3.31 vs 3.73 gear ratio

[Michael A]

I'm going to buy or lease a 2019 Expedition. What I'm finding is an abundance of "towing packages" on the vehicles I'm interested in. I won't be towing. What's the downside of having that option besides the additional up front cost? I'm planning a few highway trips at first then mostly in town driving.

 

[Shutterbug57]

I'm going to buy or lease a 2019 Expedition. What I'm finding is an abundance of "towing packages" on the vehicles I'm interested in. I won't be towing. What's the downside of having that option besides the additional up front cost? I'm planning a few highway trips at first then mostly in town driving.

Possibly slightly lower gas mileage & $1,500 cost to purchase are the cons. Better acceleration, a 4 low tranny and possibly better resale value, as well as an ability to tow are the pros.

 

[shane_th_ee]

Downsides? What Shutterbug said. But there's additional advantages: upgraded radiator*, locking rear differential, true 4 wheel drive, upgraded rear axle weight rating/increased payload, and the ability to tow the Expedition with all four wheels on the ground.

*traditionally, heat management has been the hard nut to crack with respect to long-term durability of turbo engines. If you're leasing this is probably a don't care. If you're buying to have for a decade or two, this would be a bigger positive.

 

[16plati]

I'm going to buy or lease a 2019 Expedition. What I'm finding is an abundance of "towing packages" on the vehicles I'm interested in. I won't be towing. What's the downside of having that option besides the additional up front cost? I'm planning a few highway trips at first then mostly in town driving.

Here you go

 

[aggiegrad05]

There's a couple of threads on here already about this. Folks have strong opinions. The chart #16plati posted is really all you need to know...the rest is just opinions.

And here's mine......

I don't tow anything so I didn't get it. I was already spending $80k and didn't see the need to spend an additional $1500 for something I did not need. Folks on here will tell you "but you did need it even if you aren't towing...for the upgraded radiator and a locking rear diff and the faster 0-60 time and the higher resale value and yada yada yada." But here's the thing: no, I don't.

I don't need an upgraded radiator because I'm not towing and the "regular" radiator is just fine in all other cases.

I'm not rock crawling with this thing and the "regular" 4wd is just fine for the light off-roading I need to do to get to campsites.

I'm not racing anyone, so I don't need a faster 0-60 time. 400 hp is just fine thankyouverymuch. The thing is damn sprightly with the 3.31 and I'm happy to have the marginally better highway gas mileage.

The higher resale value is arguable, but if I invest my $1500 I'll make more than I would have in resale.

I'm not pulling the thing behind an RV, so I don't care if it can be towed flat or not...if it breaks down, that's the towing company's problem.

The package is called a towing package for a reason. Sure there are other benefits, but it's not called a "performance package". It's for towing.

So again, 16Plati's chart is where you really should start and stop your analysis. If something on there makes you want to spend $1500, go for it. If it doesn't, don't.

 

[duneslider]

One other item to add to your consideration is what you plan to do with tires in the future. There is a segment of people on here that are looking to put bigger meat on the truck and if that is your plan you will be happier with the 3.73 gearing. If you plan to keep the tires stock size then it doesn't matter so much.

I will say, I had a hard time finding an expedition with the tow package and passed up buying several because it didn't have that. I will concede that most people buying expeditions probably don't need the tow package but I have a camper and needed something to tow. My search was pretty unique, I didn't want a fancy suv, I was searching for an xlt with tow package.

I haven't looked closely at multiple expeditions but do they really put a different radiator in the ones with tow packages? It is pretty common for manufacturers to use the same radiator for tow and not tow. Sometimes they even have the same transmission cooler and oil cooler on the non-tow package vehicles. Not sure if Ford does this or not. I have been in the mopar world for a while and my jeeps all had the same equipment regardless of tow or no tow. The 2018-2019 was a pretty big deviation on how Ford handled the tow package from the previous gen. It seemed like almost every trim level had the tow package included.

 

[aggiegrad05]

One other item to add to your consideration is what you plan to do with tires in the future. There is a segment of people on here that are looking to put bigger meat on the truck and if that is your plan you will be happier with the 3.73 gearing. If you plan to keep the tires stock size then it doesn't matter so much.

I will say, I had a hard time finding an expedition with the tow package and passed up buying several because it didn't have that. I will concede that most people buying expeditions probably don't need the tow package but I have a camper and needed something to tow. My search was pretty unique, I didn't want a fancy suv, I was searching for an xlt with tow package.

I haven't looked closely at multiple expeditions but do they really put a different radiator in the ones with tow packages? It is pretty common for manufacturers to use the same radiator for tow and not tow. Sometimes they even have the same transmission cooler and oil cooler on the non-tow package vehicles. Not sure if Ford does this or not. I have been in the mopar world for a while and my jeeps all had the same equipment regardless of tow or no tow. The 2018-2019 was a pretty big deviation on how Ford handled the tow package from the previous gen. It seemed like almost every trim level had the tow package included.

Yes, the tow pack comes with an upgraded radiator, although I'm not sure what the upgrades are.

The oil and trans coolers are the same regardless of whether you get the tow pack.

 

[Michael A]

Thank you for the prompt responses. After reading them, I turn my thoughts to the MPG reduction. I'm guessing I may experience a 2 mpg drop with the 3.73.

 

[aggiegrad05]

Thank you for the prompt responses. After reading them, I turn my thoughts to the MPG reduction. I'm guessing I may experience a 2 mpg drop with the 3.73.

