4.10 or 4.56 gears for trailer towing with 2.3L?

dla · Sep 24, 2008

I have a 2007 XLT 2wd, 2.3L, 5spd manual with 3.73 in the rear. I'm thinking of buying a 16ft Scamp travel trailer, with a max weight of ~2000lbs. I want gearing low enough for manuevering and hill pulling, but not so low that I'm buzzing when going down the highway. I see that 4.10 and 4.56 is available in the stock 7.5" rearend. How do I figure out the best gearing?

My current tires are LT235/75 R15, which are slightly larger than stock but not much.

Ranger44 · Sep 24, 2008

Truthfully, when pulling a trailer.....and having the 4 banger, 4.56's would provide the best acceleration, and provide the leverage to get up those hills.

metalmacguyver · Sep 24, 2008

I did quite a bit of trailering with 235s, a 2.3, 5spd and 3.73s. It was manageable but not great. I would recommend 4.10s if you really want to regear it.

Sunk · Sep 24, 2008

I think the jump from 3.73s to 4.10s would be rather insignificant, unless he needs 'just a bit' more oomph.

dla · Sep 24, 2008

metalmacguyver said:
I did quite a bit of trailering with 235s, a 2.3, 5spd and 3.73s. It was manageable but not great. I would recommend 4.10s if you really want to regear it.

Part of my confusion is due to the 5spd transmission. It is a 4spd with an Overdrive. With 3.73's my 2.3L turns 2200rpm at 65mph - which is pretty low. As a comparison, my Mazda 5, which uses fundamentally the same 2.3L engine, turns 3000rpm at the same speed. I realize that the 2.3L will last just short of forever loafing along at 2200rpm.

So (4.10 - 3.73) / 3.73 x 100 = 9.9%. (2200 x .099)+2200 = 2417rpm. Doesn't seem like much.

metalmacguyver · Sep 24, 2008

You do have a good point. Its not much. So get the trailer and see how it is before you regear. Also, before investing in something like gears, try some smaller tires to simulate the regearing.

Will · Sep 24, 2008

I wouldn't regear without trying it. I used to have a 16' Casita I pulled with a 2600i Mazda pickup. It's a pretty good load for a 4-cylinder, but keep in mind that as small as it is, your truck is working as hard a a semi engine--so don't expect to accelerate harder than a semi. I never won a stoplight race but I did fine with it.

The thing that might make me regear would be if I found myself constantly in the wrong gear. If I were using a lot of pedal trying to keep it going on a flat in 5th, but shifting to 4th was uncomfortably high rpms I would consider gearing it to the next higher ratio. I don't think a 2.3 can hurt an M50D so I wouldn't hesitate to pull in 5th gear with it if the engine is comfortable doing it. These are pretty good trailers and go along pretty easily once they are moving.

rusty ol ranger · Sep 27, 2008

Try it with the 3.73's, you might be suprised.

2000lbs isnt much weight.

later,
Dustin

hihoslvr · Oct 2, 2008

dunno if anyone is still readin' this, but I was wonderin' about the LT- tires. I got P235/70R16's, and the LT's are noticably heavier. Seems to me that would have some overall affect on the situation, and probably does not help the acceleration.

racsan · Oct 2, 2008

dont forget about frontal area, the amount of surface that you are plowing through the air with, the front of the trailer. i have a 6x10 box trailer sigle axle that weighs 1,000 pounds empty but is 8' tall. the wind resistance on the front of the trailer is quite a load. my 4.0 will handle it but i drop from 19 mpg with just the truck to 13 pulling the empty trailer. ive never checked it loaded, its usually not more than 500 pounds in it anyhow. id go with 4.56, the 2.3 just doesnt have alot of torque. its a darn good motor, but 140 c.i.d. just aint alot of squirrels. my '88 with a 2.3 was a grat commuter truck, but long uphill grades found me in 4rth and sometimes 3rd while empty. ive got 3.73's in mine with 235's and would re-gear if i didnt have 2 differentials to deal with.

feellnfroggy · Dec 29, 2008

If This Is Still An Active Thread, Whoever Posted About The Mazda 3 With Teh 2.3 You Are Comparing Apples To Oranges, One Motor Is Designed For High Rpm H[p Output And The Other Is Designed For Low Rpm Torque Output. The 2.3 With 4.10s (ive Personally Driven Them) Will Be Sufficient For The Trailer You Are Referring To. Ford Put 4.11's In Some Of Their Trucks Around 99 From The Factory For This Purpose. The One Fella I Spoke With Who Had 4.11's Got 11 Mpg On The Highway. It Was A Bonestock 99 With 4x4 And Factory 4.11 Gearing. 4.56 Gears Will Have You Shifting Your Nads Off, And The Few Events Where You Would Need Gearing That Low Can Be Dealt With By Using 4 Lo. Just My 2 Cents.

edit:: OK NVM THIS IS NOT AN ACTIVE THREAD. PLEASE DISREGARD MY INABILITY TO READ DATES.

bryno5 · Apr 9, 2009

i have a 2000 ranger 3.0 4x4 and im putting 33's on it. Should i change the gears to 4.56? I heard that if i didnt , that i may not be able to turn the tires in the mud. If i should, how much do they usually run for?

RangerSVT · Apr 9, 2009

I have a 96 ranger, 2.3L M5OD 2wd 373's and 215/65/15. I pulled my car trailer (about 1000-1200LBS) from NW TN to south New York, picked up a 99 4x4 explorer, then drove back. I tipped the scales at 9700 LBS, my ranger is "tagged" at 4700 GVWR. It made the pull pretty good, flat running was moderate, I knew the it was back there, but could maintain 75 MPH without downshifting. Hope this helps, regearing to 410's should simulate the smaller tires I was running...
SVT

strvger · Apr 13, 2009

i'm regearing my 1983 2.8l, 5 speed, 4x4 to 4.56's. i'll be running 31" tires and pulling a 1,000# + camping trailer back and forth through the Rockies. some of those passes are over 10,000 ft. i hope to be able to pull them without having to go lower than 4th gear. we'll see!

4.10 or 4.56 gears for trailer towing with 2.3L?

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