# FORD Superduty PROs - A question



## wallmaxx (Jun 18, 2007)

I am working with a guy who was told that the only difference between a Super Duty F-250 and a Super Duty F-350 is the 350 has beefier rear leaf springs. I just can't buy that. 

I need some accurate and informative input from the Ford pros out there.

Thanks.

Mike


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## Chris Johnson (Apr 19, 2007)

Well, ones a 3/4 ton, the others a 1 ton, you need more than springs to justify that.

Mind you, I had an 02 F-450, killed three trannys within 18,000 miles...dealership finally admitted to me that Ford uses the same tranny for anything from an F-150 to F-550, that was a good trade getting rid of that...hurray for Chevy's Alliston Tranny


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## XanadooLTD (Oct 6, 2007)

Just last year a tree cutting company pulled a gooseneck trailer with about 15000 pounds loaded. The truck was a F250. Only the tires were screaming in pain. they looked like they were going to blow. Truck pulled wonderfully


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

Yes, the major difference between a 250 and 350 SRW is the spring rate. Not until you get to a 450 do the changes become significant. And by no means does a 150 and a 350 (or higher) have the same trans. I worked for Ford for over a decade. Even if it's the same case, the internals ARE different.


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## BAREIN (Dec 26, 2007)

All of the big 3's HEAVY 3/4 tons and 1 ton's usually have the same driveline, just heavier spring rates. Lighter GVWR 3/4 tons usualy have drivelines of there own, I think light 3/4 ton's are kind of getting to be a thing of the past though.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

wallmaxx said:


> I am working with a guy who was told that the only difference between a Super Duty F-250 and a Super Duty F-350 is the 350 has beefier rear leaf springs. I just can't buy that.
> I need some accurate and informative input from the Ford pros out there.
> Thanks.
> Mike


Hey Max!
Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page.
There's a Ford forum down there.
bet you could either get an answer....
or start a fight! :laughing:


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

I was always told that there is a different block between the springs on a 350 and a 250 and that the springs were identical. I was also told there was something a little different in the front end to as far a compression or clearance was concerned, but other than that, everything else was the same.

Are their options or features only availalbe on a 350 that you can't get on a 250?


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

Look here:

http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/superduty/features/specs/


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## dougger222 (Jan 29, 2004)

Up until 2002 Ford put Dana 50's in 4x4 F250's and Dana 60's in 4x4 F350's. The 4x4 Excursions all got Dana 50's.

The rear axles I think are the same between F250's and F350's except for the F350 DRW which has a different rear end. 

An F150 does not have the same tranny as a F550. Even a F350 gas motor has a slightly different tranny than a F350 diesel motor.

The springs are the same on both the F250 and F350. The only vehicle they differ on is the Excursion.

My wifes 00 Excursion PSD 4x4 (8K lbs) has 183.5K miles on the original auto tranny. My 99 F250 PSD 4x4 has had one tranny in 253K miles. The 99 F350 DRW PSD 4x4 has 134.5K miles on the original tranny. Of course all the motors have been untouched.

The biggest load last year with the DRW and 14ft dump trailer was 27,500 lbs, my guess would be about 15K lbs of debris in the 4.5K lb trailer. The biggest load with the Excursion last year was 25,020 lbs. Never got a chance to weigh a huge load with the F250 but with the old heavier dump trailer but suspect there were a few loads bigger than the 27.5K lb DRW load. 

The big load with the DRW was loaded level with the top. One load with the SRW was loaded 2ft above the top all the way around. We put pieces of osb around the sides and pushed the load down with a skid loader. Thank goodness for those air bags!!!


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## dougger222 (Jan 29, 2004)

Chris Johnson said:


> Well, ones a 3/4 ton, the others a 1 ton, you need more than springs to justify that.
> 
> Mind you, I had an 02 F-450, killed three trannys within 18,000 miles...dealership finally admitted to me that Ford uses the same tranny for anything from an F-150 to F-550, that was a good trade getting rid of that...hurray for Chevy's Alliston Tranny


You can't believe everything a dealership/salesman tells you. One way to find out if a car salesman is lieing is to see if his lips are moving. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the Allison is not bullet proof. You start putting extra HP and TQ in front of it and they will break. GM bought Allison for the marketing behind the Duramax/Isuzu Allison combo. GM put their parts in an Allison case and charges around $1,500. A real Allison WILL set you back around $5K. The GM Allison is still stronger than any other auto tranny GM has ever put behind a diesel motor or gas motor for that matter. The Allison is a better tranny than the 4R100 but is pretty close in specs to the Torqueshift or 48RE.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

I'm thinking about a 250 in the future. V8, tow a trailer once a week.


Which rearend do guys prefer. 
373
410
430

Non-slip, limited slip?


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## not2late (Mar 31, 2005)

My 2000 F 250 has a 7.3 6 speed with a 3.73 limited slip. It has pulled a 24 foot enclosed trailer loaded with a usual load of 10,000 lbs for a good portion of its life. Never lacked for power and averaged 16mpg loaded and does 20 without a trailer. Now has 362,000 and runs great. Just put its second water pump in this morning. 

