Are the shocks still the same from the previous years on the 2015 F350, both FX4 and non-fx4 trucks?

 

Thanks Ford Super Duty Team for jumping into this pool full of sharks.

I’ve been comparing the 2015 F350 to the F450. According to Ford’s “build your super duty”, a CC, 8’, DRW, 4WD F450 is about $3500 list more expensive than a like model F350. The F350 has a payload rating of 5920 lbs and a gooseneck tow rating of 23,500 lbs. The F450 has a payload rating of 5450 lbs and a gooseneck tow rating of 31,200. Both are rated to tow 19,000 conventionally.

The F450 has 19.5” wheels yet looses 470 lbs of payload to the F350. What’s up with this? The Ford specs are sketchy at best so what “upgrades” come with the F450 to consume 470 lbs? Heavier frame construction? Transmission cooler? Different rear axle assembly? Larger brakes? What else?

How would one source Ford technical component specs in specific SD models like rear axle information or brake rotor and pad area?

I WISH Ford would provide "detail freaks" like me an "every day" path to get technical answers. Ford dealer “fleet specialists” go “deer-in-headlights” when you ask for this kind of information.

 

They already do.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas.../techspec.html

Hiller Ford - Ford Vehicle Research

 

Tom, we are not so sure about the accuracy of those official Ford published specifications in your link, as those specs are in conflict with what the Ford Engineers are telling us in this very thread. Something isn't quite right, which is why I encouraged wo.ody to pose his questions in this thread today.

As an example:

If this is correct, that would mean that the 14,000 lbs GVWR 2015 F-450 Pickup has a heavier rated axle than the 17,500 lb. GVWR F-550 Chassis Cab which has a Dana S110. It would mean that the F-450 pick up is fitted with same rear axle as the F-550 Chassis Cab optioned with the 19,500 lb. Payload Plus Upgrade Package. It would also mean that the 2015 Ford Technical Specifications are in error, as the specs list a Dana S111 (a revision of the S110) axle for the 2015 F450 pickup. Are these specs misprinted?







There are some physical differences between the S111 and the S130 axles, including 2 pinion gears versus 4 pinion gears acting on the side gears (unless fitted with TrueTrac), as well as difference in housing material thickness, axle shaft root and spline diameter, net weight, and weight rating.






















On this last slide of data from Dana, another question emerges concerning engine horsepower and torque. Regardless of whether the 2015 F-450 pickup has a Dana S130 or a Dana S111 (a revision of the Dana S110), the maximum engine HP & TQ for either axle is 310 HP MAX and 600 ftlbs TQ MAX. Dana identifies this limitation as maximum "Engine Power", not as maximum "Axle Input Power."

As we all know, the engine power to the 2015 F-450 Pickup is 440 HP and 860 ftlbs TQ. That is a lot more than Dana's maximum limitations for either the S130 or the S110 axle. And even if Dana did say "axle input power" instead of "engine power", that could lead one to wonder whether there is 120 HP and 260 ftlb TQ lost in driveline inefficiencies in just the transmission and prop shaft alone, BEFORE even arriving at the drive axle. Or it could lead one to wonder whether Ford chooses to ignore the Dana axle HP and TQ max limitations, even as Ford cautions us not to exceed the manufacturer's ratings.

There is quite likely a good explanation for these seeming conflicts, and this is an opportune moment for the Ford Engineers to explain and clarify.


Here is another example of the conflict between Ford's printed specs and the statements Ford Engineers are making in this thread:





The image above is taken from the 2015 Ford Super Duty Pickup specifications. For the pickup frames shown, there does not appear to be any differences in material thickness, cross sectional dimension, flange width, web height, strength rating, section modulus (from prior year data) between the F-350 and the F-450 172.4" wb CC long bed pickups indicated in these printed specs. Yet we have been told that the frames are different. We'd like to know how.

