On the subject of drag racing empty trucks,I sugest you start out on the scales. I traded in a 98 ram 150 with 360, auto, 3.50 gears, 4x4, for a 01 250 Super Duty, V10, auto 3:73 gears, 4x4. The dodge felt allright as a grocery getter, but after buying a 23 foot toy hauler, camp trailer that goes down the road at around 9500 pounds, the dodge wouldn't pull it in third on level ground if there was a head wind. Hence the Super Duty that will pull it 15 miles an hour faster up the same hill. They both ran the quarter mile at close to the same speed,as long as they were empty. A trip to the local scales told the story, the F250 with empty bed and a tank of gas weighs in at 6950# with just me in the truck.
That's nearly 1500 pounds different than the Dodge.
the dodge also got better milage empty but worse pulling a load.
the Ford gets 9 loaded and up to 15.2 empty running the freeway between spokane Wa. and Billings Mt. that aint bad.

 

A diesel would have been a betterchoice for towing. You would have still kept up with the Dodge 1500 and would have gotten better milage all around.

 

That weight sounds right. Is yours an ext cab too or a crew cab. Mine weighed in at 6800lbs with 1/2 tank of gas and me in it.

I'm also pleased with the towing performance and I have no desire to own a diesel right now. Diesel costs 14c/gallon more than 87 octane as of today and I get enough diesel fumes and stink up my nose with the time I spend on my tractor to keep me from wanting to smell it every time I'm around my pickup.

My trailer only weighs 6500lbs at most and the V10 handles it niceley. I haven't found a hill yet I can't accelerate up with this load if I need to.

 

You are comparing a half ton light duty to a super duty ford. Thats like comparing the weight of a ranger to a 3500hd chevy truck.

 

I feel light. My 94 Dodge 5spd diesel weighed 6200 with a tool box. I don't see why my truck is ligther than my friends 98 Dodge the same truck down to the tool box and both with full tanks.
DM01