2020 F350 w/10-speed transmission or 2019 w/6-speed Transmission?

[DMacLeod]

My wife and I are looking to go full-time and researching tow vehicles. We'll be pulling a 5th wheel 15000 UVW (Grand Design 397TH). We'll be buying a Ford F350 DRW diesel. There are some good deals right now on the 2019 models but they have a 6 speed transmission. My question is, would I be better of with a 2020 10-speed transmission with 3.73 or 4.10 axle ratio or a 2019 6-speed transmission with a 3.73 axle ratio? Will the 10-speed transmission make a big difference in driving over the 6-speed transmission?

thanks

[GOLDWINGER2]

[DirtRider]

Originally Posted by DMacLeod

My wife and I are looking to go full-time and researching tow vehicles. We'll be pulling a 5th wheel 15000 UVW (Grand Design 397TH). We'll be buying a Ford F350 DRW diesel. There are some good deals right now on the 2019 models but they have a 6 speed transmission. My question is, would I be better of with a 2020 10-speed transmission with 3.73 or 4.10 axle ratio or a 2019 6-speed transmission with a 3.73 axle ratio? Will the 10-speed transmission make a big difference in driving over the 6-speed transmission?

thanks

No question, I would wait for the 10 speed. Especially paired with a 4.10 axle. There are a couple of overdrives in the 10 speed that may have marginal value, but paired with the 4.10, some might be useful. But no matter what, there are smaller gear splits in the 10 speed than the 6. As in, maybe for hills, there are 5 usable gears in the 6 speed, and 7 in the 10 speed. That’s a big difference in being able to have the right one for a given hill. Plus the 10 speed can skip several gears in a shift if necessary.

I don’t actually have experience with the 10 speed in an F350. This is based on 6 speed experience in my gas motorhome and 10 speed experience in my wife’s Mustang. So, not applicable experience. But it’s still enough to tell me that absolutely, more gears are better if the transmission logic is smart. And Ford seems to have that figured out.

[JohnBoyToo]

the 6 speed's in my 6.7L 250 and 350 were great towing our HEAVY 38' redwood 5'er, didn't want for a thing - I can't imagine how much better the new ones are, but I'd consider spoiling yourself - ez for us to spend your money

[ToppDogg]

Originally Posted by DMacLeod

My wife and I are looking to go full-time and researching tow vehicles. We'll be pulling a 5th wheel 15000 UVW (Grand Design 397TH). We'll be buying a Ford F350 DRW diesel. There are some good deals right now on the 2019 models but they have a 6 speed transmission. My question is, would I be better of with a 2020 10-speed transmission with 3.73 or 4.10 axle ratio or a 2019 6-speed transmission with a 3.73 axle ratio? Will the 10-speed transmission make a big difference in driving over the 6-speed transmission?

thanks

I found the best deals on the 2020 models, in a few months the dealerships will start to get the 21's in stock. My local ford dealership, (Anacortes, WA) had a $6700 discount and then 2 others that made my discount before we even started to haggle $8200.00 off. That is as good as year end prices.

I traded in a F-150 HD with 6 speed, I can say for my use the 10 speed is proving to be a very nice upgrade. I have the 6.7, 10 speed and 3.55 gearing.

Hope this helps and good luck with anything you decide on.

[tuffr2]

There were other changes to the 2020 Ford Superduty other than the 10 speed. I test drove a 2019 and it was no different than my 2017.

Before Coronavirus I test drove the GM and Ford. I liked both those trucks. The 2020 Ford diesel was charged for more power and the steering is lighter making the truck a lot easier to drive.

I would make a deal on the 2020 and forget about the 2019.

[Rhagfo]

Well on another forum member gave a First Tow review of his 2020 F350 6.7 with 10 speed compared to his 2015 6.7 with 6 speed. See the link.
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/f...d/30091970.cfm

[jjackrash]

I'm not a ford guy, but I assume the Ford 10-speed is comparable to the GM 10-speed given all the positive reviews. I was very happy with my 6-speed Allison until I drove home in my 2020 with a 10-speed. It is so smooth it is ridiculous. I was towing a loaded 14k dump trailer today and watching the tach accelerating just to verify it was shifting. I holds the RPMS right in the perfect place and you can see the tach just bounce a bit as you move, but you really have to pay attention to know when its shifting. My internet vote is for the 10-speed, all day, every day, even if you need to pay a premium to get one.

[pointrow]

I have a 17 Ford F-150 with 5.0 l and 6 speed and I hate it when I’m towing. Constantly shifting looking for the best fuel mileage or something.
Even empty if I up the cruise 2 mph it will downshift 2 gears on a flat road.
My old Duramax 6 speed would never shift much. It just beared down and pulled the load up the hill.

[Jshopes81]

If money is no object, id get the 10 speed but the 6 speed is a very good very strong transmission. This isnt really a situation you can lose in. Youve asked about gearing every way possible in other posts and i still say 4.10s. The deal for the 19 would have to be a smoking deal for me to pick it over the 20 because its already going to lose an extra year depreciation. Ford has knocked the trans game out of the park for almost 20 years now starting with the 5r110. With that many years of excellent transmissions i cant see the 10 speed being a turd either. The only problem, if it ever did need replacing, that would be one heck of a repair bill with that many gears.

[Rhagfo]

Originally Posted by pointrow

I have a 17 Ford F-150 with 5.0 l and 6 speed and I hate it when I’m towing. Constantly shifting looking for the best fuel mileage or something.
Even empty if I up the cruise 2 mph it will downshift 2 gears on a flat road.
My old Duramax 6 speed would never shift much. It just beared down and pulled the load up the hill.

That is the difference in gas and diesel, not transmission.

[JDT]

I've had mine over 5 months. The 10 speed is really, I mean really, smooth. I ordered my truck with the 3.31 gearing and it does everything I ask, towing or not towing. Our new Pinnacle is a perfect match for it. We got the Pinnacle yesterday and the 110 mile trip home was so smooth. Even with the 3.31 on the highway it would only downshift on some fairly steep hills (western Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma type) hills. The trip meter showed 10.9 mpg when we got home, and that includes a whole string of stoplights going thru Springdale and Siloam Springs. I almost always get 20 plus solo. The steering is so much better than my previous F350 dually was. No wandering or bump steer.

[Jshopes81]

Originally Posted by JDT

I've had mine over 5 months. The 10 speed is really, I mean really, smooth. I ordered my truck with the 3.31 gearing and it does everything I ask, towing or not towing. Our new Pinnacle is a perfect match for it. We got the Pinnacle yesterday and the 110 mile trip home was so smooth. Even with the 3.31 on the highway it would only downshift on some fairly steep hills (western Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma type) hills. The trip meter showed 10.9 mpg when we got home, and that includes a whole string of stoplights going thru Springdale and Siloam Springs. I almost always get 20 plus solo. The steering is so much better than my previous F350 dually was. No wandering or bump steer.

Youd probably get better mileage with some better gearing to be honest.

[JDT]

Originally Posted by Jshopes81

Youd probably get better mileage with some better gearing to be honest.

The only 2 options for the Ford are the 3.55 and the 3.31 in a single rear wheel. GM only has one option and it is a 3.42. I wanted the 3.31 because of a chance for a little better mileage not towing. I think my mileage was pretty good for pulling a 14K pound fifth wheel. I'm very happy with it and if I had it do all over again I'd do it all over again.