The 2015 F-450 Pickup is your (Ford's) signature truck. It is not only the crown jewel of Ford's Super Duty F-Series Pickup line, and the badge that differentiates it from all competitors who do not have a "Class 4" pickup in production... it is also, quite literally, the truck in your (Team 2015 Super Duty) signature.

As such, we expect you to know everything about it, and rely upon you to provide us with the most accurate information available, compared to any other source.

Some of us, like wo.ody, may need to make decisions that come down to pounds and legalities, not just badges and bragging rights. If the F-350 DRW, when properly equipped, can actually handle as much or more fifth wheel trailer pin weight, without falling into the 14,000 GVWR or greater classification that may effect registration and insurance in some jurisdictions, knowing the details is important so as to decide between the best trade offs.

The need for better, more available, and less conflicting information remains unmet. Thank you in advance (and in arrears) for trying to address this gap.

 

Outstanding...just what I was looking for.

 

Hi guys, we’re back today to answer more of your questions. We appreciate your extensive participation and will continue to do our best to answer as many questions as possible. You are the vanguard of our loyal customer base so we are happy to be here and have this discussion with you.

We also want to acknowledge that there are some limitations on what we can address or share in an online forum. This sometimes takes the form of proprietary information or previous model questions/issues.

Thanks for your patience as we work through the questions and thank you specifically to the FTE site team and moderators for inviting us to be here. So with that, keep the questions coming and we’ll do our best to answer as many as we can. In fact, we’re going to ask the FTE team if we can extend this just a little longer, til after the Memorial Day break.

 

For this one, we reached out to <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <woNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <wontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->Lem Yeung 6.7L Diesel Engine Design Supervisor.

The reason is because those areas do not require the coating so we would be only adding pass on costs to the customer with no benefit. We find more optimization by running matched/compatible valve and seat materials and localized piston coatings to the skirt only. We run extensive and specific testing to insure our piston and head casting can handle extended time at peak power/cylinder pressures with no structural issues.

There is ferrous materials, stainless steel, and other material types in the design. The HPFP system runs ~30,000psi so materials are chosen primarily for durability and multiple fuel types compatibility. The system is such that microns of metallic particles could cause failures depending on the source so effectiveness of magnets is not feasible/efficient.

 

We spoke to Greg and Dave about these:

The axles used for the 2015 F-250 and SRW F-350 are the same.


John, we know you're very interested in this based on some of your previous posts. We have different horsepower and torque ratings for the F-250 and F-350 6.2-liter V8 due to different test procedures used for the different gross vehicle weight ratings of each truck. Engine output for both the F-250 and F-350 is the same, it's just that the rating is different because of the GVWR. Let us know if you have more questions about this.

Thank you! The team regularly reviews customer and field feedback on engine drivability and transmission shift quality. Calibration refinements have been made based on customer feed-back to address shift and engagement feel.

 

Great question, Y2KW57. We asked Scott and Alan and here's what they had to say:

The changes that we made for the improved power and torque for the 2015 model year only apply to the pickup truck. For the 2015 model year pickup truck engine, we made changes to the turbo, the high pressure fuel pump and the injectors. We also made changes to the intake system and the controls and in some configurations the axles as well. The chassis cabs we in powertrain call the dyno-cert engines, and we did not change those, so all those ratings stay the same. Even though the pickup and the dyno-cert share the same block, they are certified completely differently. The ratings of the chassis cabs fall into a whole different category based on GVWR. It's a different engine, different turbo charger, different after-treatment, different exhaust system, different EGR system, different torque converter - same block but different engine altogether. Stay tuned for more information about chassis cabs at a later date.

 

Thanks Ford team, answers are getting better! I see an F450 in my future. I am so FordGuy that I bleed blue.

 

The Ford team is great they are sticking with us and we are ALL learning together....


Thanks

 

What about the ability to monitor EGT, coolant temps in the guage cluster? Even more important with more HP/TQ in the 2015's.

 

Looks like the criticism was taken to heart. Thanks for providing less bureaucratic answers this time.

 

I would be happy if FTE and Ford extended this Q and A session. I like the answers we got today too.

 

Thanks!