Mine has the camper plus the 5th wheel package, 10,000 weight capacity. By actual OEM part numbers, the front springs are 6000 pound, the rears 6100. In other words, my F250 is an F350 without the 4" rear blocks. Is it rough riding? Not really. It IS a heavy duty Super Duty which unfortunately for many puts it well into the firm ride category for many that want a boulevard ride. It doesn't shimmy either but it will bounce if unloaded on concrete roads if the expansion strips are raised. If you want/need that kind of a ride, then the F150 is for you. Do you pull a big 5th wheel trailer or even a large TT? If so you really need the F250/350 or maybe even an F450. Do you just WANT a big frickin' truck - guess what, there is a price to pay in riding comfort. That's life with a SD so either get used to it or get an F150 or maybe even an SUV.

Oh and yes, the 137 to 142 in SB does have a much choppier ride then a 172" crew cab long bed.

 

My reg cab feels good, I think. pretty much like I was expecting. but it's the only SD I've been in, in a long time, so nothing to compare it with, and I tend not to mind NVH as much as others. I've often wondered how big of a difference the feel is with different wheelbases and springs on this truck. I think I have the lightest default spring config that was available. Also really curious as to what the 4x4 front would have felt like on mine, compared to my I-beams.

 

I've never owned a short bed. But currently owning three long beds and a flat deck I can only guess at how crappy the ride is in a short box.

I think the 'ride' of a truck has a lot more to do with how it's equipped and maintained vs the overall length.

 

My crew cab short bed 2002 F250 rode MUCH better than my 2012 long bed F350. Both had stock springs and 35" Toyo MT's. I'd take the ride of the 2002 any day over this 2012.

 

My truck rides excellent, it's our family road trip vehicle. Short bed, crew cab obviously. I do not have the snow plow prep or camper prep packages. I do get some jarring or shimmying over sharp bumps and railroad tracks, but all trucks will do that. My wife and I find the ride extremely comfortable.

 

I have had the exact opposite experience. My '03 rides nowhere near as nice as my '11. I also still have my '03 and some days drive both trucks one immediately after another.

 

I borrowed my brother-in-laws 2012 F250 regular cab 8 foot bed V8 gas with the plow package and almost lost the rest of the fillings in my teeth. By comparison, my 2006 CCLB F250 V10 with the plow and camper packages rides like a dream...

 

Next time you drive the long bed crew cab drive it at 45 mph for a while.

 

I ordered my 2015 F350 and the dealer mad eme get the snow plow prep since its a financed truck up north. The front spring codes did not change when the snow plow prep was added leading me to beleive the 350 has the highest front springs possible

 

I have a short bed super cab V10 , manual 5 speed and 4 wheel drive 99 XLT ,
Due to the leveling lift in front , and the two package in the back , which has the same blocks as the 350 , and factory double shocks on the front , the ride on some roads is less than soft.
I have 35/12.50/16 Mud Claws , which I believe are 8 ply , inflated to 45 front and rear when lot towing , just running empty.

I suspect the leveling springs used in front are not the softest ride ( I think they are Rancho , were on truck when I bought it ), that said, I traveled almost 20k miles last year , mostly for work, and would still rather drive it , than the Tacoma 4x4 extra cab long bed I picked up a while back.

Since I have seen , thanks to this site ,that I can install a complete factory Ford , coil spring front suspension in place of the leaf spring , that is what I will do in the future , as the coils are inherently a smoother ride, and still keeps the truck , the work horse it was designed to be .