Re: [VACList] Towing?

["Tom" <tmeeker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

What is the gear ratio of your truck's rear end?

I towed my 1969 29' Ambassador with my 87' Ford 351 cid automatic trans but
found the rear end gear ratio to be 'too high' and the engine bogged down
and pinged, too.

The only way I could stop the pinging was to use premium 93 octane gasoline,
but bogging down the engine due to a high gear ratio was not good for the
truck.  I checked into changing the rear end ring and pinion gears and it
would have cost quite a bit of money, at least at the time I thought it was
a lot of money.

I traded that '87 Ford SuperCab 2x2 pickup for the 1989 Ford SuperCab
6.9-liter diesel which was not supercharged like they are today.  I also got
stuck once big time with the 2 wheel drive truck and vowed that wouldn't
happen again so I went for the 4x4 when I got the diesel powered pickup.

If I'm not mistaken I think the rear end gear ratio of the 3-speed automatic
(they are 4-speed w/overdrive now) was 3:73, or higher (lower numbers).

Try towing with what you have but keep in mind you may find the engine
bogging down due to high gear ratios ... and you will need to use premium
fuel to let the bogging engine at least run cooler when possible.

Tom
WBCCI 5303
2001 Ford Excursion 4x4 PSD
1995 34' Excella Classic FK
1969 29' International Ambassador