60 its me alone on the highway and every one running away.

I usually run the speed limit if its 65 and have run 70 if its the limit, anything after that I don't feel comfortable.

Our F350 2008 has 4.10 gears and so far we are very please with towing our BigHorn.
We are about to venture on a 2 week haul through the mountains in North Carolina.....

Facts: We have the 2011 F-350 SRW diesel with the standard 3.31. Plenty of power available when we traveled around the Adirondacks or on Cape Breton (you ought to try that one!). Tremendous fuel maiden voyage; the Cape Breton trip averaged 12.4...). The weights taken at the public scales are as follows (actual/max specs):
Truck front axle: 4576/5250
Truck rear axle: 6468/6730
Truck total: 11044/11400
Pin weight: 3058/
Trailer axles: 11418/14000
Total Trailer (axles+pin): 14476/16000
Combined weight: 22462/23500
The truck weight includes a full fuel tank, a Reese Elite 18k, one passenger and 2 cats. The trailer is loaded for the trip, empty wate tanks, about 20 gals. fresh water, no washer-dryer.
We keep it at 60mph on highways, even as we climb hills.

Sure you don't have a 3:55? Ours is and it tows extremely well as you are describing with similar fuel milage. Milage is actually about 10% better than the computer calcualates.

Absolutely. Checked the door sticker and the spec sheet from Ford...

lwmcguir said:

Sure you don't have a 3:55? Ours is and it tows extremely well as you are describing with similar fuel milage. Milage is actually about 10% better than the computer calcualates.

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