I've heard you can expect a 5-10% reduction depending on the spread. My guess would be it's going to be less than 2...maybe more like 1-1.5. In other words: not really enough to matter.

 

[Deadman]

If I was planning on driving this in town like the original poster said he was, I would absolutely NOT want 3.31 gears. The 3.73's will strain everything less and often be more efficient in town as you accelerate numerous times.

 

[aggiegrad05]

If I was planning on driving this in town like the original poster said he was, I would absolutely NOT want 3.31 gears. The 3.73's will strain everything less and often be more efficient in town as you accelerate numerous times.

The "wear and tear" effect is so negligible it's not even worth considering...we're not comparing a 3.3 to a 4.8 here.

 

[Deadman]

The "wear and tear" effect is so negligible it's not even worth considering...we're not comparing a 3.3 to a 4.8 here.

You are pretty good at justifying your gearing. If it wasn't inferior gearing, I could understand, but its highway gears that you are pushing onto guys with 6,000 lbs vehicles. I personally think a big vehicle should have appropriate gears, not grampa's highway cruising gears. Again my opinion, but there's a reason they offer the 3.73's as a tow pack and the 3.31's as standard. They need the 3.31's as a standard gear to meet their EPA ratings on the highway. Then they offer the 3.73's for the people that don't want EPA gears! Just sayin.......

 

[aggiegrad05]

You are pretty good at justifying your gearing. If it wasn't inferior gearing, I could understand, but its highway gears that you are pushing onto guys with 6,000 lbs vehicles. I personally think a big vehicle should have appropriate gears, not grampa's highway cruising gears. Again my opinion, but there's a reason they offer the 3.73's as a tow pack and the 3.31's as standard. They need the 3.31's as a standard gear to meet their EPA ratings on the highway. Then they offer the 3.73's for the people that don't want EPA gears! Just sayin.......

I'm not suggesting the 3.31 is better than the 3.73. Just that for my application, the upgrade didn't justify the price increase. If it was a no-cost option, I'd have taken the 3.73.

 

[Deadman]

In 2018 Ford made it very difficult to get a tow pack option on an Expedition. I'm assuming they did this on purpose so their average milage was higher and they could brag about their new design, new transmission, etc with good milage.
I looked for over a Month to find a 302A with tow pack in white!

 

[Grey ghost]

Deadman Is correct on in town driving.

 

[aggiegrad05]

 

[Deadman]

Exactly why I bought a Ford with 3.73's! I wanted a GMC with 6.2L and when I found out it came with a 3.42 I walked away. GM uses horrible gearing and horrible transmission settings to achieve better milage while using ancient power plants! It works, but I wasn't about to buy ancient technology.
I've had many 1/2 ton trucks with 3.73's and my Buddys have had the same exact trucks with 3.55's in them and the 3.55 trucks were noticeably sluggish in comparison. The worst thing was on EVERY significant hill to climb, then the 3.55 truck needed to downshift. I'm sure the 3.31 Expeditions downshift a lot more often than the 3.73 trucks. My neighbor has a 1/2 ton with the 3.5L EB and 10 speed and he isn't sure on his gearing but there is one large hill by our house and his truck needs to shift down into 8th gear with the cruise set at 60mph, mine climbs this same hill in 9th! Just the differences gears make.......

 

[aggiegrad05]

I simply posted the GM ratios to give a point of reference and to show that the 3.31 is a perfectly normal and acceptable ratio.

If you’ll look back at my first reply on this thread, I gave my reasons for not buying the tow pack and then told the OP to stick with the wonderful chart 16plati posted and buy whatever he felt compelled to buy.

But then (as is always the case) folks jump up and start explaining all the reasons the 3.31 is trash and a complete mistake to purchase.

But see...it’s not.

Maybe the 3.73 is better in some (most?) applications. But for many many people, myself included, the 3.31 is just fine. So just as you accuse me of “pushing” the 3.31, you make it seem like the 3.73 is the only acceptable choice and a vehicle with a 3.31 would have trouble making it through an intersection before the light turns red.

I’m glad you like your 3.73. I like my 3.31. I’m sure the OP will like whatever he buys and once he does, won’t ever remember that he even considered the alternative.

 

[lobsenza]

The MPG difference will primarily be on the highway. In town there will be little difference. The vehicle is more likely to bog down with the 3.31. In addiiton, the 3.31 axle may downshift more to get additional power. So, the 3.31 axle could increase transmission wear slightly.

Ford's desire is to sell more 3.31 axle vehicles. They get slightly higher EPA MPG ratings with the 3.31. As long as they sell only a small portion of 3.73 axle ratio vehicles, I believe they do not have to factor it into the EPA ratings. Remember, Ford cares about .1 or .2 MPG increase. In real life, I think you will spend very little more for fuel with the 3.73 axle ratio. The difference will primarily be on the highway since the engine will be turning slightly faster. How much more fuel will you use if your average MPG goes form 17 to 16.8?

All Navigators have the 3.73 axle ratio. I am not sure the Navigator is a valid comparison since it is more powerful and a little heavier. The Navigator gets 1 MPG less than the Expedition according to the EPA. I doubt the axle ratio will make up more than 20% of that difference.

 

[Paddler]

If I was planning on driving this in town like the original poster said he was, I would absolutely NOT want 3.31 gears. The 3.73's will strain everything less and often be more efficient in town as you accelerate numerous times.

Nope, not even close. Ten speed transmission makes the 3.73 diff irrelevant. I'm at 22.5 mpg this tank. Awesome.