The 1999-2004 Ford F250 History: The New Super Duty (Part 5)
Ford F250 Super Duty Introduction
Early in 1998, the Ford F250 Light Duty and Heavy Duty models from the previous years were both replaced by the new 1999 F250 Super Duty, and for the first time the F250 was completely different from the half ton F-Series trucks. The F250 had shared many parts with the half ton trucks for generations, and many load restriction issues were avoided with this new production campaign. The new, larger front end of the F250 Super Duty allowed for more fresh air to enter the engine bay, helping to keep the engine cool during towing or heavy hauling.
The base engine for the 1999 F250 pickup was the 5.4L Triton V8 making 260 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. 1999 introduced the first V10 F250, and this variant of the Triton engine family offered 310 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque. The premium engine option for the new F250 Super Duty was the Powerstroke turbo diesel V8, making 235 horsepower and 500lb-ft of torque from 1999-2002, and in 2003 the 7.3L F250 diesel trucks got a jump in power to 250 horsepower and 525 lb-ft of torque. The standard F250 transmission in gas powered trucks was a 5-speed automatic, although a 4-speed automatic could be ordered. The F250 diesel models came with a standard 6-speed manual transmission, although there were also a 4- and 5-speed automatic transmissions offered for the F250 Powerstroke models. The gas engine options would remain unchanged throughout the first generation of the F250 Super Duty, but the 7.3L Powerstroke was replaced by the 6.0L diesel late in 2003, and this new version of the F250 Powerstroke made 325 horsepower and 560 lb-ft of torque. All of the engine and transmission packages were available with either rear wheel or 4 wheel drive, and F250 4×4 models use a solid front Dana 60 axle.
The 1999-2004 Ford F250 Super Duty was offered with three different cab options. The basic F250 cab was a standard cab with two doors, seating 2-3 adults. The F250 Super Cab has two standard doors and two reverse opening rear doors making for more cab room and seating 4-5 passengers. The largest F250 Super Duty was the F250 Crew Cab, and with four full sized doors, the Crew Cab F250 seats up to six people. The F250 Crew Cab and Super Cab could be ordered with either a 6 ¾ foot bed or an 8 foot bed, and the F250 Standard Cab offers only the 8 foot bed. Starting in 2000, the Ford Excursion was a full sized sport utility vehicle built on the F250 chassis and suspension, with the same engine and transmission options.
