Winetripper

This is a question about towing with my Expedition, but I thought the F-150 owners would have some strong opinions about towing. I just bought a new 2011 Expedition with the Heavy Duty Tow Package, but have found it does not have the 3.73 axle ratio. Instead, it has the 3.31, which, in theory, would give me better mileage, and it is supposed to have the same towing capacity of 9000 lbs. My current 2003 Expedition has the 3.73 and tows very well, but it has 150,000 miles on it. Other than fixing a loose steering problem and an air suspension sensor, nothing major has been done to it. But this summer I will be towing a 6500 lb Airstream to Michigan and back, so I bought the new Expedition for peace of mind. How much difference will I find with the 3.31? I am much more interested in towing performance than a little improvement in gas mileage. I assume I can pay for a 3.73 replacement if you all tell me I won't like the 3.31. And, yes, I did very seriously consider an F-150, especially a Lariat with the EcoBoost, but my vehicle needs when not towing don't suit a pickup. Thanks for your constructive help!

My faithful 2003 Expedition EB 4x4 has just turned 150,000 miles. It's pulled a lot of things very well, including a 5000 lb boat to Tahoe from the Bay Area numerous times. I just bought an Airstream trailer and am planning a long trip with it this summer. As I didn't want to get stuck out in the boonies with a fried transmission (it's original), I looked for, found and bought a new 2011 XLT 4x4 with all the features I want. I gain about 600 lbs towing, but I find that even though it has the heavy duty tow package, it's the 3.31 and not the 3.73 ratio, which is what I have in my '03. (Yes, I considered an Ecoboost F-150, but the wife put her foot down.) What differences am I going to see? I will be towing about 6500lb plus 2 people, a dog and probably 250 pounds of gear in the truck. I'm taking 2 1/2 months to drive to Upper Michigan and back and will encounter all kinds of terrain. I found a great book that describes the difficulty of every mountain pass in detail, so I'm avoiding the worst of them, but I still have to get over the Sierras and the Rockies. In the 60 miles I've driven it so far, the new Expy doesn't seem as quick as the old one. I'm less concerned about gaining a mile or so in mpg than I am about tackling some long uphill grades. I get around 13.5 mpg combined with the old 2003, and it pulls the Airstream quite well. If you all recommend the 3.73 over the 3.31, how big a deal is it to change, how long does it take and how much will it set me back? Thanks in advance for some useful advice!

Greetings - I'm from a Ford family dating back (in my memory) to a Model A. Folks had '49 4-dr, '52 wagon, '53 convertible, '57 wagon (245hp T-Bird), '60 Falcon wagon (ouch!), and '65 & '66 Mustangs (both 289 - yes!). I've had '89 Taurus, '92 Explorer Ltd, '96 Expedition EB (electrical probs), '03 Expedition EB (150K mi) and now a very new '11 Expedition XLT. I'm going to have towing questions about the latter. Hope to get some help. Thanks in advance!