Looking at trading in my 2012 F350 on a 2016 F350 with max tow or F450. Trying to decide which one.Truck is used to pull 5er and Sunday driver. Price difference is about 2K more for the F450 and since this truck should get me to retirement, so I can live with that.
What is the difference between the 2 mechanically? I know F450 has bigger brakes, different axle, but what else? Dealers don't stock 450's so can't see one to climb around on. For those with with 450's how noticable difference in ride between 350 is there if you have rode in one?
I noticed the F350 with max tow has big advantage in payload compared to the F450. Over 1000 pounds. Why such a big difference? Would the 450 get better milage since the 19.5 tires? Maybe run at lower RPM's?
Spec sheet says the 450 is shorter in overall height to the 350. Is this correct? I keep mine in a garage, standard size height door, but want to make sure it will fit. This would be a deal breaker.
Going to check insurance to see if there is any issue between the 2.
Anything else I should think about?

 

don't let the thrill of shopping for a new toy out weight your real needs. granted, buy what you need, but don't over buy either. consider the service it might need over the years and what you can do or what might be the difference in the service cost at a dealer/repair shop. consider the price of tires also. Is your current truck a 4x4? Will the new truck be taller than your current truck? A standard height door usually very tight on a standard, non-lifted 4x4, if it will fit through it at all.

 

Take careful measurements. I have an F350 SWR and it will NOT fit height wise in my standard 7 foot tall garage door at home, but fits nicely in my 8 foot door at my retirement property. But then again, I designed the garage there as a 2 car garage, 32 feet deep and 38 feet wide with 10 foot wide, 8 foot tall doors.
Both of the trucks you are considering will be great. How heavy are you towing? I personally would lean to a F350 with the 3.73 gears for what I tow, but those with the 4.30 gears also are happy.
I am sure guys with these two rigs will be along shortly with help and advise.
Pat

 

Been there done that with the F 350 DRW. In fact it was a sales guy they told me the F 350 would fit my needs more so than the F 450.

I haul a slide in truck camper that fully loaded out with prob tip 6000 lbs in the bed, I also pull but do not exceed about 10,000 lbs and I have often done both at the same time. If BIG PULL is your game then the F 450 works. But you are pulling a 5er not cattle trailers or horse trailers that will give 30,000 lbs+ on that gooseneck. I live in ranch country and see F450's regularly and when I do that 6.7 is earning its keep and earning money too.

As for the suspension, I added oversize F/R sway bars to improve my on road loaded ride. The 450 gives you more and gives you a lot more rolling weight, so if you are pulling a 5er fuel stops might come a bit more often with a 450 vs a 350.

I went in to buy one, come out with a 350, not a ? of $, like you said only a couple of coin, but just did not not need it and when it comes resale time 350 are generally easier to sell. As the sales guy said if you are buying a used 450, you can bet its been used!

 

I thought long and hard about buying a 450 a few months ago. Justin just bought one and is very happy with his. I think for me, looking back now, I would stick with the 350 with the Wide Track front end. You get the turning radius of a 450, with the cheaper tires, brakes and such of the 350. All terrain tires are much more available for the 350 than the 450 if that is a concern. To me, there is no better looking truck on the road than a CC 4x4 F450, but I just don't think I'll ever need that much truck. The 350 I have is more than plenty pulling my 16k pound 5er anywhere I want to go.
Also, keep in mind that in some states you have to carry commercial insurance due to the weight rating of the 450. Even though it is for private use. No matter which way you go, you can't lose. These trucks are fantastic!

 

The 2015/2016 F450 also has the front frame section and components as the commercial F450/F550.

The only real reason payload is rated lower than the F350 is because the truck weighs about 1000lbs more empty. So in order to keep it listed as a Class 3 truck, the GVW needed to be 14,000 or less. This obviously means that if the F350 DRW weighs 8500lbs empty it will have a 6500lb payload while if the F450 weighs 9500lbs empty, it will be listed at 5500lb payload (just examples)

 

Exactly right Justin. The 450 is de-rated to stay in class 3 territory. It's a class 4 truck all day long. That said, the tire thing that Monty brought up is why I may go 350 DRW next time around. My 21k 5th is well within a 350's ratings and being in the northeast, I'm not thrilled with the 450's tire options. If I lived in TX like you Justin, I'd have a 450 for sure.

 

We got our 350 max tow by accident. Was on dealer lot with everything we wanted but had max tow and 4.30 rear end. After we started towing our fifth wheel weighing over 13 K we was glad we got it. It is rated to tow 24.5 K so when we went thru mountains in the dark. I asked wife if we had been thru the mountains and she said yes several miles back. We went up 7% grades and it didn't slow down.
With max tow pkg it turns really tight compared to our 04.

 

The F450 with the 19.5" wheels just looks good and fills those wheel wells so much better than the 17" wheels.

 

Yea, that was my prime reason and I left it off. My driver is the payload and I get more in a 350. Thanks for reminding me.

 

The F-450 pickup capacity is definitely underrated. I understand why Ford does it, mainly to keep the GVWR from going over 14,000# but the GCWR is still 40,200# or maybe a little higher. When you look at the size of the suspension components you know it's a heavy duty pickup. The only drawback is the stiffness of the commercial 19.5" tires. I keep my '15 F-450 in my garage and it's not any taller than my F-350's were.

 

Yeah, 450s are some big beasts. I'm extremely happy with mine. I did like the extra height on my F250 (with suspension lift), but only when I hear we could get flood rains. I'm pretty sure I can trek through some pretty deep stuff.....

I'm also a little concerned by the traction I would get with my 19.5 tires vs something a bit more tractiony.

 

How did you guys do down in CC, I am up here in Boerne and I got 7.5 in over the 3 days in my rain gages that was all, did put 3 ft of water in the pond, which is almost dried out already since we have not had rain since Jun.

You get flooded down there???

 

Didn't fair bad at all actually. The rain didn't even start really coming down until around 3pm on Sat. It slowed down to a slight rain for the rest of the day. I think we got around 3" combined rain over the weekend. A few areas got hit a little harder. I know Kingsville got it pretty bad.

Nothing like earlier this year were we had homes half under water and boat rescues all over town.

Thank god.

 

Got to love the looks of the 450 with 19.5 wheels....