Now that I'm back in kitchens I don't need the trailer anymore so the truck has a pretty easy life now.


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

Chris Johnson said:


> Well, ones a 3/4 ton, the others a 1 ton, you need more than springs to justify that.
> 
> Mind you, I had an 02 F-450, killed three trannys within 18,000 miles...dealership finally admitted to me that Ford uses the same tranny for anything from an F-150 to F-550, that was a good trade getting rid of that...hurray for Chevy's Alliston Tranny


doesn't ford us the german ZF tranny in the 250's up? ours have proven bullet proof in 200k miles pulling trailers and plowing snow.


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## A W Smith (Oct 14, 2007)

*im on my second f-150 in 16 years, i still have both*

you guys would cringe if you saw the torture I put an f-150 through. If you plan to abuse an f-150 like i have keep an eye out for those rear axle bearings. although I added as many leaves as they could fit. The load is on the axle's not the housing. On 250s and up they are full floater housings. the weight of the truck rests on bearings on the housing and the axle just turns the wheels. Thats not the case with the 150s, I never broke one but if you lose an axle bearing like i have you must change the axle as well. There is no inner bearing shell.


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## dougger222 (Jan 29, 2004)

Mike Finley said:


> I'm thinking about a 250 in the future. V8, tow a trailer once a week.
> 
> 
> Which rearend do guys prefer.
> ...


You will get the best fuel mileage with the smallest gear ratio. If you want the power advantage with the trailer go with the largest gear ratio. Usually limited slip is better than non slip but I know a couple guys who order their trucks through the Ford A plan and never get limited slip. 

The Excursion has 3.73 limited slip and gets great fuel mileage with the auto/diesel. Not towing it averages 16-17 but has gotten as high as 20 a few times. Towing 5K lbs it averaged 14.5 mpg on a trip to Chicago a couple years back.
The F250 has 3.73 non limited slip and gets ok fuel mileage with auto/diesel. A few mpg less on average than the X which is odd since the X is heavier.
The F350 DRW has 4.10 limited slip and gets bad fuel mileage. It don't matter if it's towing or empty but it gets just shy of teen numbers.

My father had a 97 F150 4.2 V6 regular cab long bed 4x2. He used to tow his race car and dump trailer with it on the factory bumper! The dump trailer wasn't big but I'm sure some loads were close to 10K lbs. Keep in mind he never put a reciever hitch on it. At 97K miles he got stuck ice fishing and spun a bearing and the truck was donated to the blind. Now he has a 03 E250 with the same motor and from time to time he pulls the dump trailer pulling weights close to 15K lbs. Of course this rig came with a reciever hitch.


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## A W Smith (Oct 14, 2007)

I had a 72- f37 (chassis cab) the equivalent to a f-350 with a 4:10 rear and auto 390 that absolutly killed me on gas. And that was back in the seventies.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

Mike Finley said:


> *Which rearend do guys prefer.[*QUOTE]
> 
> This one!


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

I'm a Ford man for life...first truck? It was 1989, I bought an '85 F-150, 2WD, 5 Speed, 300 inline six, full ladder racks (a blessing for a 19 year old roofer going into business for himself). 

I loved that truck. My newborn baby girl came home from the hospital in that truck. 

Now, I have a '97 E-250 Cargo Van, but I'm eyeing the F-450 SD King Ranch.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

dougger222 said:


> You will get the best fuel mileage with the smallest gear ratio. If you want the power advantage with the trailer go with the largest gear ratio. Usually limited slip is better than non slip but I know a couple guys who order their trucks through the Ford A plan and never get limited slip.
> 
> The Excursion has 3.73 limited slip and gets great fuel mileage with the auto/diesel. Not towing it averages 16-17 but has gotten as high as 20 a few times. Towing 5K lbs it averaged 14.5 mpg on a trip to Chicago a couple years back.
> The F250 has 3.73 non limited slip and gets ok fuel mileage with auto/diesel. A few mpg less on average than the X which is odd since the X is heavier.
> ...


I have that motor in my Van...great motor. I can't tell it's "not" a V-8.


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## dougger222 (Jan 29, 2004)

My brother has a 71 F250 high boy regular cab long bed 4x4. It's in pretty good shape sitting on 35's with an auto tranny and a 390. He paid $2,800 for it three years ago and was just offered $3,400 for it.

My mechanic is also a Ford truck guy and he's got a 85 F150 regular cab long bed with a 460 in it. Last year he bought a 76 F150 regular cab short bed with an auto and 390. The truck is in near mint condition and he gave $10K for it. His plow truck is a 76 F150 with a 390 and he wouldn't sell it for $10K, the plow has never left the truck since new and don't think it's ever been stuck. Pretty sure it's posi both front and rear. It's sitting on 33 inch mudders which is odd for a plow truck. His brother in law has a 74 F150 in near mint condition. 

The 08 F450 King Ranch is hands down the nicest pick up ever made but with a huge sticker price and poor mileage with the 4.88 rear end it's more a truck for the rich than one for a working man.


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