I hear what you are saying, but I don't know if you can go just by the differential ratio when assessing towing capability. I actually do think the new 6.7 will pull a bit more power out anyway. So, even if all was equal in the drivetrain, truck weight, wheel height, trans gears, etc., an engine making 400HP would be able to turn 3.55's about the same as a 380HP engine turning 3.73's. It's only a 5% leverage difference.

But I also think there are differences in the trans gearing and the other factors I mentioned. When it is all said and done, I would not bet against the new Ford. I agree it will be interesting, but Ford has definitely set a new height for the bar. Let's see where the others end up.

 

bottom line... consumer wins. IF he is willing to pay the money.

Closing in on 50K for the low end truck with a diesel.

 

i see a lot of complaining about the new gear ratio selections in the rear end. you do realize, that w/ the new transmission, the 3.31 rear gear is [effectively] lower than the 4.10 rear and last years Torqueshift.... right?

the previous TS's have a 3.11 first gear. the new tranny has a 3.97 1st. so, compared to the previous first gears, the 3.31 is equivalent to a 4.23 rear and the 3.55 ratio is equivalent to a 4.53 gear.

so i've seen a lot of unfounded complaining when the whole picture isn't realized....

the math:

Effective ratio (compared to previous) = [ratio x new TS 1st] / old TS 1st

so, for 3.31 rear gear, effective ratio = [3.31 x 3.97] / 3.11 = 13.14/3.11 = 4.225
and for 3.55 rear gear, effective ratio = [3.55 x 3.97] / 3.11 = 14.09/3.11 = 4.532

this means you have fantastic towing power in lower gears and fuel sipping rpms in the higher gears. this new trans has me excited..... :knight

 

Excellent point of view and good info. Thanks for contributing.

 

Thanks....that is what I said above re:trans gearing being different.

 

I have heard from an inside source working on the 6.7L truck project that they are getting in the low 20's for mileage. If this is the case, just as I said about the DMAX it is excellent news. I just hope those numbers come to realizatio nwhen they hit the consumers.

I really am interested in the new 6.7L and the new Dmax, since I have a feeling it's one of those that I will be getting in the next couple years, although I have no plans on selling my LBZ.

 

Does the 3.31 rear end with the new transmission gearing equal the 3.73 with the old the transmission for final out put ??

 

The 3.31 is better (much better) leverage, as mudguppy laid out, it would be like a 4.23 in the 2010's and before.

 

All those 3.53 and 3.31, gear ratios that is great, now with it having, I believe a .67 sixth gear and say LT 265 70R 17 tires, what RPM would you turn at say 70 mph or 110K. I have a duramax and those size tires and a 3.73 ratio and I am doing 1510 RPM at 110K, in sixth. 3.53 would give you 116K, and 3,31 would give you 124 K at the same RPM. It will be interesting! Both units sound like winners, and that would be great, In 2012 is when we will know who has the right combination.

 

If the trans has such a low first gear and 2 overdrives, then what kind of spread in between does it have. How do you think it will shift when pulling a load. Espeacially a DRW with 3.73. Thanks

 

It should be fine, it has 6 gears vs. the old 5R110's 5 gears. That alone, if spaced properly, will allow for leverage at all driving speeds. Here is an interesting write up on the new trans:

http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2009/1...om/2009/12/top-7-features-of-fords-6r140-six-speed-heavy-duty-transmission.html

 

First off, the TorqueShift IS a 6 speed, Ford only uses 5 of them and different gears cold vs at operating temp. So calling it a 5 speed is how it operates.

With a 3.11:1 1st gear and 0.712:1 OD (direct in "4th") the gear spacing looks like this:
3.114.. 2.218.. 1.545.. (1.096.. 1.00..) 0.712
1 > 2 = 71.22%, 2 > 3 = 69.66%, 3 > 4 = (70.93%/64.72%), 4 > 5 = 64.96%/71.20%
With a 4.10:1 rear gear, 1st = 12.767:1 and OD = 2.919:1

For the "new" 6 speed AT, the numbers are different:
3.97.. 2.32.. 1.52.. 1.15.. 0.86.. 0.67
1 > 2 = 58.44%, 2 > 3 = 65.52%, 3 > 4 = 75.66%, 4 > 5 = 74.78%, 5 > 6 = 77.90%
With the new 3.55 RAR, 1st = 14.09:1 and 5th OD = 3.05:1 with 6th OD = 2.38:1

The jump from 1st to 2nd is the biggest but the remainder of the gear changes are actually better in terms of even spacing than with the 5R110/TS. 5th OD is a little lower overall than 5OD with the TS and 6OD is taller for fuel efficiency.

We get to have our cake and eat it too! Better starting from a dead stop AND higher top speed/fuel efficiency at the same or lower engine RPM.

Sound like a good deal to me.

 

We get to have our cake and eat it too! Better starting from a dead stop AND higher top speed/fuel efficiency at the same or lower engine RPM.

Sound like a good deal to me.

Thanks John, whether it has 6 and only uses 5 (let's face it, the 1 vs 1.09 is not a real game changer) or is just called a 5, the point is that the new trans is a real 6 and that allows for better leverage. In addition to better gear management, add in 75+HP to push it. I have absolutely no doubts about the capability of this truck.

 

The Chevy def has the advantage in height/tire/weight versus the Fords, which will put them ahead from the start, just saying in regards to mpg. I mean they put tiny tires on those things from the factory.

Oh and Bucking Bills: Like a freight train.

 

Lets hope we have enough Hp/Tq to put these other trucks where they belong. :nunu:

 

From what we can hear right now, we are the game to beat. But this happens every few years. Ford comes out with a leader, then Dodge or GMC jumps in. I am sure the others have already come up with a plan to beat the new Ford. In the end, we (the truck-buying public, not just Ford guys) win.

 

Ralph,

You are correct, I don't even know why anyone would build a trans with two gears so closely matched unless there were a good reason. The only thing I can think is that the gassers use one and the diesels the other - for whatever reason.

 

The truck's TCM actually determines which of those two it will use at start up depending on abient temperature range... It puts that specific gear to use and only that ratio until the truck is shut off and restarted... so if it is really cold in the morning your 5 speed torqshift will use one gear and later in the afternoon if it warms up and the truck has been shut down, when you start it up it will use the other gear.

It's hard for me to explain but if you want to get real technical, the TorqShift in the '03-'10 only has "3" live gears.

 

Interesting, but strange (strange that it has to be shut off to gain acess to the other gear). What I don't get is how close they are. With a 9% difference in leverage, it hardly pays to wory about which one you use. To put that in perspective, the other gears change leverage by about 50% with each shift.

 

Right, I know what, just not WHY. But, there must be a reason, or they would not have done it.

 

I guess you are correct....but then I would take the position that whatever that reason was, it was not very good, because they abandoned that strategy this go around.