True Odometer reading....

[gearheadjlm]

Truck: 2004 Super Cab, Step side, 4.0L SOHC, 4x4, 5 speed


So I was wondering about the mileage of my truck. It has 130,000, according to the odometer. Well the truck has Factory 4.10 gears. The speedometer is exactly 5mph faster then actual speed. At actual 60mph (speedo saying 65) I am turning about 2700-2800 RPM. I was thinking, the 4.10 axles were a option that needed to be ordered. Is it possible that my speedo was never updated to match the 4.10's and my truck not really have as many miles as it says?

What do you guys think?

What can be done?

 

[daniel3507]

i cant really help you with the question but that is a VERY nice ranger you have there. so clean you could almost get away with saying it has never been driven

 

[97ranger4x4]

Well I will assume the 4.10s came from the factory. What size tired does it have on it now? If the 4.10s were put on afterwards, then you probably will need to get the speedo redone but it might not be worth it.

 

[smallfarm123@aol.com]

i dont think that it would not matter. it should be the same no matter what
correct me if im wrong

 

[Captain Ledd]

Man, that thing is unbelievable!

As for the speedometer, possibly smaller than stock tires? That'd be my thought since tires are much easier to change than gear ratio's. And minor differences at that.

Off the top of my head, I'd think stepping from 3.73's to 4.10's would yield a bit more of a difference than 5MPH@60?

*edit: Just to make things absolutely clear.

When the speedometer says 65 - you're actually doing 60?

than my vote is tire size, the previous owner may have gotten a deal on "similar" tires, but they are actually smaller than the originals. Then your speedometer would still be reading your speed based on the old tires, but the tires wouldn't be traveling as far per revolution (smaller) as the old one, yielding a slower actual speed.. Basically speedo's are all based on the number of revolutions things make, make sense?

 

[LittleHorse]

speedometer inaccuracy is an unfortunate fact of life. That's why on sports car forums no one will believe a top speed unless it was measured via radar or GPS.

If you're that concerned about your odo, pick a straight stretch of highway, reset your trip meter at the first mile marker, and then drive 10 miles according to the markers. Compare that to your trip meter, and that will give you a very accurate idea of how far off your odometer mileage might be.

I don't think there's much you can do about it, but just an estimate at 5 miles out of every 60 would suggest your truck may only have 119,000 miles. I don't think anybody really cares between 119 and 130, and the same is true with probably half the cars on the road.

 

[gearheadjlm]

speedometer inaccuracy is an unfortunate fact of life. That's why on sports car forums no one will believe a top speed unless it was measured via radar or GPS.

If you're that concerned about your odo, pick a straight stretch of highway, reset your trip meter at the first mile marker, and then drive 10 miles according to the markers. Compare that to your trip meter, and that will give you a very accurate idea of how far off your odometer mileage might be.

I don't think there's much you can do about it, but just an estimate at 5 miles out of every 60 would suggest your truck may only have 119,000 miles. I don't think anybody really cares between 119 and 130, and the same is true with probably half the cars on the road.

Well I think you are probably about right, but my truck is for sale and people seemed turned off by 130k

It has 30x9.5 BFG A/T's

That should be the stock tire size if I'm not mistaken. And according the the axle code on the sticker in the door I have 4.10's and the tag on the axle matches. So they are factory gears. Well o well I guess there's not much I can do, but it is interesting to think. If I don't sell the truck, I'm going to move up to 31's and see if it helps.

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[alaskan155]

its normal, my 06 f150 odometer is 3mph off stock, added the next size up and the speedo is correct know(radar checked), but the speed the odometer gets is slower(going into gauge cluster computer),

so basically what i noticed ford usually marks the speedo up 3mph(maybe 5 in your case) but the odometer get the regular speed

just something i noticed on my f150 playing in the digital odometer computer(like turning the odometer into a tach sometimes)

 

[snake]

Those rims came on an exploder, not a ranger from the factory and they're probably 15"? (I think I see 15 in the last picture on the sidewall) I'm almost positive that truck came from the factory with 16's. That would speed the speedometer up 5 MPH guaranteed. Doesn't really matter how it got screwed up, the fix is no big deal- a PCM reprogram telling it the rears and tire size. It won't fix the mileage showing on the clock, but it will straighten out the speedometer.

I don't think you'll have any problem selling that truck if someone can just get a look at it before they see the odometer!

 

[Captain Ledd]

What is the tire size on the door, should be something like 265/75R16 or something similar to that... at least that format. I'm almost certain that 31" tires came stock, and not 30"s.

 

[gearheadjlm]

Well, you guys are right about the wheels. I had the tires and wheels on my Explorer, and switched. The overall tire size is the same though.